IntraLase

If you have been told you are not a good candidate for LASIK because your myopia is too severe or your cornea is too thin, IntraLase technology may be the right procedure for you. Rather than using a metal blade, called a microkeratome, during eye surgery, IntraLase uses only a laser. Hence, IntraLase is sometimes referred to as “all-laser” or “bladeless” LASIK.

IntraLase was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 and has helped hundreds of thousands of people improve their vision. Because it is done completely with lasers, those whose corneas were deemed too thin for traditional LASIK to create a hinged corneal flap may benefit from this procedure.

Corneal Flap

The problem that may occur when the cornea is too thin is that there will not be enough thickness left over to control pressure from inside the eye. Fluid in the eye creates this pressure, and presses against the cornea. When the pressure in the eye is not contained well enough, the cornea will bulge out. This creates a condition known as keratoconus, which will impair eyesight. Using a laser to create the corneal flap minimizes this concern.

The flap is created by the pulses from a femtolaser at a microscopic depth. Tiny bubbles are created on the epithelium, or surface, of the cornea by the laser. The bubbles loosen the connection between the cells, which makes it easier for the eye surgeon to create the flap. Thousands of these bubbles are created during the IntraLase treatment.

Advantages

Some of the many advantages of IntraLase laser surgery include:

A smoother surface for the laser is created using IntraLase, which is different from the back and forth movement done by a microkeratome
IntraLase allows people with thin corneas to have laser vision correction whereas traditional LASIK will not
IntraLase allows for precise customizing of the corneal flap due to its blade-free approach
IntraLase patients have reported less trouble seeing in dim light conditions than those who have had other procedures
Some studies show IntraLase creates 20/20 vision conditions for more people than other methods

Post IntraLase Recovery

Healing with IntraLase may be faster in some cases than with other types of LASIK. You will use topical eye drops provided by your eye doctor that are an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic, and also keep your eyes moist. Your vision will show immediate improvement, but you may still be sensitive to bright light or have trouble reading for the first few days. This will pass. You will also return to your eye doctor several times for check-ups.

If you have been told you are not a candidate for LASIK, you may be a candidate for IntraLase. If you are interested in the IntraLase laser vision correction procedure, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area.