Intralase LASIK

The key to producing the best results in laser surgery is to combine the best technology available with a skilled surgeon. As a result Dr. Robert Weisenthal continually analyzes all new technology to determine if the innovations will improve the outcomes for his patients. We are now proud to offer the most recent advance in laser, “All-Laser LASIK”. The Intralase LASIK method is a 100% blade-free approach to creating a corneal flap during LASIK surgery.

Traditionally, Dr Robert Weisenthal uses a mechanical microkeratome for the creation of the corneal flap with excellent results. While that has been the “gold standard” for many years, prior to every procedure Dr Weisenthal explains that in the rare instance that the flap is not made perfectly, we will stop the procedure, allow the eye to heal for several months, and then return to complete the procedure safely with the best results. This rare complication (1 in 500) is more common in patients who have steeper or flatter corneal curvature than typical or other abnormalities which are difficult to detect prior to surgery. The differences in curvature aren’t a problem for the Intralase procedure because it does not use a blade to cut the flap. The Intralase method minimizes flap complications during surgery.

In addition the long term stability of the procedure is dependent upon leaving the most cornea tissue untouched after LASIK surgery. If you have a borderline amount of cornea thickness this can be an issue. According to FDA guidelines there should be at least 250um of tissue left untouched for the cornea to remain stable over time. Dr. Weisenthal is more conservative, he likes to leave more than 300um untouched. The mechanical microkeratome has a variance of 30-40um in the thickness of the flap. This could mean that the patient that has the borderline amount of cornea could have a thicker than average flap, leaving less than 300um of tissue untouched.

The Intralase method allows the doctor to set the thickness of the flap into the laser and create a flap that is within 8-10um of the expected amount. This makes the untouched cornea much easier to estimate accurately, making sure that enough tissue is left undisturbed to help maintain stability over time.

Over a million procedures have been performed safely and effectively using the Intralase method. The results of surgery with Intralase have been outstanding, increasing your chances of 20/20 vision after surgery. It is the most advanced and accurate technology available for creating the corneal flap, reducing your apprehension through the process of surgery.

Unfortunately, there is an additional charge for the Intralase in order to pay the company which supplies the laser. If you have a normal corneal curvature it is still possible to obtain an excellent result without using the Intralase, so we feel confident offering LASIK surgery with our standard technique. However, in certain patients we may recommend the Intralase as a safer alternative for their successful long term outcome. If you have any questions or concerns we are happy to discuss them at any time.

 

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