Our LASIK Expert Dr Anand Shroff is involved in the entire process of consultation and does all the LASIK specific tests himself. This is one of the reasons for our excellent outcomes. The LASIK procedure is also performed by him. The process is automated. The Wavefront maps are also analysed and accepted through our laser software. Our laser also has one of the active eye trackers, so even if you move your eyes during the treatment, the laser shot falls where it has to, as the tracker tracks your eye at 500 times a second!

The reason for sensitivity needs to be determined. Some eyes are sensitive 'subjectively' with nothing wrong. Some have an underlying allergy. This will be dealt with during your examination with Dr Anand. However, to ease your mind, during the LASIK process, eye drops which anaesthetize your eyes are used, hence you will be comfortable during the process. We have had patients put across similar queries and they have done well. The laser technology we use is important not to give you any disadvantages such as night vision problems, haloes and glares which exist with other systems. In addition using complete disposables, we never have encountered infection. In fact we have a strict infection control group within the hospital itself.

That is our aim too. The only thing that we prepare our patients for is the event of needing a touch up or re treatment as they call it. This is sometimes because, in spite of having done our best and taken all predictable objectives, we still cannot predict wound healing. It sometimes can heal leaving behind a small number. In our experience we have seen upto 0.75 D usually. However, this is treatable and we offer to re treat this number free of cost. Hence, it only means that in rare cases LASIK may be in two steps. The rate of this re treatment or fine tuning in our center is less than 1% which in most centers is above 10%.

The success rates of each center differ and that is because like I mentioned earlier success depends on a combination of doctors experience, technology the doctor is using and the general practices of sterilization, disposables etc.

The Wavelight Concerto 500 Hz Laser that we are using now is the 500 Hz system and superior in performance to the 200 Hz and the 400 Hz which is available in USA. A site http://www.allaboutvision.com/wavelight/ may give you a better idea of what this technology is about from experts in USA. However they are referring to the 200 Hz which treats upto -7.00D safely, and we with the 500 Hz go upto -14 D.

But a good laser alone is not the only criteria, the experience of the surgeon is equally or more important. Dr Anand Shroff is a very skilled doctor and even trains new users of the Wavelight laser from many different countries in our HQ in Germany.

Higher order aberrations, decreased contrast, haloes, glares.

In the procedure of LASIK, before the laser shoots off the numbers we need to make a flap. The flap is created with a microkeratome. The thickness of the flap to be taken is determined during your evaluation process. Many centres faced problems in LASIK not because of the laser but also because of poor flap technique. The best laser in the world still does not compensate for a poor surgical technique. That is why we stress that the success is dependent on the combination of doctors skill, laser technology and strict hygiene.

To quote another expert, It's like Tiger Woods and a weekend golfer who both use the same top golf clubs.
Who do you think will get better results with the same golf clubs?

Intralase LASIK or 'All laser LASIK' as it is marketed was designed to overcome flap complications. In many countries where many doctors are jumping into LASIK practice with little experience there are more chances of flap complications and USA has decided to address it with the intralase laser technology. The intralase uses the technique of air bubbles expanding to make the cut for the flap instead of a microkeratome blade. This would be more useful for doctors who are LASIK beginners and not so important for experts using modern microkeratomes. Most importantly, currently, the technique of intralase makes the corneal bed uneven before the LASIK treatment and also makes the flap edge less clean than a flap cut with the microkeratome, hence the healing of the cornea is also dependent on this factor and the predictability of results again is in question.

The flap was incorporated into the LASIK procedure since other techniques like PRK, LASEK etc were very painful and also the outcome unpredictable and not so accurate as that of custom or wavefront LASIK. Also, the patient needs to use steroid eye drops for over 6 months which in itself has side effects.

No doubt, the blade versus bladeless LASIK debate will continue. Hence we work best with the Moria M2 microkeratome and the Wavelight 500 Hz system with complete disposable kits which has never given us any major flap complications.