A PERFECTIONIST’S TOUCH OF PRECISION
Top LASIK surgeon Dr Lee Hung Ming combines skill, technology & innovation in blade-free LASIK surgery.

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 in two of Singapore’s premier hospitals – Tan Tock Seng Hospital and National University Hospital, is a leading light in eye care both in Singapore and internationally and the first eye surgeon in Singapore to perform the All-laser, No-blade LASIK surgery.

“Perfecting vision is not only my passion,” Dr Lee explains, “it has become my obsession.” A self-confessed perfectionist, Dr Lee constantly seeks new technology to bring the best and safest techniques for his patients.

So just why has the IntraLase Method lived up to Dr Lee’s ideas of perfection?

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.

“In whatever I do, I strive to be the best I can be,” explains Dr Lee. “That’s why I harness top-of-the-range technologies to combine with my skills as a surgeon. I believe in using the best of whatever is available in my mission to create perfect vision for all my patients.”

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.

*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:

1. Durrie DS. Laser versus manual keratectomy. Cataract Refract Surg Today. March 2004 (suppl):1-2.
2. Will B, Kurtz RM. IntraLase is best. In: Probst LE, ed. LASIK: Advances, Controversies, and Custom. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK; 2004:397-402.
3. Durrie DS. How IntraLase raised the bar in refractive surgery. Cataract Refract Surg Today. July 2003 (suppl):1-2.
4. Mahdavi S. IntraLase: coming of age. Cataract Refract Surg Today. October 2005:117-120.
5. Durrie DS. Randomized prospective clinical study of LASIK: IntraLase versus mechanical keratome. Subsets presented at: Meeting of the International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology; November 14 - 15, 2003; Anaheim, Calif; American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Symposium; May 1 - 5, 2004, San Diego, Calif; refractive Surgery 2004: International Refractive Surgery: Science and Practice; October 22 - 23, 2004, New Orleans, La; American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Symposium, April 15 - 20, 2005; Washington, DC.