Advantages of wavefront LASIK

As optical irregularities, aberrations have two main types: lower order aberrations such as nearsightedness and astigmatism and higher order aberrations that can not be corrected by eyeglasses. Examples of higher order aberrations include spherical aberration and coma.

Wavefront-guided LASIK surgery takes full use of aberrations measured by an aberrometer and corrects the cornea with an equally sophisticated and computer-controlled laser. The aberrometer can measure all optical aberrations of the eye, including higher-order aberrations that are beyond conventional procedures. Wavefront LASIK also minimizes the induction of spherical aberrations. As a comparison, conventional LASIK procedure uses the prescription eyeglasses to correct vision, effectively eliminating the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Just as a computer is more advanced than an abacus or slide rule, wavefront LASIK involves higher technologies thus it is more expensive than conventional LASIK. It is worth-mentioning that wavefront LASIK can offer better visual quality, especially at night or in a dark condition. The gap of the wavefront LASIK cost between different surgeons can be several hundred dollars.

Not all patients are suitable for wavefront LASIK. The decisive factor is that whether precise aberration measurement can be conducted. People with corneal scar or accommodation relaxation inability can not receive a precise aberration measurement. About 95% of LASIK patients are good candidates for wavefront LASIK procedure.

Evaluated by a simple eye chart, wavefront LASIK procedure has no significant advantages over other types of procedure. Better visual results from wavefront LASIK surgery is more apparent during tasks such as night driving, which involves a higher visual demand. Providing improved contrast sensitivity and fewer higher-order aberrations, wavefront LASIK surgery is also more helpful in reading a road sign in fog and recognizing a face in a crowd.

Article Source:http://vision.firmoo.com/vision-surgery/advantages-of-wavefront-lasik.html

Article Tags: lasik, Wavefront, wavefront LASIK