Intralase
What is Blade-Free LASIK?The IntraLase Method™* is a blade-free approach to corneal flap creation to prepare for the excimer laser to correct your cornea's vision. The IntraLase creates the corneal flap by applying tiny, rapid pulses of laser light instead of a metal blade. Each pulse of light passes through the top layers of your cornea and forms a microscopic bubble at a specific depth and position within your cornea that is determined by the doctor. Your doctor then gently separates the tissue where these bubbles have formed, creating a smooth, even surface after the flap is lifted. The precision of this method is remarkable and produces very high success rates.
How does IntraLase differ from a microkeratome?
The microkeratome is a handheld instrument that contains a steel blade. The blade cuts a flap as it moves along the surface of the cornea. Unlike the IntraLase laser, the microkeratome can only make a single, one-dimensional cut across the cornea. As it cuts, the blade rapidly moves back and forth, which can leave an irregular surface after the flap is lifted. This can affect the quality of your vision following your procedure.
*Only the IntraLase FS Laser can be used to perform the IntraLase Method.
Blade-Free Advantages
- Better vision. More patients in clinical trials achieved vision that was 20/20 or better when their LASIK procedure was performed with the IntraLase Method.2 And patients report better quality of vision overall, particularly in terms of their ability to see well in low-light such as at dusk or at night.3
- Ability to tailor the procedure to your eye. The IntraLase Method enables your doctor to tailor the flap according to the shape of your eye. Everything from the diameter of your flap to the angle of its edges can be precisely determined. This is important because everyone’s eyes are shaped a little differently. Having a corneal flap that’s individualized to your eye will help ensure that you get the best possible results.
Only your healthcare professional can determine if LASIK and the IntraLase Method is appropriate for restoring your vision. As with all elective procedures, you should ask your doctor for a complete list of the risks and complications associated with the surgery.
Choose IntraLase with Confidence
At the end of 2006, over 1,000,000 procedures had been performed safely and effectively using the IntraLase Method. In a clinical survey of LASIK patients who had their corneal flaps created using a microkeratome blade in one eye and the IntraLase Method in the other, they preferred the vision in the IntraLase-treated eye 3:1 over the microkeratome.1
LASIK in the Blink of an Eye
Using the latest IntraLase laser technology, Drs. Kloess and Velazquez create your corneal flap in only 15 seconds! The entire LASIK procedure from preparation time until completion takes approximately 15 minutes. Once the surgery is completed, the corneal flap locks back into position.
Are You Ready For IntraLase?
If you are looking for a 100% blade-free LASIK experience that virtually eliminates the most severe, sight-threatening complications, the answer is YES! The first step is to identify qualified ophthalmologists who prefer the IntraLase Method. You only have one pair of eyes, and you should trust them to the most qualified Corneal Specialists in the field. Drs. Price Kloess and Andrew Velazquez at the Alabama Vision Center utilize the latest and safest surgical technology to provide the very best care for your eyes.
How does the IntraLase Method differ from the Epi-LASIK and photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK) procedures?
These procedures differ from one another in the way they prepare the surface of the cornea for the laser vision correction within your inner cornea. Epi-LASIK uses an epikeratome—a blunt separator—to make a superficial flap. Similarly, photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK) is performed by scraping the surface layer of the cornea. Both the Epi-LASIK and PRK procedures can be painful and require additional medication to make you comfortable post-operation. Healing times may be longer with PRK and Epi-LASIK than procedures performed with the IntraLase Method.
Fact or Fiction?
- More patients get to 20/20 vision and beyond with the IntraLase Method. - TRUE
- IntraLase cannot be individualized. - FALSE: IntraLase allows surgeons to tailor the corneal flap for each individual patient, and each individual eye.
- IntraLase improves precision, and visual results of LASIK, whether you choose to have a standard or custom procedure. - TRUE
- IntraLase is not accurate. - FALSE: IntraLase delivers micron-level accuracy, giving your doctor more control during the procedure and the ability to create a flap of precise size, shape, and depth—factors that are critical to a successful LASIK outcome.
- Leading doctors and teaching hospitals from around the world believe in IntraLase and use the IntraLase Method. - TRUE
- Patients prefer procedures using a microkeratome blade. - FALSE: More patients (81%), when given a choice, chose the IntraLase Method over a microkeratome blade.
- Approximately 1,000,000 IntraLase procedures have been safely performed. - TRUE
- The IntraLase Method takes much longer to perform than a microkeratome procedure. - FALSE: The IntraLase Method takes approximately 15-30 seconds per eye and a total of 10 minutes for the entire LASIK procedure, which is comparable to—and sometimes faster than—procedures using a microkeratome.
- IntraLase is the most sophisticated and accurate technology for corneal flap creation available today and has given many patients greater confidence and assurance in choosing laser vision correction. - TRUE
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