New advanced technology has made it possible for LASIK to help more people than ever before – even many of those who were previously not eligible for the procedure.

Improved laser vision correction instruments, such as new, more precise lasers and more advanced LASIK techniques, mean we now have better results than ever before and can perform LASIK on many people who once were not candidates. While there are still people whose medical conditions and vision issues make them poor candidates for LASIK, that population is shrinking due to improved technologies and therapies.

Among the recent improvements in LASIK are:

  • Next-generation excimer lasers that can address a broader spectrum of prescriptions resulting in a wider range of vision correction that can be treated with LASIK. Today’s LASIK technologies, as opposed to first-generation lasers, can benefit those patients with more extreme vision prescriptions.
  • Femtosecond lasers are extremely precise, so some patients with thin corneas can now take advantage of LASIK. Surgeons use the femtosecond laser to create very thin flaps in the cornea in preparation for LASIK vision correction treatment. Thinner flaps also reduce the incidence of dry eye post-LASIK, making it appealing to those patients with a tendency for dry eye.
  • Wavefront technology creates a microscopically-detailed map of the eye. This personalized, high-definition measurement is unique to the LASIK patient and describes the minute irregularities on the surface of the cornea that contribute to quality of vision. This “surface map” guides the excimer laser, making customized vision corrections possible and increasing the percentage of patients seeing 20/20 and better.

Advanced diagnostic equipment that allows clinicians to evaluate both the front and the back surface of the cornea and improve LASIK results.

If you have been considering LASIK—or if you have been disqualified in the past—it’s worthwhile to consult with a LASIK surgeon to see if you are among the growing group who may now benefit from the latest LASIK advancements.