One of my favorite conversations around vision correction surgery happens when a new patient comes in and says: “Dr. Solomon, I looked into having LASIK years ago, but they said I wasn’t a good candidate.” My response? While it is possible you may still not be a good candidate, there have been so many recent and significant advancements in LASIK it is worth revisiting your specific situation and find out if today’s technologies can work for you.
Early in the evolution of LASIK, many patients wanting LASIK were told their prescriptions were too high, corneas too thin or dry eye symptoms too severe to be eligible. To be clear, there are medical conditions and vision issues that, for some people, mean LASIK isn’t a good option. But for many, today’s LASIK procedure has been fully optimized with more precise lasers and advances techniques along with high-definition digital measurement capabilities, resulting in more patients achieving 20/20 or better vision. Here in South Carolina, I’ve invested in the latest technologies to ensure the best safety and outcomes. These include:
Femtosecond lasers: Introduced in 2003, this ultra-precise laser replaces the surgical blade used to create the corneal flap, allowing some patients with thinner corneas to take advantage of LASIK. The femtosecond laser creates microscopically thin flaps, which have also been shown to reduce the incidence of dry eye post-LASIK.
Wavefront mapping and corneal topography: Light waves are used to create a microscopically detailed digital blueprint of the surface of the eye as well as the shape of the cornea to create a complete analysis of the patient’s vision. The ability to precisely measure visual distortions is an essential benefit to surgeons to achieve both visual acuity (clear vision at all distances) and quality (reducing glare and halos).
Next generation excimer lasers: Advances in laser technology deliver vision correction capabilities to a wider range of vision prescriptions. Today’s lasers make it possible for those patients at the far ends of the vision spectrum to benefit from LASIK and other vision correction procedures.
If you were among those wanting LASIK when it first became available, but were told at the time you weren’t qualified, it is worth it to have a new consultation to see if you are among those who may be able to take advantage of the latest innovations in LASIK.
You can learn more about this and other advances in vision correction surgery from the American Refractive Surgery Council.
