Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
LASIK is an acronym for Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis. It combines the accuracy of the excimer laser with the quick-healing characteristics of a procedure first performed in 1949 called Lamellar Keratoplasty. LASIK is one of the most popular elective procedures performed in medicine today.
LASIK uses the excimer laser to reshape the inner tissue of the cornea and can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During the procedure, a hinged flap of corneal tissue is created in the central zone of the cornea and folded back to the side while the laser reshapes the underlying tissue. The corneal flap is then returned to its original position where it bonds without the need for sutures.
LASIK patients recover very quickly and experience little, if any, discomfort. Functional vision returns very rapidly, with the majority of parients seeing well enough to drive in a day or two without glasses or contact lenses.
To treat nearsightedness, tissue is removed from the central zone of the cornea. This shifts the point of focus from in front of the retina to directly on the retina. To treat farsightedness, the cornea is made steeper by removing tissue outside of the central zone of the cornea. This shifts the point of focus from beyond the retina to directly on the retina. Often, nearsightedness and farsightedness are accompanied by astigmatism which can be treated simultaneously by making the cornea more spherical - like a basketball instead of a football.
Recent advances have make LASIK safer and more accurate. The flap can now be created using an IntraLase laser, this making LASIK a safer, all-laser procedure. New wavefront diagnostic technology now allows for customized laser treatments, which may provide even better vision for some patients.
For more information on LASIK Click Here.
Realistic Expections
The goal of any refractive procedure is to reduce your dependence on corrective lenses. Your doctor cannot guarantee your results. You will be given additional information about these procedures to help you make an informed decision. Be sure to have all of your questions answered to your satisfaction before proceeding. If you have a question, please feel free to contact our staff at 713.797.1500 or schedule a consultation by using the quick form on the right or by making an appointment.
CustomVue Technology
The CustomVue procedure tailors a distinct correction for each individual – in fact each treatment is “designed” by the unique characteristics of the individuals’ eyes.
WaveScan technology captures unique imperfections in each individual’s vision that could not have been measured before. This new level of measurement provides 25-times more precision than measurements using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses.
WaveScan technology produces a detailed map of the eye – much like a fingerprint, no two are alike and translates this information into a set of CustomVue treatment instructions for the laser.
WaveScan transfers these digital treatment instructions to the laser, providing a new level of precision and accuracy.
For more information on LASIK Click Here.
ALLEGRETTO WAVE
The ALLEGRETTO WAVE Excimer Laser with the ALLEGRETTO WAVE Analyzer and ALLEGRETTO WAVE Topolyzer provides the most advanced laser vision technology available to date, which was designed to provide patients the greatest opportunity to achieve the best possible quality of vision and enjoy the benefits of laser vision correction.
The ALLEGRETTO WAVE Excimer Laser encompasses both a 250 Hz eyetracker with the ability to react between 4 to 8 ms. This optimizes the ability of each pulse being placed on the appropriate spot on the cornea reducing erroneous misplaced pulses of the laser more common on older laser technology.
The ALLEGRETTO WAVE Excimer Laser was designed from the ground up for wavefront treatments. This Excimer Laser combines wavefront of every facet or its laser. The Wavefront adjusted derived nomogram provides patients a safer, faster, opportunity to enhanced outcomes and quality of vision.
For more information on LASIK Click Here.
IntraLase Method™ 100% BLADE-FREE LASIK EXPERIENCE
The IntraLase Method is a 100% blade-free technique used to perform the critical first step in the LASIK procedure: creating the corneal flap. The creation of the corneal flap prepares the eye for the second step of the LASIK procedure, where an excimer laser is used on the inner cornea to correct vision.
The IntraLase Method uses tiny, rapid pulses of laser light to create your corneal flap—instead of using a metal blade—during the first step of LASIK. Each pulse of light passes through the top layers of your cornea and forms a microscopic bubble at a specific depth and position within your eye that is determined by the doctor. The IntraLase® laser moves back and forth across your eye, creating a uniform layer of bubbles just beneath your corneal surface.
Just prior to applying laser vision correction, the doctor creates your corneal flap by gently separating the tissue where these bubbles have formed. The corneal flap is then folded back so the doctor can perform the second step of your LASIK treatment.
For more information on LASIK Click Here.
