VisuMax™ The most advanced laser vision correction technology on the planet.
Precision and safety with a more personalised and gentle treatment
Only available in New Zealand through the Eye Centre Group - serving central New Zealand
EASY PAYMENT PLAN | WHY CHOOSE US
How the Excimer Laser corrects Refractive Errors
The Excimer Laser
The excimer laser uses very high energy pulses of ultraviolet light to alter the shape of the cornea.
The pulses of light are shaped and smoothed and then, under computer control, are used to alter the shape of the cornea by breaking molecular bonds to remove tissue.
How the Laser Corrects Refractive Errors
Short sight is corrected by flattening the cornea by removing a very small amount of central corneal tissue. Typically, less than 20% of the corneal thickness is removed and the strength of the cornea is not reduced. The greater the refractive error, the more tissue must be removed and the longer the time needed to complete the procedure.
The MEL 80 laser is one of the fastest lasers available. Its speed results in faster treatment times, less discomfort during the procedure and faster visual recovery. In most cases the laser will be running for less than 30 seconds.
To correct astigmatism at the same time as the short sight is corrected, an oval pattern of laser spots is used rather than a circular pattern of spots.
How the VisuMax femtosecond Laser works
A femtosecond laser produces extremely short pulses of laser light which are used to divide layers of corneal tissue. A femtosecond is 1/1000000000000000 (1x10-15 ) of a second. One femtosecond compared to one second is like the diameter of a human hair relative to the distance between the earth and moon. The VisuMax laser produces 500 pulses a second, each pulse lasting up to 580 femtoseconds. During the time of one of these pulses, light travels less than a millimeter.
These laser pulses are focused at a very small point in the corneal tissue where the energy released splits the tissue. A pattern of laser spots is laid down in such a way as to separate a layer of corneal tissue.
The accuracy of all femtosecond lasers is adequate to cut a flap of corneal tissue which is then lifted out of the way, allowing the tissue under the flap to be reshaped, thus correcting the refractive error. However most lasers are not accurate enough to allow correction of refractive errors.
Only the VisuMax laser, used by the Eye Centre group, has sufficient accuracy that it can potentially be used to reshape the cornea for correction of refractive errors as well as create a corneal flap. The VisuMax laser can therefore be used to perform femtoLASIK like other femtosecond lasers, but in the future may also be able to perform laser vision correction.