New technology makes the process quicker and more efficient

It’s amazing to think that Laser Eye Surgery, today the most commonly performed surgery in the world, evolved from a discovery made as long ago as 1948.

The man at the root of it all: Jose Barraquer, a Barcelona-born ophthalmologist who was first to discover that refractive error could be corrected by sculpting corneal stromal tissue.

This was a significant breakthrough. Before this time it was believed that external vision correction equipment such as pince-nez, the incredibly sophisticated pair of eyeglasses with a nose clip instead of side arms, were the ultimate way to improve your vision.

Skip ahead nearly 70 years to the present day, and Barraquer’s work — which led him to become known as the “Father of modern Refractive Surgery” — is embodied in the modern day practice of surgically altering the curvature of the eye through the use of high-energy lasers.

From pince-nez to cutting-edge laser technology

From Barraquer’s first somewhat unrefined experiments involving liquid nitrogen and a watchmaker’s lathe, refractive surgery has developed into a highly complex and incredibly efficient surgical procedure.

The epitome of which is a piece of technology developed by Professor Dan Reinstein and a team of LASIK experts: The Artemis Insight 100.

As the most accurate corneal scanner in the world, The Artemis Insight 100 has greatly improved patient safety and surgery outcomes.

The superior imaging system and optimal micro-biometric capabilities of the Artemis Insight 100 enable many patients who once would have been rejected for Laser Eye Surgery due to a high-profile prescription to now be eligible to have Laser Eye Surgery and even achieve the same quality results as those with lower prescriptions.

Another piece of high-tech equipment used in selected clinics today is the Zeiss WASCA High-resolution Wavefront Aberrometer. This piece of kit makes the procedure even more effective by allowing surgeons to correct your vision beyond the limits set by your glasses prescription.

Wavefront aberrometers measure the ‘wavefront’ of the eye — the unique optical imperfections on the surface of the eye which traditional methods are unable to identify and fix. The imperfections of your cornea and optical system affect the finer quality aspects of your vision. Going by the name of general conditions you may know if you are long-sighted, short-sighted, or have astigmatism, but never before has it been possible to know and correct the tiny irregularities that are completely unique to you.

In an ideal world, every clinic would use only the safest and most up-to-date technology. But the reality is many high street providers are still using technology that was introduced at the turn of the century. This is one of the ways they can offer bargain basement prices and deals that seem (and are) too good to be true.

This does mean that choosing a clinic with access to the latest technology will more than likely cost you more than the average Laser Eye Surgery price. Compared to the costs of low-end providers they may even seem expensive, but when it comes to your vision, nothing pays off more than receiving the safest, highest-quality laser eye treatment.

If you’d like to book a consultation with us, or find out more about current Laser Eye Surgery Technology, leave us a comment or give us a call us on 020 7224 1005.

For 2017, we have updated this article to ‘Quick guide: Laser Eye Surgery technology’