Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Why Is Corneal Thickness Important For Manhattan Lasik Eye Surgery?

There has been a lot of discussion about the importance of the thickness of the cornea when you consider Lasik surgery for your eyes. Though, it is not the only factor that determines your eligibility for undergoing a Manhattan Lasik procedure but corneal thickness is one of the vital components that is considered before you are deemed eligible for the procedure.


The cornea is sculpted during the Lasik surgery in Manhattan. Once the surgeon creates the flap and it is peeled back Nano amounts of corneal tissues are removed using the excimer laser. This amount of removal is calculated based on the prescription of the glasses of the patient.  Usually it is 12.5 microns of corneal tissue per one diopter of myopia. However, experienced eye surgeons have a very accurate measurement which is about quarter of a diopter when the patient is undergoing Lasik surgery. That is why the thickness of the Lasik flap and the amount of tissue that needs to be left on the cornea is of vital importance. Most of the experienced Manhattan Lasik specialists use IntraLase Laser to create ultra-thin corneal flaps. These are usually 100 microns as compared to thicker flaps which are 140-180 microns.

Measuring corneal thickness

Pachymetry method


After the eye is anesthetized, an ultra-sonic probe is placed on the cornea. This is used to transmit high frequency sound pulses into the eye. The ultra-sonic probe measures the time that is taken by the sound waves to be reflected back. There are many spots on the cornea that are measured to ensure that the cornea is uniformly thick from the periphery to the center. This takes about 5 minutes to check both the eyes.

Pentcam Tomography method

In this method, there is no reason to use anesthesia for the eyes as there is no contact with the cornea. This is a more sophisticated method and considered cutting edge technology for checking corneal thickness. The Pentacam is a combination device which uses slit illumination method to cross check sections of the eye using a camera that rotates around the eye. The images that are obtained generate a 3D image of the cornea of the patient. The information available is accurate about the thickness of the cornea.

Considering all aspects of corneal thickness you need to have at least 452 microns of corneal tissues before you are eligible for Lasik surgery. However, 540-550 microns thickness is common. People with high prescription power or naturally thin corneas are not eligible to undergo any of the Lasik surgeries in Manhattan as they may be at high risk of vision failure. That is why it is important that you consult with an expert surgeon and get the necessary tests done before considering the surgery. To read more Click Here