Refractive surgery with excimer laser is a safe and effective surgical technique by which you can correct visual defects.
Refractive surgery needs to be effective and durable over time so we need to use advanced tools like 7D Laser. Available at Humanitas, this technology is capable of making adjustments according to the corneas curvature, avoiding the effects of regression.
We spoke with Professor Paolo Vinciguerra, head of Ophthalmology at Humanitas.
The Spot Position
During Refractive Surgery, the laser strikes the cornea, vaporizing the tissue and changing its shape. As the laser strikes, it may fall perpendicularly or diagonally moving away from the centre due to corneal curve.
The spot of the laser, ie the surface of the section of the light beam, from round becomes oval and the flow of energy is lower in places further away from the center. The result is prone to regression, meaning an excellent initial result followed by a deterioration in the long term.
It is therefore essential that the laser is capable of compensating for the energy difference. Particularly so, when the eye performs movement and generates a steepening at one point compared to another.
“The position of the spot on the curvature and that of the eye in space are all factors that affect the precision of lasers,” explains the professor.
The 7 Dimensional laser
This is the latest generation of laser which allows an even higher precision and speed in the correction of visual defects. “Currently it is the only laser able to follow eye movements in seven dimensions: up-down, right-left, turning on its axis, tilt and most importantly the seventh dimension.
The seventh dimension measures the transfer rate of the eye. The system calculates the mechanical delay of the laser and the speed of the beam to hit the spot of the eye where it will be at a given time” explains the professor.
Report and Maintenance
All information related to the surgery is printed in a report and draws up a detailed relationship. This is useful to understanding when the system needs maintenance.
“Maintenance is important as lasers are very delicate and need to be in environments with controlled temperature, humidity and dust. It is therefore necessary to have dedicated rooms, built specifically for these purposes. This maintenance is only possible in high volume centers like Humanitas” concludes Prof. Vinciguerra.
