Lasik of New York

What is LASIK?

LASIK stands for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a type of refractive eye surgery that uses a laser to change the shape of the eye in order to improve nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Although it is not the only type of laser refractive surgery, LASIK is by far the most popular due to its short recovery time and relatively low risk of complications.

HOW does LASIK work?

LASIK changes a person's vision by reshaping the outer layer of the eye, called the cornea. Refractive errors (i.e. nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism) occur when the cornea is not shaped correctly. For example, in a nearsighted eye, the cornea is too steep. When light enters the eye, it does not focus on the back of the eye (the retina) as it should but in front of it. LASIK works by changing the shape of the cornea so that light focuses on the retina, producing clear images.

How is the procedure performed?

LASIK is a short, outpatient procedure. Including prep time, most patients are only in Dr. Perrone's office about an hour. First, the eyes are numbed with anesthetic eye drops. Nervous patients may also be given a sedative to help them relax. The eyelids are held open with a special device called a lid speculum. A suction ring is then used to create high pressures on the eye.

To begin the surgery, Dr. Perrone uses a special instrument called a microkeratome to cut a thin flap in the eye's cornea. A hinge is left attached at one end and the flap is peeled back to reveal the tissue below. A very precise laser is then used to remove tissue and change the change of the cornea. The laser portion of the surgery lasts about a minute. The flap is then laid back into place where it protects the underlying tissue and heals naturally, almost always without the use of stitches.

The VISX STAR S4 LASER System.

Dr. Perrone performs many of the procedures at his practice using the VISX STAR S4 Laser System. An excimer laser, the VISX system is the most advanced laser technology available today. Integrating data collected by the WaveScan WaveFront System, the STAR S4 utilizes Variable Spot Scanning (VSS), to conserving tissue and optimize treatment times; Variable Repetition Rate (VRR), delivering treatment at varying rates and optimizing treatment time; ActiveTrak 3-D Active Eye Tracking, capturing all 3 dimensions of intra-operative eye movements without necessitating dilation; and ActiveTrak Automatic Centering, to automatically set treatment at the center of the pupil. Rest assured that with Dr. Perrone, you will receive the finest treatment modern science has to offer.

  
Contrast sensitivity, face recognition, night vision; these are all factors that make up what is known as "visual quality". Traditional laser vision correction addresses only visual acuity, and problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. CustomCornea^®, a new laser vision correction procedure, can now improve visual quality, and treat a range of visual problems called higher order aberrations, as well as improving visual acuity. Higher order aberrations are a range of symptoms that affect your visual quality, and were left untreated by earlier laser vision correction procedures. These problems are usually most apparent in low-light situations and may include night vision problems like glare and halos. CustomCornea^® can now treat these problems based on a pre-operative examination that includes wavefront analysis. A wavefront map will be made of your vision, and in CustomCornea^® with the LADARVision^® System, the map will be used to guide the doctor's surgical
planning during laser treatments to address visual quality and treat higher order aberrations. Dr. Perrone is proud to offer CustomCornea^® with the LADARVision^® System at his practice. Please contact him today.