The femtosecond laser eliminates the need for a bladed surgical tool to create the corneal flap. No surgical blade of any kind is needed in all-laser LASIK.
In addition to putting patients at greater ease (knowing that no blade will be used on their eye) advantages of bladeless, femtosecond laser LASIK include:
- More predictable corneal flap thickness
- Decreased risk of corneal abrasions during surgery
- Decreased risk of induced astigmatism after LASIK
Also, in some cases, a femtosecond laser may make it possible to create a thinner corneal flap, which could enable the surgeon to safely correct higher amounts of nearsightedness.
The femtosecond laser also gives more options in flap size, shape, and orientation, for a more customized LASIK procedure for each patient’s needs.