Laser eye treatment information and guides

Laser eye articles

• Laser eye surgery procedure: what happens?
• Are you suitable for laser eye surgery?
• For and against laser eye treatment
• What happens if laser eye surgery does not work?
• Recovery after laser eye surgery
• The laser eye surgery healing process
• Laser eye surgery effects
• PRK vs. LASIK
• LASIK eye surgery
• PRK eye surgery
• Short sighted PRK surgery
• LASEK eye surgery
• Wavefront LASIK surgery
• Zyoptix LASIK surgery
• EpiLASIK surgery
• IntraLASIK surgery
• How does the eye work?
• Common vision problems
• Laser surgery for short sightedness
• Laser surgery for long sightedness
• Laser surgery for astigmatism
• Laser surgery for presbyopia
• How does laser eye treatment work?
• Laser eye clinic
• Corrective eye surgery
• Laser eye surgeon

IntraLASIK surgery

IntraLASIK surgery is a popular advancement in laser eye treatment that provides an extra option to patients considering having surgery. Also referred to as “all-laser LASIK,” this procedure differs from traditional LASIK surgery in a few important ways. The differences seen in IntraLASIK surgery start from the pre-operative process and continue through recovery.

What is IntraLASIK surgery?

To understand IntraLASIK surgery, it helps to look at the basic laser eye surgery procedure. Most laser eye surgery involve three major steps. First, a small incision is made in the cornea, and a flap is pulled back. Second, the underlying cornea is reshaped with a laser. Finally, the flap is put back into place where it heals naturally.

In traditional LASIK surgery, the first step of creating the corneal flap is done with a handheld mechanical blade. IntraLASIK surgery creates the flap with the use of a preprogrammed femtosecond laser. This is where the “all-laser” name comes from, and the procedure is generally more precise and predictable. Many of the complications that occur in traditional LASIK surgery take place during the creation of the corneal flap with the handheld blade. IntraLASIK avoids these complications with precise flaps that are not only safer, but that doctors feel lead to better results.

Who is suitable for IntraLASIK surgery?

All laser eye surgery is generally performed on patients at least 18 years old, who have had stable vision without injury for one year before the surgery. Candidates should also not have autoimmune disorders, scarring of the cornea, dry eye syndrome, or be nursing or pregnant. Finally, eye surgery is not a good idea for those with large pupils, as determined by the doctor.

For IntraLASIK specifically, patients with high prescriptions or overly thin corneas are good candidates. The use of the laser can create a thinner, more precise flap. This not only leads to better results, but is essential in cases of thin corneas.

IntraLASIK surgery can improve both short sightedness and long sightedness. Another major reason for choosing IntraLASIK is the anxiety many patients feel about having the doctor make an incision with the hand held blade, with standard LASIK. One study showed that, when given a choice, 81% of patients chose IntraLASIK over the traditional version, and 92-98% were satisfied with the results.

What to expect from IntraLASIK

If you decide to have IntraLASIK surgery, there are a few procedural steps to keep in mind. Those wearing contacts will be asked to stop wearing them in the weeks leading up to the surgery. Prior to surgery, the doctor will examine the eye and take measurements of the cornea. This allows the doctor to program the laser software to the patient’s specific measurements, ensuring a precise flap.

After surgery, some patients feel irritation for a few days. In more rare cases, patients might have redness or some sensitivity to light after the operation, but this usually resolves within a few weeks. Antibiotic drops are usually prescribed after the procedure.

Overall, the precision of IntraLASIK is preferred by both doctors and patients and generally leads to better results. This is particularly true for those with thin corneas, and those anxious about a metal blade on the eye. All-laser LASIK offers an alternative, and is normally a smooth process that does not disrupt your life. It is worth discussing with your doctor, because better vision can be a simple procedure away.

Other variations of LASIK surgery include EpiLASIK surgery, which works on the epithelium layer of the cornea, and Zyoptix LASIK, which is a branded version of Wavefront LASIK surgery.

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