Today, many people are concerned over the use of the mircorkeratome blade that is used to create a flap in the cornea so the cornea can be reshaped. The reason there is so much concern is that the majority of the risks involved with laser eye surgery is from the creation of this flap. However, there is now an alternative method where an individual can receive laser eye surgery without blades.

Today you can have laser eye surgery without blades performed with an instrument that utilizes an infrared laser and IntraLASIK software. This will create a flap using a pre-programmed depth and position. A low-pressure soft suction ring will hold your eye while the laser cuts the cornea tissue. This will cause bubbles of water and carbon dioxide to form at that plane. The bubbles will join together forming a smooth surface between the flap and the corneal bed. The laser does not change the curvature of the cornea or affect the prescription. This is also a better laser eye surgery procedure as no damage can be done to the surrounding tissue.

The laser that is used for laser eye surgery without blades uses pinpoint accuracy. The instrument, IntraLase zigzags the laser energy at the point of the hinge and then goes back and forth across the cornea. The laser itself will cut the side of the flap so the hinge area is never touched.

Laser eye surgery has several benefits including the entire procedure can be done in one minute per eye. Other benefits include that there will be less danger of corneal abrasion, thick flap, thin flap, a flap with incorrect diameter, buttonhole flap, or a partial flap. There is also less chances of the flap slipping in case of an accidental bump during or after surgery.

Laser eye surgery without blades is best for patients with farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, small corneal diameters, and large pupils.

Disadvantages of laser eye surgery without blades include the procedure takes longer than other types of laser eye surgery, the eyes may remain red for more days because of the use of a suction, and visual recovery time can be slower.

Advantages of laser eye surgery without blades, on the other hand, include flap thickness is programmed on a computer, flap thickness only varies around 5 microns, the thickness of the flap is the same over the entire area of the cornea and the flap diameter is also predictable.