We at South Shore Eyecare are proud of our role in helping to advance the science of excimer laser treatment, and in helping to develop and test new techniques that will improve the vision of patients everywhere.

Lasers

Technolas 217 Excimer laser

Bausch & Lomb's 217 is the world's leading excimer laser. It's innovative "flying spot" technology produces an extremely smooth corneal surface. Unlike standard lasers, the Technolas 217 uses a state-of -the art feedback mechanism that makes sure every pulse is placed exactly as prescribed. The Bausch & Lomb laser is a 5th generation, flying spot laser with an eye tracker that is capable of treating the entire cornea.

Wavefront

What is Wavefront technology?

Your eye and vision is like a fingerprint - truly distinctive and personal. It is distinctive because light is scattered unevenly to form a pattern that is unique to your eye and because your cornea has a unique shape. Wavefront assessment involves an extra diagnostic screening process extensive enough to let the surgeon see every individual patient's unique optical characteristics.

Wavefront software combines data from two different types of diagnostic equipment, then programs the laser with your unique treatment, based on this data. Wavefront provides the most technologically advanced measurement of scattered light errors (defects) know as high order "aberrations" in the eye. Wavefront technology is based on the principle that if an eye had no imperfections at all, light passed through it would not scatter. But, because no eye is perfect, light scatters to form distinct patterns, called a wavefront. Wavefront technology measures your personal/individual patterns and thus allows the surgeon to plan a treatment that exactly matches individual vision errors.

Although most people do not have significant abberations, wavefront can be indicated in approximately 15% of patients to enhance their outcome. This provides less potential for night vision disturbances, halos and glare. Age, glasses prescription have no bearing on potential for having high order abberations. The size of ones pupil does have a correlation with higher order abberations, as they tend to be more peripheral in the optical system.

Wavefront is a "specialized treatment", with additional costs associated to the procedure. You must have a full evaluation to identify if you are a candidate for this technology. It is not for everyone.

Aberometer

The Aberometer is another new technology. A beam of light is shone into the eye, allowing the system to measure irregularities within the optical system of the eye. The irregularities are then displayed graphically on a computer. It measures high order optical aberrations. If a patient has significant high order aberrations pre-operatively, then they benefit from the Wavefront Technology.

The Aberometer then transfers this information into the laser. The laser is guided then to remove minute areas of tissue to enhance the visual outcome post-operatively. Approximately 15% of patients will benefit from Wavefront guided ablation.

If one does not have high order aberrations pre-operatively then one does not require Wavefront guided ablations. The problem is non-existent and therefore the need to treat it is not beneficial. If Wavefront or custom ablation is warranted the patient will be informed. Every patient has the opportunity to review their results on the Aberometer.

Microkeratome

Bausch & Lomb Hansetome™ Zero Compression Microkeratome

The microkeratome is the instrument that creates the corneal flap during the lasik surgery. Early on, microkeratomes were a complicated machine with many small components that required significant maintenance and assembly. These difficulties resulted in higher rates of lasik flap complications rarely seen today.

These complications includes poorly centered flaps, free flaps disconnected from the hinge, flaps that were to thin and too short. Also, the size of the flap was limited to 7-7.5mm.

The Bausch & Lomb Hansatome™ Zero Compression microkeratome allows the ability to create larger, thinner flaps- saving corneal tissue, creating less swelling and smoother flaps for quicker visual rehabilitation. The Zero Compression upgrade has been a significant step forward in preventing corneal abrasions (scratches on the surface of flap). In the past, the abrasion rate was high as 25%. With the Zero compression head it now less than 2%.

Orbscan

The Orbscan is a valuable tool used pre-operatively to aid in determining candidacy of patients. This machine takes a 3-D picture of the eye, mapping the elevation of the cornea. The Orbscan measures elevation on the anterior (front) and posterior (rear) surface of the cornea. It also measures corneal thickness and anterior chamber depth.

The Orbscan test itself takes about 5 minutes and is completely painless. The patient sits at the machine and rests his or her head in the headrest. The Technologist begins the testing. The patient must keep his or her eyes open and focused for approximately 4 seconds, during which time many flashing lights are seen. The pictures take 1-2 minutes to process.

The result of the Orbscan will help evaluate whether the candidate has enough corneal tissue for laser refractive surgery. Results will also show irregularities in the cornea that are difficult to detect by other means. The Orbscan is one important step in determining whether LASIK will be an effective procedure for each individual patient.