About San Diego LASIK : ClearView
"Dr. Feldman is very careful. She even checked my vision four times before the surgery. Walking away with 20/15 vision shows what a perfectionist she is."
- C.S. on his September 2001 surgery
So you want details?
Until the FDA approved the excimer laser to treat nearsightedness in 1995, Radial Keratotomy, RK was the primary vision correction procedure. Although the excimer laser wasn't FDA approved for refractive surgery until 1995, it has been used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism for almost 13 years. The excimer laser was developed in 1970 by IBM to etch semiconductor discs. This laser is used for the most recent and advanced procedure, LASIK, because of its ability to precisely remove corneal tissue without damaging surrounding or underlying cornea.
Because of the delicate nature of the eye, laser is favorable to the outdated techniques that involve making incisions in the cornea.
The excimer laser is a cool beam, which doesn't damage the eye with heat. A cool beam of ultra-violet light is computer controlled to reshape the cornea, the clear front of the eye. The laser is extremely precise and predictable, and has the ability to etch grooves in a human hair. Patients experience seeing flashes of red light, which are the aiming beam of the laser. Each pulse removes 0.25 microns (about 1/100,000 of an inch) of corneal tissue. How much tissue is removed is determined by the shape and prescription of the eye, and the number of pulses and size and shape of the laser beam on a given day. For these reasons, the excimer laser has earned high marks in safety and control.
This short and relatively painless procedure lasts only a few minutes. Preparation begins with the appIication of several anesthetic numbing eye drops. After the eyes are numbed, an eyelid holder is placed under your lids to prevent blinking and eyelid interference. This is typically when some patients feel some mild discomfort. Next, the actual procedure begins with the creation of a flap. This thin flap of corneal tissue is made with a microkeratome. Next, Dr. Feldman gently folds the flap back. Under the control of the doctor, the laser then reshapes the cornea by removing tissue. The pattern of tissue removal is determined by one's prescription. After the laser has reshaped the cornea, the doctor will fold the corneal flap back into its original place.
The excimer laser is used to correct several deficiencies. With nearsightedness, or myopia, the laser flattens the cornea by removing tissue from the center. This enables light rays to bend properly and focus on the retina. Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is corrected by removing tissue in the midperiphery, making it steeper. Astigmatism is treated with the laser to reshape the football shaped cornea and make it more spherical.
Clinical studies tell us that 95% of laser vision patients no longer require contacts or lenses to see 20/40 or better. LASIK, the most advanced procedure for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, is safe and effective according to the FDA. The chances of serious complications are about 1-2%, which would result in worse vision than before the procedure. These complications can occur to all surgeons, so be wary of doctors that say they have no complications or who perform too many surgeries in a day. Also, be wary of novice surgeons, who are not trained in examining and treating the cornea and perform occasional laser vision correction surgeries.
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