Laser Vision Correction Procedures
LASIK - Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure to reduce nearsightedness (myopia),
farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism by reshaping tissue in the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye. It evolved from a variety of refractive surgery
techniques including photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). In LASIK, an automated device called a microkeratome is used to create a thin flap in the cornea that is lifted;
an excimer laser is then used to reshape the underlying corneal tissue and the flap is replaced over the treated area.
LASIK is a permanent vision correction, and
its long-term results have proven to be very stable. It will not correct presbyopia, the diminishing flexibility of the lens that accompanies aging and leads to the
need for reading glasses.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved the excimer laser in 1995 for the PRK correction of nearsightedness and in 1998 for
the LASIK correction of nearsightedness with or without astigmatism. VISX announced on May 23, 2003 that it received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for CustomVue™ laser vision correction. This wavefront ablation procedure set a new standard for vision correction, with the potential
to enable better vision than with contacts or glasses.
The FDA approval allows for WaveScan® diagnosis and CustomVue treatment of patients with nearsightedness
and astigmatism. This advanced diagnostic tool is the standard of care for our laser vision correction patients. After a complete eye
examination, your surgeon can determine which vision correction procedure is right for you.
CustomVue LASIK is a laser vision
correction procedure based on
LASIK that uses the unique visual characteristics of your eye to customize your LASIK treatment. Custom LASIK uses a device called a WaveScan
analyzer to measure the way light travels through your eye and compares this measurement to the way light travels through an eye with perfect vison.
The Wavescan creates a 3-D wavefront map that is programmed into the laser to customize the LASIK procedure to your individual vision requirements.
PRK Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is considered the original laser vision correction treatment.
PRK is performed with an excimer laser, which uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the
surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. When you reshape the cornea in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina,
providing clearer vision than before.
Both nearsighted and farsighted people can benefit from PRK. With nearsighted people, the goal is to flatten the
too-steep cornea; with farsighted people, a steeper cornea is desired. Also, excimer lasers can correct astigmatism, by smoothing an irregular cornea into
a more normal shape. Surgeons may prefer PRK for patients with larger pupils or thin corneas.
IntraLase with CustomVue LASIK has
become the key ingredient to optimizing visual results in laser vision correction surgery. Edina Eye Physicians & Surgeons is one of the few practices in the Twin Cities offering this
level of precision in vision correction surgery.
IntraLase involves the use of a
femotsecond to create the corneal flap.
This is significantly more precise and safer
than metal blades. It also allows the
flaps to be much thinner - a distinct
advantage in LASIK surgery.
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