The Future of LASIK-Emerging Technologies and Advancements

The gift of restored sight through LASIK is one of the greatest surgical breakthroughs in the landscape of eye health and medicine. The future of LASIK that includes emerging technologies and advancements is striving toward the day that microscope techniques will provide doctors with precise measurements, versus the current method of estimating a person’s best visual acuity. Researchers are hoping to one day eliminate the surgical approach of the laser eye surgery process. Dr.Scarcelli of the Fischell Department of Bioengineering is credited with taking these first steps toward a new approach to LASIK. 

Laser eye surgery is consistently evolving into creating less stress on the cornea, less patient down time and less risk. From the early laser eye surgery procedures of PRK where laser eye surgery involves removing a thin layer of the top of the cornea to modern day LASIK where a corneal flap is created for quicker recovery to SMILE, the newest surgical option that softly reshapes the cornea while being significantly less invasive than its previous versions of LASIK, all 3 are still viable options and are chosen to the unique needs of the patient. 

Beyond the surgery itself, preparation plays just as significant a role in the future of LASIK. Advanced imaging technology is now used to create a three-dimensional map of the eye using what is referred to as wave-front technology. The eye is measured from the front to the back to guide the laser in customizing the LASIK treatment for the patient. Visual irregularities will show on the map with an exact account of how the patient’s eye processes images. Custom wavefront LASIK is adapted from technology that allows land-based telescopes to develop images comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope. This technology is increasing the number of patients with 20/20 visual acuity after surgery from a record of 89% to 94%. 
The vision game is changing for the better. High definition and technicolor vibrancy aren’t just descriptive words for technology, they are the future of your sight. LASIK is only getting better and with an already 96% success rate, patients at Great Plains Eye Specialists can trust that they will see the world like never before. Schedule your consultation today by calling 605-718-5123. For more information and to learn more about who we are, click here WEBSITE.