What is True About Intra Lasik?

Now that Lasik vision correction surgery has been accepted for a number of
years, there are several popular options for the procedure. One of these is
IntraLasik, or Intralase, or bladeless Lasik. As the name implies, there is
no cutting of the eye with a blade, instead the flap in the eye is made
using a laser.  Since bladeless Lasik is a newer procedure, there are a
number of opinions around about how well this procedure works.

Let's look at several of these and determine which of these are true or false.

First, more Lasik clients get 20/20 vision or better using IntraLasik. 
Any Lasik procedure cannot guarantee perfect vision for every client, though
more than 90% get results to at least 20/40 vision. However, it is true
that the new techniques of IntraLasik do get even better statistics for
giving clients clear vision.

Some are concerned that the laser that makes the corneal flap is standard,
and cannot be tailored to each individual eye like can be done by the
Lasik surgeon when using a blade.  This is not true. The Lasik physician
has control over the use of the laser for each individual in the same way
that he can control the microkeratome blade.

IntraLasik can be used for both a standard and a custom Lasik procedure. 
This is true.  Custom Lasik procedures using Wavefront technology
(another somewhat recent advance in Lasik vision correction) can easily be
used with a laser making the initial flap.  This custom Lasik procedure,
though more costly, is of great benefit for people with unusual eye shapes
or problems.

Some have heard that using the laser is less accurate than the standard
Lasik procedure.  This is not true, since lasers can be controlled to
micron level accuracy.  This gives the Lasik physician extreme control to
create exactly the flap needed for this particular individual eye:
the precise size, shape, and depth for successful completion of the Lasik
procedure. 

Another common fallacy is that IntraLase has not been around long enough
for trusted Lasik physicians to have confidence in it.  On the contrary,
many of the most honored Lasik physicians strongly endorse IntraLase due
to the track record of very good results from the Lasik procedures. 
In addition, the quality of the machines and the precision that they give
these Lasik physicians is very impressive.  Many of the top flight Lasik
doctors recommend this as a procedure of choice, assuming cost is not
a significant variable in the decision of which Lasik procedure to use.

Similar to the objection above, some people think that Intralase is not
a sufficiently test Lasik procedure option.  On the contrary, more than one
million of these procedures have been performed, and the impressive track
record for this Lasik procedure has been discussed above. 
More and more Lasik physicians are trained in this option, and we will see
many more such Lasik procedures in the future.

We hope that this discussion of bladeless Lasik has given more accurate
information to those considering this Lasik technique. 
Please discuss this option with the professionals at your local Lasik center.