Our Laser

Wavelight Scanning Spot Wavefront Optimized Laser

This latest generation laser system is the first laser specifically designed for Custom LASIK. There are a number of very unique features of this laser system: It is a scanning spot laser which has a larger treatment zone. The large treatment zone reduces the problem of glare at night. The rapid laser pulse rate fires at a speed that is much faster than standard lasers. The rapid pulse rate reduces the treatment time thereby reducing corneal dehydration and promotes faster healing. It has an advanced eyetracker for greater accuracy and eliminates the problem of patient movement during surgery. The eyetracker automatically locks on the pupillary centre making the procedure less anxiety-provoking for patients. This laser is equipped to perform Wavefront-optimized treatments, resulting in the reduction of corneal distortions and spherical aberrations.

While patients of Dr. David Lin and Dr. Simon Holland have enjoyed the benefits of standard LASIK and PRK since 1990, the latest technology, namely Custom LASIK, is now available. We, at Pacific Laser Eye Centre, are the first to use this laser in Western Canada with outstanding results.

Custom Transepithelial Topography-Guided Laser

Our newest custom technology gives our surgeons the ability to treat prescriptions on an individual basis. Each patient has a unique corneal topography or map that is similar to a fingerprint. Custom Transepithelial Topography-Guided Laser treatment is an ultra-fast, one-step, all-laser treatment. This laser system uses a high-definition, surgical topography to map over 39,000 data points on the cornea to calculate the individual custom ablation. In addition, the Dynamic Binocular Pupillometry link evaluates pupil dimensions in different light conditions, simulating day and night driving, to better reduce problems of glare and haloes after surgery. It creates an ideal treatment area for each patient’s unique visual needs. Using these measurements, the surgeons can better improve the quality of vision for each individual patient.

Keratoconus, Corneal Collagen Cross-linking, and CUSTOM-TNT™

Keratoconus is a disease of the cornea in which a normally round, dome-shaped cornea progressively thins, causing a cone-shaped bulge to develop. Keratoconic corneas have too few or weaker than normal collagen bonds, and the weakened configuration leads to bulging, steepening, and irregularity. The normal eye pressure pushing out on the thinned areas of the cornea causes the coneshaped protrusion. The irregular shape of the cornea can cause decrease visual acuity, which may not be correctable with corrective lenses in severe keratoconus.

Until now, a corneal transplant was the only treatment option available for advanced keratoconus.

Corneal Collagen Cross-linking is a new, minimallyinvasive surface treatment for keratoconus, performed using a topical anaesthetic. During treatment, the outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium) is removed. A photosensitizing solution consisting of riboflavin (vitamin B2) is applied to the cornea and is exposed to a low dose of ultraviolet light. The photosensitizer reacts with the ultraviolet light to create new collagen bonds (cross-links) throughout the cornea. Once the procedure is complete, a bandage contact lens is placed over the cornea to help the epithelium grow back (usually within 4 to 5 days) and to facilitate recovery.

By creating new collagen bonds, cross-linking strengthens and adds resilience to corneas affected by keratoconus. If performed early enough, crosslinking may delay or prevent the corneal weakening from keratoconus and allow good vision to be preserved. In advanced cases, cross-linking may delay the need for invasive corneal transplants and prevent vision from worsening.

At Pacific Laser Eye Centre, we are able to combine the corneal cross-linking procedure with CUSTOM-TNT™, a topography-guided PRK treatment. Refractive error associated with the keratoconus can be improved and the underlying cause of keratoconus is treated.