Which Calgary laser eye centre has the best excimer laser?

Whether you are considering LASIK, PRK, Intralasik, or Epi-LASIK in Calgary, you may be wondering which excimer laser is going to give the best results. Keep in mind that the laser while important is only one factor to consider when choosing a surgeon and center for laser vision correction.

There are 3 types of excimer lasers which are categorized by the laser beam profile. Broad beam lasers are able to ultilize a variable diameter pulse by using shutters. Scanning slit excimer lasers use a rectangular shaped beam which also can be varied by the use of shutters. The flying spot uses a fixed small diameter spot size.

Lasers will also vary according the eye tracking technologies. Eye tracking uses an infrared beam which to track the pupil in the vertical and horizontal meridians. The tracker follows small eye movements also known as saccades occur during laser treatment. If the pupil moves too far out of position then the tracker will stop the laser treatment. In many cases the surgeon will stop the treatment and realign the pupil even before the tracker automatically stops the treatment.

Some lasers also have a rotational tracker called cyclotorsion control. This rotational control is important for astigmatism corrections (astigmatism means your eye has 2 difference curvatures at 90 degrees to each other like a football or barrel). Cyclotorsion control is also important for wavefront treatments in which the higher order aberrations or more complex individual irregularities are corrected along with the nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Since the wavefront treatments are highly complex and individual a rotation of the eye will lessen the accuracy of the correction. Studies have shown that in some people the eye will cyclorotate up to several degrees between the upright and supine (laying down) position.

While the most commonly used lasers available today have a long and well established record of safety and effective results, the Visx Star S4 IR is the only laser available in Canada today which offers both a wavefront CustomVue treatment with iris recognition and cyclotorsion control.

The Visx Star S4 IR is a well established excimer laser platform with proven excellent results and is the laser which is most commonly chosen laser among North American surgeons. The Visx Star S4 IR also offers variable spot size and variable repetition rate which provides exceptional smoothness and lessens the possibility of haze.

When comparing excimer laser technology consider all the factors including whether or not a true wavefront correction can be performed and whether cyclotorsion control is available. Your surgeon will inform you if you qualify for laser vision correction and should be available to answer any questions you may have about the laser technology.

You should also consider carefully the options available at each center as these may vary. At Western Laser Eye associates Dr. Anderson Penno offers surface treatments PRK and Epi-LASIK which offer excellent long term results and carry less risk than flap based procedures such as LASIK and Intralasik.

Also consider surgeon availability for pre- and post- procedure consultations, cost, and retreatment options. The decision to undergo laser vision correction can be complex. Our staff is available to answer any questions you may have about our centre, our technology, and our surgeon. Contact Western Laser Eye Associates to book your complimentary consultation with Dr. Anderson Penno.