Better than 20/20 vision? by Marvi Gil (Cebu Daily News, August 24, 2002)

LASER technology to correct vision problems has been around for a number of years. However, customized excimer laser was only recently introduced by the Cebu Doctors’ Hospital’s Center for Sight.

The center uses the fifth generation Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217z Excimer Laser.
For many years, it has been taken for granted that the visual system is only capable of achieving 20/20 vision. This is because of subtle imperfections. With recent technology, it was found out that a person can actually see better and read letters twice as small as the 20/20 letters on an eye chart.

Custom lasers utilize Wavefront technology to map subtle vision imperfections and then develop a laser treatment plan to correct them.

Currently, patients are treated with a standard LASIK program. However, each patient may differ in their precise corneal shape, their corneal thickness and their pupil size, as well as any number of other variables are not accounted for routinely in standard LASIK programs.

Custom LASIK analyzes the entire visual system and develops a Wavefront Map that within the central vision zone. Each point mapped then guides the laser beam to provide the most ideal vision correction profile.

Also, custom scanning systems use the flying spot technology. This means that the laser “locks” and tracks the eye, ensuring another level of safety and accuracy. Previous models (such as Technolas 217C used by other eye center) already had an eye tracker, but the tracker cannot respond fast enough to realize that the lase beam before the next pulse is delivered.

The Centre for Sight is run by Potenciano Larrazabal III, M.D. who underwent specialty training to handle the equipment. There are no special pre- and post- treatment for patients, although screening is required. Since it opened last week, more than 20 patients have been treated with a 100% success rate.