NASA Approved Eye Technology Arrives In NZ
When it comes to achieving 20/20 vision, no two eyes are alike – and, as such neither should be your vision correction.
Eye Institute today launches iLASIK, the very first vision correction procedure designed to be 100 percent custom-fit
from beginning to end – a procedure that is approved by the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) for use on
astronauts and by the US Department of Defense for top-gun pilots.
The iLASIK procedure addresses the uniqueness of your two eyes – from the individual curvature of your corneas, to the
microscopic nuances of your eye’s anatomy – designed to deliver the exact correction to allow for 20/20 or better
vision.
“iLASIK has been a decade in the making, with each new advancement furthering the next,” said Dr Trevor Gray, one of
five Eye Institute laser vision correction surgeons.
“We are always hunting for significant advances in technology that offer Eye Institute patients better vision and
greater safety. iLASIK fulfils these important qualities by combining all of the most advanced laser vision correction
technologies into one premium procedure, eliminating any confusion for patients seeking the very best,” he said.
“Our patients can be confident that not only will they have improved vision but also that iLASIK is extremely safe. The
technology has been put through extensive tests proving its suitability for astronauts and fighter pilots – after all,
even your most extreme civilian lifestyle is nothing compared to being ejected from an F16 or the g-forces of
atmospheric blastoff.”
Custom-Fitting the iLASIK Procedure
Just like the tailoring of a fine suit or couture fashion, the iLASIK procedure is 100 percent tailor-made for the
patient, their vision and the unique characteristics of their eyes. Patients take advantage of the 3D-mapping, precise
measurement and the use of beginning-to-end, state-of-the-art technologies differentiate the iLASIK procedure from all
others. The iLASIK procedure also provides better visual outcomes and superior safety through reduced flap
complications. The iLASIK procedure is performed in three steps:
• Step One: iLASIK surgeons now have the most precise tools to measure and map the unique characteristics of your two
eyes – down to the most microscopic features individual to you. Three-dimensional mapping – known as a WaveScan map
–creates a blueprint (or fingerprint) of your eye, allowing the iLASIK surgeon to custom-fit the iLASIK procedure for
each of your eyes.
• Step Two: Two lasers are used in the iLASIK procedure. The first, ultra-fast laser creates a thin corneal flap, which
is then folded back to allow the second laser to correct your vision based on the exact specification/measurement of
your eye(s). The procedure takes just minutes. Patients experience a quick, virtually painless procedure with potential
for 20/20 or better vision and unparalleled safety through reduced flap complications.
• Step Three: Final post-op visits are conducted and then you are free to resume your active lifestyle, with the
potential of 20/20 or better vision.
Simply The Best: The iLASIK Procedure Demonstrates Clinical Superiority From Start To Finish
More than a decade since FDA approval, LASIK remains not only the most common, but also the most clinically-studied
elective surgical procedure in the world. It was this very same clinical research that revealed the combination of
technologies – femtosecond and wavefront guided lasers, iris registration and 3-D mapping – provided superior safety and
better visual outcomes for patients than all previous LASIK techniques through reduced flap complications.
Clinical trials have shown more patients achieve 20/20 or better vision when two lasers are used, as in the iLASIK
procedure, instead of the single-laser platform of previous LASIK techniques. Clinical studies using one of the
components in the iLASIK procedure show that one year after iLASIK treatment*:
• More than 95 percent of all clinical study participants could pass a driving test without glasses or contact lenses.
• Almost three-quarters of all participants could see 20/20 or better without glasses or contact lenses.
• Four times as many mild-to-moderately nearsighted participants were very satisfied with their night vision after
treatment compared to their night vision before treatment with glasses or contacts.
• 98 percent of mild-to-moderately nearsighted patients could see 20/20 or better one year after treatment; 100 percent
of mild-to-moderately nearsighted patients and more than 95 percent of patients with mixed astigmatism could pass a
driving test without glasses or contact lenses.
The iLASIK procedure comprises the Advanced CustomVue excimer laser vision correction procedure using VISX Technology,
corneal flap creation with the IntraLase FS (femtosecond) laser, and WaveScan mapping and guidance all from AMO
(Advanced Medical Optics).
About Eye Institute
The specialists at Eye Institute in Auckland are acknowledged leaders in ophthalmology, including laser surgery,
cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery, and also offer expertise in glaucoma management, neuro-ophthalmology, retina,
squint, eyelid surgery, eye infections and inflammation.
More experienced in laser surgery than any other clinic in Australasia, Eye Institute is also New Zealand’s pioneer of
no-stitch cataract surgery, and the techniques are continually being refined. The clinic features New Zealand’s first
purpose-built day-stay eye hospital, ensuring enhanced quality of care and keeping costs among the lowest in the
eye-care field.
ENDS