Great Advances in LASIK Offer Patients Options

By Maria Scott, MD

Chesapeake Eye Care & Laser Center

. https://www.chesapeakeeyecare.com/

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Great Advances in LASIK Offer Patients Options

Great advances in LASIK technology offer patients a bladeless option. This bladeless technology, called the IntraLase method, uses the femtosecond laser. The first step in LASIK surgery is to create a corneal flap so that the surgeon can then reshape your cornea to reduce or eliminate the need for eyeglasses or contacts.
With the IntraLase method, computer-guided pulses of laser light are used to create the corneal flap instead of the microkeratome, which is a hand-held device with a thin metal blade. Additionally, this advanced all laser technology enables the surgeon to program the dimensions of your particular flap.
The IntraLase method is more accurate than most microkeratomes and in clinical studies it has provided more patients with 20/20 vision or better. It has also made it possible to treat a wider variety of patients including those who were previously dismissed as non-candidates because of thin corneas.
Most people with astigmatisms can get LASIK surgery. Two amazing advancements that make it possible to more accurately and precisely correct astigmatisms, as well as nearsightedness and farsightedness, are Wavefront technology and Iris Registration.
With Wavefront technology a Wavescan is used to take three-dimensional measurements of your eye and identify any unique imperfections such as lower-order or higher-order aberrations which affect your vision. Depending on your particular aberrations the surgeon may or may not recommend surgery. If LASIK is possible, the information is transferred to the laser.
Adding Iris Registration further increases the accuracy. When you lie down for the procedure, your eyes naturally rotate (Cyclotorsional rotation) and your pupils may migrate. Iris Registration is an alignment method that maps 40 points on your iris and focuses the laser using these points. Therefore, if you have any eye movement, the laser is able to rotate with these movements. Combining Wavefront technology with Iris Registration allows the surgeon to deliver better results and more customized vision correction than ever before.
If you are interested LASIK surgery, select an experienced provider who offers the latest advancements.