Portland, Ore.
Wavefront-guided technology recently approved by FDA
Patients at Oregon Health & Science University's Casey Eye Institute now have access to the latest generation of LASIK surgery technology. Physicians at Casey recently began using a device called the LADARWave Custom Cornea Wavefront System that allows for customized LASIK surgery based on each patient's individual needs.
The LADARWave is a diagnostic device that works by bouncing small beams of light off the inner walls of the eye. As these same light waves exit the eye, the system measures vision distortions and stores this data. The information is then fed to the laser system's computer, giving the surgeon and the system a roadmap of how to perform a customized reshaping of the cornea. The surgery, called wavefront-guided LASIK, corrects patients' vision based on their individual optical problems.
"This technology is a tremendous tool in customizing LASIK surgery," explained Larry Rich, M.D., director of Casey Eye Institute's Cornea and Refractive Services. "Like fingerprints, no two persons' eyes are exactly alike, each eye has its own unique aberrations. The wavefront device tells us about each patient's particular optical deficiencies and allows us to correct for them."
Kim Stevens was one of the first Casey patients to undergo wavefront-guided LASIK surgery. Stevens, who has worn glasses since the first grade, waited for the technology to arrive at Casey so that she could undergo a more customized procedure.
"I'm very happy with the results," said Stevens. "Now I can wake up in the middle of the night and read the clock across the room, something I haven't been able to do in years."
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved wavefront-guided technology. Under current FDA guidelines, approximately 80 percent of LASIK patients meet the criteria for diagnosis and treatment using wavefront-guided technology.
"We believe this device is a revolutionary step in enhancing the safety and effectiveness of LASIK by detecting and treating each patient's individual optical needs and reducing the risks of the procedure," added Rich.
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