How Does Allegretto Wave Compare to Other Laser Eye Options in Terms of Effectiveness?

We use both the Allegretto Wavelight and the VISX platforms.  Each laser has its advantages and disadvantages and no one laser is best for all patients.  The Allegretto is wavefront optimized but has a much faster laser with a smaller spot size.  The VISX is wavefront customized and provides iris registration but the laser spot size is larger and the firing rate is slower.  A skilled surgeon might prefer one laser of the other in different circumstances but each has its advantages.  

The Alllegretto laser is wavefront optimized rather than wavefront guided which means that it uses a highly sophisticated standard treatment rather than a custom treatment generated for each individual eye. 

 

Theoretically, a true custom treatment such as the VISX might be slightly better, but most studies show them to actually be very comparable.  One advantage of the Allegretto is that it can treat very high levels of astigmatism.

I have used most of the lasers available on the market and of the modern lasers, I believe that the Visx laser wtih WaveFront is the best.  The Allegretto laser is a good laser, but in my experience there are definite advantages to WaveFront technology.  The Allegretto laser treats every person with the same prescription and corneal curvature exactly the same.  With the Visx WaveFront system, every treatment is unique to that patient and is as distinct as is your finger print.

 

the FDA did not allow allegretto to claim to be a true wavefront platform, that's why their ads always say "wavefront optimized"

my VISX laser, on the other hand, is a true wavefront system, and so is allowed by FDA to say that

wavefront-optimized is a little like saying "cheese food"

the VISX laser is, objectively:


the most expensive to buy

the most expensive to operate/use

has the greatest market share by far (more than all other brands combined in the USA)


now, given the above facts, and assuming the surgeons buying their lasers aren't stupid;)

doesn't this tell you something?:)

I have been performing Laser Vision Correction(Lasik and PRK) since the initial approval by the FDA in the Un ited States in 1995.Throughout this time period,  I have used every approved excimer laser and I can say, without reservation, that the results I am able to achieve with the Wavelight Allegretto 400 hz laser are the best I have ever had. Not only does the laser work amazingly well for each patient, what is equally powerful is the range of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism that I can treat using this laser system. I can highly recommend this system and have have even used it on numerous family members, including my 23 year old son!