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The Next Generation in Laser Surgery

Custom LASIK more Custom Lasik FAQ's

What is Custom LASIK ?

No two eyes are the same. Like your DNA or fingerprint, your vision is unique.

Until now, laser vision correction treatment was based on diagnostic technology similar to that used for the prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. The new Custom Lasik System at Eye Associates takes laser vision correction to an entirely new, personalized level by combining  personalized diagnostic wavefront technology and the Excimer laser into one system.

How Custom LASIK works:

The advanced diagnostic portion of the new wavefront technology produces a precise, detailed analysis of your vision and provides a personalized laser vision correction plan that addresses your individual needs. This WavePrint Map is coordinated with the VISX STAR S4 ActiveTrak™ Excimer Laser System to create one of the most advanced systems available. In addition, the 3-D eye tracker with auto-centration adds a new level of precision, comfort, and safety.

The Custom LASIK process:

Dr. Tyson will begin by using the Wavefront device to transmit a safe ray of light into your eye. The light is then reflected back off the retina, out through the pupil, and into the device, where the reflected wave of light is received and arranged into a pattern that captures your lower- and higher-order aberrations.

All of these visual irregularities are then displayed as a wavefront map. The map provides information on more than just the front surface of the eye. It shows the variability of how light is focused in different areas of the eye. This information is then transferred to the excimer laser, enabling the surgeon to customize the LASIK procedure to your unique visual requirements. The final result is a treatment as unique as your DNA or a fingerprint. Like traditional LASIK, Custom LASIK won't cure all vision-related problems, so it's important to discuss its applications with Dr. Tyson to determine if you are a good candidate.

Potential Benefits of Custom LASIK:

Wavefront technology is groundbreaking because it has the potential to improve not only how much you see, visual acuity measured by the standard 20/20 eye chart, but also how well you can see, in terms of contrast sensitivity and fine detail. This translates into a reduced risk of glare, halos and difficulty with night vision post-LASIK.

How much you see depends on what lower-order aberrations you have; lower-order aberrations are also called refractive errors and include myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Traditional LASIK treats these lower-order aberrations. How well you see can depend on what higher-order aberrations you have; higher-order aberrations are irregularities other than refractive errors, and can cause such problems as decreased contrast sensitivity or night vision, glare, shadows and halos. Higher-order aberrations do not always affect vision. Custom LASIK treats both lower-order and higher-order aberrations.

Custom LASIK's advantage lies in the area of quality of vision:

Greater chance of achieving 20/20 vision

Greater chance of achieving better than 20/20 vision

Reduced chance of losing best-corrected vision

Reduced chance of losing visual quality or contrast sensitivity

Reduced chance of night-vision disturbances and glare

Potential also exists for Custom LASIK to treat those people who have lost best-corrected vision from previous refractive surgery.

Our Custom LASIK results are enhanced by superior Air Quality & Safety Standards:

Exacting air quality standards in our laser suite meets the same strict specifications found in operating rooms at major medical centers across the country. A sophisticated HVAC system maintains precise temperature and humidity control, and continually filters fine particles from the air. Air quality at this high level provides the necessary sterile environment for complete safety and infection control during laser vision correction.

The Eye Associates' laser suite, is backed by a top-rated Liebert UPS uninterrupted power source. The  system guarantees a high standard of safety during all patient care procedures.

Why we've chosen the VISX Custom LASIK System at Eye Associates:

VISX Custom LASIK is a system which includes:

1) A diagnostic wavefront analysis device (WavePrint™) that maps the entire optical path of the eye. This WavePrint™ Map, called the "fingerprint of your vision," provides Dr. Tyson with precise and detailed information about your vision. This is used to program the laser for precise, personalized treatment. The WavePrint Map provides information on more than just the corneal surface of the eye. It reveals the way the entire optical system processes light. The WavePrint Map provides a new level of diagnostic information previously unavailable. Using the WavePrint Map, Dr. Tyson can more accurately assess whether patients are good candidates for laser vision correction. The WavePrint Map is becoming the gold standard in vision measurement.

2) With 3D ActiveTrak™ eye-tracking technology and auto-centering, the laser detects and compensates for small eye movements by guiding the laser beam to keep it centered precisely over the treatment area.

VISX's exclusive ActiveTrak™ is the only system that allows the doctor to track eye movement in all three dimensions. Having the beam centered correctly on the eye at all times helps ensure precise results. Unlike other lasers with eye-tracking technology, ActiveTrak requires no pupil dilation, leading to an even quicker recovery time.

VISX Star S4 laser systems produce seven variable sized beams, giving Dr. Tyson greater flexibility and allowing for a fast, smooth treatment with precise corneal shaping.

3) The VISX Exclusive SmartBeam™ technology(VSS) adjusts beam size according to treatment, minimizing corneal tissue removal and speeding treatment. The Star S4 variable beam technology allows Dr. Tyson to treat patients with different laser beam sizes and shapes, determined by each patient's visual needs.

Click here to view SmartBeam™ Laser Treatment video

The best way to think of this is in carving a block of marble. Initially, large chisels are used to contour the block. This is analogous to large beam sizes. When it is time to create the fine details of the sculpture, smaller and more delicate chisels are used. The smaller excimer laser beam spots are small chisels. As a result, the VISX laser system produces an extremely smooth surface on the cornea after the procedure. Smoother ablations, as they're known, promote faster healing and result in better visual outcomes. VISX S4 laser system requires a shorter procedure time than many lasers, which enhances comfort and may reduce the risk of post-operative complications.


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