Traditional LASIK vs. Custom LASIK

    CHICAGO, IL, May 26, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The differences between traditional LASIK and custom LASIK are comparable to the differences between using a typewriter and a word processor. The typewriter will still do an excellent job of recording your words, but the word processor will spell-check, make corrections as you go, and do dozens of other very useful actions that a typewriter could never do, like store your document. Traditional LASIK vs. custom LASIK - the difference is in the technological progress.

Wavefront Technology

Laser technology is what made PRK, LASIK and other laser eye surgeries possible. For years, laser surgery enabled many to see clearly without corrective lenses. This leap in technology made it possible for many workers and athletes to keep jobs where glasses and even contact lenses were prohibited.

As researchers continued to find ways to improve laser eye surgery, they developed variations of LASIK to address problems an occasional patient experienced with the corneal flap or some other aspect of the procedure. Eventually, the laser itself was improved. The resulting wavefront technology is the same as used by the Hubble telescope.

Wavefront laser technology allows your custom LASIK ophthalmologist to customize your treatment to precise detail. The wavefront laser is able to diagnose your vision correction needs as well as guide the laser during treatment with precision based upon the diagnostic data. Wavefront can diagnose both lower and higher order aberrations, which is beyond the capabilities of traditional LASIK.

Before wavefront, diagnosis of lower order aberrations was done using traditional eye examination technology. Diagnosis of higher order aberrations was done using manual calculations. Treatment based on these diagnostics resulted in outcomes that were good, but less accurate and less customized.

Consider the Downside, Too

There are few negatives associated with custom LASIK, but your ophthalmologist will evaluate whether these will affect your LASIK results. One of these is cost. You can expect that diagnosis and treatment with state of the art equipment will be more expensive than with traditional methods.

The only other concern specific to custom LASIK is that wavefront treatment cannot under-correct. Some LASIK patients require retreatment and ophthalmologists like to leave enough extra corneal tissue to work with if retreatment is needed. Undercorrecting gives your ophthalmologist that helpful bit of wiggle-room after you have healed.

For anyone interested in learning more about traditional LASIK vs. custom LASIK in the Chicago, Arlington Heights or Schaumburg, Illinois area please visit the website of Doctors for Visual Freedom (at www.doctorsforvisualfreedom.com) where an experienced custom LASIK ophthalmologist can answer your questions.

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