Refractive Surgery Blog

On August 24, 2007, NASA released newly expanded images of the Helix nebula taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectacular image that looks like a large eye is actually that of a dying star unraveling into space. Using the Spitzer Space Telescope, scientists have been able to map the six-light-year-wide nebula and have found what appears to be a planetary system that survived the explosion that created the above image. The Spitzer Space Telescope image was released on the fourth anniversary of its' launch in 2003.

Ophthalmologists have been very interested in the space telescopes because many of the optical challenges faced and overcome by NASA scientists have been applied to modern refractive surgery. The Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes are considered to be NASA's "Great Observatories."

Labels: Space Telescopes and Modern Refractive Surgery

Earlier this year, "Match Day" was held for the almost 20,000 medical students across the country. This was the day when graduating fourth year medical students chose and were chosen for one of the various medical specialty residencies programs. In the past, ophthalmology was always the first or second most difficult residencies to obtain but that position was supplanted by dermatology in recent years. Well, history is repeating itself with a resurgence of interest in ophthalmology.

According to Wired magazine, ophthalmology has become one of the most popular medical specialties. Residency choices broke down like this: 23% chose internal medicine followed by pediatrics with 12%. Radiology was chosen 8% of the time and ophthalmology and emergency room programs weighed in at 7%.

While it seems to me that primary care specialties like internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics and obgyn would best serve our growing population's medical needs, sub-specialty programs are growing in popularity.

Stuart Lewis, MD

Labels: Ophthalmology Residencies

In a recent report, the U.S. Navy has mandated that all pilots undergoing laser corrective surgery have it done with Wavefront-guided Technology and with the use of the IntraLase to create the corneal flap. This approach is also known as sub-Bowman's keratomileusis (SBK). I have been an advocate of exactly this surgical approach for the past year and have used it on 99% of all LASIK patients. In fact, I use identical equipment to that used on Navy pilots. The reasons for my recommending this approach is that I believe the risks of this procedure are greatly reduced and that the visual results are as good or better than those seen after traditional LASIK.

Navy Physicians found that Wavefront-guided LASIK with the IntraLase Method provided improved contrast sensitivity. They also found that femtosecond (IntraLase FS laser) flaps led to faster visual recovery and better contrast sensitivity compared with mechanical microkeratomes. In an evaluation of night driving vision, naval aviators who were treated with IntraLase plus wavefront-guided LASIK showed an above average improvement in performance.

The U.S. Navy now performs LASIK with a flap created by a femtosecond laser (IntraLase FS laser) and corrects the refractive error with a wavefront-guided ablation (VISX STAR S4 laser). IntraLase was awarded a contract from the Defense Logistics Agency for IntraLase FS lasers, procedures, maintenance and support for the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Federal civilian agencies.



Stuart Lewis, MD

Labels: Intralasik