Wavefront Lasik

The Wavefront LASIK device collects information by using light reflected off the retina and through the pupil, and into the device, creating your unique map reflecting your lower or higher order aberrations. A patient’s unique visual irregularities are contained in this map, which is then sent to the laser via computer.

With a wavefront measurement system, some extremely precise, individualized vision correction outcomes may be achieved that would be impossible with traditional LASIK surgery , contact lenses or eyeglasses. Uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better was achieved by similar numbers, however: 72 percent of the wavefront group and 70 percent of the regular LASIK group.

Wavefront can be used for virtually all laser eye surgery techniques including All-Laser Lasik, Lasik, PRK, LASEK, and Epi-Lasik. Something very important to understand is that not all aberrations are reduced with custom wavefront or wavefront optimized Lasik, PRK, LASEK, or Epi-Lasik.

Wavefront technology as a diagnostic device is unsurpassed. This technology can diagnose and measure aberrations that no other system can even see. It is important to understand that without a wavefront diagnosis, it is impossible for a doctor to accurately determine if wavefront-guided ablation is necessary for a good Lasik, PRK, or LASEK outcome.

The first is a wavefront evaluation and diagnosis of existing aberrations. The second is using what is learned from the diagnosis to create a wavefront-guided ablation for Lasik, PRK, LASEK, or Epi-Lasik. In wavefront custom Lasik, PRK, LASEK, and Epi-Lasik, the excimer laser uses wavefront information to change the shape of the cornea by ablating tissue. The primary difference between conventional Lasik and wavefront custom Lasik is the mapping system that guides the laser.

The doctor looked in my eyes and told me that I was a candidate for regular Lasik and Custom, or Wavefront, Lasik. For the vast majority of patients, Custom Wavefront Optimized LASIK will produce excellent results. For more complex prescriptions, a true Custom Wavefront Guided LASIK will be the procedure of choice.

This creates an optical map of the eye, highlighting individual imperfections. Wavefront technology functions as a roadmap for LASIK surgery, providing benefits to the patient during both the evaluation and treatment process. Wavefront Diagnostics & Custom Treatment Summary Wavefront-guided LASIK is a promising new technology that provides an advanced method for measuring optical distortions in the eye.

Measuring and treating these distortions goes beyond nearsighted, farsighted, and astigmatism determinations that have been used for centuries.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of total, corneal, and mainly internal human third- to sixth-order aberrations (HOA) and investigate possible correlations between wavefront errors and patient age.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: For this study 140 eyes of 140 subjects (age range 17-77 years) were measured three times each using Nidek Optical Path Difference scan.

CONCLUSIONS: The internal, corneal, and total wavefront aberrations varied widely among patients.

A reflecting mirror within the telescope that can be deformed is adjusted using wavefront data to eliminate aberrations induced by the Earth’s atmosphere.

RESULTS: There was wide individual variation in the internal wavefront aberrations. A wavefront diagnostic can determine if an individual has aberrations that would be exacerbated by refractive surgery to the point of causing vision problems. No other technology can achieve this level of diagnosis.

Wavefront diagnostic can determine if a wavefront guided ablation is an absolute requirement, conventional ablation would be fine, or the patient should not have surgery at all. A conventional eye exam can map LOA. A wavefront diagnostic can map LOA and HOA.

Laser eye surgery based upon the LOA determined with a conventional eye exam is like using a map of your state to find your way around. That works pretty well if you are trying to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

HOA may increase no matter what you choose, but it will probably increase less with wavefront. Because HOA is likely to increase, if your natural HOA are already elevated, refractive surgery may elevate them farther and cause poor vision. In this situation, it may be that no corneal-based refractive surgery is appropriate.

Wavefront is a very old technology that has only recently been applied to human vision. Wavefront has been used for years by astronomers who need to adjust the optics of their telescopes.

Wavefront technology enables the surgeon to improve overall vision quality better than in the past.” Wavefront-guided LASIK may be less likely to induce higher order aberrations than conventional LASIK, according to discussion in the April 15, 2005 issue of Ophthalmology Times. A 2005 survey revealed that most refractive eye surgeons now use wavefront-guided LASIK in their practices.

A 2006 Staar Surgical report estimates that about 1.4 million LASIK procedures currently are performed annually in the United States, about half of all procedures worldwide. Custom LASIK usually costs significantly more than traditional LASIK, partly because a fee is paid to the device manufacturer for each procedure.

Since I was already paying for the procedure, I decided that I might as well pay for the best and chose the Wavefront approach.

To achieve a customized corneal shaping, it will require measuring the higher order optical aberrations using a wavefront analysis system called an Aberrometer and then digitally interfacing it with a laser, using high speed computerized control to direct the delivery of a very tiny beam of laser energy across the cornea.

If the wavefront is advanced (in front of the referenced wavefront), the laser must remove less tissue. It should be noted that wavefront treatment does induce some minor second-order spherical errors, but to a significantly lesser extent than conventional refractive surgery.

In this way, a wavefront-guided treatment is customized to the characteristics of each eye and intended to minimize higher-order aberrations so that the greatest quality of vision can be achieved. To clarify the confusion about light traveling as waves instead of rays, waves are just perpendicular to light rays.

These light waves are wrinkled or distorted as they pass through imperfections in the eye. These errors can be displayed on a color map of the wavefront image, which is the tool that is used to diagnose, and then determine corrections, for abberrations in the eye.

The amount of wrinkle or error in the wavefront reflected from the back of the eye, as compared to the reference wavefront that was projected into it, defines the compensating optical correction.

If the wavefront is retarded in relation to the reference wavefront, the laser must remove more tissue from the part of cornea related to that pattern. Light can be thought of as traveling in a series of flat sheets, known as wavefronts.