Professor Reinstein and Pioneering Advancements in Laser Eye Surgery
Since its invention almost four decades ago, Laser Eye Surgery has been an ever-evolving field of medicine. In that time, we have seen significant developments that have made the procedure more effective, safer, and accessible to more and more patients. Many of these improvements are thanks to advancements in Laser Eye Surgery technology – including several contributions made by our very own founder and Medical Director, Professor Dan Reinstein.
Professor Reinstein is one of the few ophthalmic surgeons to have dedicated his career to Laser Eye Surgery. In doing so, he has become one of the leading experts in the field, globally. But not only is he among the most experienced laser eye surgeons, he has also helped to develop pioneering technology and techniques that have transformed the treatment. So, let’s take a look at some of his impressive work.
Leading Major Breakthroughs in Laser Eye Surgery
Professor Dan Reinstein has an impressive CV, which in addition to Medical Director of London Vision Clinic, includes professorships at two universities and being the Lead Clinical Refractive Surgery Consultant at Carl Zeiss Meditec. But it was while he was studying at Cornell University that Professor Reinstein made his first major breakthrough in refractive developments.
He found that ultrasound could be used to scan the surface of the cornea (the clear, window at the front of the eye) with extraordinary accuracy. Using a frequency 30-times that used for foetal ultrasound, he successfully mapped the individual layers of the corneal tissue, with an accuracy of one micron – that’s 1/1000th of a millimetre!
Convinced that he had made a significant discovery, he was determined to spread the word about this new high-accuracy scanner. This confidence was rewarded by the recognition of Stephen Trokel, co-inventor of the Excimer laser – the key technology used in Laser Eye Surgery. Having recognised the value of this new scanning technique, Trokel helped Professor Reinstein put his new technology to the test with real subjects: patients who had developed complications after early laser eye treatments.
The first prototype of the scanner, built with Dan’s father-in-law’s camera tripod, was to become the world’s moet accurate corneal scanner – the Artemis Insight 100™. Even today, only a handful of eye institutes have access to an Artemis Insight 100™ scanner. One of them is the London Vision Clinic.
Continually Refining Laser Eye Surgery
Professor Reinstein’s development and patent for the Artemis Insight 100™ was just the start of his contributions to the advancement of Laser Eye Surgery technology and techniques. Through his work with Carl Zeiss Meditec – the leading optics technology company worldwide – Professor Reinstein helped to develop the MEL 90 laser, which remains the benchmark for Laser Eye surgery treatments.
He has also pioneered two revolutionary Laser Eye Surgery procedures that have helped to make treatment an option for more people than ever before. This includes the development of PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision, a revolutionary treatment for presbyopia (ageing eyes) that allows patients to ditch the reading glasses for years to come. Moreover, the development of the minimally-invasive keyhole procedure, ReLEx SMILE, has helped to make Laser Eye Surgery an option for even more people, including those with thinner corneas!
In addition to holding seven patents for Laser Eye Surgery technologies and techniques, Professor Reinstein has helped thousands of patients get rid of glasses and contact lenses – including in some cases where Laser Eye Surgery was widely thought to be out of the question.
If you’d like to discover whether Laser Eye Surgery could help you, too, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today!
