About LADARVision LASIK
Excimer lasers aren't all the same. InSight Lasik now offers the Allegretto Wave™ Eye-Q laser system. The AllegrettoEye-Q offers our patients increased speed and accuracy. The Allegretto represents a new generation of refractive technology, and is the only system specifically designed for Custom LASIK from its inception, rather than being adapted or "upgraded" at a later date. Wavelight's Allegretto represents a new generation of refractive technology referred to as "High Performance Vision Correction," that allows patients to achieve exceptional results under all lighting situations, day and night, reducing incidents of "halos" and glare.
Please click here to read more about our exciting new technology!
March 2006:
About LADARVision
Our Laser Beam
The LADARVision system employs a flying small-spot laser beam that is 0.8 mm wide. This is important because only a very small, narrow beam permits precise, gradual corneal shaping. The beam used in LADARVision, called a Gaussian beam, also has a special shape. The tip is U-shaped, with smooth round corners, unlike other laser beam tips which are flat. The Gaussian beam shape aids in producing a smooth surface on the cornea.
Our Laser Radar Tracker
The LADARVision system addresses the challenge of eye movement with its incredibly fast and accurate laser radar eye tracking system. Adapting a concept originally developed by NASA, the LADARVision system tracks eye movements 4000 times a second. That's 33 times faster than any other tracker. It's more than fast enough to follow, and compensate for, eye movement. In fact, the LADARVision system is the only one that can make claims for improving the accuracy of corneal shaping that are approved by the FDA.
Furthermore, this is a closed-loop tracker. That means the information about eye movement is continuously relayed to the system, and the system continuously compensates for the movements, ensuring accurate placement of the laser beam. The laser radar tracker tells the laser where the eye will be when the beam is sent. To the patient undergoing LASIK surgery, the LADARVision laser radar tracker should add a great degree of confidence that any movement of your eyes during the procedure will not affect the beam's aim.
Our Treatment Zone
The LADARVision can extend to a true 8.0mm treatment area, with a blend zone reaching to 9.0mm. That's larger than any other excimer laser optic zone, making LADARVision the choice for people with large pupils and those concerned with night vision.
| LADARVision® | VISX Star S3/S4 | B&L Technolas | Nidek EC-5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye tracker | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Type of tracker | Laser radar Closed Loop | Video Open Loop | Video Open Loop | Video Open Loop |
| Speed of tracker (Hz) | 4,000 | 60 | 120 | 200 |
| Compensates for Saccadic Movement | yes | no | no | no |
| FDA Approved Tracker Claims | yes | no | no | no |
| Beam Profile | Gaussian | Flat Top | Flat Top | Flat Top |
| Laser beam type | Small spot | Broad beam | Small spot | Scanning Slit |
| Maximum Optic Treatment Zone | 8.0 mm | 6.5 mm | 7.0 mm | 6.5 mm |
Excimer Lasers - Aren't they all the same?
Many people believe "a laser is a laser is a laser." It's understandable, given that all LASIK systems use a laser beam to reshape corneas and help correct vision problems. But there are many differences in LASIK equipment.
- The LADARVision uses a small-spot Gaussian beam and follows eye movement with a closed-loop laser radar tracker. It has a true optic treatment zone up to 8mm.
- The VisX uses a broad beam and a video open-loop tracker. It has a true optic treatment zone up to 6.5mm.
- The Bausch and Lomb Technolas uses a small spot beam with a video open-loop tracker. It has a true optic treatment zone up to 7mm.
- The Nidek uses a scanning slit beam and doesn't use a tracking system at all. It has a true optic treatment zone up to 6.5mm.
These technological differences matter, because they can affect what happens during the procedure. More importantly, they can affect the vision you will have for the rest of your life.
Why Tracking Matters
The first, and perhaps most important, difference in lasers is the eye tracker. It tracks your eye movements so that even when your eye moves during surgery -and it will- the laser beam still makes precise contact with the cornea in exactly the right spot. You may never be aware of it, but everyone's eyes move about 100 times a second. These involuntary movements, called saccadic movements, can interfere with the placement and accuracy of the laser beam. So a tracker has to be fast enough to register these movements, and it has to track them continuously. Tracker speeds range from 60 times per second to more than 4,000 times per second, depending on the type of tracker. If the tracker is at least as fast as the eye's movement, the likelihood is greater that the laser beam will focus precisely on the area targeted for correction.
Trackers employ open-loop vs. closed-loop technologies. Open loop video systems like the VisX and Technolas follow eye drift, but shut the laser off if the eye moves beyond limits set by the doctor. No video tracker is FDA approved to improve the accuracy of the laser during surgery. A closed-loop system like the LADARVision actually measures and compensates for eye movements. By locking-on to the eye with radar, and staying locked on for the duration of the surgery, the laser can accurately predict where the eye will be at the exact moment the laser beam makes contact. The LADARVision is the only system with an FDA-approved claim for its tracker.
Why the Laser Beam Matters
The second important thing to consider is the kind of laser beam used. They're really not all the same. Laser beams can range from 9mm to less than 1mm in width. It's the width of the beam that defines it as either a broad-beam or small-spot beam laser. Like a wide paintbrush, broad-beam lasers can cover a large amount of surface quickly but may not be precise and gradual in the shaping of the cornea. A small-spot beam, on the other hand, is less than 1mm in width and lets the surgeon do corneal shaping in fine, gradual, precise increments.
Why the Optic Treatment Zone Matters
The third important thing to look for is the true optic treatment zone of the laser. The optic zone should match or exceed your pupil size in dim illumination so that at night, when your pupils expand, you still see through a fully corrected cornea. This will minimize any chance of glare, halos or starbursts at night. Don't be misled by "blend zones." These are transition areas that gradually smooth out the edges of the laser treatment area to minimize night vision problems. But blend zones don't enlarge the actual optic treatment zone. Make sure your pupil size is measured in low light and choose a laser with an optic zone that meets or exceeds that measurement.