First in Care. Latest in Technology.
Northwestern offers IntraLase. All laser LASIK surgery.
CustomLASIK laser vision correction using IntraLase® bladeless technology has helped over a half-million people worldwide achieve
even better results than previously possible. Read what More Magazine had to say in a recent article on LASIK surgery.
Fixing Your Focus - More Magazine Nov 2005
Technology
- VISX Wavescan (drives the CustomVue procedure utilizing a new level of information
to measure and correct unique imperfections in an individual’s eye)
- VISX STAR S4 IR Excimer Laser (a non-contact method of aligning treatment to the cornea, providing greater laser alignment accuracy)
- Oculus Pentacam Corneal Topographer (for 3-dimensional measurement and analysis of the cornea)
- IntraLase® (bladeless technology for all laser LASIK surgery)
- Climate controlled surgery (essential in consistent and predictable outcomes)
- Uninterrupted power supply (providing constant power for the laser)
What is Intralase®?
In the LASIK and CustomLASIK procedures, a flap of corneal tissue must be created and then folded back. The cornea is the
transparent dome-like structure that covers the iris and pupil of your eye. By creating a flap in the cornea, the surgeon is able
to perform the laser vision correction treatment on the inner layer of the cornea and allows for a rapid visual recovery.
With the IntraLase laser, the surgeon uses the precision of a laser to create the corneal flap. This technology allows
the surgeon more control during the procedure and allows customization of the corneal flap for every individual patient. Because of its
consistent accuracy as demonstrated in studies, IntraLase may now make it possible to treat many patients who were previously dismissed as candidates for laser vision
correction due to thin corneas.
Read More
To see animated video- click here.
For more information on IntraLase, please go to www.IntraLasefacts.com
Committed to Proven Technology
Northwestern Laser Vision Center has the right laser technology for you. The technology used in laser vision correction continues
to evolve rapidly. Northwestern Laser Vision Center has the resources to select the best equipment and maintain it carefully
according to specifications. Northwestern Laser Vision Center utilizes the VISX Star S4 IR for your LASIK treatment.
State of the art technology means not only new and advanced lasers but also includes new programming for existing lasers, new or
refined vision measurement devices, and refinements in LASIK surgical instruments. Northwestern Laser Vision Center believes that
getting the best patient outcomes isn’t the result of simply having the best equipment - it also requires knowing how to use it.
Northwestern Laser Vision Center surgeons are skilled and engage in ongoing clinical education to maintain their high level of
surgical expertise.
What is Custom LASIK?
In Custom LASIK, wavefront technology provides an additional level of precise data about your eye. A device called a wavefront
analyzer measures the way light travels through your eye and compares it to the way light travels through an eye with perfect
vision. This device then creates a 3-D wavefront map that is unique in the same way that your DNA is unique to you. Your wavefront
map provides a detailed diagram of your vision that allows your doctor to customize the LASIK procedure to your individual
eyes.
What is the procedure?
Throughout the LASIK procedure, you are awake. The doctor gives you some eye drops to numb your eyes so that you are comfortable.
Next, using the IntraLase FS laser, a flap of corneal tissue is created and then folded back. This “flap” remains attached on the outside and the Laser reshapes this newly exposed layer of the cornea. Once this surface of the cornea has been reduced by the exact amount necessary, the doctor returns the “flap” to its original position. Therefore, the shape of the cornea is corrected under the surface.
After the procedure, you will leave with an eye shield and eye drops to help your eye heal. Also, your vision may be a little blurry for a few days. Generally, most patients return to work within 48 hours after the procedure.
Intacs Prescription Inserts Now Available at Northwestern Laser Vision Center for Patients with Keratoconus
Intacs prescription inserts are indicated for use in the correction of nearsightedness and astigmatism for patients with Keratoconus, where contact lenses and glasses are no longer suitable.
Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease, which causes a thinning of the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. As the disease progresses, the quality of one's vision deteriorates. For some, contact lenses or glasses are a satisfactory solution, but for others, Intacs prescription inserts may be the best possible option for improving your vision.
Intacs prescription inserts are approved by the FDA for keratoconus under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE).
Surgical Treatment of Keratoconus with INTACS
INTACS for Keratoconus have been in use by corneal surgeons in clinical practice for more than three years in the US on an off-label basis and as many as eight years by Surgeons in Europe. Ophthalmologists in the US have been using INTACS more than five years in the treatment of myopia. The technical procedure, including incision and channeling, is well documented and has been associated with significant clinical success.
The Procedure
The placement and dimensions of the INTACS implants help to reshape the cornea to its original, natural shape, thereby normalizing the cornea’s architecture and adjusting for the myopia and irregular astigmatism caused by keratoconus.
Using proprietary surgical instruments, a small 1.2-millimeter incision is made in the cornea at 70% depth and channels are created for the insertion of the INTACS. The INTACS are then delicately threaded into the channels, and the incision is closed using a 10 0 suture. The patient’s refraction is checked and follow-up appointments are scheduled for the next day, at seven days and one month. The patient is advised to avoid eye rubbing and strenuous physical activity for about a month. The suture is removed after 30 days.
For more information on INTACS Implants, click here.
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