Wavefront LASIK FAQ
We offer Wavefront LASIK surgery at our San Francisco area offices that also serve San Jose, South Bay, Oakland East Bat, and Santa Rosa California. Below are a few frequently asked questions to help your LASIK surgery decision.
- What Wavefront optical distortions are present in an eye?
- What is the CustomVue™ System (Custom LASIK)?
- What is personal best vision?
- Can you briefly explain what a patient will experience during the course of this procedure?
- Will I need glasses or contacts after the CustomVue™ procedure?
- What were the visual acuity results of the FDA clinical study?
- What does better than 20/20 vision mean?
- How could the CustomVue™ procedure affect my night vision?
- Why is WaveScan technology so important to the CustomVue™ procedure?
- Is Wavefront a separate procedure?
- Is CustomVue™ more beneficial for some people than others?
- What are the benefits of Custom LASIK?
- Can I get the same results from a regular LASIK procedure if I choose not to have CustomVue™?
- How should I decide whether or not to choose CustomVue™?
ANSWERS
What Wavefront optical distortions are present in an eye?
In general terms, there are two types of optical distortions: low-order and high-order. Low-order distortions include nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. There are a number of types of high-order distortions. These may be responsible for some of the vision and night vision concerns that some patients have had after laser surgery. These include ghosting (double vision), starbursts, and halos. The measurement and treatment of optical distortion is done with the CustomVue™ System.
What is the CustomVue™ System?
The CustomVue™ System includes the Wavefront Map and the 3D ActiveTrak™ excimer laser with Variable Spot Scanning (VSS™). This system allows your surgeon to treat your optical distortion by performing Wavefront-guided laser treatment according to your individual customized treatment plan.
What is personal-best vision?
Because every individual's eyes are unique, each individual may benefit from a correction custom-tailored for them. For the first time, CustomVue™ using WaveScan technology can measure and correct the unique characteristics of each individual's vision, potentially providing them with the best possible vision for their eyes, or their personal-best vision.
Can you briefly explain what a patient will experience during the course of this procedure?
The individual will initially meet with a LaserVue doctor for an evaluation to determine if he or she is a good candidate for the CustomVue™ procedure. A WaveScan measurement will be taken to map the unique characteristics of his or her vision. Our doctors will assess several criteria, including level of correction and overall eye health, and discuss the benefits and risks of the procedure with the patient. Once it is confirmed that the individual is a good candidate, he or she can be scheduled for CustomVue™. Our staff will provide details for the individual on how to prepare for the day of the procedure. On procedure day, the individual will be seated in a reclined position. Anesthetic drops will be placed in the eyes and a flap will be created in the cornea. The individual's treatment information is digitally transferred from the WaveScan to the VISX® laser in order to drive the CustomVue™ procedure. The actual laser procedure typically takes several seconds. The majority of individuals feel no pain during the procedure. After CustomVue™, individuals will notice results immediately, and vision will continue to improve over the next few days. The individual will be scheduled for a follow-up visit the next day and again several weeks after the initial procedure.
Will I need glasses or contacts after the CustomVue™ procedure?
Probably not. Six months after the clinical study, all participants saw well enough to drive a car without glasses or contacts. Ninety-four percent had 20/20 vision. However, individual results may vary.
What were the visual acuity results of the FDA clinical study?
A significant result was that six months after the VISX CustomVue™ procedure:
- 100% of participants could pass a driving test without glasses or contacts
- 94% of participants could see 20/20 or better without glasses or contacts
- 74% of participants could see better than 20/20 without glasses or contacts
What does better than 20/20 mean?
20/20 is the current standard for excellence in vision. But, with the CustomVue™ procedure, individuals have the potential to see even better than 20/20. In fact, six months after the CustomVue™ procedure, more than 74 percent of clinical study participants saw 20/16 or better.
How could the CustomVue™ procedure affect my night vision?
Many patients found their night vision was improved after the CustomVue™ procedure. In fact, in the clinical study, four times as many participants were very satisfied with their night vision after the procedure as compared to their night vision before with glasses or contacts.
Why is WaveScan technology so important to the CustomVue™ procedure?
For the first time, WaveScan technology captures unique imperfections in each individual's vision that could not have been measured before using standard methods for glasses and contact lenses. This new level of measurement provides 25 times more precision than standard measurements for glasses and contact lenses. Then, WaveScan technology produces a detailed map of the eye—much like a fingerprint, no two are alike—and WaveScan digital information is transferred to the laser, providing a new level of precision and accuracy.
Is Wavefront a separate procedure?
Wavefront may be used with traditional LASIK. CustomVue™ describes the measurement of optical distortion with Wavefront technology and the software used to run the excimer laser. There is no significant difference in how the actual LASIK procedure is done, whether Wavefront or conventional software is used.
Is CustomVue™ more beneficial for some people than others?
Variable Spot Scanning (VSS™), a component of the CustomVue™ System, which allows for a larger treatment area, offers your surgeon greater flexibility in developing a more personalized laser vision procedure when pupil size may be a consideration. In addition, research has shown that CustomVue™ is particularly helpful when treating higher order distortions. This is especially beneficial for patients with higher prescriptions and larger pupils.
What are the benefits of Custom LASIK (CustomVue™)?
The benefits of Wavefront-guided laser vision correction include:
- Higher chance of seeing 20/20, depending on your goal
- The ability to offer treatment to people with larger pupils
- Reduced frequency of night vision problems following treatment
- Clearer, crisper results compared to treatments performed without CustomVue™
Can I get the same results from a regular LASIK procedure if I choose not to have CustomVue™?
For patients with certain prescriptions, the likelihood of seeing 20/20 is essentially the same for CustomVue™ and conventional treatments. For appropriate patients with higher prescriptions, the likelihood of seeing 20/20 is higher with CustomVue™. For all appropriate patients, CustomVue™ treatments give a higher likelihood of seeing better than 20/20, decrease the likelihood of losing vision, and improve the likelihood of the same or better night vision.
How should I decide whether or not to choose CustomVue™?
The first step is to contact LaserVue Eye Center to schedule a complimentary personal vision assessment to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for laser vision correction and CustomVue™. After considering the benefits of CustomVue™ and discussing your options with your surgeon, you will be in much better position to decide if custom Wavefront-guided LASIK is right for you.
