Facts About IntraLase® All Laser Lasik Eye Surgery

Before making the decision between a blade-free or microkeratome LASIK procedure, make sure you know the facts. The following information will help you make an informed decision about what's best for you. If you need more information please call Florida Eye Center at 727-895-2020 today!

Anytime new technology is introduced it will undoubtedly have its share of proponents as well as those who are slow to embrace it. So, it's unavoidable that some doctors may not fully embrace the IntraLase Method. However, that shouldn't stop you from learning how IntraLase offers precision technology for safer LASIK outcomes. In order to help you better evaluate IntraLase it's important that you know the answers to some key issue.

What is LASIK?

LASIK or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis is a name that refers to the use of a laser to reshape the cornea. Compared to older methods of vision correction, LASIK provides a number of very important advantages. There is typically little or no post-operative discomfort and recovery is fast. During LASIK, Dr. Sibley uses a cool beam of light to gently and precisely alter the curvature of the cornea to shape it more like a normal eye. The best part – your vision returns quickly – without the old, thick glasses or contacts to interfere! And the effects of LASIK have been shown to be permanent.

What is All-Laser LASIK?

Most people would be surprised to know that the first step in traditional LASIK uses a mechanical, hand-held device or blade to cut into the surface of the eye to create the corneal flap. Only the second step, reshaping the cornea, was performed using a laser. This blade and laser combination approach is no longer the safest LASIK procedure available. Since laser vision correction was introduced in the 1980's, there have been steady advances in the safety and outcomes of the procedure. One of these advancements is All-Laser LASIK – it is now 100% All-Laser, providing patients with a safe, bladeless approach. Traditional LASIK – metal blade cuts the corneal flap !!!   All-Laser-LASIK – safe, bladeless approach using a laser to create flap is the best way to go now.

The Truth About IntraLase® and the IntraLase Method™

• More patients get to 20/20 vision and beyond with the IntraLase Method.

• IntraLase can be individualized and personalized to each patient. IntraLase allows surgeons to tailor the corneal flap for each individual patient, and each individual eye.

• IntraLase improves precision, and visual results of LASIK, whether you choose to have a standard or custom procedure.

• IntraLase is the most accurate. IntraLase delivers micron-level accuracy, giving your doctor more control during the procedure and the ability to create a flap of precise size, shape, and depth—factors that are critical to a successful LASIK outcome.3

• Leading LASIK doctors and teaching hospitals from around the world believe in IntraLase and use the IntraLase Method.

• Patients prefer procedures that totally avoid using a microkeratome blade.
  More patients (81%), when given a choice, chose the IntraLase Method over a microkeratome blade.4

• Approximately 1,000,000 IntraLase procedures have been safely performed.

• The NEW  IntraLase Method takes less time to perform than a microkeratome procedure.
  The IntraLase Method takes approximately 15 seconds per eye and a total of 8-10 minutes for the entire LASIK procedure, which is comparable to—and sometimes faster than—procedures using a microkeratome.

• IntraLase is the most sophisticated and accurate technology in history for corneal flap creation available today and has given many patients greater confidence and assurance in choosing laser vision correction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is IntraLase safe?

Yes. IntraLase improves the safety, precision and visual results of LASIK, whether you choose to have a standard or custom procedure. This is a result of the superior precision provided by the computer-guided IntraLase laser as compared with that of a hand-held microkeratome, virtually eliminating the most severe sight-threatening complications as a result.

What are the benefits of All-Laser LASIK?

Replacing the blade with a laser considerably enhances the safety and accuracy of the procedure. Because the flap is created with the precision of a cool beam laser, Doctors Sibley and Shriver are able to sculpt the corneal tissue at the exact depth required for the most accurate, precise result possible. What does this mean for you? Increased safety and a more precise treatment!

Is traditional LASIK with a microkeratome unsafe?

Although complications with LASIK surgery are rare, when they do occur, they are often associated with the use of a hand-held microkeratome blade. IntraLase makes LASIK even safer by reducing the risk of complications reported with the microkeratome. This has given many patients more confidence in choosing laser vision correction.

Is IntraLase Safer?

Most surgeons acknowledge that the main safety issues in laser vision correction are related to the use of the mechanical device used to create the corneal flap. Multiple studies which compare the incidence of complications when using the IntraLase laser versus the microkeratome device have shown a significant decrease in the elements that adversely impact safety.

The IntraLase laser provides a unique level of safety because of its micron level precision. Clinical studies establishing the precision and accuracy of the Intralse laser have led researchers to proclaim the IntraLase technology as 100 times more accurate in creating the flap (the first step of LASIK) than the old, traditional approach with a surgical blade cutting the eye.

The precision was also documented in studies conducted for the FDA clearance of the laser, where the accuracy of flap thickness was demonstrated at +/-10 microns. Precise flap thickness is critical to a successful LASIK outcome, and this degree of accuracy is unprecedented in flap creations technology to date.
Finally, greater flap stability was also demonstrated with the IntraLase laser in studies in the laser’s FDA submission. The assurance that the flap will be securely repositioned without incident provides adds peace of mind for many patients.

Several clinical studies have reported a much tighter range and standard deviation of the thickness of the flap created by the IntraLase Laser when compared with mechanical microkeratomes, As Dr. Ming Wang reported, this is very important when evaluating the risk of extremely thin or extremely thick flaps which occur 1-2 times per 100 cases with microkeratomes (102%) and only 1-2 times per 100 million cases with Intralase.

"Thickness Measurements of Corneal Flaps Created with the IntraLase FS Laser" Authors: A. Chayet, MD, S. Litwak, MD Abstract: This study evaluated the thickness accuracy and predictability of corneal flaps created with the Intralse FS laser by suing subtraction pachymetry on 20 eyes of 17 patients. - Submitted: Archives of Ophthalmology, December 2002.

Is IntraLase more expensive?

Yes. Most patients agree that the added level of safety, assurance and predictably better vision offered by IntraLase is worth the incremental cost. IntraLase doctors are leaders in the field of ophthalmology who continually evaluate advances in technology. They've determined that the IntraLase is the most sophisticated and accurate system available today for flap creation and have invested in the technology to sustain their leadership in patient care.

Why should I pay for IntraLase when many people have had success with traditional LASIK?

Traditional LASIK is a very good procedure and we have performed thousands of cases with very impressive results. However, one of the many reasons our doctors choose the IntraLase laser is to avoid potential inaccuracies and safety issues  in the procedure. The laser provides greater control, and allows us to preserve corneal tissue. This means a safer, more accurate LASIK procedure for you.

Can there be complications with an IntraLase flap?

No surgical procedure is completely without risk. However, IntraLase reduces the chances of complications compared with LASIK performed with a microkeratome. IntraLase delivers micron-level accuracy 100% greater than a microkeratome for more accurate and consistent flap thickness, factors critical for a successful LASIK outcome.

Is the IntraLase Method more painful than a microkeratome?

No. Most people don't feel pain during LASIK surgery. Your eyes are first anesthetized with special drops. Some people do report a sensation of pressure on the eyes while the IntraLase Method is being performed.

Are post-surgery problems more common with IntraLase?

No. In fact, IntraLase creates fewer higher and lower order aberrations, frequently associated with glare and halos at night. IntraLase patients have also reported a reduced incidence of post-operative dry eye symptoms and required fewer enhancement procedures following LASIK.

Will I see better with the IntraLase Method?

That's difficult to determine since each person's vision is unique. However, more patients achieve 20/20 or better vision with IntraLase-initiated LASIK.

How would you compare the visual outcomes using All-Laser LASIK with those of traditional LASIK?

Our doctors can now offer a new level of predictability to each patient in all parts of the procedures: custom diagnosis (before the procedure), custom flap (to start the procedure), and custom treatment (to complete the procedure). We believe that Intralase is the essential ingredient of this strategy to obtain your best vision while maintaining the highest standards for safety and patients care. You and your family deserve that.

How is The Eye Center able to offer IntraLase when others in the area do not?

The IntraLase laser has been cleared by the FDA and became available in 2001. IntraLase all laser LASIK is the only system that provides computer controlled precision. To date, approximately 1,000,000 (1 Million ! ) procedures have been completed with no significant complications reported. Dr. Sibley and Shriver are  among an elite group of key opinion leaders in ophthalmology who continually evaluate advanced technologies and adopt them into practices soon after they are proven safe and become available.

At The Florida Eye Center our commitment is to providing exceptional care. We believe that by replacing the surgical blade with a safer, more advanced, more precise,  less-invasive technology, we are able to provide a higher standard of care for our patients.

How is IntraLase different from traditional LASIK?

LASIK is actually a 2-step process. First, a flap of corneal tissue must be created and then folded back. The cornea is the transparent dome-like structure that covers the iris and pupil of your eye. By creating a flap in the cornea, the surgeon is able to perform the laser vision correction treatment on the inner layer of the cornea, which practically eliminates any patient’s discomfort and allows for a rapid visual recovery.

Traditionally, the surgeon has created the corneal flap with a hand-held mechanical device which utilizes a surgical blade. This method has worked well over the years; however, the performance of these devices can be unpredictable. And although LASIK complications are rare, this mechanical device is frequently the source for many of the reported complications.

With the Intralase laser, the our surgeons use the precision of a laser to create the corneal flap. The accuracy of the laser (100 times more accurate than a blade) is unparalleled by any other technology in vision correction surgery. This advanced technology allows the surgeon more control during the procedure, and even allows customization of the corneal flap for every individual patient. Because of this consistent accuracy, Intralase now makes is possible to treat many patients who were dismissed as candidates for laser vision correction due to thin corneas.

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