As a first step during laser eye surgery using femto-LASIK or LASIK, the top layer of the cornea is opened circularly like a small lid and folded aside. This cornea lid is called flap. Whereas conventional LASIK uses a blade, a so-called microkeratoma, for forming the flap, femto-LASIK uses a femtosecond laser for doing so. This is achieved by the laser beam discharging its energy at an exactly defined depth of the cornea and many tiny bubbles being created within a determined area.
It is in this area only that, subsequently, the surgeon can detach a thin corneal lamella by gently cutting the tissue bridges between the gas bubbles. This technique does not only enable the surgeon to form a thinner flap, this bladeless cutting method also is safer. The complications of a mis-cut as they occur for LASIK are virtually neglectable. If the first “cut” using the femto laser is not perfect, it can be performed again immediately. The patient’s cornea is not damaged since the tiny bladders, caused by the femtosecond laser are absorbed by the cornea and the tissue grows together again.
Using Femto-LASIK, vision impairments can be corrected more accurately than with LASIK. Wavefront-guided methods are mainly suitable for the correction of an unfavorable laser result. Wavefront-optimized methods, however, are also suitable for the first surgery.
Area of application:
- Myopia up to -10.00 dpt
- Hyperopia up to +4 dpt
- Corneal curvature up to 5 dpt
Limit area:
- Myopia up to -10.00 dpt
- Hyperopia up to +4 dpt
- Corneal curvature up to 6 dpt