| With Femto-LASIK
only lasers are used (thus the term “Laser-LASIK”).
The new procedure therefore eliminates the use of any mechanical instruments
(Microkeratome), which up to now were needed to prepare the corneal
flap.
1. Why using a laser instead of the microkeratome?
Rare complications in standard LASIK procedures (“button-holes”,
incomplete or severed flaps) could almost always be traced to the preparation
of the corneal flap. It was therefore obvious to further develop the
procedure, and to optimize the preparation of the corneal flap.
2. How does the femto second laser work?
The femto second laser that is being used in Femto-LASIK instead of
the microkeratome sends ultra-short light pulses with several 100 femto-seconds
(1 fs = a millionth of a billionth second). By accurately focusing the
laser beam, very high energy densities can temporarily be achieved in
the interior of the cornea. The effect of the photo disruption only
occurs in the focal point, i.e. the tissue is severed. Outside the defined
area, the tissue remains the same. A complete cut in a level is achieved
by placing thousands of these laser pulses next to each other. The cornea
lid, thus created, can be lifted up with a precision instrument.
3. How does Femto-LASIK work?
The femto second laser is only used for the first part of the LASIK
surgery, namely to prepare the corneal flap. For the actual cornea ablation,
resulting in the correction of the visual disorder, the excimer laser
is still being used as before.
To begin with, the femto second laser prepares the corneal flaps (1.)
on both eyes on the patient while lying down. Following after, the surgery
table is moved under the Excimer laser to perform the second part of
the LASIK surgery. The flap is opened like a page of a book (2.) and
the excimer laser is used for the corneal ablation to correct the visual
disorder (3).
4. What advantages are offered with Femto-LASIK?
The computer controlled femto second laser is used to cut level, parallel
cornea segments, i.e. the corneal flap in the center has the exact same
thickness as in the periphery. This gives the entire flap more stability,
it can be folded back and forth much easier and it attaches smoothly.
Folds in the flap (Microstriae) are practically unknown.
Cut complications such as “button-hole”, incomplete or
severed flaps are also being eliminated. Initial study results even
suggest that with the femto second laser, the thickness of the LASIK
flaps can even be defined more accurately than with the conventional
microkeratome.
5. Where is Femto-LASIK being offered?
The femto second laser is currently being introduced in Europe. In the
US, this new technology has been used already in over 100,000 procedures.
FreeVis offers Femto-LASIK in the FreeVis Centres in Fürth,
Lohr a. Main, Mannheim,
München, Basel,
Bern and Zurich.
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