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Category Archives: Technology

FDA Approved Excimer Lasers Summary

Listed Contraindications for LASIK performed by all excimer laser platforms:

  • Pregnant or nursing
  • Keratoconus
  • Collagen Vascular, Autoimmune, or Immunodeficiency disorders
  • Taking Accutane or Cordarone
  • Prescription changes in last year of 0.5 D or more.

There are 4 commonly used excimer lasers in the US. The two most common are the Wavelight Allegretto Wave and the VISX Star Customvue. Carl Zeiss MEL-80 and the Bausch and Lomb 217Z are also in operation as well. If a LASIK surgeon has continually upgraded the platform throughout the years, then the excimer laser system is of secondary concern. Each of the systems can provide over 90% chance of 20/20 uncorrected vision for moderate near-sighted prescription. Certain lasers run faster than others. Others require less corneal ablation. Outdated lasers, however, are to be avoided. They are nowhere near as accurate as the newer technologies.

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The Emergence of Adaptive Optics

The billion dollar Hubble Telescope has been assisting astronomers for nearly two decades now, gathering information about our own Milky Way galaxy and the rest of our universe. The entire project has not been without problems, however. Shortly after its launch in 1990, it was discovered that the mirror contained significant spherical aberration that affected the performance of the telescope. A system was developed called COSTAR, Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement, which used two mirrors in the light path to correct for the aberration in the main mirror. With this adaptation, astronomers could achieve the accuracy and clarity that they were hoping for.

Adaptive optics relies upon a secondary set of mirrors that are in place to adjust for errors within the main optical system. While the Hubble is one example of this, our own eyes can benefit from the advances made through adaptive optics. Continue reading →

Embryonic Stem Cells to Cure Age-Related Macular Degeneration

News has been released through Reuters in an article by Ben Hirshler that British scientists are planning to use embryonic stem cells to cure age related macular degeneration, a common form of blindness. They are hoping to have the first patients receive test treatments within five years. This could be a major improvement in the methods of treating this common form of eye blindness that is experienced by millions of individuals throughout the world. Embryonic research could lead to treatments in other forms of blindness as well, such as corneal transplants and keratoconus.

There are also thoughts that perhaps embryonic stem cell research could lead to improvements in cataract surgery allowing patients to focus through a natural lens and see at both distance and near. Such an improvement would rejuvenate the vision of older patients and could conceivably be used as an alternative to LASIK eye surgery, replacing the need to reshape a person’s eye using an excimer laser.

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Iris Registration and Iris Identification Technology for LASIK

There are two different technologies available for LASIK now. They are not equal and have different values to the patients who are planning to undergo LASIK eye surgery.

The first type of iris technology is simply iris identification software. This type of technology was adopted by the Bausch and Lomb Zyoptix laser and other excimer laser brands. This is simply an identification feature that decides if the wavefront treatment is being performed on the correct eye.

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