What Is Topography-Guided LASIK?
Contoura® Vision is a topography-guided LASIK treatment that is the latest FDA approved LASIK eye surgery technology available in the U.S. This new technology has unique capabilities that provide surgeons a greater degree of individual personalization. No other LASIK procedure available in the U.S. is this precise and individualized. The procedure is redefining the term “quality of vision” with studies showing that many patients experienced better vision than they ever did with glasses or contact lenses.
Contoura Vision, topography-guided LASIK, technology provides surgeons much more detailed information on the structure of the cornea than prior generations of LASIK procedures. The data provided by the topographer measures the unique characteristics of each person’s eyes that cannot be measured with traditional technology. This data provides an individual profile for each eye that surgeons can use to perform personalized laser eye surgery procedures.
Topography-guided LASIK has also shown to improve vision equal to or better than glasses or contact lenses for the majority of patients. Contoura Vision, topography-guided LASIK,is the next evolution in personalized LASIK surgery and the latest FDA approved topographic laser technology in the United States.
Who Is a Candidate For Topography-Guided LASIK?
Contoura Vision is an exciting new treatment that will be available for many, but not all patients. Topography-guided LASIK is for patients that are nearsighted with and without an astigmatism.
Topography-Guided LASIK is also especially helpful to patients with astigmatism, as no two astigmatism patterns are the same. This personalized LASIK procedure addresses these differences much more accurately than before. A thorough consultation at TLC Laser Eye Centers can help determine your eligibility for topography-guided LASIK eye procedure.
How Does Topography-Guided LASIK Work?
Using the topographer and the WaveLight® EX500 Excimer Laser together, the procedure changes the shape of the patient’s cornea, significantly improving vision. Because the topography-guided LASIK procedure is uniquely individualized to each patient’s cornea, the risk of experiencing light sensitivity, glare and halos after the procedure are reduced.
The custom treatment uses a variety of extremely detailed images on each of your eyes, to assess a patient’s specific vision correction needs. The patient’s eye is imaged and analyzed using 22,000 unique elevation points on the cornea. This data is then sent to a surgical planning computer to create an individualized, custom profile to optimize the patient’s vision.
What To Expect With Topography-Guided LASIK
The entire procedure typically lasts about fifteen minutes. Most patients report little or no discomfort throughout the surgery.
Topography-Guided LASIK Recovery
Most LASIK patients notice dramatic visual improvements immediately following their Contoura Vision LASIK procedure, however recovery time varies for each individual person. Some patients with higher prescriptions might recover more slowly. In addition to resting with protective eye shields in a postoperative room for about an hour, your TLC doctor will recommend:
- Have someone drive you home after the surgery and to help you pick up any medications that may have been prescribed
- Keeping your eyes clean and avoid rubbing them
- Rest comfortably at home for at least a few hours with your protective eye shields
- Follow additional postoperative instructions the surgeon may give you
It is not uncommon to experience mild to moderate discomfort during the first few days after surgery as your eye heals. Some people experience minor issues such as watery or red eyes for the first few days after the procedure, but others are able to return to work the very next day. Your TLC LASIK surgeon will provide or prescribe medications to help with any discomfort and will may also schedule a follow-up appointment the next day to test your vision and ensure your eyes are healing properly.