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Custom LASIK or Wavefront LASIK

What Is Custom LASIK or Wavefront LASIK?

Custom LASIK is also known as Wavefront LASIK or more precisely Wavefront Guided LASIK. It reshapes the cornea by using three dimensional measurements of how your eye processes images to guide the laser. This provides a precise and individualized vision experience that would be otherwise impossible to achieve with traditional LASIK.

The FDA has very strict guidelines to follow in order to qualify for custom Wavefront LASIK. Factoring in the different available lasers and the thickness of your cornea, you could be considered a candidate even if you have myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
LASIK
LASEK / E-LASIK
Epi-LASIK
Wavefront LASIK
Presby LASIK
IntraLase
PRK Laser Surgery
Corneal Inlays / Onlays
Refractive Surgery
The irregularities in the way your eye processes images are used to guide the laser in the custom shaping of the corneal surface. The irregularities are measured by creating a three dimensional map from the way your eye focuses light.

Prior to Custom or Wavefront LASIK, ordinary defects like myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism were corrected with glasses, contacts or traditional LASIK. However, irregularities associated with the eyes’ perceived vision such as glare, halos and poor vision at night could not be addressed

What Are The Benefits of Wavefront-Guided Custom LASIK?

Many of the concerns surrounding LASIK are the post LASIK complications that may occur, such as glare, halos and difficulty seeing at night, which is why Wavefront technology is cutting-edge. It not only has the potential to improve your vision based on the standard 20/20 chart, but has the potential to improve the fine details and better contrast.

Lower-order aberrations or small defects such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism can determine how much you can see. These defects can be treated with traditional LASIK.

Higher-order aberrations or a measure of visual distortions more severe than normal vision problems that cause decreased vision at night, glare, shadows and halos cannot be treated with traditional LASIK and are sometimes a side effect of traditional LASIK. Thus the amount of higher-order aberrations determines how well you see. Wavefront LASIK can address these higher-order aberrations.

Wavefront LASIK has the advantage of offering a higher quality of vision and not just a measure of how much you can see. On top of being able to achieve 20/20 or better vision, there is a reduced chance of losing visual quality such as contrast sensitivity, vision at night and distorted vision effects such as halos and glares.

Wavefront LASIK is also ideal for those who have had vision correction procedures done already and have since lost the corrected vision, from previous LASIK, PRK and RK procedures.

How Does Wavefront LASIK Work?

The Wavefront laser safely emits a light into the eye where it maps out a visual pattern of your lower and higher-order aberrations. This pattern is displayed as a three dimensional map, known as a Wavefront map. This map allows the surgeon to customize the LASIK procedure to the unique pattern that is associated with your eye, giving you a customized procedure.

Where can I get Wavefront-Guided Custom LASIK?

Although the cost of traditional LASIK procedures has gone down significantly over the years, Wavefront Guided Custom LASIK is still more expensive than traditional LASIK. Fortunately more and more practices are offering Wavefront or Custom LASIK.

Currently Wavefront LASIK cannot address high myopia and presbyopia; the eyes’ inability to focus between different vision planes, such as far, middle and near.

Wavefront LASIK isn’t the end all be all procedure. Remember to discuss all procedures and vision related issues with a doctor to determine if you are a candidate for Wavefront or any other LASIK procedure.

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