Types of LASIK lasers

Excimer laser used in LASIK procedure have different types. Some potential LASIK recipients think they may be suitable for a specific type of laser and want to know detailed differences among those current instruments. But in the surgeons’ side, instruments are not the decisive factor in refractive outcomes. Surgeon skill and experience and care quality are more important.

There are four must-know tips for patients while evaluating different laser types. Results of specific laser are always better than FDA data, which is gathered during the early period of the laser and there is substantial space to grow. In fact, skills of surgeons are also developing. The second must-know is that it is inappropriate to make a simple comparison between two types of lasers. A scientific comparison requires randomized clinical trials, which are far beyond current studies.

Furthermore, no clinical study can cover every possibility so that patients should never make a simple switch among different lasers. Some studies even contain few participants so that their statistics are actually meaningless. Like other devices and drugs, the “off-label” use of LASIK lasers is the surgeon’s practice-of-medicine prerogative. In fact, this type of use has been sources of many medical advances. The best example is the off-label use of aspirin, which is vital for reducing risk of heart attacks.

There are several types of excimer lasers used for LASIK. Scanning across slit holes, slit scanning lasers provide a uniform and smoother beam. However, slit scanning lasers may increase the risk of decentration and overcorrection without the help of an eye-tracker. Automated eye tracking systems can keep the laser beam on target. As the most common type, beams of spot scanning lasers scan across the cornea to produce the possibly smoothest ablations. Both of the two laser types can be transferred into wavefront-guided lasers that are connected to a wavefront device. Surgeons take use of the visual maps created by wavefront devices in order to create custom LASIK ablation, bringing better refractive correction.

Studies show evidence that the zone where laser energy is applied has close relationship with vision problems such as glare and halos. If the laser applied ablation zone is not big enough to accommodate enlarged pupils in dim light, visual problems occur. In addition, patients’ comfort can be affected by times of laser treatments and flap cutting instruments.