Light in your Eyes
Wavefront Technology has contributed to the world of eye corrective surgery by making available new options; research has put forward Wavefront Technology an integral part of some Lasik vision corrective surgery. This new technology enables a Lasik physician to see and accurately map even the slightest of variations on the surface of the eye. This gives him the ability to custom-make a Lasik procedure according to each individual’s needs with the result being clearer vision.
It was astronomers who first researched the Wavefront technology; they developed it to achieve near perfect instruments by examining how flawless a lens or mirror was. They then used this aspect of the technology to see miniature light sources millions of miles away. In the 1970’s, a sensor was devised for this purpose, to check surfaces electronically, a form of this sensor is now being applied in Wavefront-guided Lasik operations.
In Germany, physician Josef Bille was the first to apply this technology in ophthalmology (medicine concerned with the eye) by using it in his practice. Others started refining the sensor he used and the technique he developed until the technology was adopted by the Lasik eye-impairment surgeons. In 1997, the sensor had been developed with far better accuracy and speed and was put into a proposal and sent to the Lasik laser manufacturers. Each company then went about creating their own tools using this technology to integrate it into their laser systems.
So the FDA approved Wavefront-guided Lasik laser systems for vision correction and public use. A map is made by the Wavefront sensor of the imperfections in the eye. This map is then used during the Wavefront segment of the Lasik procedure to ensure the best possible eye-impairment correction.
The Wavefront technology can best be described by detailing its physical form. A tiny, flat “wavefront” (sheet of light) is sent through the eye to bounce off the retina and return to the machine carrying data with it. If the eye is in perfect shape, the light sheet would return flat. If the eye has imperfections, the light sheet would return altered and this detection by the machine is the Wavefront segment of the Lasik process.
Several of these flat sheets of light are passed through each eye from different directions to generate a three-dimensional map of the eye. This is the map that is then used to correctly target the eye in the Lasik procedure. Apart from the usual eye-related problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, over 60 other existing patterns have been identified as treatable by the process.
Software is used to generate the information from the Lasik sensor into instructions for the Lasik excimer laser. All of this is very convenient and if in the right physician’s hands, can be extremely helpful in restoring 20/20. Think of it as the new light in your eyes, a painless and effective remedy. So if you’re looking for a Lasik vision correction procedure, ask your doctor if this procedure fits into the bargain.
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