You may be thinking: Cutting is cutting, so what's the big difference between a blade and a laser? Actually, the benefits of the Intralase method are vast. Many surgeons still rely on the old hand-held steel razorblade known as a microkeratome. Admittedly, laser eye surgery complications are indeed rare. However, when serious problems do occur, they are almost always related to the use of blades. Removing the microkeratome from the procedure serves as an assurance that complications are highly unlikely.
The Intralase laser uses the highly advanced Femtosecond laser technology. (I know you're probably getting sick of the fifty-cent words!). With Femtosecond technology, rapid pulses of laser light are used to create an extremely precise and smooth layer of bubbles within the cornea. Essentially, this means that the incision created is much smoother and finer than the one that would be created through a microkeratome blade. Once we have created this smooth and perfect flap, it can be gently lifted out of the way to allow the rest of the iLasik surgery to proceed.
So, you can see that not all Lasik is the same and it is extremely important to understand the difference between bladed Lasik and blade-free iLasik. Once you understand that difference, you can see why I recommend that you seek out a surgeon that only performs blade free iLasik surgery. Your eyes are extremely important and you only get one chance in a lifetime to have Lasik surgery. Have it done right!
(In our next segment we will discuss "What Every Patient Needs to Understand About Lasik Surgery: Part 2, What is "Customized" or Wavefront Guided Lasik and Why is it so Great?")
Dr. John Suson MD is an ophthalmologist and a clinical instructor at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Currently, Dr. Suson is in private practice with his sister at their "Suson Eye Specialists" clinic. For more information, visit http://www.supereyes.com
