THURSDAY, May 4, 2006 (HealthDay News) -- Two types of LASIK laser vision-correction surgery work equally well six months after the procedure, according to a Mayo Clinic study that used a variety of vision and eye health measurements to compare the two.
The two approaches are the newer, bladeless ("femtosecond") LASIK and mechanical microkeratome LASIK.
"At six months after surgery, there are no differences between the eyes that had bladeless or microkeratome LASIK with respect to visual acuity (vision measured by reading an eye chart), contrast sensitivity (ability to discriminate bright objects from dark objects), or in perception of stray light or glare, such as glare from oncoming headlights," study investigator and Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist Dr. Sanjay Patel said in a prepared statement.
The study included 20 patients who received treatment for nearsightedness or astigmatism. Each of the patients was treated with bladeless LASIK in one eye and microkeratome LASIK in the other eye.
Given that both types of LASIK produce similar results, Patel said he slightly prefers bladeless LASIK due to its potential safety, something that wasn't measured in the study.
"I'd say the short-term outcomes are equal, and the risks are, in theory, less with the bladeless technique, although our study was not designed to compare risks. Bladeless LASIK is potentially safer because of the computer-controlled precision, the ability to visualize the flap (in the eye) being created, and to stop the procedure whenever necessary," Patel noted.
"That said, however, the risk of complications with a traditional, microkeratome blade is very small: Some vision loss from surgery with a microkeratome blade occurs in under 1 percent of all cases. The long-term risks of either procedure, however, are unknown, and defining them is the primary purpose of our study," Patel said.
He and his colleagues plan to track the study participants' vision and eye health for five years.
The findings from the first six months are expected to presented next week at a meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about LASIK.
