Our Blog

Our Team is dedicated to reading the current medical and scientific literature regarding LASIK and update this information on this web page. It is our commitment to staying current on LASIK research and educate our patients. 

January 3, 2014

Dry Eyes After LASIK: Microkeratome versus Intralase

Although this is an older research paper, it is an important one and it answers a question patients commonly ask, "which LASIK technology is the best?" It is our opinion at the Orange County LASIK Institute that the use of the Intralase femtosecond laser to make the corneal flap offers our patients significant benefits over the use of the microkeratome (blade).  The Intralase laser allows the surgeon to produce a more precise corneal flap, have more customizable options during surgery and creates a smoother corneal flap to allow for optimal results and fewer complications. In addition to these previously known advantages of the Intralase laser, there was a published 2009 study by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery that determined that all-laser LASIK resulted in less dry eye complications in patients when compared to those who had bladed LASIK.

Researchers at the Cole Eye Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, investigated the difference in clinically significant dryness in patients who received all-laser LASIK versus those who had bladed LASIK.  They found that patients who had bladed LASIK had more symptoms of dryness than those who had all-laser LASIK.  Additionally, patients who underwent bladed LASIK were more likely to need treatment with prescription Restasis eye drops for the management of dry eye symptoms that were not satisfactorily relieved with the use of artificial tears alone.  Researchers hypothesize that the decreased incidence of LASIK induced dry eye within the all-laser group was likely attributed to the thinner, more precise corneal flaps the laser was able to produce which resulted in less damage to corneal nerves. 

Salomão, Marcella Q., Renato Ambrósio, and Steven E. Wilson. "Dry Eye Associated with Laser in Situ Keratomileusis: Mechanical Microkeratome versus Femtosecond Laser." Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 35.10 (2009): 1756-760. Print.

The information is from the review of research and literature by the Orange County LASIK Institute doctors and presents their opinion of the available research up to date.  It does not mean to take the part of the informed consent with a doctor and is used as an educational aide.  This is not meant to imply superiority or inferiority of a laser system and each surgeon will have different results/skills with each laser system.  It is meant to be a summary of one practice opinions based on review of the literature. Effort has been made to cite the original research paper and source of research.

© All content written and copyrighted by the San Diego LASIK Institute