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Eye Care Tips
Introduction
Created by IBM, Excimer laser derived from the terms excited and
dimers. The development of the Excimer laser is the key element that has made
laser eye surgery possible. Excimer lasers use reactive gases, such as chlorine
and fluorine, mixed with inert gases such as argon, krypton or xenon. When
electrically stimulated, a pseudo molecule (dimer) is produced that, when lased,
produces light in the ultraviolet range.
In 1983 scientists first used the Excimer Laser to engrave plastic, and an American ophthalmologist named Dr Steve Trokel later realised that the laser could be used to re-shape the cornea, thus overcoming the need for some patients to need glasses. This cool laser does not heat up the surrounding air or surfaces. Instead, a very tightly-focused beam of ultraviolet light is emitted. The ultraviolet light is absorbed by the upper layer of the surface that it contacts.
The emergent of excimer laser has brought more accuracy to corneal surgery and vision correction than ever before. It has the ability to focus a beam as small as 0.25 microns. To put this into perspective, a typical human hair is 50 microns in diameter, that means that the Excimer laser is capable of removing 0.5 percent of a human hair's width at a time!.
There are two types of excimer lasers are available for refractive procedures :Broad-beam lasers and Scanning lasers.
Broad Beam Lasers
A broad beam laser uses a relatively large beam diameter (from 6.0 to 8.0
millimeters) that can be manipulated to ablate the cornea. The broad-beam laser
results in the shortest procedure time. This speed creates less likelihood of
overcorrection and decentration - a complication caused by movement of the
pupil.
Disadvantage of broad beam laser is an increased
possibility of center islands - a complication related to ablation. However,
ophthalmologists have learned to decrease the incidence of center islands by
using several short laser pulses to ablate the cornea instead of one longer one.
Scanning lasers
This can be subdivided into two groups: slit scanning and spot scanning.
Slit Scanning Lasers
A slit scanning laser uses relatively small beams linked to a rotational
device with slit holes that can enlarge. During surgery, the laser beam scans
across these holes to gradually increase the ablation zone. A uniform beam and
potentially smoother ablations characterize slit scanning lasers.
Disadvantages include a slightly higher propensity
for decentration and slightly greater risk of overcorrection.
Spot Scanning Lasers
These systems have the potential to produce the smoothest ablations and use
radar technology to track the eye's movement. They also have the potential to
treat irregular astigmatism and link to topography. These lasers must be linked
to eye tracking to ensure proper centration.
Till this day the excimer is the most modern technology and the sharpest laser ever created. It makes patients and potential customers undergoing a Lasik procedure or even making the decision to use Lasik for eye corrective surgeries much more comfortable. Since Lasik has the best technology available when it comes to laser eye surgery, why would you choose any other form of laser surgery? Choosing something that is reliable and successful is the only way to go when it comes to your eyes. You do not want to take a risk when it comes to your vision.
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