In general, medical procedures evolve and improve over time. This is especially true with LASIK eye surgery. The latest LASIK technology hardly resembles the original procedure first introduced decades ago.
LASIK Then
Although LASIK eye surgery formally began being performed in the 1990s, its roots date back to the 1960s. During the early days of LASIK-type procedures, the surgeon would use a mechanized tool with a blade to create the corneal flap and a somewhat crude (by today’s standard) laser to reshape the corneal surface. With the introduction of the excimer laser, the procedure became more precise and resulted in more widespread acceptance but this was, by no means, the only important advance in vision correction technology. Over the years, a number of innovations such as eye trackers, iris registration, wavefront technology and the introduction of ultra-precise lasers have improved safety and outcomes of refractive surgery.
LASIK Now
Over time, the laser systems used within LASIK have continued to develop, especially with the integration of Custom Wavefront technology. Custom Wavefront has given LASIK specialists a level of refinement that they didn’t have previously. It allows more sophistication in the anatomical profile of every patient. Today’s most sophisticated LASIK procedure involves totally customized flaps, preplanned on a dashboard using a high-frequency laser and a second pupil-tracking laser to reshape the cornea to correct not only refractive error but corneal aberrations.
LASIK has gained a new popularity as patients have taken a second look at the procedure because of the newer innovations in LASIK technology. The result of LASIK advancements is a much safer procedure with better outcomes. Want to find out if LASIK is right for you? Contact Inland Eye Institute by calling 909-937-9230 or visiting website to schedule a consultation with Dr. Blanton, who performs LASIK eye surgery in Rancho Cucamonga.
