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For those who fear going "under the knife", the
IntraLase Method of LASIK surgery provides an
alternative procedure that takes the blade out of
the equation. And for Dr Lee Hung Ming, Medical
Director and Senior Eye Surgeon at Parkway Eye
Centre at Gleneagles Hospital, that’s a good
thing.
Dr Lee, formerly Head of LASIK at Tan Tock Seng
Hospital and National University Hospital, is the
first eye surgeon in Singapore to perform the
All-laser, No-blade LASIK surgery.
So just why has the IntraLase Method impressed
Dr Lee?
Quite simply, the IntraLase Method decreases
the risks of post-surgery complications that can
occur as the blade incision into the cornea heals.
Although such complications with LASIK surgery are
rare, they do occur and Dr Lee is all about
keeping these risks to the absolute minimum. The
IntraLase Method is a 100% blade-free approach to
corneal flap creation – the crucial first step in
the LASIK procedure. Instead of creating the flap
with a metal blade (microkeratome), a tiny,
rapid-pulse laser of light is used, passing
through the top layers of the cornea and forming
microscopic bubbles at specific positions in the
eye. The corneal flap is then created as the
surgeon separates the tissue where the bubbles
formed.
What Dr Lee likes about this procedure is that
it is extremely precise and the cut is smoother
than by microkeratome. The result is a lower risk
of complications as the flap heals; better vision;
and the ability to tailor the procedure to each
individual patient’s eye. Incorrect healing, on
the other hand, can lead to vision problems such
as astigmatism.
Blade-free vs Blade with
laser
If you are unsure of the differences between
the blade-free IntraLase Method
and a traditional microkeratome
or you just want to compare the features and
benefits of each procedure-please take a few
minutes to review the following table.
| |
Better
vision1 |
Better
safety2 |
Highest degree of precision and
predictability3 |
Individualized
flaps3 |
Fewer
retreatments4 |
Ability to be used in more eligible
patients2 |
Patient
preferred5* |
IntraLase
Method™
(Blade Free) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Microkeratome
(Blade
+ Laser) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
*In a clinical
survey of LASIK patients who had their corneal
flaps created using a blade in one eye and the
IntraLase Method in the other, the vision in the
IntraLase-treated eye was preferred 3-to-1, among
those who stated a preference.5
REFERENCES:
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