New Lasers May Allow High Myopia Patients to be Treated by LASIK

For many people with very high myopia, LASIK is simply not an option. While there are other laser vision correction surgeries or lens replacements that may be possible, the success rate of LASIK is more appealing. So, their disappointment is palpable and understandable. However, a new generation excimer laser and aberration-free ablation profiles may allow these people to undergo LASIK successfully. As LASIK technology improves, more severely myopic patients may be treated.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, 51 eyes of 32 patients who had the spherical equivalent of myopia or astigmatism of at least 8.5 D underwent LASIK using the sixth-generation Amaris excimer laser. The flaps were created using the IntraLase femtosecond laser, and ORK-CAM software was used to design the optimized aspheric aberration-free ablation profiles. The preoperative spherical mean equivalent of the patients was -8.66 D. Of the 51 eyes operated on, four needed re-treatment.

Visual acuity stabilized in nearly all patients (98%) after three months. Emmetropia, or sharpness of focus when the eye is relaxed, was near 0.5 D in over 84% of the eyes, and over 90% of eyes postoperative was within 1 D of emmetropia.

Although further studies need to be done, this is promising for those whose nearsightedness and astigmatism is so bad they've been told LASIK will never be an option.

If you would like to find out more about your LASIK options, please contact an experienced LASIK surgeon in your area today.