Wavefront Lasik - How it's done and what it is?

Traditional LASIK surgery achieves a simple correction of focusing power by reshaping the cornea with the aid of a laser. Wavefront LASIK is a variation of that conventional procedure and accomplishes a spatially varying correction based on readings from a wavefront sensor. In essence, a wavefront sensor measures the eye itself. Wavefront measurements reveal the irregularities of the lens, which cause optical aberrations (any deviation from a desired perfect planar wavefront).

Wavefront custom sculpts the cornea to accomplish corrected vision. In many ways, Wavefront offers better results than traditional LASIK. LASIK has certain potential side effects including halos or glare, which are caused due to induced spherical aberration. Anyone considering Lasik laser eye surgery will welcome the introduction of wavefront technology into the process. It gives the eye surgeon the information needed for a more effective and successful procedure.

Eye surgeons now have available a new technology that makes vision correction more precise. It's called "wavefront".

To correct poor vision Lasik eye surgery has become the popular choice. Lasik surgery links the condition of the patient's visual system to the Lasik laser for correction.

The incisions performed on the cornea of the eye are customized to the patient's individual needs. Accurate data concerning the condition of the patient's eyes is all important. Wavefront technology is a technology that is capable of measuring refraction at multiple points on the eye as light is reflected upon it. This creates a "map" of the patient's eye. Because each eye is unique the data from each eye must be carefully analyzed so that the Lasik laser maybe properly programmed.


Conditions within the cornea of every eye affect refraction. The ability to treat these aberrations can result in an improved outcome after Lasik surgery. Clinical trials using wavelength technology have shown that nearly 80% of Lasik eye surgery patients undergoing custom surgery achieved 20/20 vision. This is a higher number than those who underwent traditional Lasik surgery.

Another benefit of wavefront is in determining which patients are not candidates for Lasik surgery. Wavefront technology can detect an infinite number of aberrations by using a fixation target along with an input laser beam. A wavefront sensor is used to measure the slope of the wavefront as it exits the eye. When the laser light beam enters the eye, it produces a flat wavefront. In the perfect eye, a wavefront that is still completely flat will reflect back. After wavefront is used to evaluate and diagnose existing aberrations in the eye, it is used to create the exact procedure for reshaping the cornea.

Wavefront technology is not new. Wavefront is used for adjusting the optics in their telescopes. The data resulting from wavefront technology is used to remove aberrations. The procedure employed by the wavefront analyzer to measure higher order aberrations would appear quite complex to a layman.

This wavefront is compared against a planar wavefront, in order to determine both lower and higher order aberrations.