For people wishing to have less dependence on glasses or contact lenses, an excimer laser procedure called Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is currently the best way to achieve clear, natural vision. In performing LASIK, the surgeon first uses a special oscillating blade to make a partial cut through one fourth to one third of the front surface of the cornea, creating a flap of clear tissue on the central part of the eye.

The patient is then positioned under the excimer laser, which is programmed to vaporize some of the internal corneal tissue under the flap. After the laser has removed the selected tissue, the flap is closed over the eye. The cornea has extraordinary natural bonding qualities that allow effective healing without the use of stitches

In the latest technique of i-LASIK or Blade-free LASIK, this flap is created not by an oscillating blade, but by an advanced technology called the IntralaseTM Method. The IntraLaseTM method uses a specialized laser called Femtosecond laser instead of an oscillating blade for creating the corneal flap, the thin flap of tissue that the doctor folds back in order to perform your excimer laser vision correction. This is achieved by focusing laser energy at a precise location below the surface of the cornea. By placing thousands of such individual laser pulses side by side one can create a cut within the cornea without the use of a blade. This means that for your entire laser vision correction procedure no blade will touch your eye, making the new iLASIK procedure extremely safe.

Since the Femtosecond laser is a high precision laser device, your corneal flaps can be made as accurately as your doctor desires. This means that if your doctor needs to make a thinner flap in case you have a higher spectacle power or a thin cornea, the IntraLaseTM method ensures that this is achieved.

Since the flaps made by the IntraLaseTM method, are of uniform thickness throughout, they can be precisely repositioned, and aligned after LASIK is completed. Hence, flap slippage and wrinkles extremely rare

In the IntraLaseTM method the surface of the flap and the underlying corneal bed surface are extremely smooth. This improves the accuracy of the LASIK procedure giving a better visual outcome. With the IntraLaseTM method it is possible to make flaps in flat or steep corneas, without complications of free cap or buttonholing.

Combining the IntraLaseTM method for flap creation with Advanced CustomVue excimer laser vision treatment results in precise, safe and effective vision correction. This combination of technologies has been used for military pilots and astronauts, who demand the clearest, most precise vision possible.

The iLASIK procedure is a completely integrated and personalized procedure based on advanced vision correction technology at every step. At Shroff Eye Centre, the iLASIK procedure combines the IntraLaseTM method of creating the corneal flap with the Advanced CustomVueTM excimer laser treatment for vision correction.

Step 1 - Creating Your Personal Vision Profile
The first step in the iLASIK procedure is to perform a series of tests to determine the individual characteristics of your vision, including the use of our WaveScan technology. The WaveScan system creates a 3-D map of the unique imperfections of your eyes. Then our Advanced CustomVueTM process uses the digital information from that map to design a custom treatment for each of your eyes.

Step 2 - Making the iLASIK Flap
As described previously, the iLASIK procedure exclusively uses an advanced technology called the IntraLaseTM Method, which is a 100% blade-free approach to creating your corneal flap. The IntraLaseTM Mehod also delivers outstanding visual results - more patients achieve vision that is 6/6 or better when the IntraLaseTM Method is used. And in a clinical survey of LASIK patients who had their corneal flaps created using a blade in one eye and the IntraLaseTM Method in the other, the vision in the IntraLaseTM -treated eye was preferred 3 to 1 (among those who stated a preference).

Step 3 - Your Laser Vision Correction
Now that you've had your personal vision profile using WaveScan technology and your blade free corneal flap using the exclusive IntraLaseTM Method, your vision can be corrected using the Advanced CustomVueTM treatment within the iLASIK procedure. With the Advanced CustomVueTM treatment it is possible to correct all types of refractive errors, including mild-to-severe nearsightedness, farsightedness and all types of astigmatism. It can improve the overall quality of vision by correcting Higher Order Aberrations (vision problems not correctable by glasses or contact lenses). This translates into better vision for driving at night, and lack of glare and haloes.

As with any surgical procedure, LASIK surgery has some possible risks and side effects that must be taken into account. A specific end result cannot be guaranteed, although it can be closely predicted based on data from thousands of previous cases

Side effects are usually minimal following iLASIK surgery. During the first few days after surgery, most people can expect to experience at least some of these effects:

In most cases, these effects decrease and eventually disappear as the eye heals. Occasionally, some may persist.

Serious complications are fortunately very rare with iLASIK. Some of these include infection, wrinkles in the flap, epithelial in growth and increased or decreased response to correction. These complications are treatable with medication or further surgery.

Clinical studies results showed that one year after treatment:

The reality is that the majority of people who meet the age and general health requirements are in fact good candidate for the iLASIK procedure. There are some conditions that exclude certain patients, but whether you have nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, there good chance you can still have the iLASIK procedure.

Now that you have learned the basics about the iLASIK procedure, you should:

1. Schedule a consultation with your iLASIK surgeon to determine if you are a good candidate for the iLASIK procedure.

2. Get comfortable with the procedure by getting answers to all of your questions from the doctor/counselor/optometrist.

3. Schedule your iLASIK procedure and understand the post-surgery treatment regimen If you meet the basic criteria above, you should consult your iLASIK surgeon and have a personal consultation.

The iLASIK procedure has unsurpassed safety & precision. It is innovative, individualized, and the results are incredible. You can afford it.