IntraLase laser eye surgery or Bladeless Lasik

One of the most advanced laser eye surgery procedures in the market today is IntraLase this is also know as bladeless lasik and All -laser LASIK, which ever term is used they all refer to the same procedure. In traditional LASIK surgery, the microkeratome or the hand-held blade is used to make the flap on the cornea so that the laser can be used beneath the flap. With IntraLase, a laser is already used for the cutting. Instead of using the microkeratome blade, a femtosecond laser is used. Using this laser, the cut will be more precise as compared to the manual method. Any induced distortion and complications from cutting the flap will be reduced when a laser is used. The availability of IntraLase in clinics is not yet widespread so you have to ask the clinic if they offer such procedure or not.

How is the IntraLase procedure performed?

Computer software is used for guiding the IntraLase laser beam when it creates tiny bubbles on the layer of your cornea at the size of three microns in diameter. The corneal flap is produced at an exact diameter and depth as planned by the surgeon. Just like using a mechanical microkeratome, there is a small section of tissue that is not cut and this will be the cover that will be used by your surgeon to patch up the fixed cornea after it has been reshaped.

What are the advantages of using the IntraLase as compared to the traditional LASIK?

Here are the following advantages that can be derived when you use the Intra Lase over the traditional LASIK method

• you will heal faster and you will recover much quicker
• the surgery will be more accurate which makes better results possible
• more and more patients have reported to achieve perfect twenty-twenty vision
• less and less patients are reported to have deteriorated vision
• you will have better cornea flap cuts
• the process is much safer because you are relying on lasers instead of blades
• the cut will be cleaner which makes it less prone to infections and inflammations

How does IntraLase compare to the traditional LASIK procedure?

Initially, people with thin corneas are not suitable for the LASIK procedure but with the IntraLase, they are now eligible. The majority of the population have corneas that are five hundred fifty microns thick on average give or take fifty microns. Microkeratomes will cut on average around one hundred fifty microns give or take fifty microns. Since the IntraLase is very precise, it can cut consistently at a hundred microns only. With this technology, surgeons will be able to operate on people with thinner corneas because of the precision of the laser.

There are fewer LASIK complications when the IntraLase method is used. When IntraLase is used, the curvature of the cornea is followed and it will produce a flap with vertical edges that are easy to manage for the surgeon. If the microkeratomes blades are used, it may tear more easily. The kind of flaps created by the IntraLase compared to the kind of flaps created by the microkeratomes blade will determine the chances of cells growing underneath and pushing the flap upwards. This is referred to as epithelial growth and you don’t want this to happen because this will result in a cornea that is uneven. When the cornea is uneven, you will have all sorts of vision defects.

Some other complications that you may encounter are the buttonholes or the flaps that are partially formed when the microkeratomes blades are used. When the IntraLase lasers are used, the chances of these complications are significantly reduced. Since the IntraLase lasers are much more sterile than blades, the chances of inflammation and infection are significantly reduced as well.

A low vacuum suction ring is used to hold the eye in place during the surgery when the IntraLase lasers are used. When the microkeratomes blades are used, the suction is much stronger. With the lesser tension on the eye, there may be chances of more superficial bleeding with the low vacuum suction as compared to the high vacuum suction. This superficial bleeding is referred to as a subconjunctival hemorrhage. This type of bleeding does not affect your vision and it resolves by itself.

What are the latest developments in Intra Lase technology?

Wavefront technology and femtosecond treatment are now being combined with IntraLase and such combination has resulted in a coined term, all laser LASIK or IntraLASIK surgery. IntraLASIK surgery could be the next wave of laser eye surgery and could be the ultimate solution to vision trouble.

Laser Eye Surgery Guide Index:

---

• Intro to Laser Eye Surgery
• What is PRK laser eye surgery?
• What is LASIK laser eye surgery?
• What is Epi - LASIK laser eye surgery?
• What is Wavefront LASIK?
• What is LASEK eye surgery
• What is Intralase eye surgery
• Laser thermokeratoplasty
• What are eye refractive errors?
• Is laser eye surgery right for you?

• Laser eye surgery exclusion criteria
• Before laser eye surgery
• On the day of laser eye surgery
• After LASIK laser eye surgery
• Common symptoms after laser eye surgery
• Possible complications of laser eye surgery
• LASIK-specific laser eye surgery complications
• LASIK surgery checklist
• How much does Laser eye surgery cost?
• Pioneering laser treatment could prevent blindness

---