What is the difference between LASIK and FemtoLasik procedure?

18 July 2024

Refractive surgery has revolutionized ophthalmology, allowing millions of people to improve their vision and reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses and contact lenses. Among the best-known procedures are LASIK and FemtoLASIK. Although both aim to correct refractive problems such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, there are key differences between them in terms of the technology and procedure used. Below are the main differences between LASIK and FemtoLasik.

What is LASIK?

LASIK is one of the most popular refractive surgery procedures and has been widely used since the 1990s. This procedure involves two main stages:

1. Creation of the corneal flap: A microkeratome, a surgical instrument with a very fine blade, is used to create a small flap on the surface of the cornea. This flap is lifted to expose the underlying corneal tissue.

2. Corneal reshaping: An excimer laser (MEL 90) is used to reshape the cornea. The excimer laser emits pulses of ultraviolet light that eliminate small amounts of corneal tissue, modifying its shape to correct the refractive error. After remodeling, the corneal flap is repositioned and attached without the need for sutures.

What is FemtoLasik?

FemtoLasik is an advanced variant of LASIK that uses femtosecond laser technology instead of a microkeratome to create the corneal flap. The stages of the procedure are similar to LASIK, but with a crucial difference in the first stage:

1. Creation of the corneal flap with a femtosecond laser: Instead of using a blade, FemtoLASIK uses a femtosecond laser (VISUMAX 800) to create the corneal flap. This laser emits ultrafast pulses that separate corneal tissue with extremely high precision.

2. Corneal reshaping: Similar to LASIK, an excimer laser (MEL 90) is used to reshape the cornea and correct refractive error. After remodeling, the corneal flap is repositioned.