New LASIK Vision Correction Technology - The iLASIK Guide – The Unbiased Facts About iLASIK Surgery

By Kat Fuschillo and Andrew Doan, MD, PhD

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? Is it dangerous for you to wear glasses or contact lenses for your job? Are you significantly visually impaired without glasses or contact lenses and feel unsafe without them? If so, have you ever thought about the new LASIK surgery called iLASIK? Many people are sick and tired of wearing their glasses and fiddling around with contact lenses every morning, and instead turning to the iLASIK eye treatment. Read on to find out more about this procedure and if you are a suitable candidate for this revolutionary eye laser treatment.

What is iLASIK?

iLASIK is a laser surgery treatment that can permanently correct your eyes, and improve your vision. The procedure can correct your eyes to anything up to 20/20 vision or more, which means you no longer need to wear your glasses or contact lenses. There are a number of laser correction options around, including traditional LASIK and PRK, to choose from, but iLASIK is a treatment that will tailor the procedure to your individual needs.

How does iLASIK work?

You'll be amazed at just how quick iLASIK is. You'll be in and out in about 10 minutes. Once you go through an eye exam, the eye surgeon will take a blueprint of your eye and work out what you need corrected. The laser surgery is then tailored to your individual eye needs.

How iLASIK works in a nutshell...

During the procedure the contour of your cornea, which cause you to be either near or far-sighted, are corrected by reshaping the cornea. The first laser cuts a small flap in your cornea, and the second laser then corrects the imperfections of your eye, based on the unique contours and shape of your cornea. Don't worry, you won't feel this, but you will be awake during the iLASIK procedure. Your eyes will be numbed during the surgery, and medication to help you relax can also be administered. Most patients' eyes are restored to 20/20 vision after iLASIK. So, once the procedure is complete, you can throw away your glasses and contacts, as you'll no longer need them [1].

Is iLASIK right for me?

If you've heard about iLASIK, then you've probably heard some horror stories too. There is a certain element of risk involved in any laser eye treatment. You should discuss the risks with your eye surgeon. Over 32 million procedures have now taken place over the last ten years, so you know that this is a procedure that you can trust. Many are willing to take the slight risks involved, in order to live their lives glasses or contacts free.

To be eligible for the iLASIK treatment you must:

- Be 21 years old or over
- Be free from any eye disease
- Be in excellent health
- Have stable eye sight for the past year [2- 3]

When is LASIK or iLASIK NOT for me? [4]

You are probably NOT a good candidate for refractive surgery if:

- You are not a risk taker. Certain complications are unavoidable in a percentage of patients, and there are no long-term data available for current procedures.
- It will jeopardize your career. Some jobs prohibit certain refractive procedures. Be sure to check with your employer/professional society/military service before undergoing any procedure.
- Cost is an issue. Most medical insurance will not pay for refractive surgery. Although the cost is coming down, it is still significant.
- You required a change in your contact lens or glasses prescription in the past year. This is called refractive instability.

Patients are NOT good candidates if they are:

- In their early 20s or younger,
- Whose hormones are fluctuating due to disease such as diabetes,
- Who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or
- Who are taking medications that may cause fluctuations in vision,
are more likely to have refractive instability and should discuss the possible additional risks with their doctor.
- You have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing. Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
- You actively participate in contact sports. You participate in boxing, wrestling, martial arts or other activities in which blows to the face and eyes are a normal occurrence.
- You are not an adult. Currently, no lasers are approved for LASIK on persons under the age of 18.

Precautions

The safety and effectiveness of refractive procedures has not been determined in patients with some diseases. Discuss with your doctor if you have a history of any of the following:

- Herpes simplex or Herpes zoster (shingles) involving the eye area.
- Glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, or ocular hypertension.
- Eye diseases, such as uveitis/iritis (inflammations of the eye)
- Eye injuries or previous eye surgeries.
- Keratoconus

Other Risk Factors

Your doctor should screen you for the following conditions or indicators of risk:

- Blepharitis. Inflammation of the eyelids with crusting of the eyelashes, that may increase the risk of infection or inflammation of the cornea after LASIK.
- Large pupils. Make sure this evaluation is done in a dark room. Although anyone may have large pupils, younger patients and patients on certain medications may be particularly prone to having large pupils under dim lighting conditions. This can cause symptoms such as glare, halos, starbursts, and ghost images (double vision) after surgery. In some patients these symptoms may be debilitating. For example, a patient may no longer be able to drive a car at night or in certain weather conditions, such as fog.
- Thin Corneas. The cornea is the thin clear covering of the eye that is over the iris, the colored part of the eye. Most refractive procedures change the eye’s focusing power by reshaping the cornea (for example, by removing tissue). Performing a refractive procedure on a cornea that is too thin may result in blinding complications.
- Previous refractive surgery (e.g., RK, PRK, LASIK, iLASIK). Additional refractive surgery may not be recommended. The decision to have additional refractive surgery must be made in consultation with your doctor after careful consideration of your unique situation.
- Dry Eyes. LASIK surgery tends to aggravate this condition.

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Tips for iLASIK

Before you decide to go ahead with any form of eye laser surgery, make sure you:

- Receive a full eye examination and consultation session before you undergo any surgical procedure .
- Ensure that your treatment is being carried out by an iLASIK surgery trained eye surgeon.
- Always know the full risks involved before you receive a laser eye or iLASIK treatment.

iLASIK vision correction may be right for you. You should check with a local eye surgeon to determine if you're a candidate for iLASIK.

References

1. Laser Eye Surgery – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/4649079.stm. Accessed Aug 28, 2009.
2. Eye laser surgery – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2458511.stm. Accessed Aug 28, 2009.
3. Are you a candidate? - http://www.ilasik.com/lasik-candidate.aspx. Accessed Aug 28, 2009.

4. When is LASIK not for me? FDA -

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061366.htm
Accessed Aug 28, 2009.

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*Links are provided by Dr. Doan for your convenience and does not indicate a personal endorsement from Dr. Doan.