| Lasik surgery is an advanced eye surgery | | | | can only cut around 100 or 200 microns. An |
| designed to help people to get a better vision. | | | | obvious drawback of this is the huge amount of |
| Although the rationale of the surgery is the same | | | | cornea that was wasted. With the IntraLase |
| for all practitioners, the equipments used to | | | | system, it is now possible to cut off a flap as thin |
| perform the surgery may vary from surgeons to | | | | as 100 microns without any unnecessary waste |
| surgeons. Indeed, the terminology used also | | | | and this is because of the consistency, reliability |
| differs from doctors to doctors. For some | | | | and safety of the system. |
| surgeons Lasik is an “all-laser” surgery | | | | The ability to follow the cornea’s shape is |
| whereas for others they used a microkeratome, | | | | another noticeable advantage of the IntraLase |
| a surgical knife. | | | | system. Indeed this alleviates the creation of flaps |
| Latest breakthroughs | | | | with more accurate vertical edges instead of the |
| At first, the IntraLase system was created to | | | | thin and sometimes incorrect edges created by |
| increase the reliability and the safety of the Lasik | | | | the microkeratomes. These heavy edges are less |
| surgery. This can be explained by the fact the | | | | likely to rip apart. These also reduce the possibility |
| IntraLase system makes use of the laser energy | | | | to find cells growing directly underneath the flap |
| to remove the thin flap in the eye’s cornea | | | | and pushing it up. This phenomenon could have |
| instead of the microkeratome. The | | | | created a distorted surface of the cornea. With |
| microkeratome is just a knife which is designed | | | | the IntraLase system, it is very unlikely to find |
| not to use this advanced technology. | | | | these issues. It is also impossible to get an eye |
| After the removal of the flap, the energy of the | | | | infection because of the sterility of the IntraLase |
| excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea. This | | | | system. |
| process aims at building a sharper corner. Having | | | | Possible Complications of IntraLase |
| completed the process, the flap is restored and | | | | Like every system, the IntraLase is also prone to |
| now acts as a natural “bandage” during | | | | complications even if it was reported that these |
| the healing process. | | | | complications were less noticeable than those |
| Advantages of Intralase | | | | associated with microkeratomes. Unfortunately, |
| Although problems during Lasik surgery are | | | | some surgeons found that patients undergoing |
| scarcely reported, sometimes things go | | | | Lasik surgery with the IntraLase system may |
| completely wrong especially with the fluctuation of | | | | have a further complication consisting of an |
| the blade of microkeratomes. Indeed the metal | | | | unusual sensitivity to light. Some reports even |
| part of the blade can bring about distorted edges | | | | claim that this anomaly was found in 1-20% |
| on the flap. This of course can only lead to | | | | IntraLase patients and it was also found that only |
| distorted surfaces on the cornea which in turn | | | | one surgeon found a single case of 20%. |
| leads to anomalies such as astigmatism. | | | | The good news is that many practitioners have |
| The same metal part of the blade of | | | | also claimed that this anomaly is absolutely |
| microkeratomes also responsible of malformation | | | | temporal. That is it lasts only for a short amount |
| and incomplete flaps leading to distorted vision. | | | | of time. This anomaly was cured by eye drops |
| This anomaly can be easily be avoided by | | | | during a couple of weeks. |
| IntraLase system. | | | | Practitioners using the IntraLase system claim |
| The IntraLase system builds flaps with the energy | | | | that side effects of the IntraLase system are |
| of laser by introducing an adequate pattern of | | | | temporal whereas the anomalies bring about by |
| several small overlapping spaces. This pattern is | | | | the microkeratomes are more serious and may |
| created underneath the cornea. The laser of the | | | | last longer. |
| IntraLase system can work at a very high | | | | An overview of the cost of IntraLase |
| frequency in the order of quadrillionth hertz. With | | | | Because the IntraLase system is safer and more |
| this it is now easier to locate the tissue and | | | | reliable than microkeratomes, there is an |
| reduced it at the molecular level instead of using | | | | overhead in the costs associated with the |
| the heat or looking for surrounding tissues. | | | | IntraLase system. According to a report, it is |
| Another benefit of the IntraLase system is the | | | | believed that using IntraLase increases 300 dollars |
| possibility for people with thin corneas to undergo | | | | per eye. Patients are asked to choose between |
| the Lasik surgery. Recall that the thinness of the | | | | IntraLase and microkeratomes. However, it should |
| cornea was a criterion for the surgery. Indeed | | | | be noted that some practitioners only offer |
| people with a cornea whose length is over 5OO | | | | IntraLase and automatically include the overhead |
| microns were not allowed to undergo the surgery. | | | | in the fee. |
| This was a limitation of microkeratomes which | | | | |