BLADE-FREE LASIK SURGERY
Are you near-sighted? Far-sighted? Lasik eye surgery could rid you of your glasses. But if fear of going under the blade is stopping you -- stop worrying. Now, a new blade-free approach.
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Denise Crawford lives life in the fast lane.
She likes her sports car.
And she loves the fact that she can actually see where she's going.
Denise Crawford
"I first started wearing glasses when I was in 5th grade."
After living with bad eyesight for nearly 40 years, Denise was ready to turn things around.
Denise Crawford
"And I just said, 'It's time.'"
But not time to go under the scalpel. Denise opted for a new LASIK surgery that uses a laser -- not a blade -- to correct vision. Doctor David Dulaney sees thousands of patients a year who need LASIK surgery. Today, he corrects this woman's eyesight with a new technique called IntraLase.
David Dulaney, M.D.
Eye Surgeon
Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center
Phoenix, AZ
"It's a much more accurate, more precise, safer way to do it."
Before IntraLase, Doctor Dulaney used a mechanical blade to cut a flap in the cornea. From there, he was able to correct vision... but cutting this flap is where most of the complications occur. The IntraLase laser eliminates the blade and eliminates the fear.
Experts say the laser is one hundred-times more accurate than the blade. It also results in better vision than standard LASIK surgery.
Denise Crawford
"I woke up, and I could see as clear as a bell."
Denise's vision is practically perfect.
Denise Crawford
"I can see so much better. I don't think I've ever seen this clear."
And that's good news for everyone when Denise is on the road.
Now even patients with thinner corneas or who were not eligible for traditional LASIK surgery can consider IntraLase. Many ophthalmologists can perform the procedure -- check with your doctor to find out if you are a good candidate for the surgery.
BACKGROUND: Currently, the number of people having LASIK in the United States exceeds 1 million every year. The LASIK procedure is a two-step process. The surgeon must first gain access to the cornea by creating a flap of tissue. The tissue is folded back, and the surgeon is then able to perform the correction treatment on the inner layer of the cornea. In the past, the surgeon created the corneal flap with a hand-held mechanical device known as a microkeratome, which utilizes a surgical blade. Although this method has had a high rate of success, surgeons consider it to be unpredictable and perhaps the main source for many of the reported complications.
INTRALASE: LASIK surgery has been revamped. With the IntraLase laser, surgeons use a laser, not a blade, to create the corneal flap. The accuracy of the laser is reported to be 100-times more accurate than the blade. This gives the surgeon more control during the procedure and even allows customization of the corneal flap for each individual patient. Because of its consistent accuracy, IntraLase now makes it possible to treat many patients who were dismissed as candidates for laser vision correction due to thin corneas. The IntraLase procedure uses infrared light to precisely cut tissue by a process known as photodisruption. Special software guides the laser beam into a small, 2 to 3 micron spot of energy. The beam passes harmlessly through the outer layers of the cornea until it reaches its exact focal point within the central part of the cornea (known as the stroma). Upon reaching this focal point, the beam forms a microscopic bubble of carbon dioxide and water vapor. Thousands of these bubbles are placed at a precisely controlled depth to define a dissection plane. By using the rapidly fired IntraLase laser and interconnecting the bubbles very tightly, the surgeon can create a corneal flap with remarkable precision and accuracy.
MORE ON SAFETY: Most surgeons agree the main safety issues in laser vision correction are related to the use of the mechanical device used to create the corneal flap. The IntraLase laser gives a unique level of safety because of its level of precision. Researchers say IntraLase technology is as much as 100-times more accurate in creating the flap than the traditional approach with a surgical blade. The precision was tested and also documented in studies conducted for the Food and Drug Administration clearance of the laser, where the accuracy of flap thickness was demonstrated at +/- 10 microns, which is quite precise. Precise flap thickness is important for a successful LASIK surgery outcome. Finally, greater flap stability was also demonstrated with the IntraLase in studies for the laser's FDA submission. The assurance that the flap will be securely re-positioned without incident provides added comfort and tranquility for many eye patients. Surgeons across the United States are quickly adopting the IntraLase laser as the norm. Approximately 100,000 eyes have now been treated with this advanced technology.
Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center
4800 North 22nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(800) 966-7000
www.goodeyes.com
Copyright © 2005 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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