Posts Tagged ‘customvue’

What is the Best LASIK?

Monday, September 17th, 2012

Many consumers are confused by the various claims made by advertisers about LASIK. Many LASIK providers claim to have the “latest technology” or “most advanced technology”. Some consumers assume that LASIK provided anywhere is the same. Is there a difference between different types of LASIK and is so is there any “best LASIK”?

LASIK is a general term referring to a vision correction procedure consisting of two steps: the creation of a flap and reshaping of the cornea underneath the flap. Both steps of the LASIK procedure have had refinements over the years and several different medical companies have offered instruments used in the procedure. LASIK surgeons are free to use instruments from any company they choose to perform vision correction. And just like the making any purchase decision: a car, a computer, a dishwasher etc., a variety of factors, including cost, quality and reliability can come into play in deciding what instruments a LASIK surgeon decides to use. Not surprisingly, the better quality instruments cost more to purchase and use than lower quality instruments.

So what are the various choices in LASIK technology? Basically it comes down to customization and precision. The more “customizable” and precise the technology, the safer and more reliable the oucome.

The iFS model of IntraLase laser is the most sophisticated laser to make the LASIK flap.

For the flapmaking step of the LASIK procedure, at present, the most sophisticated and safest method is using AMO’s iFS laser. It has the lowest complication rate and offers the most secure flaps.

AMO’s CustomVue technology uses wavefront mapping to yield the highest quality vision with fewest side-effects.

For the vision correction part of the LASIK procedure, the undisputed best method to reshape the cornea is using AMO’s CustomVue technology. This method gives the highest percentage of 20/20 results and the lowest incidence of night time side effects such as starbursting around headlights.

So while selecting the “best” car or refrigerator may not be obvious, the clear choice for the best LASIK procedure is the OmniLase technique: the combination of a customized LASIK flap with the iFS laser combined with AMO’s CustomVue technology.

 

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Posted in Intralase, lasik, LASIK Complications, lasik cost, wavefront | 1 Comment »

Night Vision and LASIK

Sunday, March 13th, 2011
CustomVue technology actually increases patient night vision satisfaction.

CustomVue technology actually increases patient night vision satisfaction.

Night glare and starbursts are a potential side-effect of any eye surgery.
Night glare and starbursts are a potential side-effect of any eye surgery.

Many people who have never had eye surgery, if they are careful observers, can notice some starburst, halo, glare, or shadows in their vision under low light conditions, especially if they need to wear glasses or contact lenses. It is common to notice one or more of these after LASIK eye surgery, especially during the early postoperative period. These side effects generally diminish with time but some patients will notice one or more of these even with excellent correction, sometimes for a long time or even indefinitely. Of those patients who do notice these side effects, most will find them annoying and it is possible that some patients may feel they cause mild to serious visual impediments.
The LASIK procedure creates a change in curvature in the central part of the cornea. If changing the corneal curvature also results in distortion of the cornea then aberrations in vision quality may result. These aberrations in vision may be most noticeable at night, when the pupil opens wide. This can result in seeing a halo type effect or perhaps just a decreased contrast or sharpness of vision. Regardless of how it is described, there are some patients who feel that their night or reduced light vision is poor even when their uncorrected vision is good or excellent in normal lighting. This may be a significant issue for some patient for night driving, playing tennis or baseball at night or other similar activities, even before refractive surgery is performed. A technology developed by AMO/VISX termed CustomVue and utilized in the iLASIK procedure was developed in an effort to improve night vision. The CustomVue technique makes use of a wavefront analyzer to measure and correct visual aberrations. Clinical studies show that more patients are actually satisfied with their night vision after LASIK when this technique is used. The wavefont guided CustomVue technique should not be confused with the wavefront optimized technique utilized by the Wavelight/Allegretto laser. Only the CustomVue technology associated with iLASIK results in better night vision.

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Posted in lasik, Uncategorized, wavefront | 1 Comment »

Facts are a Difficult Thing to Explain Away

Thursday, 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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Why Does AMO CustomVue LASIK Cost More?

Sunday, 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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LASIK for Military Pilots

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Within the Department of Defense a total of 25 warfighter refractive surgery centers (Army: 12, Navy: 7, Air Force: 6) completed more than 312,000 refractive surgery procedures over the past 10 years. Laser vision correction has been allowed for all aspects of military service, including aviation, special operations, and support personnel. It is also approved for NASA astronauts.
The Navy is currently undertaking a study on US Naval aviators at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and Portsmouth. To date, more than 200 aviators are in the study. Refractive errors up to -7.50 diopters are represented and the results have been outstanding. All procedures were performed with IntraLase and 90% were wavefront-guided; the exact same technology featured at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina for our LASIK patients.
All aviators were able to return to flight status within two weeks after myopic LASIK and within four weeks after hyperopic LASIK. Patient satisfaction was excellent three months after LASIK. One hundred percent were able to achieve 20/20 levels of vision. There were no complaints of significant glare, halos, haze or sharpness of vision. Ninety-eight percent felt that LASIK helped their effectiveness as a naval aviator and ninety-nine percent indicated that they would definitely recommend LASIK to their fellow aviators.
The US armed forces have embraced LASIK as a way to make troops “combat ready”. Over the years vision correction technology has evolved such that LASIK has proven to be a safe and effective procedure. But not all LASIK is equivalent. In order to achieve the phenomenal success illustrated in this latest study, IntraLase and wavefont-guided (Custom-Vue) LASIK is necessary. This premium LASIK comes at an increased cost and the wary consumer should not be lulled into the false notion that inferior, “imposter All-Laser” LASIK can achieve this level of success. Time and time again, large scale, commercially unbiased studies such as those conducted by the US armed forces have demonstrated the superiority of genuine iLASIK over other LASIK technologies.
Maybe you don’t need the type of vision needed to land a plane on an aircraft carrier, but couldn’t you benefit from the superior vision offered by genuine iLASIK in your activities of daily living? Raleigh area LASIK candidates can avail themselves of this “fighter pilot” grade vision at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina. Of course, all medical procedures carry with them some risks and to make sure you are a good candidate for iLASIK you are invited to come in for a free consultation with Dr. Dornic. Dr. Dornic will describe all your options and taylor a treatment plan that is personalized just for you.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Trust but Verify

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

There are a lot of claims out there by LASIK providers. Of course everyone claims to be the best or offer the best technology. Most of the time, claims about results or number of procedures are completely unsubstantiated making it difficult to compare. If having the highest percentage of 20/20 is your yardstick for success, then CustomVue LASIK from AMO and offered by the Laser Eye Center of Carolina boasts the highest percentage of 20/20 results (98%) ever reported to the FDA and is therefore the best laser and the best LASIK technology. Patients can arm themselves with unbiased information available from the FDA website, All About Vision.com, the Academy of Ophthalmology website and other reputable unbiased sources in helping them to decide where to get their LASIK Eye Surgery in the Raleigh Durham NC area.

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iLASIK vs zLASIK: Which is Better?

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

The first all-laser LASIK procedure made use of the IntraLase laser to make the flap rather than a blade. When the IntraLase laser is combined with AMO VISX’s proprietary CustomVue wavefront-guided treatment, the resulting procedure is termed “iLASIK”. The IntraLase laser has gone through several upgrades since it was first developed to improve it’s safety and precision. Because the IntraLase flaps can be made to fit like a “manhole” they tend to be more secure than those cut by a blade. Also, if something interrupts the creation of the flap, treatment can be restarted without any ill consequences. Since the introduction of IntraLase, Ziemer, a Swiss company, has introduced a laser to make LASIK flaps. Dr. Dornic has used both of these lasers to perform LASIK. The Ziemer laser is less expensive but it is not as well refined as the IntraLase laser. While the IntraLase laser can make flaps of varied thicknesses and architecture, the Ziemer laser can only make flaps of 3 different thicknesses and 3 diameters. The Ziemer can also only make flaps that are cut in much the same shape as a blade. They are therefore not as secure as an IntraLase flap. Another limitation of the Ziemer laser flap is that unlike the IntraLase laser, your surgeon cannot see the flap being made. Therefore, the surgeon cannot intercede to correct a problem such as misalignment or loss of suction occurring during the creation of the flap. What this means to the patient is that iLASIK is safer (more customizable flaps, lower risk of small, misshapen, decentered or slipped flaps) and the overall results are better with iLASIK than with zLASIK. If you want the safest, most precise LASIK, choose iLASIK.

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There is a Difference Between LASIK Technologies

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Patients are often confused about the different technologies available. Information available on the web and by LASIK providers can be tainted by commercial bias. The US military is in the unique position to evaluate the different LASIK technologies that are commercially available and their flight surgeons are completely free of monetary incentives. Military flight surgeons are salaried and in choosing LASIK platforms, price is no object. See why NASA and the military chose IntraLase LASIK with CustomVue as their preferred technology: the exact same technology employed by Laser Eye Center of Carolina. http://www.amo-ilasik.com/500-video-center.aspx

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What Happens if My Eye Moves during LASIK?

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

A common question asked is “what happens if my eye moves during LASIK?” Obviously, the best results can occur if the treatment is precisely centered on the eye. Iris registration and tracking is a technology in which the LASIK treatment is precisely centered using color markings on the iris to guard against the effects of eye movement and rotation. Previously, lasers followed the patient’s eye moving up, down, left or right. Therefore as long as you move your eye left or right or up or down the laser beam could track the movement of the eye. However, there are other ways in which you can move your eye. For example, you can move your eye closer to the laser or away from it.

Iris registration can track such movements and relay them to the laser so that the operation becomes more accurate. The same is true with you eye rotating. You can rotate you eye clockwise or anti-clockwise, which previous lasers wouldn’t have tracked. But Iris registration doesn’t fail here either. This is truly a remarkable progress in the field of vision correction.

Iris registration and tracking is one component of CustomVue LASIK that makes this type of LASIK superior to other LASIK procedures and is to triangle area patients at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.

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Not All Custom LASIK is CustomVue

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Raleigh area LASIK candidates can be confused by advertisements for “custom LASIK”. Patients considering LASIK and who understand that the results of custom LASIK are in general, better than conventional LASIK, may mistakenly believe that all providers who offer custom LASIK are offering the same service.

Unfortunately, some providers of wavefront optimized LASIK advertise their procedure as “custom”. This is a distortion of the original meaning of custom LASIK which refers to wavefront guided LASIK.

Although a thorough understanding of the difference would take much more room than can be spent on this blog, needless to say, the visual performance of wavefront guided LASIK tends to be better than wavefront optimized. This has been born out by numerous studies and is the reason that NASA and the Department of Defense prefers wavefront guided LASIK.

Vision problems can be categorized into lower order ones (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism) and higher order aberrations:  the type that cause visual distortions, night time halos and starbursts. Wavefront optimized LASIK simply means there is an effort made not to induce new aberrations. Wavefront guided LASIK means that there is an effort to correct any preexisting distortions /aberrations and is the reason some LASIK patients will note that there vision is actually better after LASIK than it was before with their best glasses or contact lenses.

Raleigh area LASIK candidates may want to investigate data submitted to the FDA on LASIK. They will discover that the LASIK technology with the highest ever rate of 20/20 results was accomplished by CustomVue on a VISX Star laser and is the same technology employed here at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.

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