The past 25 years or so has seen the advancement in technology, techniques, and knowledge about laser vision correction that allows consistently great visual results, few if any side effects, and unprecedented safety. Whether an individual decides to have LASIK, PRK, LASEK, epiLASIK or any similar Advanced Surface Ablation or Laser vision correction, the results should be excellent. For the average person there is nothing new on the horizon that should make a person wait to have laser correction of their vision. I will discuss just a few of the advances in the last few years that have made a significant difference.
The advent of newer and safer flap-making devices (microkeratomes) has eliminated many of the potential risks to LASIK surgery, especially if used by an experienced surgeon. With the addition of laser microkeratomes (Intralase and Ziemer) the ability to make thin, accurate, smooth, and large flaps (the first step in the LASIK procedure) with minimal chance of complications has improved overall results.
With advanced surface treatments (LASEK, EpiLasik, PRK) the risk of haze formation and subsequent visual complaints has been decreased with the use of the application of a mitomycin C solution for a few seconds after the laser treatment. And it appears with the newer scanning spot lasers with their smoother treatments, the healing time for surface procedures is decreased, giving a quicker recovery – this is in addition to their creating less visual side effects.
I think the greatest advance has been in the laser that does the reshaping of the cornea and the correction of the vision. We are now at a point where excellent visual results should be commonplace. The Allegretto laser developed over ten years ago in Germany and the first laser to do a Custom laser treatment has set the bar for all other lasers to try and match in terms of visual results. No other laser maintains the natural shape of the cornea (the normal curvature of the front of the eye). Every other laser will distort the shape – in nearsighted patients, the lasers flatten the center of the cornea. By maintaining the normal shape, the Allegretto actually improves the quality of the vision after laser correction and instead of creating glare and halos like all the other lasers, can even improve them if the patient has glare and halos to start. Most patients feel their vision is better after Lasik with the Allegretto than it was before with their glasses or contact lenses. The routine improvement in the quality of the vision after laser correction has been the standard result for which refractive surgeons have always strived – and is now attainable.
