Wavefront Lasik

Wavefront Guided Lasik Proves to be Effective Eye Surgery

When we experience distortions in our vision, or the way the light enters the eye, these are known as aberrations. Most of these create common problems such as nearsightedness, but less common aberrations, or higher order aberrations, are unable to be treated with traditional methods and can cause a number of other problems in vision.

Higher order aberrations only occur in a small amount of the population, but are unique according to each patient. No two aberrations are exactly the same, and this is why wavefront guided technology is becoming a very popular treatment – it produces a completely individual mapping of the eye, which can more effectively guide the reshaping of the cornea.

Before treatment, aberrations are mapped using an Aberrometer, which then guides the laser across the cornea. Aberrometers work by sending light into the eye, and any errors in its reflection back to the device are captured. All higher and lower aberrations are then displayed as 3D images.

During treatment this data is interfaced with the LASIK system. In this way, each movement of the laser is precise according to your individual aberrations. The system scans the eye so quickly that it also accounts for any tiny movements in the eye to produce accurate results for the best vision possible.

Wavefront guided LASIK is the only way to correct higher order aberrations. Spherical aberration is one of the most common problems that wavefront is excellent at treating. This system produces excellent results due to its individual mapping, and patients will be informed  by their vision specialist as to whether this is the right option for them.

Wavefront data is used to create a very precise treatment for each eye.  Because of the precision attained from the mapping of many different data points in the eye, this procedure can be very effective at curing many higher order aberrations.  The higher resolution the laser mapping can create (which basically means, the more data points used), the better and more accurate the procedure.

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Adaptive Optics Make Wavefront Lasik Surgery Possible

Wavefront technology is derived from adaptive optics, something originally conceived to account for errors in telescope imagery. This has provided huge scope for the improvement of current LASIK procedures meaning that the LASIK business is growing and changing at a fast pace. Demonstrating this is the fact that in 1997 there were 190,000 national treatments while in 2000 there were 1.5 million treatments.

Wavefronts are groups of waves which travel together through space with their combined surface being the front. In terms of telescopes, when these wavefronts pass through the atmosphere and also through telescope lenses the wavefront surfaces can become slightly misaligned, resulting in a distorted image at the destination. This runs parallel to the problem with human eyes, as when wavefronts pass through a cornea with irregularities, the surface alters and results in a distorted final image.  This is the basic origin of wavefront lasik surgery.

This is where adaptive optics comes in. The technology was designed to compensate for distortion of telescope imagery but has since been adapted by those in the optical sciences in order to provide greater ability to correct minor corneal surface aberrations.  Flat wavefronts are sent into the eye, and reflections from this are monitored closely which enables a map of the eye’s surface to be developed in minute detail. This technological advance has also allowed for human eyes to potentially be corrected beyond their natural state, enhancing vision to “superhuman” levels. This is called 20/10 vision.

Adaptive optics allows far superior LASIK treatments due to the level of detail each individual eye can be mapped to. This allows the programmable laser to provide far superior correction to the cornea. While 20/10 vision is currently unachievable, it is predicted that by 2010 it will be a fully realised feature of LASIK treatments.  Read more about Wavefront LASIK.

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Custom Wavefront Lasik Surgery: Techniques and History

Wavefront mapping makes it possible to reshape the cornea and correct vision problems according to a completely individual mapping of the eye. The wavefront lasik surgery diagnostic tools will accurately measure any imperfections, known as aberrations, which are then treated with the wavefront LASIK procedure.

This sort of technology was originally used in astronomy to measure imperfections in mirrors and lenses. The system was refined by the 1970s, and has been tested for use in the eyes since the 1990s. The first application of wavefront guided LASIK was approved by the FDA in 2002.

Wavefront mapping is able to measure aberrations around 25 times more accurately than other methods. It works by sending a beam of light through the eye. This light is reflected back and the wavefront machine captures it, noting any distortions which will indicate higher or lower order aberrations.

Common problems such as nearsightedness arise from lower order aberrations, but there are many vision problems as a result of higher order aberrations that traditional treatments cannot correct. Each higher order aberration will be different between individuals, meaning that no two aberrations are exactly the same – like fingerprints. This is why wavefront technology provides more accurate results, producing a 3D diagram of the eye from which the laser reshapes the cornea accurately.

Once the mapping has been completed, computers will convert this data which acts as an instruction for the laser. This laser is what corrects the vision by reshaping the cornea. The best wavefront sensors now are integrated with the surgery systems, which include the VISX CustomVue system, and the LADARWave CustomCornea system. These are what allow each individual vision problems to be measured and treated for the best results possible.

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Wavefront Lasik Details and Information

Wavefront Lasik Eye Surgery Details.

Many people suffer from a variety of refractive errors including near-sightedness and long-sightedness as well as astigmatisms. With the LASIK procedure a laser is used to reshape the cornea of the eye which corrects these refractive errors.

In the LASIK treatment, a thin flap is cut in the surface of the cornea, which is then folded back at which point a programmed laser is used to sculpt the exposed area. This flap re-adheres when allowed to return to its natural state at the end of the operation.

Wavefront-Guided LASIK is a technological advancement which allows for greater individual accuracy in the programmed laser. A special device is used to gain ultra-accurate readings from your eye which in turn allows for improved quality of treatment. This form of treatment is highly recommended for those who have access to it.

Wavefront technology allows for the creation of a detailed map of your eye which allows all the tiny imperfections in the cornea that cause refractive errors to be addressed in minute accuracy. Wavefront provides patients with improved quality of vision compared to previous standard treatments.

Measurements are taken by a sensor which responds to a beam of light that is sent through your eye and focussed on the retina. To ensure great accuracy in taking these readings you are required to rest your chin on a piece of apparatus and fix your vision on a certain point of light.

Wavefront technology not only corrects the refractive errors already mentioned, but also corrects problems which cannot be addressed by the use of glasses or contact lenses. Whilst this is an excellent treatment that can give significantly improved vision, it is not a procedure for all problems. Your ophthalmologist will tell you what is right for you.

Read a step by step guide to wavefront lasik surgery procedure.

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