What is Intralase?

Wondering what the all the hype about Intralase is? The term Intralase refers to an advanced form of LASIK surgery that is performed using an INTRALASE femtosecond laser to cut the flap of the eye, rather than a blade as is the case with traditional LASIK.

Traditional LASIK surgery is already an effective and safe method of corrective eye surgery, but the new Intralase procedure gives surgeons a lot more precision, further reducing the possibility of any complications. The increased precision of Intralase has now made LASIK surgery a viable option for many who were once deemed poor candidates.

Are there many other differences between the two?

No, both methods follow the same procedures. LASIK and Intralase both shape the interior layers of the cornea with an excimer laser, but before that can be done, the surgeon creates a flap that allows him/her to access the inner layers of the eye. Then flap is then placed back to its original position after the surgery. That’s where the difference between these two corrective eye surgery techniques lies. In the case of traditional LASIK, the flap is created with a blade, while Intralase uses a laser to make the cut. That makes Intralase the first truly all-laser eye procedure. The results? An increasing number of people are comfortable with the idea of laser vision correction.

Was laser eye surgery unsafe before Intralase?

Not at all. Traditional LASIK surgery is a safe and effective vision correction method, with very little risk involved. With over 2 million procedures performed all over the globe, only 0.1-0.5 percent of patients had any complications. With the advent of Intralase surgery, that risk is now minimized by an additional 95 percent. This makes corrective laser eye surgery an even safer procedure moving forward, even when conducted by surgeons with little experience.

That is because all of the risks associated with cutting the cornea with a blade are removed when you decide to go with Intralase, rather than traditional LASIK procedures. Contamination (and thus potential infections) is one of those risks present when performing any form of surgery with a blade. There is no amount of sterilization that will make a blade as sterile as a laser.

How exactly do you go about creating a flap with a laser?

During Intralase surgery, the flap of your eye is removed by pulses of infrared light that are sent out to precise spots on the eye. The combined efforts of these spots is what actually cuts out a precise piece of the cornea.

Are bladeless eye procedures the same as Intralase?

No, there are other bladeless procedures out there, but none is the same as Intralase.

The Intralase FS laser is the only laser in the world that combines the proven track record of LASIK eye surgery procedures with a precision all-laser approach. This makes

Intralase unique from other procedures like LTK, PRK, or LASIK. Make sure you ask for Intralase by name if you are interested in this laser vision correction method.

Is Intralase still as effective with the FS150 Intralase upgrade?

Yes, it is even better now with the laser upgrade. With this new upgrade, you now get:

 Faster treatment and increased comfort.

 More tightly grouped smaller spots that make the flap cutting process more precise.

 The spots now carry less energy, meaning less inflammation after the surgery and shorter recovery times.

 The added precision during the flap cutting process means clearer vision for patients.

Is Intralase more expensive?

Yes. Like most new technologies, Intralase is a bit more expensive than other similar corrective vision techniques, but given the extremely low odds of complications during Intralase procedures, it is easy to justify the added cost. For more information, you can contact our Eye Health Clinic in Atlanta.