Femto-Lasik
“LASIK” with a new kind of laser technology
Femtosecond laser technology is a new and highly promising technique in ophthalmology.
What is a femtosecond?
It is the time that light requires to circle around a human hair once, or 10 to the power of negative 15 seconds – a very short time period.
A solid-state laser is used in ophthalmology. It is able to cut tissue in a very tight focus of just a few microns.
A very high level of concentrated energies transforms the local tissue into ionizing plasma. This ionization process takes place in just a few picoseconds and thus prevents the heating and consequently damaging of the surrounding tissue. The material which is cut off diffuses through the corneal tissue to the outside of the eye as gas bubbles.
In the field of ophthalmology, this innovative new technique is perfect for manipulating microstructures in a manner gentle to the patient. It is used primarily on the cornea, as this structure is transparent to infrared light, and the associated refractive laser treatment, especially LASIK.
Typically, the first step for preparation of the corneal lamella in Laser in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is the use of a mechanical microkeratome which guides an oscillating, motor-powered knife through the cornea.
It is now possible to reliably perform this treatment in a manner gentle to the tissues with the femtosecond laser. Once a flap has been created, it is folded back and the surface can now be modeled with the Excimer Laser until the desired target refraction is attained.
Femtosecond technology provides the operating doctor and the patient with a whole row of new and interesting treatment possibilities.
The femtosecond laser can be used
for the following applications:
- Gentle preparation of the laser flap for LASIK treatment
- Lamellar and penetrating keratoplasty (corneal graphing)
of the donor cornea and the recipient eye - Non-invasive, intrastromal, refractive corrections, e.g. astigmatic incisions
- Intracorneal rings or inlays
Femtosecond technologies are setting new standards for precision and reliability in corneal surgery.