Learn about the advances in LASIK technology that have make LASIK a reality for patients who were at one time not candidates for the procedure. Covered within this presentation are the topics of: Having a LASIK Consultation, Personalized Wavefront Technology, Femtosecond Lasers, Excimer Lasers, and many other advances in LASIK.

1. Advances in LASIK
Presented by
The American Refractive Surgery Council
with
Dr. Eric Donnenfeld

2. Overview
• LASIK was once off-limits to people with thin
corneas, dry eye and prescriptions in higher ranges
• Advances in technology and technique, many of
those once ineligible for LASIK may now benefit from
the popular vision correction procedure
• This presentation will walk you through some of
these significant advancements in technology

3. Opening the Door for New Candidates
• Improved tools, such as new, more precise lasers and
more advanced techniques, mean LASIK achieves
better outcomes than ever before and can be
performed on many people who once were not
candidates
• While there are still people whose medical
conditions and vision issues make them poor
candidates for LASIK, that population is shrinking due
to improved technologies and therapies

4. Seeking a LASIK Consultation
• If you have been considering LASIK – or if you have
been disqualified in the past – it’s worthwhile to
consult with your surgeon to see if you are among
the growing group who might benefit

5. Personalized LASIK Map of Eye
• Wavefront technology creates a microscopically-
detailed map of the eye
– The result is a personalized, high-definition measurement
unique to the patient that details minute irregularities on
the surface of the cornea that contribute to quality of
vision
– This ‘surface map’ guides the excimer laser, making
optimized and customized corrections possible and
increasing the percentage of patients seeing 20/20 and
better

6. Ultra-Precise Femtosecond Lasers
• The femtosecond laser replaces the surgical blade
used to create a flap in the cornea in the first step of
LASIK
– The precision of the femtosecond laser for flap creation
makes it possible to create very thin flaps
– Studies have shown these thinner flaps also reduce the
incidence of dry eye post LASIK, making it appealing to
those patients with a tendency for pre-operative dry eye
– This allows some patients with thin corneas to take
advantage of LASIK

7. Advances in Excimer Lasers
• Next-generation excimer lasers that can address a
broader spectrum of prescriptions than early
generations
– The result is that a wider range of vision correction can be
achieved with LASIK
– Today’s LASIK technologies, as opposed to first generation
lasers, can benefit those patients with more extreme
vision prescriptions

8. Advanced Diagnostic Equipment
• New diagnostic equipment allows clinicians to
evaluate both the front and the back surface
of the cornea
– Allows physicians to evaluate patient candidacy
and improve results

9. Other Advances
• New drug therapies and treatments to help
with such conditions as dry eye
• Wavefront, topographic and pachymetric
measurements give physicians precise
measurement and individual blueprints of the
eye

10. Concluding Thoughts
• There are many myths about who is and isn’t a
candidate for LASIK
– Some of these were once true, but they’re not anymore,
thanks to steady improvements in technology and
technique
• While not everyone is a good LASIK candidate, more
people can benefit now than ever before
• If you’re considering LASIK – or you’ve considered it
in the past – it’s a good idea to talk to a surgeon and
see if you’re among the people who were once poor
candidates but are now good ones

11. For More Information Please Visit:
www.AmericanRefractiveSurgeryCouncil.org