Better Results with Wavefront
Patients who undergo wavefront-guided LASIK have a faster recovery, sharper vision, and fewer side effects. A study at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego compared the results of Navy patients who had had conventional LASIK with the results of those who had had wavefront-guided LASIK.
The results of the study indicated that 88% of conventional LASIK patients had achieved 20/20 or better vision 6 months after surgery. In contrast, 97% of the wavefront-guided LASIK patients had achieved 20/20 or better vision after the same time period.
Thirty percent of conventional LASIK patients reported an increase in seeing halos around lights at night, especially when driving. (This can be a temporary side effect of LASIK surgery). None of the wavefront-guided LASIK patients reported this side effect.
Overall, the study concluded that wavefront-guided LASIK offers patients better quality of vision than conventional LASIK, because it significantly decreases night vision problems, such as halos or glare. Wavefront patients reported a greater level of satisfaction with their results than the conventional group did.
Who Is a Candidate for Wavefront?
Most people who are candidates for conventional LASIK are also candidates for wavefront- guided LASIK. Should everyone have a wavefront analysis, especially in light of the fact that it may involve additional cost and some individuals may get an excellent result with conventional LASIK? Many eye doctors recommend it to all patients who are candidates, because the evidence is that, on average, it produces better vision than conventional treatment for all patients.
Individuals who have problems with image contrast or night vision while wearing their glasses or contacts may be especially interested in wavefront technology, because it can be effective in treating these visual errors.
Some patients who have already undergone an eye treatment may also be candidates.