Surgery to correct refractive errors has undergone a tremendous evolution since inception 20 years ago. Every five years or so, the technology has leaped forward, so that each generation is ‘heads and shoulders’ above the generation before. Wills Laser Vision at Princeton is widely credited for having pioneered the latest innovations and has always been first to upgrade technology every step of the way. At this point, LASIK is now established as a mainstream procedure. Several recent surveys startlingly highlight how much so.
In a recent survey of physicians, the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, reports how beneficial LASIK can be. Over 40% of refractive ophthalmologists have had this procedure performed on themselves and nearly 90% have had a relative have it as well. The satisfaction rate was overwhelming. 96% said they would have it again. The vast majority said that they see better after LASIK than they did with glasses or contacts. None said that they saw worse. None were unhappy.
Another nationwide study conducted by Dr. Francis Price of Indiana compared LASIK patients against contact lens and eyeglasses wearers. All three groups were generally happy, but when LASIK patients were asked to compare themselves against themselves wearing contacts or glasses, they overwhelmingly touted the benefits of LASIK. The majority said they see better after surgery, with less nighttime glare than they had with contacts or glasses. The vast majority said the comfort of their eyes and convenience made a big difference. In the right person, it is clear now that the safety of LASIK supersedes the safety of contact lens use.
This presumes that the highest level of care is taken when having LASIK. This starts with the better diagnostics beforehand that can rule out improper corneas. The Pentacam analysis, available at Wills Laser Vision at Princeton, is considered the world standard for pre-op analysis. For surgery, while the expertise of the surgeon is obviously most relevant, every surgeon must have the best tools. At Wills Laser Vision at Princeton, the recognized ‘best in its class’ lasers are employed. There are two lasers involved, and Wills Laser Vision at Princeton is the only center in Central NJ that has either. The laser that does the sculpting of the cornea is the Allegretto Eye-Q 400. The ‘400’ refers to the fact that the tracking system re-aligns the laser to the center of the tracked pupil of the patient 400 times a second. This assures perfect alignment of the laser to the visual axis of the eye, even if the patient is a bit nervous and moves a little. The ‘400’ also refers to the fact that the sculpting is done with many, many, fine, delicate pulses, as opposed to the coarser ablations at 10 times a second done with competing lasers. No one else in Central NJ has this system. To prepare the eye for sculpting, another laser is used to lift up the skin overlying the cornea. The most advanced tool in the world for this is the Alcon FS200. It measures tissue particles in microns, delivering precise laser pulses finer than the diameter of a human hair. Wills Laser Vision at Princeton was the first in the Mid-Atlantic States to utilize this technology.
A recent article by Nicole Kwan on FoxNews.com reports ‘LASIK eye surgery safe in long-term’. The article cites a retrospective study of LASIK patients by Spanish researchers that determined 10 years after LASIK, patients had healthy corneas and their vision remained accurate. The article also points out there are fewer long-term studies now because of the proven safety and effectiveness of the procedure.
Wills Laser Vision at Princeton has become the flagship LASIK center for the Wills Eye Surgical Hospital and Network. Wills Eye Hospital is commonly acknowledged to be the premier eye institute in the United States. It is not surprising that the best technology is found there. Almost all of the physicians at Princeton Eye Group were trained at Wills Eye Hospital and most are still actively involved in education of residents and other ophthalmologists.
In fact, some of the doctors of the Princeton Eye Group have undergone LASIK on the very same equipment as their patients. Dr. Epstein, Drs. Richard and Michael Wong, and Dr. Jadico, as well as the wives of Dr. Felton, and Drs. Richard and Michael Wong have also had LASIK performed by their beloved doctors of the Princeton Eye Group.
Most patients who’ve been part of the LASIK revolution will say that this procedure was life transforming. ‘A Miracle’, many have written in their post-operative reviews.