The Excimer Laser was developed in 1979 by IBM. This unique computer controlled laser uses a cool beam of light that gently reshapes the outer surface of the cornea. Dr. Lockhart is one of the first ophthalmologists in Central Illinois to perform Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA) and Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) using the Excimer Laser. With the Excimer Laser, Dr. Lockhart can treat lower order aberrations (or distortions) such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism using conventional LASIK or ASA. The combined technology of the LADARVision Excimer Laser System and the LADARWave CustomCornea System makes it possible for Dr. Lockhart to treat higher order visual aberrations with CustomCarnea LASIK or CustomCornea ASA. These high order aberrations (or distortions) in the optical system may cause problems with night vision, glare and halos.
That's why Summit Autonomous developed LADARVision, an advanced system that optimizes the procedure for you. LADARVision is distinctly different. It combines the first patented eye tracker with the unique, small spot shaping laser beam, The result is "precision vision". The LADARVision tracker takes the worry out of moving your eyes during surgery. Your eyes are constantly making small rapid eye movements that are beyond your control. Computer simulations have shown that these movements during surgery can affect placement of the laser beam, increasing corneal irregularities. This, in turn can cause less than clear vision. Now with the LADARVision Excimer Laser you can relax while Dr. Lockhart tracks with unprecedented precision. The LADARVision patented active eye tracker accurately tracks eye movement during surgery, adjusts and realigns itself between each laser pulse and guides the placement of the laser beam with pinpoint accuracy.
For the last 150 years, doctors have measured vision by having patients read letters on a standard eye chart.
Your vision was considered normal if you could identify the letters on the 20/20 line from a distance of 20 feet.
If this was not possible you were probably diagnosed with a combination of nearsightedness, farsightedness or
astigmatismt which are all lower order visual aberrations or distortions. The tools we had available to treat these
low order visual aberrations were glasses, contacts, and conventional ASA and conventional LASIK. Because of
advances in Laser Vision Correction technology we now know that just treating lower order visual aberrations may
not address a patient's visual quality. It is possible to read the 20/20 line on a vision test and still have trouble
seeing in low lighting conditions or at night. These imperfections in the eye's optical system that may affect the
clarity of your vision are called higher order aberrations which may manifest themselves as glare, halos and
other annoying visual effects which are often worse at night.
The advances in wave front technology now make it possible to measure and treat both lower and higher order
visual aberrations. This process begins with generating a wave front of each eye. A computerized wave front measuring
device called the LADARWave Custom Cornea System passes a safe ray of light through the cornea, lens and onto the
retina and then back out of the eye. This measures the optical system and its unique distortions (aberrations) as that
light exits the eye. This map is compared to the perfectly flat light waves that would have been measured if your optical
system were perfect. A 3D map CAPTURES your unique visual aberrations, both lower and higher order distortions. This map becomes the guide for the laser, detailing how and where to reshape your cornea for your Custom ASA or Custom LASIK treatment.
In order to MATCH the information from your individualized wave front map to your eye using either Custom
ASA or Custom LASIK, the data is transferred from the LADARWave device to the LADARVision 4000 Excimer Laser. This
becomes the guide for your personalized laser treatment. Numbing drops are then applied to your eye. Dr. Lockhart makes
small marks on the eye so the treatment can be perfectly matched and aligned with the precise location on the eye to provide
accurate corneal reshaping. Meanwhile you relax and let Dr. Lockhart and the LADARVision radar eye tracker track your eye
movements at 4,000 times per second and guide the small spot laser beam to precisely reshape your cornea. Our
LADARVision CustomCornea System is the only system where the wave front map is truly transferred into the laser,
registered (matched), and aligned with the cornea becoming a true wave front guided TREATment.
All laser surgery systems are not the same. While they all use laser beams to reshape the cornea, there are important differences in technology from one system to another. Because these differences could affect your laser eye surgery procedure and, potentially, its outcome, it's important to understand why the technology matters.
The following tables show some of the ways in which the most commonly used laser systems in the U.S. differ. You may find it helpful to understand the basic concepts of your vision as you review these tables.
Table 1:
LADARVision®
VISX Star* 4
B&L Technolas* 217Z
Does it provide customized laser vision correction?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Does it include a wavefront device?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Does it allow for accurate alignment of wavefront information?
Yes
No
No
Type of eye tracking
Laser Radar
Video
Video
Is it a closed or open-loop system
Closed
Open
Open
Does it compensate for saccadic eye movements?
Yes
No
No
Type of laser beam
Small Spot
Variable Broad Beam
Small Spot
All laser systems must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat specific vision problems. The following chart outlines current laser approvals; however, it does not list the specific treatment ranges. This information can be found on the section of the FDA's site on LASIK surgery.
Table 2: Laser Systems and the Specific Vision Problems They Can Treat
LADARVision®
VISX Star*
4
B&L
Technolas* 217Z
Myopia
X
X
X
Myopia with astigmatism
X
X
X
Hyperopia
X
X
X
Hyperopia with astigmatism
X
X
X
Mixed Astigmatism
X
X
Customized laser vision correction
X
X
X
Higher order aberrations
X
X
When it's time to choose your doctor, you may find it useful to print out these tables and use them as reference when discussing your laser vision correction surgery.
For More Information...
The section of the FDA's site on LASIK surgery explains the indications for which all lasers are approved in the United States.
* VISX and Star are trademarks of VISX Inc.
* Technolas is a registered trademark of Technolas Ophthalmologische Systeme GmbH
