Colorado Laser Vision Correction
LASIK actually stands for Laser in-situ keratomileusis, which is the
most commonly performed type of laser eye surgery. This procedure is
generally safe, effective, and has very few side effects. LASIK is a
great option for many individuals considering laser vision
correction for a variety of personal and professional reasons. LASIK
may not promise perfect vision, however; it is a highly successful
procedure that can, at the very least, reduce a person’s dependence
on glasses or contact lenses. The lifestyle benefits can be
tremendous, enabling people to more freely pursue their hobbies,
sports activities or careers. Many just want to be free of the
hassle of glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK is a non-invasive, refractive procedure using the technology
of the excimer laser along with a well-known instrument called a
microkeratome (a sharp metal blade) or a
femtosecond laser. LASIK uses a beam of cool light to reshape the
surface of the cornea, so that images focus correctly on the retina.
A computer, controlled by your
LASIK eye surgeon, is used to precisely calculate the exact amount
of cornea that needs to be removed for each individual's eyes. The
data used to calculate the surgical procedure will be obtained
during the LASIK exam.
LASIK involves surgery! Potential LASIK patients need to understand
the risks as well as the potential benefits. Many patients worry
about complications or vision loss from LASIK eye surgery. New
research by the AAO has concluded that after 10 years of monitoring
LASIK results the procedure is considered safe and effective. No
LASIK
patient has ever gone blind, but there have been dissatisfied
patients. Expectations regarding LASIK eye surgery need to be
discussed with a surgeon. Your surgeon should make you feel
comfortable and you should have a certain level of confidence in
your surgeon before undergoing surgery. If you are considering lasik,
you may find comfort in the fact that complications resulting from
lasik surgery is very rare.
www.hines-sight.com
2480 South Downing Street, Suite G-30
Denver, Colorado 80210
Toll Free: 1-800-626-2156
Fax: 1-303-698-9713
20/20 Institute
In the 1970s, Radial Keratotomy (RK) was invented in the USSR, and
then came to the U.S. in 1978, where it became popular through the
1980s. A precisely calibrated
diamond micrometer was used to make radial incisions to flatten the
cornea. Although safe long-term, RK is still rather unpredictable
for stable visual results.
In 1988, Dr. Luis Ruiz, a former student of Dr. Jose Barraquer in
Colombia, created a new technique called Automated Lamellar
Keratoplasty (ALK) where a small corneal
flap was folded back and a surgical instrument used to remove tiny
amounts of the underlying tissue. Then the flap was replaced. This
was a forerunner of our present-day LASIK.
With the development of laser technology in the 1980s, the surgical
instrument was replaced by a cool laser, the Excimer laser, and
Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK)
was developed as the first laser based refractive surgery procedure
which produced a more precise treatment and stable visual result.
The greatest promise of LASIK surgery has always been that the use
of computer-controlled lasers could make refinements in the cornea
that could never be achieved by human hands. This is the promise of
Pentacam, a 3-D rotating camera that precisely measures all surfaces
of the cornea. This is also the promise of Allegretto's Wavefront
Guided technology that utilizes a 3-D image of the cornea to
precisely control the Wave Eye-Q Excimer Laser System to provide
unique and accurate vision correction for each and every patient.
Until recently, however, there had been one point in the process
that was still manual and still used a blade. At the beginning of
the LASIK process, the only option for the
surgeon was to use a microkeratome, a small, spatulate instrument,
to create the flap in the cornea. This flap is then folded back on
its hinge to allow the Excimer laser to
do its work precisely reshaping the cornea to provide the vision
correction.
www.2020institute.com
400 Inverness Parkway - Suite 100
Englewood, CO 80112
303.2020.NOW
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