The latest IntraLase femtosecond laser designed for all-laser LASIK by Abbott Medical Optics (Santa Ana, Calif.) improves patient comfort, produces better visual outcomes and reduces certain LASIK risks, according to a prominent laser eye surgeon.
The new fifth-generation IntraLase laser features a repetition rate of 150 kilohertz (kHz). This means it is capable of producing 150,000 laser pulses per second.
It is called a “femtosecond” laser because the duration of each laser pulse is measured in femtoseconds. One femtosecond (FS) is equal to one billionth of one millionth of a second.
Previous models of IntraLase femtosecond lasers had repetition rates of 15 kHz, 30 kHz and 60 kHz. Generally, higher laser repetition rates create smoother corneal flaps.
Advantages of a faster femtosecond laser
There are several advantages to a faster femtosecond laser for creating corneal flaps in LASIK eye surgery.
At the annual meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons held this week in Barcelona, Spain, Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, said that the new laser enables LASIK surgeons to create corneal flaps quicker, which increases patient comfort during the procedure.
The new 150 kHz IntraLase laser can create a LASIK flap in about 10 seconds, whereas previous models could take up to a minute.
The higher repetition rate of the new laser also enables surgeons to create LASIK flaps using a lower energy setting on the laser. This may reduce the risk for unwanted inflammation caused by the procedure, Dr. Lindstrom said.
Also, the new femtosecond laser is capable of producing customized flap shapes to accommodate different patient eye anatomy and can create what’s called a “reverse bevel” edge to the corneal flap, which appears to help the flap seal faster and tighter after surgery.
Dr. Lindstrom also told his audience of refractive surgeons that improvements in femtosecond laser technology has produced better LASIK outcomes, reducing the need for LASIK enhancements from 8.6 percent to 2.8 percent in his practice.
Dr. Lindstrom is founder and attending surgeon of Minnesota Eye Consultants (Bloomington, Minn.) and is a board certified eye surgeon and internationally recognized leader in cataract and refractive surgery.
SOURCE: Fifth-generation femtosecond laser improves results, shortens surgical time. Ocular Surgery News website (OSNsupersite.com). September 15, 2009.
Tags: Intralase, laser eye surgery