Orange County Ophthalmologists

What is the Latest Equipment on the LASIK Procedure?

I have a consultation appt with my surgeon to determine if i am a good candidate for the LASIK procedure and I want to know what is the latest equipment currently used? How do I know that my surgeon is carrying state-of-the art equipment? What shall I ask?

I like to have the most up-to-date equipment at my facility, IQ Laser Vision, so that is why I use the Allegretto Wave Eye-Q, manufactured by Wavelight AG.  It is the fastest LASIK platform available in the country today.  The Allegretto Wave Eye-Q laser boasts of state-of-the-art technology for safe, accurate and customized vision correction.  Featuring wavefront-optimized technology for customized corneal ablation as well as an advanced eye-tracking system, this technology enables me to correct each individual’s unique refractive errors while preserving the cornea’s natural shape and minimizing post-procedure effects such as glares and halos.  Also, the laser’s one-of-a-kind eye tracking system is able to automatically adjust to changes in a patient’s pupil size during their procedure. The result is a safe and precise vision correction procedure for every patient. The Allegretto Wave Eye-Q delivers 400 treatment pulses per second correcting each patient’s refractive errors within seconds. 

I would ask to see the laser or lasers during your consultation and even watch a procedure or two.  Most centers will have the laser open to view through a viewing window where you can see for yourself what technology is being used.  If a surgeon has top-of-the –line equipments then he/she would be proud to display them.  The main thing to know is if the surgeon lives and breathes LASIK surgeries.  You want to find someone that performs LASIK on a regular basis so their skills remain sharp. 

Good luck with your research!

Robert T. Lin, MD

Los Angeles Ophthalmologist

PRK Instead Of LASIK For Thick Cornea? What Is The Healing Time?

my thickness for both eyes corneas are 470 and 472 and i have a little congenital cataracts, the doctor recommended PKR instead of Lasik. Im a good candidate and she also said since my cornea was so thin they wont be able to do enhancements and my eyes could revert back to what it is now in 5 or 10 years. is this true and do you think it is safe to go ahead with the procedure. also on average about how long is healing. If i have a friday surgery, can i go back to school on monday or tuesday?

Hello,

Generally, with a thinner cornea, PRK would be recommended over LASIK.  The healing and recovery time is a little longer compared to LASIK.  You may feel some discomfort in the eyes for a few days and your vision may take a few days to be sharp.  As far as enhancements that all depends on your prescription.  If you have a high prescription your chances of being a candidate for an enhancement would be lower.  However, with the current technology available now the likelihood of needing an enhancement is low.  I hope this helps!  Good luck with your procedure.

Robert T. Lin, MD

Los Angeles Ophthalmologist

Femtosecond Laser Flap Making

what does "femtosecond laser flap making" mean? is this a new technique?

Simply put, a "femtosecond flap" is a flap created by a Laser and not by a mechanical blade. It is not necessarily a new technique but it has gained some popularity in the past few years. Initially thought to offer a safer result than a conventional Microkeratome, with today's advancements in technology there is very little difference in safety. Both methods are extremely safe for most patients. Certain cases may require the use of one technology over the other. We currently offer the choice of technology to our patients.

How the Femtosecond Laser works:

We use computer software to guide the femtosecond laser beam, which applies a series of tiny bubbles within the central layer of the cornea. The resulting corneal flap is created at a precise depth and diameter pre-determined by the surgeon.

As occurs with a mechanical microkeratome, a small section of tissue at one edge of the flap is left uncut, forming a hinge that allows the surgeon to fold back the flap so the cornea can be accessed and reshaped for vision correction.

Next a separate laser (an excimer laser) will reshape the corneal tissue based on a variety of factors.

There are (4) Femtosecond Lasers on the market today:

• Intralase - gained FDA approval in 2001. It was the first FDA Femtosecond Laser in the United States.

• zLASIK - Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems received FDA approval in March 2008 for its portable femtosecond laser, known as the Ziemer Femto LDV. This femtosecond laser attaches to a movable arm and can be combined with any approved excimer laser system to create a flap for bladeless LASIK.

• Femtec - This femtosecond laser from 20/10 Perfect Vision received FDA clearance in 2004 and also can be combined with an approved excimer laser system for bladeless LASIK procedures.

• VisuMax - FDA-approved in 2007, the VisuMax femtosecond laser system typically is combined for bladeless LASIK with the Carl Zeiss Meditec Mel 80 excimer laser outside the United States. The Mel 80 received FDA approval in 2006. Company officials in late 2008 announced positive results at three U.S. centers where the combined laser systems have been used for bladeless LASIK.

Recovery is similar to that of traditional LASIK. Following surgery, some people (as with traditional LASIK) have reported feeling eye irritation for up to two days.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Best Regards,

Robert T. Lin, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA
IQ Laser Vision

Robert T. Lin, MD

Los Angeles Ophthalmologist