PCVI News Room

News on LASIK and Other Refractive Eye Surgery: Government Agencies To Study Quality of Life After LASIK

November 30, 2009 -- The LASIK Quality of Life Project is a new joint study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Eye Institute and U.S. Department of Defense to determine the percentage of LASIK patients who have significant problems that affect their quality of life after the procedure. The study also aims to discover predictors of such problems. In Phase 1, which began in July, a Web-based questionnaire was created to assess patient-reported LASIK outcomes and evaluate associated quality-of-life issues.
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Flexivue Micro-Lens for Presbyopia Debuts

November 29, 2009 -- This fall, Presbia Cooperatief U.A. unveiled an implantable micro-lens for treatment of presbyopia called the Flexivue System. The Flexivue lens is 3mm in diameter and is implanted in the corneal stroma. In a 10-minute procedure, a laser creates a pocket in the cornea, where the lens is placed with a special device created by Presbia. The pocket seals itself, and the lens can stay in place permanently or can be removed if the patient becomes more presbyopic and needs a stronger prescription.
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Regression of hyperopia is common after conductive keratoplasty, study says

August 31, 2009 -- Conductive keratoplasty (CK) can correct mild to moderate amounts of farsightedness, but the effect often is not permanent and much of the hyperopia can return over time. So say researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine (Palo Alto, Calif.) who recently evaluated the long-term effectiveness and stability of conductive keratoplasty for the correction of low to moderate hyperopia. The researchers evaluated the refractive outcomes of 16 eyes of nine farsighted subjects who had their vision corrected with CK between 1999 and 2000.
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Minimum age of some people seeking LASIK can be lowered, researchers say

August 24, 2009 -- People undergoing LASIK and other types of laser vision correction expect their vision to remain stable after surgery. Researchers in Jordan recently conducted a large-scale study of the stability of refractive errors to determine which types of patients are most likely to have stable vision correction after refractive surgery and which are at greatest risk for refractive change. The researchers conducted a retrospective study of the refractive errors of 46,384 consecutive patients who were seen at an outpatient clinic in Amman, Jordan.
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Single-use microkeratome safe, effective for thin-flap LASIK, studies find

August 14, 2009 -- A single-use microkeratome with disposable components is safe and effective for creating flaps in thin-flap LASIK and is a viable alternative to femtosecond lasers for this purpose, Gustavo Tamayo, MD, told ophthalmologists gathered at the recent annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). Thin-flap LASIK, also called sub-Bowman's keratomileusis (SBK), involves creating a thinner flap than flaps traditionally produced in LASIK surgery. A thinner flap may reduce the risk of dry eyes after LASIK. It also may preserve greater corneal strength, thereby reducing the risk of corneal ectasia after the procedure. Using a microkeratome in thin-flap LASIK also may lower LASIK costs, as the equipment costs for these mechanical instruments are significantly less for LASIK surgeons than costs associated with femtosecond lasers.
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LASIK and CK patients pleased with monovision, study finds

August 12, 2009 -- Presbyopia — the normal age-related loss of reading vision — can be particularly troubling to refractive surgery patients who want freedom from eyeglasses after surgery. One way to reduce dependence on reading glasses after vision correction surgery is to undergo a monovision correction, where one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other is corrected for near vision. Monovision can be created with most types of vision correction surgery, including LASIK and conductive keratoplasty (CK). Recently, researchers in the UK evaluated patient satisfaction with monovision refractive surgery and found most patients are pleased or very pleased with the results. The researchers evaluated patient satisfaction with visual outcomes in 287 consecutive refractive surgery patients who opted for a monovision correction with either LASIK or CK.
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Lasers used for eye surgery do not interfere with pacemakers, study finds

August 7, 2009 -- One believed contraindication for laser eye surgery is if the patient has an implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator. The concern is that the operation of ophthalmic lasers in close proximity of these devices may interfere with their normal operation. But recent research by Neil A. Sher, MD, adjunct clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis), suggests these fears may be unwarranted. Dr. Sher evaluated the effect of operating a number of lasers used in eye surgery, including a popular excimer laser used in LASIK and PRK, on popular cardiac pacing devices manufactured by Medtronic (Minneapolis) and St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, MN). To simulate the devices being implanted in a human subject, the pacemakers and defibrillators were submerged in salt water in a waterproof container to simulate resistance around the heart.
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Thin-flap LASIK provides faster results than PRK, study says

August 5, 2009 -- Though LASIK is the most popular laser vision correction surgery in the United States, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) eliminates the risk of intra-operative and post-operative flap-related complications. Recently, a variation of LASIK called sub-Bowman keratomileusis (SBK) or "thin-flap LASIK" has been gaining popularity among LASIK surgeons. A thinner corneal flap is created in SBK, which may reduce certain LASIK risks — particularly dry eyes and corneal ectasia. To compare the outcomes produced by thin-flap LASIK with those produced by PRK, researchers Stephen G. Slade, MD, Daniel S. Durrie, MD, and Perry S. Binder, MD recently conducted a study of fifty patients, performing thin-flap LASIK on one eye and PRK on the other eye of each patient.
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Multifocal IOL produces good vision at all distances for farsighted cataract patients, study says

August 3, 2009 -- Bilateral implantation of the Zeiss Acri.LISA 366D multifocal IOL (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany) produces a full range of vision and satisfactory visual acuity at all distances for cataract patients with pre-operative hyperopia, according to researchers at the University of Oviedo School of Medicine in Oviedo, Spain. The researchers implanted the Zeiss Acri.LISA multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) in both eyes of 85 farsighted cataract patients. The patients were divided into two groups, based on their amount of pre-operative hyperopia: a low-to-moderate hyperopia group and a high hyperopia group.
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Study finds aspheric IOLs provide better contrast sensitivity than spherical IOLs

July 15, 2009 -- Researchers in Italy have found that aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs) used in cataract surgery produce better contrast sensitivity than conventional spherical IOLs. Their findings suggest aspheric IOLs may produce noticeably better vision for tasks in low-light conditions, such as driving at night. The quality of vision after cataract surgery is influenced by optical abberations of the eye. Spherical aberration, in particular, can cause glare and halos around lights during tasks such as night driving. Spherical aberration and other optical abberations of the eye — also called "higher-order aberrations," or HOA — usually cannot be corrected by eyeglasses or contact lenses. Recently, several manufacturers of lens implants used in cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange (RLE) have introduced aspheric IOLs designed to reduce spherical aberration and improve visual performance.
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Refractive lens exchange found safe, effective for treatment of hyperopia

June 26, 2009 -- Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is a lens-based refractive procedure in which the clear natural lens is removed from the eye and replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL) of appropriate power to correct moderate and high refractive errors. The procedure is essentially the same as cataract surgery. The only difference is that the lens being removed is clear, not clouded by cataracts. Many surgeons are reluctant to perform RLE for purely refractive reasons due to the potential for serious complications, such as glaucoma and retinal detachment.
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Artificial tears after LASIK improve visual outcomes

June 10, 2009 -- In a recent issue of EyeWorld, refractive surgeon Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, notes that using a high quality, long-lasting artificial tear before and after LASIK is an important component to successful surgical outcomes. Dr. McDonald, who also is a clinical professor of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine, recommends a product called Blink Tears (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA). The unique formula of Blink Tears, combined with its mechanism of action ensures the lubricating drop spreads out quickly on the eye to stabilize the eye's tear film and provides a smooth optical surface, she says. Maintaining a smooth, well-lubricated eye surface is important in reducing visual fluctuations as the cornea heals after surgery, according to Dr. McDonald.
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New iLASIK technology provides excellent outcomes for U.S. Navy aviators

June 8, 2009 -- Preliminary results of a study of U.S. Navy aviators receiving all-laser iLASIK treatment show 97 percent of eyes attain 20/20 or better uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) the day after surgery and 100 percent have 20/20 or better UCVA one week after surgery. The study is investigating the effect of a new fifth-generation femtosecond laser, the iFS laser (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA) on LASIK outcomes for naval aviators.
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Wavefront-guided LASIK induces fewer higher-order aberrations than wavefront-optimized LASIK

June 1, 2009 -- Typically, fewer higher-order aberrations means better visual outcomes after LASIK surgery. The study suggests wavefront-guided LASIK offers the best results for most patients, with a lower incidence of re-treatments. What are higher-order aberrations? Higher-order aberrations (HOAs) are subtle optical defects in the focusing system of the eye that can cause blur, glare, halos and other visual disturbances. Higher order aberrations differ from common refractive errors — nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism — which are easier to identify and can be corrected with eyeglasses and contact lenses.
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Multifocal IOL mixing, matching provides excellent visual outcomes

May 13, 2009 -- Multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) are implantable lenses designed to provide clear vision at all distances after cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange (RLE). But no multifocal IOL is perfect and will satisfy all the vision needs of all patients. European ophthalmologists performing refractive cataract surgery are finding that "mixing and matching" multifocal IOLs — using one type of multifocal IOL for one eye and a different type for the other eye — may be a superior alternative to implanting the same type of lens in both eyes.
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Aspheric IOLs provide better night vision, according to study

May 6, 2009 -- Aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs) are premium lens implants used in cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange (RLE). Manufacturers of aspheric IOLs say that because these lenses more closely mimic the shape of the eye's natural lens (that is removed during these procedures), aspheric IOLs cause fewer aberrations and provide sharper vision than conventional spherical IOLs. Few studies, however, have compared visual outcomes of aspheric and spherical IOLs of the same material and made by the same company in a way that would definitively show whether an aspheric IOL indeed provides better vision than a conventional spherical lens implant in the same individual.
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LASIK and PRK found safe, effective for treatment of accommodative esotropia

April 29, 2009 -- LASIK and PRK appear to be safe and effective treatments for children and young adults who have a binocular vision anomaly called accommodative esotropia, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Napoli and University of Milano in Italy. What is accommodative esotropia? Esotropia is an inward misalignment of one or both eyes to create a "crossed eyes" (or "cross-eyed") condition. Accommodative esotropia is a special type of crossed eyes caused by excessive focusing demands (accommodation) required of eyes with uncorrected farsightedness. Because it is caused by a refractive condition, accommodative esotropia sometimes is also called "refractive accommodative esotropia."
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Aberrometer introduced for wavefront-guided cataract surgery

April 22, 2009 -- Surgeons who specialize in refractive cataract surgery have a new tool to improve visual outcomes and decrease patients' needs for prescription eyewear after cataract surgery. The device, called the ORange Intraoperative Wavefront Aberrometer, was introduced recently by WaveTec Vision (Aliso Viejo, Calif.). The name of the device alludes to the fact that it is designed for use in the operating room (OR) and has a very wide range of measuring capability (-5.00 to +20.00 D) making it ideal for use during cataract surgery after the eye's natural lens is removed.
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Wavefront LASIK with iris registration best for mixed astigmatism, says study

April 8, 2009 -- Wavefront LASIK with iris registration provides better correction of mixed astigmatism than conventional or wavefront-guided LASIK with manual marking of the cornea to account for rotation of the eye during surgery, according to a recent study performed in Alexandria, Egypt. What is mixed astigmatism? Mixed corneal astigmatism is a special type of astigmatism whereby the unequal curvature of different meridians of the cornea causes the meridian of least curvature to be farsighted and the meridian of greatest curvature to be nearsighted.
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Latest microkeratomes and femtosecond lasers praised by LASIK surgeons

March 18, 2009 -- Advances in microkeratome and femtosecond laser technology are making LASIK safer and more predictable than ever. And while femtosecond lasers continue to gain popularity, offering patients an all-laser LASIK experience, new premium microkeratomes are making surgeons' decision about whether to switch from using a highly effective microkeratome to a much more costly femtosecond laser a difficult one. In the March 1, 2009 issue of Ocular Surgery News (Europe/Asia-Pacific Edition), several European and American LASIK surgeons weigh in with their opinions about both instruments.
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Surgeon offers advice for managing LASIK dry eye

February 25, 2009 -- Recognizing and managing dry eyes before and after LASIK is essential for patient satisfaction and good surgical outcomes, says Steven E. Wilson, MD. Dr. Wilson, director of corneal research at Cleveland Clinic's Cole Eye Institute (Cleveland, Ohio), shared tips on dry eye detection and management with LASIK surgeons and other eye doctors gathered at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
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Researchers report steroid-induced LASIK complication

February 18, 2009 -- Topical corticosteroid medications (eye drops) are routinely prescribed after LASIK surgery to prevent excess inflammation that could interfere with proper healing and vision recovery. But these same medications may cause LASIK complications in some patients, say researchers in Spain. Tomas Moya Calleja, MD and colleagues at the Instituto Oftalmologico Europeo in Valencia, Spain, report on three cases of a LASIK complication called interface fluid syndrome (IFS) in the February 2009 issue of Journal of Refractive Surgery. In all cases, the problem was caused by steroid-induced increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) from medications used to control inflammation after surgery.
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Surgeon offers method to address vision problems after cataract surgery with presbyopia-correcting IOLs

February 4, 2009 -- Modern refractive cataract surgery using accommodating and multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) is helping many people enjoy freedom from prescription eyeglasses and reading glasses after surgery. But in some cases, vision problems remain after cataract surgery with presbyopia-correcting IOLs. The key to successfully resolving these vision problems is to take a systematic approach, says Roger F. Steinert, MD, a specialist in cataract and refractive surgery at University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA). Dr. Steinert outlined his approach to solving post-operative vision problems in a recent issue of Refractive Eyecare.
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Tinted IOLs protect eyes from harmful visible light

January 30, 2009 -- Intraocular lenses (IOLs), also called lens implants, are used to replace the eye's natural lens in cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange surgery. A new study from Japan shows that yellow-tinted IOLs can protect the eye (specifically, the retina) from harmful effects from certain wavelengths of visible light. It's generally known that ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can be damaging to the eye. UV rays are invisible radiation with shorter wavelengths than visible light. To protect the eye from the sun's harmful UV rays, most IOLs have built-in UV protection. But recent research suggests certain visible light rays also can damage the retina, which is the inner lining of the back of the eye where light energy is converted into electrical impulses to create visual images. These potentially harmful visible rays are called high-energy visible (HEV) light.
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FDA approves AMO's Tecnis Multifocal IOL

January 19, 2009 -- Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) announced last week that its Tecnis Multifocal IOL has received FDA approval for use in cataract surgery performed in the United States. The new implantable intraocular lens (IOL) gives cataract patients superior near vision and reading speed compared to other presbyopia-correcting IOLs, according to the company. In a press release published January 16 on the company's website, AMO lists these additional features and benefits of the Tecnis Multifocal IOL...
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PRK, LASIK show equal long-term results

January 5, 2009 -- LASIK is the most popular laser vision correction surgery worldwide — due largely because it involves little or no discomfort and many patients have excellent visual acuity within 24 to 48 hours after surgery. PRK is preferred by some eye surgeons and patients because it eliminates the risk of flap complications during and after surgery. PRK is far less popular than LASIK, however, because vision recovery is slower and postoperative discomfort can be significant the first few days after surgery. But how do the long-term visual outcomes of the two procedures compare?
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FDA approves new ReSTOR multifocal IOL

December 23, 2008 -- Alcon, Inc. (Huenenberg, Switzerland) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's new AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +3.0 D multifocal IOL for cataract surgery. The new intraocular lens (IOL), which was introduced in international markets outside the United States earlier in 2008, is now approved for cataract surgery performed in the U.S. for patients with presbyopia.
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Epi-LASIK yields similar outcomes with or without flap

December 15, 2008 -- Epi-LASIK is a laser vision correction procedure that is a variation of PRK. Both surgeries are considered "surface" ablation procedures because the excimer laser treatment takes place near the surface of the cornea. No LASIK-style flap containing both the superficial corneal layer (the epithelium) and deeper corneal tissue (the stroma) is involved. But in epi-LASIK, rather than destroying a central zone of epithelium to prepare the eye for excimer laser treatment, an attempt is made to preserve it — both to relieve early post-operative discomfort and to speed healing (re-epithelialization) of the cornea after surgery.
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Monovision LASIK popular and effective for correction of presbyopia

August 29, 2008 -- Patients who are in their mid-40s and older have a decision to make when having LASIK or other types of refractive surgery, including PRK and LASEK, that younger patients don't need to worry about. Because they already have presbyopia and need a bifocal correction (or are very close to that age), patients 45 and older must decide whether to have both eyes fully corrected for good distance vision, or to have a monovision correction — where one eye is fully corrected for distance vision and the other eye is intentionally left mildly nearsighted for better near vision.
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Custom wavefront-guided LASIK for farsightedness found safe, effective

August 27, 2008 -- A new custom, or wavefront-guided, LASIK surgery was recently shown to be safe and effective for the correction of up to 4.00 diopters (D) of hyperopia (farsightedness) with up to 4.00 D of astigmatism, according to a recent clinical study. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new wavefront-guided LASIK treatment of hyperopia (with or without astigmatism) using the Zyoptix Personalized Laser Vision Correction System (Bausch & Lomb), combined with Bausch & Lomb's Technolas 217z excimer laser.
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Nearly 90 percent of Americans who have had vision correction surgery recommend it to others

August 25, 2008 -- One way to measure patient satisfaction with vision correction surgery is to find out how many people who have had the procedure recommend it to others afterward. According to data from the Jobson/VCA VisionWatch survey of American consumers for the 6-month period ending March 2008, nearly 90 percent of those who have undergone LASIK surgery or some other vision correction procedure have recommended it to others.
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Sustained-release lubricating insert offers more convenient relief of post-LASIK dry eye

August 11, 2008 -- Artificial tears often provide comforting relief from dry eye problems after LASIK, PRK, epi-LASIK and other laser vision correction procedures. But there's one problem: Most people forget to use them often enough or find it very inconvenient to use the drops several times a day.
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CustomVue wavefront-guided LASIK safe and effective for correction of high myopia

July 29, 2008 -- LASIK generally is considered safe, reliable and effective in the treatment of low to moderate amounts of myopia. But how well does it perform when attempting to correct high amounts of nearsightedness? A new study published in the August 2008 issue of Cornea finds the wavefront-guided Visx S4 CustomVue laser platform (Advanced Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA) provides good outcomes for these patients as well.
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Pupil size has little effect on patient satisfaction one year after LASIK for high myopia, says study

July 28, 2008 -- It stands to reason that the size of a person's pupils may play a part in their visual outcome and satisfaction after LASIK surgery. If a person's pupils are larger than the laser treatment area, it's likely that visual disturbances will occur. Pupil size especially comes into play when driving at night or during other activities in low light, when our pupils dilate to allow more light to enter the eye. To determine whether pupil size does in fact influence visual performance and patient satisfaction after LASIK, researchers in Denmark recently conducted a study that examined the influence of pupil size on highly myopic patients' self-reported ratings of the quality of their vision in daytime and nighttime conditions.
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OCT accurately measures flap, corneal bed thickness prior to LASIK enhancements

July 9, 2008 -- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-contact imaging system that uses low-energy laser light to create two-dimensional cross-sectional images of different structures within the eye. OCT devices are available to create images of anterior eye structures, such as the cornea, and posterior eye structures (e.g. the retina).
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LASIK or PRK: Which is better?

June 25, 2008 -- LASIK is the most popular type of vision correction surgery. But some experts say PRK (or photorefractive keratectomy) is safer and may produce better visual outcomes. At the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, surgeons Vincent P. de Luise, MD and Minas T. Coroneo debated which procedure is better.
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More LASIK surgeons prefer wavefront-guided laser treatments

June 19, 2008 -- What's the best way to find out the latest trends in refractive surgery? Ask the doctors themselves. At the 2008 Symposium and Congress of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) held April 4-9 in Chicago, Richard Duffey, MD presented the results of the annual ASCRS refractive surgery survey that he co-authors. Surveys were mailed to nearly 4,800 ASCRS refractive surgeons and 628 responses were received, for a response rate of approximately 13%. Among other findings, the survey shows a significantly higher percentage of refractive surgeons are recommending wavefront-guided laser treatments for the majority of their LASIK patients.
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FDA Clears New-Generation Laser for Creating LASIK Flaps

SANTA ANA, June, 2008 -- Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for a new-generation femtosecond laser for creating a thin flap on the eye's surface during LASIK. In a LASIK procedure, the laser-created flap is lifted and a different kind of laser, known as an excimer laser, then reshapes the eye's surface for vision correction.
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Automatic Eyeglasses Prescriptions? New Formula Connects Optical Quality With Visual Acuity

May 25, 2008 -- For the first time, a study combines measurements of abnormalities in the eye with models for assessing how well an individual can see, meaning it may be possible to program a machine to automatically produce prescriptions for corrective lenses. The model for predicting visual clarity -- based on measurements taken by today's highly accurate aberrometers -- could also enable surgeons to more accurately assess and correct the vision of patients undergoing lasik or refractive surgery.
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New model better at detecting patients at risk for ectasia after LASIK

May 21, 2008 -- For most patients, LASIK surgery is safe and effective. But in rare cases, a serious complication called ectasia can occur. Characterized by a thinning and bulging of the cornea, post-LASIK ectasia resembles a condition unrelated to refractive surgery called keratoconus. In both conditions, vision becomes distorted and cannot be corrected with eyeglasses.
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Personality may play role in post-LASIK satisfaction

May 14, 2008 -- In a study that may change how surgeons evaluate candidates for LASIK and other elective surgery in the future, researchers Jennifer Morse, MD, Steven C. Schallhorn, MD, and David J. Tanzer, MD are finding that a patient's personality may influence their overall satisfaction and visual quality of life after refractive surgery.
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FDA Hears USAEyes Competence Opinion Relative to Expectation (CORE) Lasik Quality of Life Patient Survey

WASHINGTON DC, April 25, 2008 -- More than 99% of patients report their quality of life after laser vision correction surgery is as they had expected or better, even though 2% report complications that are frequently or always problematic, according to a national patient survey conducted by the nonprofit Council or Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (USAEyes). Preliminary results of the USAEyes Competence Opinion Relative to Expectation (CORE) patient survey are being presented to the US Food and Drug Administration during a special hearing today.
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LASIK for farsightedness remains safe and effective five years after surgery

April 8, 2008 -- A new study indicates that LASIK laser eye surgery performed for the correction of hyperopia (farsightedness) provides safe, effective results throughout the 5-year follow-up period of the study. The results of the study were presented by Stephan Kaminski, M.D. at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), held in Chicago on April 4-8, 2008.
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Dry Eye After LASIK Linked to Low Tear Production

BOSTON, March 2008 -- People who don't produce enough tears could be poor candidates for LASIK eye surgery, according to Schepens Eye Research Institute scientists. Researchers identified specific low levels of tear production that could be linked to dry eye problems following LASIK. As part of the Schirmer eye test for dry eye, scientists found tear production was inadequate for LASIK at levels of less than 20 mm of moisture produced on a paper test strip during a five-minute period.
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Study Finds High Satisfaction Rate With LASIK

FAIRFAX, Va., March 2008 -- About 95 percent of the more than 16.3 million people worldwide who have undergone LASIK eye surgery are satisfied with their results, according to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). "We find that there is solid evidence in the world's scientific literature to affirm that there is an exceptionally high level of satisfaction in patients who have had LASIK surgery," said ASCRS president Richard L. Lindstrom, MD.
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Actress Kate Beckinsale advocates for Lasik

March 13, 2008 -- British actress Kate Beckinsale, who portrayed Ava Gardner in the 2004 film The Aviator, is the latest high profile actress to become an advocate for Lasik laser eye surgery after having undergone the procedure in 2005. A source reports her saying: "Have it. It's the best thing you will do."
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Why LASIK may be safer than contact lenses

January 24, 2008 -- A lot of eyebrows were raised in 2006 when a study conducted by researchers at Oregon Health and Science University's Casey Eye Institute (Portland, OR) suggested it may be safer in the long run to have LASIK surgery than to wear contact lenses. Now a new survey may explain why the conclusions of that study may indeed be correct.
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Aspiring Astronauts May Now Undergo LASIK

WASHINGTON, October 2007 -- Aspiring astronauts who have undergone "all laser" LASIK can now be considered for NASA's space program because of a recent policy change. Previously, LASIK was considered unsafe for astronauts in extreme conditions such as liftoff because of a hinged flap created on the eye's surface. After the cornea is reshaped by an excimer laser, the flap is replaced as a type of natural bandage.
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FDA Approves Monovision LASIK

WASHINGTON D.C., July 2007 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced approval of a common corrective eye surgery technique, known as monovision LASIK, in which one eye is corrected for near vision and the other eye is corrected for distance. The LASIK procedure often is used off label for correcting presbyopia, the age-related inability to focus at all distances. But the recent FDA action for the first time officially approves use of the monovision technique with a specific excimer laser, the Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) and Visx CustomVue.
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Older People Undergoing LASIK Can Achieve Good Outcomes

CHICAGO, April 2007 -- Older individuals undergoing LASIK can achieve positive outcomes, along with a good safety profile, says a University of Illinois at Chicago study. Adjustments were made in vision corrections to compensate for differences in the way the eye's clear front surface (cornea) heals in people 40 or older, said investigator and study co-author Dimitri Azar, MD.
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