Wavefront Lasik

Vision Correction Surgery and Technological Advances

Lasik vision correct has been a huge hit.  Lasik surgery is usually performed in under two minutes per eye and, here's the big news, is relatively painless.

After you have experienced the surgery you will be able to stroll out of the recovery room after only a few minutes.  Most patients are right back into their regular routine in a matter of days.  Some even go back to work right after the surgery. 

For those of us who have struggled glasses and contacts for most of our lives Lasik vision correction is close to a miracle.

Because the surgery has been so popular with patients and so profitable for doctors researchers have been motivated to constantly improve the procedure. The latest in Lasik vision correction technology benefits both the patient and the doctor. Doctors have the benefit of being able to performing the surgery as personalized and accurately as possible. Patients in return have the best possible outcome with the  newest technology.

In the beginning, Lasik was performed by using a hand held blade to cut  open the cornea. This was a tricky maneuver and it demand that the doctor be skilled and experienced.  It did not always result in a successful operation. 

Let's be honest, No Lasik procedure can promise to completely eliminate the need for contacts or glasses.  The good news is that the latest technology is coming darn close to making it a sure thing.  That means more accuracy for the doctor and better vision for the patient.  

When having the Lasik procedure, the surgeon uses a tiny laser called an excimer to  cut a flap in the cornea. After the flap is pulled out of the way, tiny bits of  corneal tissue is removed.

Yips! I know how Lasik works, but I just don't like to dwell on the detail.  Let the doctor worry about such things as "cuts" and "flaps".  But wait; has new technology changed any of that?

One of the new techniques is called Intralase. It still uses a laser, but one that is safer than any other type used in this form of vision correction. When Intralase is used, the computer-guided laser assists the surgeon in creating the corneal flap with a beam of light.

The use of this laser ensures that the flap has the exact corneal centration, thickness and diameter.  More exact results are achieved, because it is a major improvement over the old hand-held blade.

What else is new?  Something called the Custom Lasik procedure. This uses the wavefront-guided method and is set to exactly match the condition of the patient's eyes.

Custom Lasik is very cool.  The laser maps out three-dimensional scans of the eye. The scan shows all vision impairments, so the exact amount of corneal tissue can be removed.

Surgeons love it because it gives them more accurate results. With this method there is seldom a need for a second "enhancement" surgery to further alter corneal  tissue.

There's more Lasik news. The latest technology is called Wavefront Guided Technology. When a doctor uses Wavefront, he or she can be more precise in the surgery.  Wavefront technology uses micro sensors and wave light that is directed from a laser beam through the eye to the retina.

As that laser light is reflected back to the eye, it allows the doctor to carefully measure corneal irregularities. The result is like a blueprint of the patient's eye.

Any irregularities in the eye can be mapped out on a three dimensional map. The problems are recorded and transferred to the actual laser that is used to reshape the cornea.

This method is often chosen when extremely accurate results are required and for patients with severe vision problems.

As you can see, there many forms of Lasik surgery with more on the way.  Each surgery is designed to help doctors give patients the most accurate results possible.  As with any medical procedure, questions regarding these new forms of Lasik technology should be discussed with your Lasik surgeon.

Wavefront Lasik