Wavefront LASIK, also called custom LASIK, is laser vision correction planned from a detailed map of your eye. Instead of treating only your glasses prescription, it measures the small imperfections that are unique to your eye, and your laser treatment is tailored to them.
How wavefront mapping works
Before surgery, you look into a measuring device called an aberrometer. It sends light into your eye and measures how that light is distorted on its way back out. The result is a map of your eye’s optics that is as individual as a fingerprint. Two people with the same glasses prescription can have very different wavefront maps.
The map shows two kinds of imperfections:
- Lower-order aberrations: nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. These make up about 90% of what affects your vision, and they are what glasses and contact lenses correct.
- Higher-order aberrations: the remaining, subtler distortions that can cause glare, halos and poor night vision. Glasses and contacts cannot correct these.
Your map is sent to the excimer laser, which uses it to guide your treatment, so both kinds of imperfections can be addressed.
Benefits of wavefront LASIK
- More precise measurements. The aberrometer captures far more detail than the “which is clearer, one or two?” test used for glasses, so your surgeon plans your treatment with better information.
- A treatment tailored to your eye. Wavefront LASIK corrects your prescription and can also address the higher-order aberrations that standard measurements miss.
- Sharper vision, especially at night. Treating higher-order aberrations can reduce glare and halos, which is why many patients notice the difference most after dark.
FDA clinical study results
One year after the VISX CustomVue wavefront procedure, participants in the FDA clinical study reported:
- 100% could pass a driving test without glasses or contact lenses
- 98% could see 20/20 or better without glasses or contact lenses
- 70% could see better than 20/20 without glasses or contact lenses
- Four times as many were very satisfied with their night vision after treatment as with their previous glasses or contacts
Results from the FDA clinical study of the VISX CustomVue procedure. Individual results vary.
Proven technology
The FDA first approved wavefront technology for eye surgery in 2002. The same principle had been used for decades in powerful telescopes to sharpen images of distant objects in space, and NASA later approved wavefront-guided LASIK for its astronauts.
Is wavefront LASIK right for you?
The best way to find out is a consultation with our surgeons. They will measure your eyes, talk through your goals and recommend the option that fits you best, whether that is LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL or another procedure.