Thin Flap LASIK is Safe and Effective

Thin Flap Lasik uses an ultra-thin 130 microkearatome blade to create the flap that is lifted during LASIK surgery. This allows the surgeon to retain more of the patient's corneal tissue upon which to apply the laser. The Thin Flap LASIK technique is especially advantageous for people with high degrees of nearsightedness and/or thin corneas, who otherwise would not be considered suitable candidates for LASIK. Dr. Dougherty is an authority on the development and practice of Thin Flap LASIK. His Thin Flap LASIK research study has been published extensively in leading peer reviewed medical journals.

Thin Flap LASIK is Safe and Effective for Patients Previously Ill-Suited for LASIK Surgery, Study Reports

Technique Makes LASIK Possible for Estimated 10-12 Million Americans with High Degrees of Nearsightedness and/or Thin Corneas

Los Angeles – September 24, 2003 – A study published in the Journal of Clinical & Surgical Ophthalmology reports Thin Flap LASIK performed with a 130-micron microkeratome head is safe and effective for patients with high degrees of nearsightedness (myopia) and/or thin corneas. The journal is the official publication of the Canadian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Previously considered poor candidates for LASIK surgery, an estimated 10 to 12 million Americans suffer from high degrees of nearsightedness (typically more than -6 diopters) and/or thin corneas (typically less than 550 microns).

"The results of this study demonstrate that surgeons can consistently perform safe and effective LASIK on patients who until now have been forced to pursue other vision correction options," said study author Paul Dougherty, M.D., medical director of Dougherty Laser Vision Institute (Los Angeles and Camarillo, Calif.) and a clinical instructor at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute. Thin Flap LASIK using a 130 micron head can treat a broad range of patients with high degrees of nearsightedness and/or thin corneas."

The published study, titled “Thin Flap LASIK” (Clinical & Surgical Ophthalmology 1/21:8, 2003), compared results from 155 eyes of 80 patients in the 130-micron group to 279 eyes of 148 in the 160-micron group. The results for both groups were found to be similar in terms of vision improvement and flap complications. No flap complications were noted in the Thin Flap LASIK group. The study site was Dougherty Laser Vision Institute. Results were achieved using the BD K-3000 Microkeratome manufactured by BD Ophthalmic Systems (Franklin Lakes, New Jersey).

While surgery performed with a 130-micron microkeratome is especially advantageous for the roughly 10 percent of patients with high degrees of nearsightedness and/or thin corneas, it also holds benefits for many typical LASIK patients by preserving more eye tissue after the laser treatment to ensure long-term stability of the results. Dr. Dougherty currently treats up to 70 percent using the Thin Flap LASIK approach.

During Thin Flap LASIK surgery, a thin flap of corneal tissue is cut and peeled back to allow a laser to reshape the cornea underneath. The cutting is performed using a device called a microkeratome that creates a flap typically 160 to 180-microns thick -- a measure equal to the thickness of one or two human hairs. While this approach works well for the majority of patients, it is often ill suited for those with high degrees of nearsightedness and/or thin corneas, because their correction requires more tissue to be removed with the laser and/or they have less initial cornea tissue available. With Thin Flap LASIK, surgeons peel back a thinner 130-micron flap, thus retaining more of the patient's corneal tissue with which to work.

Despite the very encouraging study results, Dr. Dougherty warns that the Thin Flap LASIK technique has its limits. "Even with the success of the 130-micron microkeratome head, I strongly advise against performing LASIK on any patient whose cornea is thinner than
500-microns," he said.

Thin Flap Lasik

Dr. Paul Dougherty is a Los Angeles Laser Eye Surgery specialist who also is an expert with the Crystalens and Staar Visian ICL Implantable Contact Lens.
When you think of Los Angeles LASIK Surgery, think of Dougherty Laser Vision Correction.

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