Flaps in Lasik were traditionally made with a high speed blade, contained in a device called a microkeratome. Bladed keratomes have a good safety record, but complications can occur. Because flap creation is responsible for the majority of LASIK complications and safety issues, it is the source of most patients’ fear of the procedure. Addressing this problem, the Femtosecond (Intralase) laser was approved by the FDA in 2001. After a slow period of adoption, Intralase is gaining significant market share. There have now been 3 million flaps created with FS, almost half of all flaps now created.
LASIK Technology Crossover
December 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment
by G. Pardos, M.D.
Lasik, the laser correction of refractive errors in the eye, has evolved over the last thirteen years. The most recent innovation in Lasik is the use of the femtosecond laser. This laser allows for the creation of precise linear incisions in the vertical or horizontal plane. The femtosecond laser has replaced the traditional microkeratome as the instrument that produced the flap and resultant corneal bed which was subsequently contoured with the excimer laser.
While the mechanical microkeratome was an excellent device in its time, it has several drawbacks. The predicted thickness of the flap created and therefore the depth of the bed was inaccurate. The mechanical nature of the microkeratome also created a certain percentage of incomplete flaps.
