To learn more about the application of Wavefront™ / WavePrint™ custom cornea technology in LASIK eye surgery, contact our office in the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas region.
Custom Cornea with Wavefront™ and Computerized WavePrint™ Mapping – Dallas, Fort Worth
No other LASIK provider in the Dallas and Fort Worth area has the equivalent experience or offers patients such as comprehensive an array of technology for preoperative testing and surgical planning. Information gathered during the initial preoperative examination is critical in planning the most successful outcome of a refractive procedure. These technologies are an integral part in creating each patient’s “custom cornea treatment plan” for the very best postoperative outcome.
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VISX® Wavefront™ System for CustomVue™ LASIK
Until a few years ago, corneal topography was the standard technology used by LASIK surgeons preoperatively to measure the sphere and astigmatism of the cornea. The VISX® Wavefront™ system is an important technological advance because it analyzes your entire visual system from cornea to retina – that is, from the front to the back of your eye.
The Wavefront™ system is derived from technology first developed to correct distortions of light waves from space, and was used in the Hubble Telescope. This technology allowed researchers to accurately view images of stars and planets. The WavePrint™ Map uses the same technology to measure light waves as they travel through your eye.
In addition to measuring low order aberrations (sphere and astigmatism), Wavefront™ also calculates many other imperfections called higher-order (impaired night vision, presence of halos, image distortion), and overall quality of vision before refractive surgery is performed.
The advanced diagnostic portion of the Wavefront™ technology produces a precise, detailed analysis of your vision, called the WavePrint™, and provides a customized laser vision correction plan that addresses your individual needs. At our facility in the greater Dallas area, this information can be coordinated with the VISX® STAR S4 ActiveTrak™ Excimer Laser System to create the most advanced system available.
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Video Demonstration
View a demonstration of WavePrint™ guided laser vision correction that addresses the unique imperfections in your cornea. Notice how the VISX® Excimer Laser reshapes the cornea, sharpening the blurred image to a single focused spot on the retina. Click here.
VISX WaveScan Wavefront System
VISX WavePrint™ Map measures spherical power, astigmatism (low order aberrations) and many other imperfections chart lower right (high order aberrations) of the entire visual system.
VISX WaveScan Wavefront System
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Orbscan II Anterior Segment Analysis System
The Orbscan II utilizes a non-invasive scanning slit and placido disc technology, providing a complete analysis of the anterior segment of the eye's optical system by acquiring more than 18,000 data points in less than two seconds. It provides information previously unattainable with standard technologies. This comprehensive analysis enables the surgeon to determine the ultimate potential for refractive resolutions and perhaps more importantly, whether a prospective patient should even have laser vision correction.
The Orbscan II is important in determining a patients’ candidacy for LASIK because it maps not only the front surface of the cornea (which is the extent of capability of all other placido-disc topography units) but the back surface of the cornea as well. Thus, it is the only technology that is capable of detecting and analyzing posterior corneal surface abnormalities. The importance of this is that it is on the posterior surface where corneal anomalies often first appear and these anomalies can preclude a patient from being a good LASIK candidate.
The OrbscanTM II also measures full corneal pachymetry (thickness) and then generates reproducible diagnostic maps, which are essential for optimal surgical planning. This feature helps the surgeon determine those patients whose corneas are too thin to have the LASIK procedure or those whose corneas are thick enough for the procedure but not thick enough to have a re-treatment. This helps both the surgeon and the patient determine if the LASIK procedure is right for them.
All Orbscan data is color coded according to value to demonstrate it graphically similar to a relief map. These maps can illustrate the degree elevation, curvature, thickness as well as other essential information for planning surgery. The upper left front corneal surface elevation, upper right corneal back surface measurements, lower left or corneal curvature power and lower right corneal pachymetry (thickness measurements).
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EyeSys System
The corneal surface has 75 percent of the refractive or light focusing ability of the eye. The EyeSys System utilizes placido disk technology (see below) to acquire images of the corneal surface. Placido disk technology is based on a technique that captures the reflection of rings of light off the surface of the cornea and measures the different distances between the ring reflections. Current software technology captures the reflected images with a digital camera, processes the data, and displays the information in multiple formats.
A Placido device is made up of many concentric light rings. The exact arrangement and number of rings may vary with different manufacturers.
Light rings are projected on the cornea above. This image is captured on a CCD and analyzed as thousands of computations are performed instantly.
The EyeSys System pictured measures approximately 8,000 points on the front surface of the cornea and generates color-coded curvature topographical maps that identify specific areas where varying degrees of corneal curvature and irregularities occur. It also detects the location and degree of any astigmatism that may be present. The EyeSys has served as a long-time industry standard and is often the only type of topography tool used by refractive surgeons to evaluate refractive candidates. Dr. Tylock has 12 years of experience using the EyeSys on over 40,000 refractive procedures.
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Humphrey Zeiss Atlas Corneal Topography System
The Humphrey Zeiss Atlas Corneal Topographer also utilizes placido disk technology to acquire images of the corneal surface. Current software technology captures the reflected images with a digital camera, processes the data, and displays the information in multiple formats.
The Atlas Corneal Topographer software provides information that is similar to most other placido disk topographers. Several types of maps can be created using the software. They include axial maps, which describe the radius of the curvature of the cornea relative to optic axis, curvature maps, which portray the radius of the curvature independent of the optic axis, and elevation maps, which illustrate the radius relative to a reference sphere.
Each of these maps has a unique purpose. For example, axial maps describe power, curvature maps depict shape, and elevation maps demonstrate areas that are above or below the average ideal surface. The Atlas Corneal Topographer lets the doctor develop a template that can portray any or all of the above-mentioned maps. Additionally, it allows for corneal shape analysis through an artificial intelligence program that can identify variations of normal as well as keratoconus suspects and patients with distorted corneas.
At the heart of the system is Humphrey Zeiss System's unique, patented MasterVue™ software. The MasterVue™ System's Cone of Focus technology and Arc-Step Algorithm permit accurate and high-resolution corneal measurement.
Humphrey Zeiss Atlas Topography has a wide variety maps that define the refractive corneal surface power that can be displayed on one print out. The axial maps above demonstrate corneal curvature and degree of astigmatism in the right (OD) and left (OS) eyes respectively. Below the axial maps are elevation maps that indicate the degree of elevation above or below the green reference color. Hot colors such as red and orange represent areas above the green reference color while various shades of blue indicate areas below it.
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Tracey Vision Function Analyzer (VFA)
The Tracey-VFA is an advanced diagnostic tool that measures how your entire eye focuses light, therefore how well you see. This instrument provides an entirely new level of precision and understanding. Many other technologies used in determining the refractive power of your eye can only measure simple nearsightedness, farsightedness and normal astigmatism. The Tracey-VFA goes much further measuring and comprehensively identifies small irregularities in the way your eye refracts light, which further defines the overall quality of your vision. With the Tracey-VFA, almost any eye can be evaluated, including those with irregular corneas and damaged retinas that can't be measured with any other instrument.
The Tracey-VFA uses technology originating from the space and defense industries to measure how light travels through the entire eye. This data assists in the planning of surgical and laser vision correction and can be extremely useful in understanding and treating many other eye conditions. Once it is known exactly how your eye refracts light, a customized approach to correct your visual system can be planned.
Tracey Visual Function Analyzer
Tracey Refraction Map Demonstrates Eye Power changes I in the eyes optical system.
Both eyes can be tested within a minute and nothing touches your eye. The Tracey-VFA differs from the VISX Wavefront™ in that it measures 64 different projections of light returning sequentially from the retina by projecting thin beams of light sequentially through the pupil in less than 50 milliseconds. Then, using powerful software analysis, higher and lower order aberrations can be identified. Aberrations are irregularities in the optical system that can cause undesirable, visual side effects and poor post-surgical results. Until we had the Tracy-VFA, many of these aberrations were impossible to detect and identify.
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Vision Pro and C-CAP Custom Contoured Ablation Programs
Vision Pro and C-CAP Custom Contoured Ablation Program are an important surgical planning tools used by Dr. Tylock to customize your surgical treatment. This technology may be used in patients that do not qualify for CustomVue™, have decreased vision or may have irregular corneas. Using the patients’ computerized eye maps and exam information Dr. Tylock is able to see the result of the simulated treatments entered into the computer. These treatments are modified until the desired result is attained. All this planning of course takes place well ahead of your actual procedure. Dr. Tylock has used this technique for several years successfully improving the eyesight of his patients.
The map above was taken prior to simulated treatment. The horizontal red and orange areas are elevated above the cooler colors green blue areas demonstrating this patient’s astigmatism.
The same map is above after simulated laser treatment. Observe the more uniform neutral green color centrally indicating a much smoother uniform surface without astigmatism.
To find out if custom cornea LASIK is right for you, contact our vision correction specialists in the Dallas area today.
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