The McDonald’s Approach to Vision Correction.

January 8th, 2011
McDonalds revolutionized the fast food industry with mass production.

McDonalds revolutionized the fast food industry with mass production.

Perhaps you’ve seen the LASIK only centers advertising proudly an incredibly high number of LASIK procedures. They triumphantly exalt the thousands and thousands of LASIK procedures they have performed as though this should be a source of pride much like the McDonald’s restaurants that boast of the billions of burgers served. But doesn’t this expose exactly why you would want to avoid such a facility for a once in a lifetime medical procedure?
McDonald’s became a corporate success by automating the production of low cost fast food: not by hiring the finest chefs or providing a fine dining experience. The menu at McDonald’s is somewhat limited. The menu at a LASIK only center is even more limited: everyone gets LASIK. McDonald’s doesn’t have the best hamburgers (some may disagree). Cut rate LASIK centers don’t offer the best technology (although their claims are that they do). You wouldn’t take your spouse out to McDonald’s to celebrate an important occasion so why would you skimp on yourself for such an important event as vision correction? For patients in the Raleigh North Carolina area contemplating LASIK, why not take the step to consult with the Laser Eye Center of Carolina and explore all your options? We can customize a treatment approach that is just right for you.

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Are You Guilty of LASIK Stereotyping?

January 3rd, 2011

LASIK refers to a group of diverse procedures that involves reshaping the cornea under a flap. Over the years, LASIK has evolved with the introduction of many advances in instrumentation and techniques that have made vision correction safer and more successful. Now we can offer conventional LASIK but also Z-LASIK, CustomVue wavefront-guided LASIK , and IntraLase LASIK. All too often, however, I hear patients and even investigative or consumer reporters attempt to generalize, inappropriately, on the merits and/or risks of the LASIK procedure. I will hear statistics quoted on side-effects, for instance, that may be from studies performed years ago using old, and now outdated, technology.
Two of the more important factors that effect risk of a LASIK procedure are the exact technologies involved in performing the procedure and the particular characteristics of the patient themselves. For instance, the risk of a patient with high myopia and astigmatism needing an enhancement (or “touch-up”) procedure might be double that of a patient with low myopia and no astigmatism. The risk of a flap complication is 6 times lower with IntraLase versus Z-LASIK. The risk of night time vision problems is up to 20 times lower with CustomVue technology compared to other technologies. The statistical spread is so wide, that discussions about the ‘risk of LASIK’ can be virtually meaningless without knowledge of the patient and the exact technique utilized.
Patients can be severely misled about the side-effect profile of LASIK if they rely on old data or make the mistake in assuming that all LASIK procedures are equivalent. Raleigh area patients should be aware that in our area there are several different providers offering different LASIK technologies. Patients can minimize their risk by insuring that they use the safest available technology (iLASIK) and, when individual risk rises to an unacceptable level, choosing an alternative vision correction procedure such as implantable contacts or PRK that may yield a higher chance of success.

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What Matters is Results

December 7th, 2010

The prospective LASIK patient may be confused about what to ask about before choosing a Refractive surgeon. Most commonly, they make the assumption that LASIK is LASIK, that all technology and providers are more or less equivalent . They then set about choosing their LASIK provider by calling various offices asking about price.
Often the unwary patient may be swayed by claims such as “newest” “most advanced” or “most precise” LASIK technology. But such claims should be taken only for what they are: subjective opinion with little true meaning.
Over the years, LASIK technology has changed and evolved and several large medical corporations manufacture the various lasers and other equipment. Each of these corporations have found their niche. Some appeal to the LASIK surgeon because of their improved safety, higher success rate, ease of use or reduced cost. Obviously if there was a laser manufacturer that offered LASIK equipment that was the lowest price to purchase and operate and also offered the best result and safety profile, that manufacturer would soon dominate the industry and every LASIK surgeon would gravitate toward that manufacturer.
In the Raleigh market area, there are two main competing LASIK technologies: IntraLase LASIK and Z-LASIK. There also exists a few older and still effective technologies. The main advantage of the Z-LASIK technology is cost and ease of use. The advantage of IntraLase LASIK is superior safety and outcomes.
So there you have it. If you are looking for the cheapest LASIK, Z-LASIK is a possible choice. If you are mainly concerned with safety and want to maximize your chance of achieving 20/20 vision with excellent night vision you will choose IntraLase or iLASIK. Raleigh area patients looking for true value choose iLASIK and when looking for a provider with the longest history of using IntraLase technology, they choose Dr. Dean Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.

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Facts are a Difficult Thing to Explain Away

September 23rd, 2010

Competitors may make assertions that are opinions eg “we have the best or most precise technology etc.” Our claims are fact-based with clinical studies to back them up. There are less expensive ways to perform LASIK using similar technology but clinical studies prove:
1. The IntraLase laser is the safest way to make the flap (See our article on the Ziemer laser)
2. CustomVue technology with AMO’s VISX Star S4 offers the highest incidence of 20/20 vision ever reported to the FDA in clinical trials and it has the potential to actually improve patient satisfaction with night vision (see our articles comparing CustomVue technology with wavefront-optimized procedures)
There does not currently exist a LASIK technology that yields superior results to iLASIK. iLASIK has the lowest risk of flap complication. iLASIK technology yields the highest level of 20/20 results and has the potential to result in better quality of vision including improved night vision.
Our view is that the ¬only advantage that Z-LASIK offers the LASIK consumer is reduced cost. We can offer similar technology at the same price as the LASIK discounters but for the discerning patient we can also offer superior technology for a minimal upcharge.

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Does the Type of “Blade-Free” LASIK Really Matter?

August 8th, 2010

In the United States there are two main manufacurers of lasers to create LASIK flaps. Consumers may recognize the terms “iLASIK” and “Z-LASIK” as descriptors of a blade-free LASIK procedure and wonder what the difference is. Both lasers boast improvements in flap thickness precision but only the IntraLase has certain safety features that prevent certain flap complications.
Some of the safety features that the i-LASIK procedure has that the Z-LASIK procedure does not have include:
1. True customization of flap parameters
2. Ability to adjust the diameter and centration of the flap on a presurgical treatment planning screen before the flap is made.
3. Ability to create a “manhole” configuration to the flap to enable a snugger fit and less likelihood of flap displacement.
4. Visualization of the flap as it is being created to allow for surgeon intervention.
5. Ability to resume or restart the procedure if there is an interruption for any reason.
The manufacturers of the laser that is used in the Z-LASIK procedure tout their laser as the “most advanced” laser: presumably a reference to the fact that it is more portable. Of course, the patient doesn’t really care that the laser is easily moved from room to room, they are more interested in safety. The iLASIK procedure, for the reasons stated above, is the LASIK procedure most likely to result in a complication free procedure and achieve an excellent level of vision.
LASIK consumers are advised to do their homework before choosing a particular technology and understand what is really behind the “catch phrases” used in advertising. For the safest LASIK procedure, iLASIK is indisputably superior. For LASIK patients in the Raleigh area, the Laser Eye Center of Carolina should be your destination for genuine iLASIK.

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You Can Get a Cheaper LASIK, but You Can’t Get a Better LASIK than iLASIK

July 18th, 2010

Over the years, the LASIK procedure has evolved to become better and safer.  The LASIK procedure still consists of two main steps: 1. creating a flap and 2. reshaping the cornea under the flap.  The ultimate in safety and results in LASIK is iLASIK which is the culmination of improvements in both steps.

In the first step, flap creation, a metal blade is replaced with a laser.  In the second step, a technology termed “wavefront-guided” treatment is used to insure the final shape is free of aberrations in order to achieve the best quality of vision.  The resulting advance in LASIK technology is termed “iLASIK”.  Because new instruments and user fees set by the laser manufacturers are added to this premium LASIK procedure, patients can expect to pay more for iLASIK than conventional LASIK.

Recently other technology has been developed to reduce the cost and still achieve some of the advantages of iLASIK.  Z-LASIK offers the advantage of a more precise flap thickness over the bladed microkeratome but it does not match the safety or visual results of iLASIK.

Patients may want to believe that the newer, cheaper Z-LASIK technology is just as good as iLASIK, but just as with many other things in life, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t”.  The iLASIK procedure has proven itself to be the best technology available for LASIK vision correction.  After extensive investigation, the U.S. military has chosen iLASIK exclusively for performing vision correction on our troops because of it’s stellar history.

Medical Director, Dean Dornic, MD is the first Raleigh ophthalmologist to perform iLASIK and has extensive experience in all-laser LASIK procedures.  If you believe, as we do, that the few extra dollars to receive a better LASIK procedure is worth it, why not come in for an evaluation?

So to book you free LASIK Raleigh consultation call today at (919) 467-9955, spots are filling up quickly..

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IntraLase Gives You a “Do-Over”

July 5th, 2010

Wouldn’t it be great if everytime things didn’t go exactly right you got a “do-over”. How much higher would your grade point average be if you had an opportunity to take that test over that you didn’t study properly for? How much better would your golf score be if you got to take over that shanked drive or missed putt? Well IntraLase is like that because your surgeon gets a chance for a “do-over”.
With Z-LASIK once the flap is cut, well, it’s cut. So if the equipment malfunctions while the flap is being created then you could be left with half a flap or an irregular flap. The procedure may have to be abandoned. Intralase is different. IntraLase works by creating a bubble layer under the surface of the cornea. This works like creating perforations in a strip of stamps. The flap is not complete until the surgeon peforms the “sidecut” and lifts the flap. So in the case of IntraLase, if a malfunction occurs while the flap is being created, the procedure can be halted, the bubbles can be allowed to dissipate and the procedure resumed; the do-over.
Dr. Dornic has performed both IntraLase and Z-LASIK and his findings confirm the published data on all-laser LASIK. IntraLase is safer. No wonder the US military and most major university eye centers choose IntraLase over Z-LASIK. Intralase is the safest method to perform LASIK. If you are in the Raleigh – Durham area and are thinking about LASIK, you owe it to yourself to investigate all the advantages that the IntraLase method offers. Why not come in for a free consultation with Dr. Dornic and find out for yourself?

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Less Risk of Flap Displacement with IntraLase

July 2nd, 2010

One potential risk of the LASIK procedure is a flap complication. You know that the IntraLase procedure is the safest way to create the flap but did you know that the safety benefits extend even after the LASIK procedure has been completed?
Here’s why. One potential complication is displacement or “slippage” of the flap, especially early on before the flap has healed. When a flap is created with a microkeratome (blade) or Ziemer laser (Z-LASIK), the flap cut is a single plane. The IntraLase flap, however, is meniscus shaped so it fits snuggly like a manhole. The IntraLase flap is better, therefore, at being able to tolerate trauma. This is one reason why the military performs all their LASIK using the IntraLase method.
The IntraLase method of LASIK has a lowest complication rate at the time of the procedure. It also has the lowest complication rate after the procedure has been completed.

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Meaningless and Misleading Claims

May 22nd, 2010

I read with alarm the totally contrived and misleading claims by some providers of LASIK in North Carolina. One provider claims to have “the best laser in it’s class”? What exactly does that mean?
Also, there are the suggestions that some LASIK surgeons are using the same technology as the US Military. The only All-Laser LASIK procedure currently being performed by the military utilizes the IntraLase laser. Any other laser is simply not as safe or customizable.

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Why Does AMO CustomVue LASIK Cost More?

May 2nd, 2010

The LASIK procedure involves using a laser to reshape the cornea. Conventional LASIK requires the surgeon to manually type the patient’s eyeglass prescription into the laser. The laser then “imprints” this prescription onto the cornea. While this procedure technically can rid the patient of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, the final shape of the cornea may not be optically desirable. Some patients may suffer from quality of vision issues, often manifested by night-time driving difficulties. Wavefront-guided (CustomVue) LASIK was developed to remedy the situation. In CustomVue LASIK, an extra step is added. Patients are asked to look into a wavefront analyzer that takes a series of sophistacated measurements. The treatment is then planned, not just to eliminate refractive error, but to achieve an optically sound eye; free of aberrations and therefore, night-time driving difficulties.
Because a CustomVue LASIK can eliminate aberrations that glasses and contact lenses cannot, many patients will remark that they actually see better after LASIK than they ever did before. A CustomVue LASIK requires the purchase of additional equipment (the wavefront analyzer). Also because it requires additional measurements, it will take more time. The additional time taken to measure and plan a wavefont guided LASIK is not attractive to high volume, low cost LASIK centers because they cannot do as many procedures.   Also, each CustomVue LASIK requires a special debit treatment card that costs more per procedure than conventional LASIK. The cost of the additional treatment card, the cost of the analyzer and the additional time required are all factored in to the final cost.
So is the increased cost worth it? The Department of Defense thinks so. Over 90% of LASIK procedures done by the military today are CustomVue. Study after study confirm that the visual results of CustomVue LASIK are better than conventional or wavefront-optimized (Allegretto) procedures.
You can’t get CustomVue LASIK at a cut-rate, high volume laser center but you can get it right here in Raleigh at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.
To find out if CustomVue is right for you, why don’t you call in today for a complimentary evaluation?

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