Modern LASIK technology is more precise and consistent than ever before… which results in safer procedures and better vision than ever before.
Over the last 30 years LASIK technology has advanced tremendously… Would you ever consider using a cell phone or a computer from 20-30 years ago?? No way!!!… Why would you even consider using that kind of technology on your eyes!!
So how are patients supposed to know which LASIK technologies are up-to-date… and which ones they should avoid?
Well… That’s our job!
Our mission is for every patient who considers laser vision correction to have an amazing outcome… and state-of-the-art technology is an important part of making that happen!
In this section we’re going to make it easy for you… We’re going to give you a list of our recommendations for the technology you should look for in Modern LASIK.
Overview
There are 3 different types of technology that play a role in Modern LASIK… 1.) Diagnostic / Screening Technology, 2.) Flap-making Lasers, and 3.) Excimer Lasers… Therefore, we’ve divided this section into the 3 parts…. We’ll cover each of the 3 different types of technologies and give recommendations for which devices & lasers you should look for.
- Diagnostics / Screening Technology
- Flap-making Lasers
- Excimer Lasers
Diagnostic/Screening Technology
The first step in the process to having safe and effective laser vision correction is to have a screening exam to determine which procedure is best for you. While LASIK is the most common vision correction procedure in the world… based on the measurements taken by these high-tech devices… you may not be eligible for LASIK, and you might be better suited for another procedure.
LASIK screening technology has advanced tremendously… and identifying patients who are good candidates for LASIK… and avoiding LASIK in patients who are not good candidates… is a crucial step to ensuring that LASIK is safe for you… and that you have a great outcome.
In our opinion, it is necessary that your LASIK surgeon have one of the devices listed below that measures your corneal thickness, as well as measures the curvature of both the front and back surfaces of the cornea. Older devices were only able to measure the front surface of the cornea… and we’ve now learned that early signs of corneal instability often show up on the back surface first. This has been a tremendous advance in determining who LASIK is safe for.
Take home point to remember: It is critical that your surgeon has a device that measures both the front and the back surface of your cornea.
***Here are the diagnostic / screening devices we recommend:
- Pentacam (Made by Oculus)
- Galilei (Made by Ziemer)
Pictured above: Diagnostic technology. Left: Pentacam. Right: Galilei.
Flap-Making Lasers
The safety of state-of-the-art flap-making lasers cannot be overstated!… These devices are more precise, consistent, customize-able, and comfortable for patients than ever before. This results in Modern LASIK being safer than ever… and more effective than ever at getting you outstanding vision.
***Here are the Flap-making Lasers that we recommend:
- Visumax (Made by Zeiss)
- FS200 (Made by Alcon)
- iFS (Made by Johnson & Johnson)
Pictured above: Modern Flap-making lasers. Top Left: Alcon Wavelight Suite with FS200. Bottom Right: Zeiss Visumax.
Excimer Lasers
The “Excimer Laser“ is the type of laser used in the last step of the LASIK process. This is the laser that actually does the sculpting or “re-shapening” of your cornea… The optics of the human eye are a complicated subject, and full text books are written on the subject… But in summary… the precision & consistency of modern lasers are a critical part of achieving outstanding vision after LASIK.
***Here are the Excimer Lasers that we recommend:
- EX500 (Made by Alcon)
- Mel 80 (Made by Zeiss)
- EC-5000 (Made by Nidek)
Summary
Remember… technology is a key ingredient to getting a great LASIK outcome. Also… it’s a part of the process that you have control over by checking to see what different doctors in your area use. Of course… there’s more to getting a great outcome than only the technology… And choosing the right surgeon is the most important part of the process.
Be sure to check out our page on “What to look for” in a surgeon… and check out our Directory of the “Best LASIK Surgeons in America”.
