What is Wavefront Technology in Lasik Eye Surgery?

Page 1

What Is Wavefront Technology In Lasik? Lasik surgery has greatly improved the vision of millions of individuals worldwide. It has converted the visually impaired into sighted people who are capable of seeing their children again and contributing to the family's income by working. Two items that millions considered they would never be able to do again. However, Lasik eye surgery has not been sitting on its laurels. Far from it, Lasik surgery techniques are being improved all the time. One such enhancement is Wavefront Technology. Wavefront Technology with relation to Lasik eye surgery is used to more precisely map the patient's eyeball, which makes more accurate surgery feasible. This is of immense importance because eyeballs are not all the same shape. They are like hands, superficially they all look the same, but once you get down to particulars, they are not. There are all shapes sizes and dimensions. The same is true for eyes. The more precise the map of the eye, the more opportunity that the surgeon has of giving you the best vision possible, in relation to the precise issues that you have in your particular case. Wavefront Technology assists the surgeon accomplish this. Wavefront Technology is actually a technology that has been modified from astronomy. in astronomical telescopes it is crucial that the lenses are as perfect as they can be, because at high magnification, even the very least impairment would lead to huge distortions, which in turn would make the telescope just about useless. Astronomers were using this technology in the 1970's, so it was already fairly advanced when some bright spark noticed that it could become modified for use in eye surgery as well. Wavefront Technology was born and taken on board by Lasik and other eye surgeons with great expectations. In fact, the bright spark who recognized the possible value of this article of astronomical technology was a German doctor named Josef Bille who started using it in his practice. He gradually enhanced and adapted the sensors and announced it to the Lasik manufacturers in 1997. This in turn allowed the manufacturers of Lasik apparatus to adapt Wavefront Technology to their own apparatus. Wavefront Technology is highly complicated in design and technology but also extremely easy to understand. The Wavefront machine sends a flat sheet of light (known as a wavefront) through the eye to the retina, which reflects it back to the Wavefront device. The Wavefront machine compares the two, measures the imperfections, chooses what has to be done to correct them and guides the laser to the right spot in order to achieve the corrections. As simple as that!


However, the geniuses who invented and developed Wavefront Technology did not give up there. They have their machine send in several wavefronts from multiple angles so that the computer can build up a three dimensional picture for even more accuracy. There are now well over 60 patterns that can be automatically corrected by a Lasik laser guided by Wavefront Technology. So, if you have any concerns with long or short sightedness, make an appointment to see your Lasik surgeon as soon as possible. Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now concerned with macular degeneration glasses. If you want to know more, please visit our site at Macular Degenerative Disease.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.