More about the iVIS suite:

I've been reading more about the iVIS suite. This provides an overview. For those of you not inclined to wade through all the text, I'll try to paraphrase some of the key points I took away from it:

1. Treating irregular astigmatism is still one of the biggest challenges refractive surgeons face.

2. Customized ablation technology has offered hope because such technology allows for the treatment of abnormal corneas (by, for example, enabling surgeons to perform asymmetric ablation patterns). Even so, custom ablation to treat irregular astigmatism has had mixed results.

3. There are 3 main reasons for the mixed results: (1) using inadequate pre-operative measurements that don't address all relevant details, (2) failing to consider the shape of the irregular cornea and/or the cornea outside of the treatment zone and (3) using technology/techniques based on the treatment of symmetrical, untouched corneas.

4. In 2006, 26 patients were treated with the iVIS suite in Norway. Their main complaints before surgery were: (1) double vision and halos, (2) problems with night vision, such as glare and starbursts and (3) decreased visual acuity that couldn't be corrected by glasses or soft contacts. 6 months after surgery...well, I think this table speaks for itself (click to make it bigger):



5. The authors' conclusion:

"In conclusion, the iVIS Suite, with its specially designed diagnostic and laser treatment hardware, seems to have come a long way in complementing the CIPTA* software that was introduced almost a decade before. CIPTA also has developed and matured in tandem to offer new tools and customizing features for the refractive surgeon. CIPTA moves the concept of an ideal corneal surface closer to reality, representing a promising and unique improvement of our options to successfully meet the challenges in treatment of irregular astigmatism." [Page 218].

*CIPTA stands for: Corneal Interactive Programmed Topographic Ablation (medical software).