Bladeless LASIK

DaVinci Bladeless LASIK – Clear Advantage Vision Correction Center was the FIRST center in Northern New England offering an “all laser,” blade-free, LASIK procedure. In fact, the DaVinci Femtosecond laser is one of the newest, and most advanced bladeless lasers on the market today. In traditional LASIK surgery, a thin flap in the cornea is created by a microkeratome (a mechanical device with a precise, sharp blade). The DaVinci Femtosecond laser solves the “flap cutting with a blade” by using an extraordinarily fast and ultra precise laser that essentially creates millions of air bubbles in the cornea that overlap creating a “bubble” on the front of the eye, which is then gently lifted.  Being a great alternative for patients who previously were unable to get LASIK due to thin corneas or dry eyes, Bladeless LASIK is the perfect solution.

Description of the DaVinci Bladeless LASIK procedure – Prior to surgery, the surgeon will go through the procedure step-by-step so that you will know what will be taking place. Before starting surgery, one of your eyes will be covered while the other eye is being treated.

Next, a series of numbing drops are placed in the eye, making DaVinci Bladeless LASIK a virtually pain-free procedure. Once the eye is numbed, a lid holder is placed on the eye, which prevents the eye from blinking. Patients are then directed to watch a blinking red light to minimize movement. The DaVinci laser, under computer and surgeon control, will then be activated for very short intervals- a femtosecond (that is a quadrillionth of a second) for each DaVinci laser pulse.

Following your treatment plan, it is pre-determined exactly how deeply the laser will penetrate, so as not to affect the stroma where the Intralase laser will work. The laser emits a very low density series of pulses. This allows for a more uniform surface for your excimer laser treatment and potentially better results. Such subtle control is not possible with a microkeratome (the mechanical bladed instrument used in traditional LASIK).

The DaVinci laser moves back and forth over the designated treatment area on the eye, creating a round, shallow area of two million tiny bubbles linked in rows; this creates the corneal flap. Your eye surgeon then uses a special instrument to gently lift the flap.

The DaVinci Bladeless LASIK procedure is very quick, and the patient will have virtually no recovery time.

After the surgery, patients are advised to go home and “rest” their eyes for the remainder of the day. Patients are given eye drops to keep the eyes clean and moist and sleeping goggles and sunglasses are provided to help protect eyes from being rubbed.

Enhanced precision and safety make DaVinci Bladeless LASIK the procedure of choice for the Military and NASA – The safety profile of femtosecond lasers has been demonstrated in over one million cases and has been widely accepted as a significantly safer procedure over the microkeratome, used in traditional LASIK. Because of the enhanced safety record of femtosecond lasers, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have all approved, and strongly recommend its use for their personnel. NASA has also approved it for astronauts, who work under physically stressful conditions in space.

Frequently Asked Questions about DaVinci Bladeless LASIK