How is Wavefront Technology Used in Lasik Vision Correction?

This technology, known as the Wavefront Technology allows your physician to 'tailor' a Lasik operation accurately to fit each patient, hence resulting in an even and clear vision.

In astronomy, where the concept of the Wavefront technology was born, it is very vital to get near perfect optics so that one can see clearly the tiny light sources located millions and millions of miles away in the universe. In the same note, the Wavefront Technology concept was aimed at attesting to whether a mirror or lens had any imperfections to it. During the 70s, a sensor was made to be able to check these surfaces electronically. After successful studies, one type of the sensor is the one used today in the Wavefront guided Lasik operations.

This sensor was first used in ophthalmology, then in the Lasik vision correction procedures, in Germany by a physician by the name Josef Billie who paved way for other physicians to use it in Lasik procedures. Later on in 1997, it was announced to Lasik laser manufacturing companies of the improved sensor which has great accuracy and speed. The announcement paved way for the manufacturers to start developing tools and equipments using the Wavefront concept for their laser systems. This was after FDA approved the use of the first Wavefront guided Lasik vision correction system to be used for general purposes.

How does a Wavefront work? It basically makes a map of all the imperfections in the eyes and then sends the map to the laser which is used in the Lasik vision correction part of the operation. It gives opportunity for specific alterations to the eye to be made, so that Lasik could present the best ever vision correction.

In lay man's terms, a tiny, flat sheet of light, in this case a wavefront, is passed through the eye, mirrored off of the retina and then passed back through the eye for it to be captured by the Wavefront machine. Would there be any imperfections it would be noted by the form inwhich the light returns, which would then be identified by the Wavefront machine. On the other hand, if there are no imperfections, the light would go back and be captured by the machine as a flat sheet.

A number of the tiny flat sheets of light, which are sent into both eyes from various different angles and directions, generate a three dimensional map of the eye which is the one used during the vision correction procedure. This procedure corrects myopia or nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness among over 60 other problems. All the information that is generated by the sensor is then converted into a set of instructions by some software. These instructions are the ones carried out by the Lasik examiner laser. Consult your doctor if this is the right procedure for you and discover the use of technology for vision correction.