What is a Wavefront Lasik Procedure Like?

Let’s walk through what a client experiences when attending a Lasik center for a Wavefront Lasik procedure. The procedure itself generally only takes between five and ten minutes for each eye in total, and both eyes are done during the same procedure. The actual time to reshape the eye with the Lasik excimer laser is usually less than 15 seconds per eye.

Any person’s vision problems are generated by small “aberrations” within the eye that prevents the light from focusing objects as they should. The Lasik equipment locates and classifies these aberrations and then processes them so that the Lasik physician will correct these and allow the light to focus properly once the eye has healed.

In a Wavefront Lasik procedure, the patient stares at one point while a light is sent into the eye, which is reflected back and read by a Lasik Wavefront sensor. The distortions in this reflected light are mapped using a small computer within the Lasik system, and then this information is used to guide the laser that treats the eye.
Once the light creates the map for the eye, the Lasik surgeon has to create a small flap to access the cornea. This is done using a laser (this type of Lasik procedure is known as IntraLasik, or bladeless Lasik) or a small blade known as a microkeratome.

This flap is then opened to allow the cornea to be reshaped by the Lasik system.The excimer laser actually reshapes the cornea, which is the crucial part of the Lasik procedure. In order to determine exactly how to reshape it, the map created earlier by the Wavefront sensor is used to direct the beam of light accurately. The Lasik physician uses these precise tools to get the clearest vision results possible.

This custom Lasik procedure can not only correct such standard problems as nearsightedness, but can also address aberrations that create light halos, glare, haze, or starburst patterns. Once the Lasik physician determines that all relevant aberrations have been eliminated, he replaces the flap in its proper position, where it adheres normally and will heal naturally.

As mentioned earlier, this entire Lasik process takes between ten and fifteen minutes per eye. A patient gets a mild sedative and eye numbing drops to make the procedure both relaxing and painless. Most people notice an improvement in vision due to Lasik almost immediately.

Once the Lasik procedure is finished, you will get some eye drop medication to lubricate and protect your eyes. This medication (and the liquid in the drops themselves) may cause some blurring, and so for this reason (and to avoid any eyestrain) you should arrange for someone else to drive you home. It is also a good idea to go to sleep as soon as possible after the Lasik operation in order to promote even faster healing.

To promote optimal healing the Lasik physician often gives a plastic shield to wear over your eyes for the first night or two. Follow closely any recommendations by the Lasik physician. Do further investigation into this great new Lasik procedure, and get a clearer focus on your future!

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My Intralasik Experience

I wanted to investigate Lasik vision correction for myself, and found that there were several options. After talking it over with a great Lasik physician, I decided on using bladeless Lasik, or Intralasik, or Intralase. I cannot say that I decided that for any great technical reasons, mine were mainly psychological.

The advantage of Intralasik over a traditional Lasik procedure is that a laser is used to make a flap in the eye. Every Lasik procedure needs to make a flap in order for the excimer laser to be able to reshape the corner. In traditional Lasik, the flap is made with a microkeratome, which is “a very small blade, not a scalpel”. Well, maybe to you. Somehow, even though both the laser and the blade made the same flap, the idea of someone taking a sharp object to….. well, you get the picture.

In addition (though there is a lot of argument and debate over this) using a laser to make the flap might (let me emphasize might to be fair to everyone) make the Lasik procedure have less chance of getting other cells underneath the flap. I don’t really understand all of the Lasik arguments with regard to this, but I think you should discuss the various Lasik options with the physician. They do vary in cost also.

Before I talk about the procedure itself, let me give a bird’s eye view of myself as a Lasik candidate. In short, spectacular! Seriously, all of the items for a good Lasik candidate could describe me: a healthy guy in my mid-thirties, with moderate nearsightedness and slight astigmatism, with good results on all eye exam tests (thick cornea, no eye scarring or infections, etc.).

I did visit two different Lasik surgeons to get their independent opinions of me as a candidate, and also their description of their services. One of the Lasik surgeons is on the staff at the medical college in a nearby major metropolitan center, so I was pretty assured that their opinions were valid.

On the day of the Lasik surgery I came in, paid my first payment for the procedure, and had my eye prescription rechecked. I was given post-procedure instructions on eye drops, no exercising (yeah!), and to go to sleep after the Lasik procedure. I was given a relaxant, and the Lasik physician and I went to the surgery suite.

The chair has padded pillows to rest and restrict head movement, and a teddy bear to hold if I wanted it. There was a clamp to hold my eyes open, and a suction ring, and then my vision in that eye went a bit dim. The first Lasik laser made the flap, and I focused on a small light while the other laser made the cornea changes. This took less than thirty seconds, or so I was told.

Mainly I was aware of clicking noises and some pressure, but no pain or real discomfort. After the eye flaps were put back in place, I rested in a recliner for about 20 minutes. I could see more clearly immediately after the Lasik operation was over, but was told not to try and test my eyes for a number of days, and rather concentrate on getting them healthy and healed.

I am surprised and immensely pleased it went so easily, well, and pain free. I would recommend this type of Lasik procedure to anyone.

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