Straight Facts About The iLASIK Procedure
Your
Wait Is Over
A lot of people have had successful LASIK, but as many as 10 times that number are
good candidates that are waiting.1 Some people are waiting because they
don't think they can afford it. Others are unaware of the true safety of the procedure.
But most people are waiting simply because they lack the right information. The
introduction of the iLASIK Procedure (using exclusive LASIK technology,
only from AMO) means the wait is over and it's simple:
- Most people are candidates — make an appointment
and have an exam
- The technologies used in the iLASIK Procedure
are safe, effective2 and used in more than 10 million procedures
- You can afford it, let us show you how
- The iLASIK Procedure is not complicated
— it's fast and virtually painless
Safe
And Effective
The technology used in the iLASIK Procedure is very mature (the systems
used today have been in use for years) and very safe.2 Doctors have been
performing laser vision procedures for over a decade, and 31.4 million procedures
have been performed worldwide to date,3 making it the most common elective
vision procedure in the U.S. In fact, all branches of the U.S. military and NASA
recently allowed the treatment of LASIK for their servicemen and women, thanks to
studies using iLASIK Technology.
The
iLASIK Procedure
The iLASIK Procedure only takes minutes. It reshapes your cornea to
correct the refractive imperfections in your eye (these imperfections are essentially
the reason you are nearsighted, farsighted, etc.). Here's what happens:
- You get an extensive exam by an iLASIK
surgeon
- Computers/software are used to make an individual blueprint
of your eyes; this blueprint is used to drive your laser correction and is what
gives you a truly customized result
- A laser is used to make a thin flap in your cornea
- You'll be given numbing drops so you won't feel pain
- This flap enables the surgeon to make the iLASIK
correction
- A second laser is used to make the correction to your
cornea, based on your unique vision/eye characteristics
- This correction is completely computer driven
- It's safe,2 fast and virtually painless
- You can have great vision without glasses or contacts*
Superior
LASIK Flaps
To correct your vision with the iLASIK Procedure, a thin LASIK flap
needs to be created. There are two ways to make this flap: a blade or the IntraLase
FS laser. The iLASIK Procedure EXCLUSIVELY uses the IntraLase
Laser; it's part of what makes iLASIK vision correction unique. Eighty-one
percent of patients choose bladeless LASIK over traditional LASIK with a blade when
given the choice.4
You have a choice: you want the laser, YOU WANT THE iLASIK PROCEDURE.
Just
Asking
It's natural to have a bunch of questions when considering the iLASIK
Procedure. Your iLASIK surgeon and his/her staff are experts at answering
those questions and are real pros who will provide plenty of support during the
process. Still, here are a few answers to some of the questions we get asked the
most:
- You ARE AWAKE during the iLASIK Procedure,
but you may be given medication to relax
- Your eyes will be numbed with drops, and aside from a
little pressure, YOU MOST LIKELY WON'T FEEL A THING during the procedure
- Typically BOTH EYES are treated during the same visit
- The iLASIK Procedure generally takes less
than 10 MINUTES per eye
- Outcomes may vary. Ninety-eight percent of mildly to
moderately nearsighted patients participating in the CustomVue
Clinical Trials submitted to the FDA could
see 20/20 or better one year after treatment
20/20
And Beyond
Surely you've heard the phrase "20/20 vision." This term has come to be known as
the standard for "good" vision; it's the baseline. It means that you see at 20 feet
what a person without any vision problems would see at 20 feet. If your vision was
20/40, it means that you can see an object 20 feet away, but a person without any
vision problem would be able to see the same object if he/she is 40 feet away. In
short, the higher the second number the worse your vision is, and the lower the
second number the better your vision is. You need to be at least 20/40 in order
to drive, while fighter pilots are often 20/15.
The vast majority of iLASIK patients have seen 20/20 OR BETTER after
surgery ... That could be life changing!*
References
- Market Scope, 2006 Comprehensive Report on the Global Refractive Surgery Market.
- Data on file. AMO Development, LLC. CustomVue Procedure Clinical Trials
submitted to the FDA; 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007.
- Market Scope Q1 2009 Quarterly Estimate.
- Mahdavi S. IntraLase: coming of age. Cataract Refract Surg Today. October
2005:117-120.