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Wavefront Guided Versus Wavefront Optimised.
When investigating different LASIK technologies and treatment options it is important to realize some significant differences exist between "Wavefront guided" and "Wavefront optimized" technologies.
In the United States, the FDA has approved four different wavefront responsive lasers. The trade names are CustomVue using the VISX STAR S4 IR laser, Custom Cornea using the Alcon LADARVision and Zyoptix using the Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217z laser. These three lasers have the ability to create an ablation pattern customized from an individual patient's Wavefront diagnostic evaluation or map.
The fourth, WaveLight Allegretto laser uses Wavefront-derived data in the laboratory to "optimize" its laser ablation pattern but does not use an individual patient's Wavefront diagnosis to create a customized ablation pattern. CustomVue (VISX), Custom Cornea (Alcon) and Zyoptix (Bausch & Lomb), are all customized to the individual's eye. VISX, Alcon, and Bausch & Lomb are true Custom Wavefront Guided. Allegretto is not truely Custom, but instead "Wavefront Optimized". There is a prominent difference between these two types of technology systems.
As a general rule the quality of vision with "Wavefront guided" LASIK is superior to "Wavefront optimized" LASIK. Individual circumstances however, will vary.
The chart below discusses the claims of "Wavefront optimized" LASIK verses the true custom "Wavefront guided" LASIK procedure.
Allegretto WaveLight "Wavefront Optimized"
VISX CustomVue "Wavefront Guided"
Wavefront Optimized Only-Not "True" custom Wavefront Guided.
"True" Custom Wavefront Guided technology is superior to Wavefront Optimized
Claim 1:
Preserves or improves quality of vision in regards to glare and night driving.
Response 1:
This is theoretical only, no clinical studies apply. VISX CustomVue was shown in clinical studies to demonstrate superior night vision satisfaction.
Claim 2:
Maintains and protects natural shape of the cornea.
Response 2:
Allegretto only addresses steepening of the periphery of the cornea to maintain a more natural shape. VISX CustomVue also compensates by steepening the periphery of the cornea to maintain a natural shape and more importantly corrects all aberrations in a patient's vision.
Claim 3:
Provides superior clinical results.
Response 3
Superior results compared to what? Only proven superior results to results of conventional LASIK treatment, not "true" Custom Wavefront guided LASIK. Although Wavefront optimized is superior to conventional LASIK, it lacks the ability to correct higher order aberrations in the vision that "true" custom Wavefront guided treatment is designed to correct.
VISX CustomVue is superior to conventional LASIK and superior to Wavefront optimized because VISX CustomVue corrects all higher order aberrations.
VISX uses special instrumentation or a computerized map called an aberrometer to identify unusual irregularities in the vision and create a fingerprint of the eye's vision, which the laser then in turn corrects.
Allegretto WaveLight cannot take a fingerprint of the visual system of the eye and correct for irregularities, as does VISX CustomVue.
VISX results are unsurpassed at every level of correction, involving all unique higher order aberrations of each eye, not averaged response to data derived.
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