Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) laser eye surgery has been known for helping people achieve that much desired 20/20 vision. While LASIK still remains popular and in demand, there is a new treatment that is touted to be superior to the conventional LASIK laser eye surgery.
The new treatment called wavefront-guided LASIK is a customized laser vision correction system for nearsighted patients. It can measure and correct unique imperfections in your vision. The customized measurements and treatment plan help you regain that 20/20 vision or even better without relying on glasses or contact lenses.
Normally, the wavefront of the eye has a flat surface since light rays travel uniformly through the eye. However, when you have an imperfect eye, the wavefront map becomes wavy since some light rays reach the retina ahead of the others while some hit the retina at different locations.
Conventional LASIK laser eye surgery relies on your eye glass prescription without measuring the wavefront. On the other hand, wavefront LASIK measures the wavefront and the focusing errors in the eye. This is done by looking into the light while the wavefront device uses a camera sensor to measure the light rays that reflect out of the eye. A virtual map exhibiting the precise locations and extent of the visual aberrations are generated.
Here are some things you can expect if you undergo the wavefront LASIK laser eye surgery:
• You will be asked to stare down a wavefront analyser to give you a preview of your potential vision and to take pre-operative measurements.
• Your eye surgeon may opt to create a trial lens that will incorporate the correction your eyes need. The lens will be fitted into a trial frame to give you an idea of what your new and improved vision will be like.
• The entire wavefront LASIK laser eye surgery procedure only takes about 10 minutes.
• A microscopically thin and hinged flap will be cut on the top of your cornea with the use of the precision instrument microkeratome or lately it is created using state of the art femtosecond laser. The flap will be carefully peeled back.
• The image of the wavefront will be transferred into a computer that controls the excimer laser. The computer will superimpose the map over the eye to enable the eye surgeon to adjust the laser to address the imperfections.
• The eye surgeon will zap the cornea with a series of rapid pulses from the laser. This will remove small and precise amounts of the corneal tissue and reshape the corneal tissue to correct astigmatism and nearsightedness. .
• You need not worry about the safety of the wavefront LASIK laser eye surgery. The excimer laser light does not penetrate into the eye, ensuring that other parts of the eye remain untouched.
• After the procedure, the flap will be replaced and the natural suction of the eyes will allow it to heal without stitches.
• This procedure may also be ideal for persons who underwent refractive surgery but continue to suffer from halos, distortions and glares.
Wavefront LASIK laser eye surgery may be a bit more expensive than the conventional LASIK surgery. Both procedures are usually not covered by health insurance plans. But with the benefits they provide, they are definitely worth the try.
We have seen thousands of patients that have had traditional LASIK and Wavefront Assisted LASIK. What is certain is that on average the patient that has the Wavefront procedure does see slightly better, especially in dim light. Given a choice between the two procedures we definitely recommend the Wavefront treatment.
Thanks for the detailed overview. My doctor just talked to me about Wavefront LASIK today. This was the first site I have come across that actually goes through what’s going to happen! Thanks so much!
I wasnt eligible for PRK due to having an extremely steep eyeball curvature in both eyes and a thin cornea, would i be eligible to get Wavefront done? When I lived in the UK they were going to perform wavefront on me but i couldnt get it done due to the cost and having no way of getting home after the procedure other then public transport which they advised against. When i asked about wavefront a couple of weeks ago at my consultation to get PRK the opthomologist in Queensland said wavefront was old and that it couldnt help me, is this true?
Thanks Jim
I was eligible in the UK for Wavefront but when i returned to Australia they told me i wasnt eligible for any type of laser surgery and when i asked about wavefront they told me wavefront was old. So im a little confused…how was i eligible for wavefront in the UK but in Australia they tell me no laser surgery is suitable for me… and then im told in Australia that wavefront is old and couldnt help me…even though i was eligible for it overseas.
You mentioned in a previous comment that it is a good procedure most of the time. What options exist for those who have had traditional LASIK, wavefront LASIK enhancements, and still suffer from poor vision? I have been unable to see clearly for more than 4 years since I underwent my first LASIK procedure in 2010. I never experienced a single day of clear or correctable vision after undergoing LASIK. Commercially available contact lenses and glasses do not correct my vision now. Scleral lenses provide limited improvement. Are you aware of any new procedures that can help?
Hi,
On Friday I was assessed to have eye surgery and was told the best option for me was Bilateral LASIK.
However I was told that my pupils are large 8mm and the LASIK laser can only laser 7mm. So this will not correct any light halos or nighttime visual aberrations which I currently have.
After my appointment I was just reviewing things on the internet and came across your website and read about Wavefront LASIK. Do you think this could be a better option for me and would it fix the night visual aberrations and halos.
Is there more risk of things going wrong with Wavefront LASIK.
Many thanks. Leanne
i am very short sighted -13.9 and -15 would i be abel sort this out what would be best
many thanks