Bladeless LASIK

LASIK is performed under a hinged flap of corneal tissue. Once the flap is created and folded back, the excimer laser removes corneal tissue, reshaping the underlying tissue to correct any vision abnormalities. The corneal flap is then relocated over the treated area where it bonds with no need for stitches. LASIK patients experience little if any discomfort. Functional vision returns very rapidly, with the majority of patients seeing well enough to drive in a day or two, without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

During the first step of the LASIK procedure, a corneal flap is made.  In the past, the corneal flap was created by a mechanical device which used a blade (microkeratome). Today, we offer our patients ALL LASER LASIK using the IntraLASE® femtosecond laser to create the corneal flap, thereby adding a higher level of safety and precision to the LASIK procedure.

Using this Blade-Free LASIK procedure, the IntraLase laser delivers over millions of tiny, micron-sized bubbles that gently separate the layers of corneal tissue. This creates a customized corneal flap of the desired thickness, size, orientation, and location. This unprecedented level of control also allows more patients to qualify for LASIK and virtually eliminates many of the complications associated with the past mechanical approach.

Along with being the first LASIK surgeon in the U.S., Dr. Slade also has the longest experience in the U.S. with this remarkable blade-free Intralase technology. He was the lead investigator and medical director for the Intralase to receive FDA approval.

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