Dr. Stephen Updegraff of Updegraff Vision promotes all laser LASIK. Blade-free LASIK may sound like a good idea, but wait until you read about the risks of this latest technology. Bladeless IntraLase LASIK has risks, side effects and complications. Laser-created flaps introduced new problems not found with LASIK using a blade.
January, 2012 – Researchers find that LASIK with the IntraLase femtosecond laser offers no significant benefits over LASIK with microkeratomes.
Link to peer-reviewed article
7/29/2011 – FDA urged to revamp its 510(k) process for clearing medical devices, which includes all-laser bladeless IntraLase lasers.
Read article
14% incidence of complication of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after LASIK using the latest IntraLase laser. Source: Choe CH, Guss C, Musch DC, Niziol LM, Shtein RM. Incidence of diffuse lamellar keratitis after LASIK with 15 KHz, 30 KHz, and 60 KHz femtosecond laser flap creation. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2010 Nov;36(11):1912-8. Link
Femtosecond flap-cutting lasers “cleared” by FDA, not proven safe
From the article: All these devices entered the market through 510(k) clearances. Although OBL only rarely impacts visual acuity at three months post-procedure, it is part of a growing number of “a new array of complications” with femtosecond lasers, which are used to bladelessly create corneal flaps preparatory to LASIK reshaping.
Link to FDA News Alert
Some of the reported complications of femtosecond lasers are opaque bubble layer, corrugated corneal stromal bed, extreme light sensitivity, partial flaps, rainbow glare, torn flap, vertical gas breakthrough, epithelial ingrowth, flap necrosis, diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK), corneal perforation, incomplete flap, decentered flaps, small flaps, slipped flaps, flap folds, traumatic flap dislocation, gas bubbles in the anterior chamber, optic nerve damage, flap tears, haze, macular hemorrhage, infection, stromal cell necrosis, inflammation, keratocyte cell death, corneal nerve damage, goblet cell reduction, and interface particles.
Read more about problems of bladefree IntraLase femtosecond laser technology at this link: All Laser LASIK
Read reports of bad outcomes and complications filed with the FDA related to all laser, bladeless IntraLase LASIK: Link
Vincent P. de Luise, MD: “…a flap is a flap is a flap. Not making a flap is safer than making a flap, regardless of the method employed… it’s still a flap no matter how you slice it.” Source