Ilasik is an advanced laser eye surgery that creates a bladeless flap with a femtosecond laser and performs personalized excimer ablation with wavefront data. Ilasik provides minimal scar tissue and rapid healing thanks to the bladeless cut; wavefront technology improves night vision quality and reduces halo-glare complaints. Ilasik is planned with topography, pachymetry and aberrometry measurements in advance; the total duration of the procedure is less than ten minutes. Ilasik restores visual acuity by 80-90 percent in the first 24 hours, and slight stinging complaints are relieved with cold artificial tears. Ilasik is supported with an antibiotic-cortisone drop regimen and three months of artificial tears in the post-operative period; return to the office in two days, and light sports are possible on the fifth day. Although Ilasik carries complications such as dry eye, flap edge epithelial growth and, rarely, ectasia, modern screening and disciplined follow-up reduce these risks to less than one percent. Ilasik is a solution with a high satisfaction rate for patients who want to get rid of the cost of prescription glasses and lens maintenance and gain comfort in their active lives. When applied to the appropriate candidate, Ilasik stands out as a treatment option that is both safe and economical in the long term.
What is Ilasik?
Ilasik is an advanced laser surgery that combines a bladeless corneal flap prepared with a femtosecond laser and wavefront ablation that takes into account the unique optical defects of the eye as much as a “fingerprint”. The main point that distinguishes it from classic LASIK is that cutting is done with an ultrafast laser instead of a mechanical microkeratome and the excimer dissection profile is adapted to the individual in millimeters. This technology permanently corrects myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, while improving night vision quality and contrast perception.
Who is Ilasik Suitable For?
To be a candidate for Ilasik, eye numbers must be stable for at least one year, corneal thickness must be sufficient and the person must be over 18 years old. Mild-moderate refractive errors offer the highest success rate. Ilasik is not recommended for people with uncontrolled diabetes, ongoing pregnancy, active keratoconus or severe dry eyes. Drivers working at night, professional athletes and pilots are frequently preferred groups due to the superior contrast and low glare advantages.
How is Ilasik Performed?
The Ilasik procedure consists of two laser steps. In the first step, the femtosecond laser cuts a smooth flap with a thickness of 100-110 microns; this process takes fifteen seconds. In the second step, the flap is lifted forward and the excimer laser ablates the defects in the wavefront map with micron precision. The tissue removal in the cornea is usually completed in ten to thirty seconds. The flap is closed back and since it adheres to itself with surface tension, there is no need for stitches. The entire procedure takes less than ten minutes, and the patient is discharged the same day.
Preparation Before Ilasik
• Soft contact lenses are left off five days and hard lenses two weeks before; the cornea returns to its natural form.
Antibiotic drops are started three days before the surgery, no makeup is applied or perfume is used on the morning of the surgery.
Blood thinners are temporarily stopped with the approval of the physician, and caffeine intake is reduced. • All data with topography, aberrometry, pachymetry and eye pressure measurements are loaded into femtosecond and excimer laser software.
Recovery Process After Ilasik
The greatest comfort of Ilasik is that visual acuity returns by 80-90 percent in the first 24 hours. Slight stinging and watering lasts four to six hours; cold artificial tear drops reduce the complaint. An eye shield is worn the first night; rubbing is strictly prohibited. The return to work period is 48 hours for desk jobs, the fifth day for light sports, and one month for contact combat sports. Drops are used in a four-week scheme: antibiotic and cortisone drops combined in the first week, cortisone is gradually reduced in the second to fourth weeks. Artificial tear support continues for three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
• Is Ilasik painless? – No sharp pain is felt with drop anesthesia; slight pressure is felt.
• Will my number return? – Reversal is rare in stable cornea; the retouch rate is around one or two percent in high diopters.
• Will there be glare when driving at night? – Thanks to the wavefront design, it is significantly reduced compared to classic LASIK.
• Will I be unable to use lenses? – If successful, there will be no need for lenses; however, multifocal lenses may be considered for presbyopia in the future.