LASIK NEWSMivision | New 20 Second Presbyopia ProcedurePeople living with presbyopia will benefit from the launch of Australia's first laser eye treatment that significantly improves near vision with a minimally invasive procedure performed in as little as 20 seconds.
The Technolas laser unit has been approved by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) and according to the manufacturer, the plastic patient interface device used in the procedure was TGA-approved in June this year. "Until recently, the only treatments available for presbyopia were reading glasses, contact lenses or invasive laser eye correction surgery, which typically involved special lenses being permanently implanted in the eye," said refractive, corneal and cataract surgeon Dr. Kerrie Meades, from the Personaleyes corrective eye surgery group in Sydney. "Unlike conventional laser eye correction, this procedure is minimally invasive, and maintains the natural shape of the eye. The result is a more personalised and accurate treatment, with minimal-to-no risk of infection. "Almost anyone who has vision impairment from presbyopia can reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses. This is the first time this level of visual independence has been achieved without invasive surgery. This technology offers people with presbyopia the opportunity to read magazines, newspapers, menus, and text messages without reaching for their glasses." Which Laser Vision Correction Surgery is Right For You?Vision correction surgery can often be an ideal measure for reducing your dependence on eye-glasses. Laser eye surgery can often help to improve vision for many candidates, which can reduce or even remove the need to wear glasses any longer.
 However, there are several different types of laser vision correction available. The decision for which one could be right for your particular needs should be discussed with your eye specialist, to help determine the correct treatment procedure. Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis
Laser In Situ Keratomileusis, or LASIK correction surgery, is a procedure where a tiny piece of your cornea is lifted by a microkeratome metal blade. An excimer laser then works to reshape the cornea beneath the removed corneal flap in an effort to fix any refractive problems such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
Once the procedure is complete, the tiny flap of corneal tissue is put back in place so that it will cover the corrected part of the cornea. This little flap of tissue will bond back in place naturally very quickly, removing the need for stitches after surgery and reducing the risk of post-operative infection. Patients should notice that vision is clear immediately following the procedure, although some patients may experience a little blurred vision for a few hours, which will resolve very quickly.
This form of vision correction surgery is easily the most advanced type of treatment, offering patients the opportunity to treat various refractive problems quickly with very low amounts of discomfort and speedy recovery times.
Conventional IntraLASIK
Instead of using a microkeratome metal blade to cut the corneal flap, conventional IntraLASIK vision correction surgery uses a femtosecond Intralase laser to make the cut. This can allow for a far thinner section of flap tissue to be cut, which can reduce the potential damage that could be caused by using a metal blade.
The remainder of the treatment to reshape the stoma is performed using an excimer laser, the same as LASIK correction surgery.
PhotoRefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
PRK vision correction surgery is a different type of laser eye surgery in which the outer layer of the cornea is manually removed by scraping away, rather than just a small flap being lifted as with LASIK.
The treatment then involves reshaping the underlying level of the cornea with a laser, in much the same way as LASIK correction surgery. The primary problem with PRK surgery is that the top-most layer of corneal tissue must regenerate and grow back. This can sometimes increase the risk of infection in some patients, and extend the necessary healing time.
However, this option can sometimes offer patients less risk, as PRK doesn't require the corneal flap to be cut by a blade, which can often be the riskiest part of the procedure. To assist with healing, a contact lens is placed over the newly-shaped cornea until the new surface layer of corneal tissue has grown back.
LASEK Eye Correction
Laser Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratomileusis, or LASEK, is a more advanced version of PRK eye correction surgery in which the uppermost layer of corneal tissue is softened with alcohol before a section is completely removed.
As with other types of vision correction surgery, an excimer laser corrects the refractive problem on the stoma, but with LASEK, the small section of corneal tissue that was removed will be replaced, where it will bond on its own to the corrected cornea. This can enable much faster healing times with less risk to using a cutting blade.
NASA Approves Advanced LASIK For AstronautsAMO's Advanced CustomVue™ LASIK with the IntraLase® Method Proves Ready for the Rigors of Space Travel
SANTA ANA, Calif. Sept. 21, 2007 / PRNewswire / – Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) (NYSE: EYE), a global leader in ophthalmic surgical devices and eye care products, today announced that the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) has approved the company's LASIK technologies for use on U.S. astronauts. The NASA decision was made following review of extensive military clinical data using AMO's Advanced CustomVue™ LASIK with the IntraLase® Method, which showed the combination of technologies provides superior safety and vision.
Approved for use on consumers almost a decade ago, more than 11 million LASIK procedures have been performed to-date, making it the most-common elective surgical procedure in the U.S. But it wasn't until LASIK developed into an all-laser procedure that NASA approved it for use on pilots, mission and payload specialists who face extreme, physically demanding conditions in space. The all-laser LASIK technologies, which utilize wavefront guided and femtosecond lasers, have also been cleared for U.S. military personnel, including most recently Air Force pilots.
"NASA's approval is further evidence that today's LASIK exceeds all established standards of safety and effectiveness," said Steven Schallhorn, M.D., retired captain of the U.S. Navy, investigator in multiple studies involving use of LASIK and other refractive surgeries for treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, and Medical Director for Optical Express. "NASA followed the Naval Aviation clinical studies closely with a particular interest in both safety and quality of vision under extreme conditions. Wavefront guided and femtosecond lasers were proven to provide excellent safety with consistent visual results of 20/20 or better. LASIK was able to withstand even the most extreme rigors of warfare and flight. All surgical procedures have risks, but with this exceptional track record, the average consumer has nothing to fear from LASIK."
LASIK is a two-step procedure. The IntraLase® FS (femtosecond) laser replaces the hand-held microkeratome blade historically used in creating LASIK corneal flaps -- the first step of the procedure. The computer guided, ultra-fast laser virtually eliminates almost all of the most severe, sight threatening LASIK complications related to microkeratomes. The laser creates an optimal corneal surface below the flap, allowing for better visual outcomes from the second step of the procedure where wavefront guided technology maps, and then custom-corrects vision based upon the unique characteristics of an individual's eye. This sophisticated measurement provides 25 times more precision than measurements using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses.
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