One of the reasons for the exponential progression of laser eye surgery is the use of bladeless technologies. Instead of having to undergo a knife for the purposes of vision correction, the laser eye surgeons use laser beams that are ultra-precise. However, there are not many that may be aware of the fact that there exist more methods of a laser eye surgery. Yes, we are talking about laser eye surgery carried out with blades. This blogs looks at the concepts of both bladeless and blade laser eye surgeries along with the various pros and cons associated with them
How do blade and bladeless laser eye surgery work?
A laser eye surgery basically requires the adjustment of vision by reshaping a patient’s cornea. A laser eye surgery includes several procedures such as LASIK, LASEK, ReLEx Smile and advanced surface ablation. While all of them involve the use of laser technology for vision correction, the procedure may be carried out a little differently.
The most renowned and latest form of a laser eye surgery is LASIK. It requires surgeons to create a thing flap under the cornea using excimer laser.
Creating corneal flaps with blades and lasers
At the time when LASIK was introduced, the procedure wasn’t entirely bladeless. The conventional or the blade form of LASIK involves the usage of a laser for reshaping cornea. However, the blade laser eye surgery required the thin corneal flap to be created manually with the help of a Microkeratome blade.
On the other hand, the bladeless procedure of laser eye surgery involves the creation of the flap using the femtosecond laser technology.
Blade Vs. Bladeless Laser Eye Surgery
The bladeless technology certainly has its advantages over the conventional method. The chances of any sorts of infections arising post the surgery are very minimal. The usage of the femtosecond laser ensures that the creation of the flap takes place in a very precise manner. It helps the surgeon to plot the exact dissections and cuts needed to create the flap. These flaps thus created with the help of lasers are largely robust and eliminate the risks of flap – related complications. Hence, the bladeless laser eye surgery or LASIK is more preferred by patients.
On the other hand, the blade laser eye surgery may include a few factors that you would like to take into consideration. It is more expensive than the bladeless procedure. This is because of the intricacies that might be involved in the procedure. Both procedure usually takes the equal amount of time to be carried out. However, the recovery period involved in the blade procedure is longer.
So having discussed all about both the methods of laser eye surgery, we have something more to share.
The pain involved in the Bladeless procedure is absolutely absent. You won’t fail any pain at all. The eyes are numbed before the procedure can be carried out. Anaesthetic solution, only one drop of which is enough to block out any sensation will ensure you are safe.
Here was the distinction between blade and bladeless laser eye surgery. With further consultation with experts, you may figure out what is suitable for you.
