A Guide to Laser Vision Correction by Robert K. Maloney, M.D., Ernest W. Kornmehl, M.D., and Jonathan M. Davidorf, M.D.
Wavefront Technology: How It Has Improved LASIK
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 percent of conventional LASIK patients had achieved 20/20 or better vision six months after surgery. In contrast, 97 percent 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.
