LASIK Technological Advancements

About Lasik Technology
Lasik is fast gaining acceptance as the popular method for improving vision. This is especially so with the stabilization of the costs involved. With new technology the surgery is now very quick, usually in less than 2 minutes for each eye and is relatively painless. Patients can walk out of the recovery room in the same day and the recovery time is short. In almost all cases patients are able to perform all of their regular activities within a week.
We can no longer deny that Lasik vision correction has and continues to improve the quality of life for people who rely on glasses and contact lenses.

Advances in technology
With new advances in lasers and instrumentation, the Lasik vision correction is being brought to a newer level of reliability to both the patient and doctor. Surgeries can now be performed in a personalized and accurate manner. Patients will receive the best possible outcome with such technological advancements.

The past
When lasik was first introduced, it was received with caution. Especially when in the past the only way Lasik was performed was by using a hand-held blade to cut open the cornea. And since it’s done manually it does not always have the desired cut and strongly relied on the doctor’s skills and experience in making the cut.
Although no Lasik procedure can promise to completely eliminate the need for contacts or glasses, the emergence of new technology in Lasik is making this a reality. Here we would like to show some new Lasik techniques that offer much more accuracy and better vision results.

The two techniques we will discuss include;

1. Wavefront™ LASIK (Custom LASIK) - higher level of safety and accuracy, personalized form of vision correction, better visual correction results
2. IntraLase® laser - bladeless form of LASIK
   
   

Wavefront™ LASIK (Custom LASIK)
The Wavefront™ LASIK is also known as Wavefront™-guided LASIK.
With custom LASIK, your eye's ability to focus light rays is measured, and a 3-D map is created that demonstrates irregularities in the way your eye processes images. Information contained in the map guides the laser in customizing the treatment to reshape your eye's corneal surface so that these irregularities can be corrected. This gives the surgeon more accurate results. This often does away with the possibility of needing a second “enhancement” surgery to remove more corneal tissue. This technique incorporates the use of microsensors and wavelight directed from a laser beam through the eye to the retina. This light is reflected back out of the eye, allowing corneal irregularities to be measured on a 3-D map, which serves as a blueprint for your eye. The recorded aberrations of your visual system are then transferred to the actual laser that is used to reshape the cornea during LASIK surgery. This procedure uses the wavefront-guided method and is set to exactly match the needs of the patient. Custom Lasik can help correct and improve vision problems such as hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism. It can also correct worse vision problems that affect a patient’s vision. These can include starbursts or seeing halos around objects at night, sensitivity, and complications from traditional Lasik surgery. Many Lasik surgeons offer this method of Lasik surgery. Often, doctors recommend this method to help patients achieve a safer, more accurate vision correction surgery.

IntraLASIK with IntraLase
During Lasik the surgeon cuts a flap in the patient’s cornea and after pulling it out of the way tiny bits of corneal tissue is removed. Often more patients fear the creation of the flap more than any other part of the Lasik procedure.
IntraLASIK refers to LASIK that creates a corneal flap with a femtosecond laser microkeratome instead of a mechanical steel blade microkeratome. IntraLASIK is also called “All Laser Lasik”. This can be performed with any excimer laser used for LASIK including the conventional wavefront-optimized or wavefront- guided ablation.
This new technique sets to offer unprecedented safety through the latest advance in LASIK technology. The IntraLase utilizes a computer-guided laser that assists in creating the hinged flap with a beam of light. This ensures the flap has exact corneal centration, thickness, and diameter, providing patients with the most precise results possible. As opposed to the old hand-held microkeratome blade, this is often the most preferred.
Even though both of the methods are proven to be both safe and effective, some doctors have found that IntraLASIK reduces the risks of complications following the procedure. This reduced risk of complications, the use of a computer-guided laser, and accurate results make the bladeless form of LASIK the preferred choice for many patients.

As we have seen above, there are many forms and variations of Lasik surgery. Each one essentially uses a laser to map out the eye, target vision problems and reshape the cornea.
Coupled with the latest technology, patients often experience a better outcome with their Lasik vision correction surgery. Your eye care professional will be able to tell you through a thorough eye exam which Lasik surgery most fits your needs. As with any medical procedure, questions regarding these new forms of Lasik technology should be directed towards your Lasik surgeon.