St. Luke’s Medical Center recently acquired the latest Carl Zeiss Meditec Excimer Laser (MEL-80), making it the newest addition to the long list of state-of-the-art technologies available at St. Luke’s International Eye Institute-Vision Laser Center.

The MEL-80 Laser is designed to make the correction of vision defects exceptionally effective and patientfriendly.

It is a step ahead of other currently available excimer lasers, with superior characteristics that make it extremely advanced. Because of the MEL-80’s speed, the amount of time the cornea is exposed is reduced and the overall treatment procedure is significantly shortened. Additionally, the laser is able to preserve the natural curvature of the cornea, ultimately improving the quality of vision.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the MEL-80 for vision correction surgery. The FDA approval was based on impressive results of clinical studies involving patients who underwent laser eye surgery using the MEL-80 Laser.

The studies showed that 93 percent of patients who underwent laser eye surgery using MEL-80 were corrected at three months to 20/20 or better visual acuity while 41 percent were corrected to 20/12.5 or better at six months.

Eighty-five percent of patients achieved within one-half of a diopter (optical power measurement) of the intended correction at three months post-operative follow-up.

The shape of a person’s eye determines how well his or her vision can focus. Light rays enter the eye through the clear cornea, then through the pupil and the lens.

In a normal eye, the light rays are focused onto the retina, a light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. Signals from the retina are sent through the optic nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as the images we see.

When the curvature of the eye does not match the length of the eye and light rays cannot focus properly on the retina, a refractive error occurs. There are four types of refractive error: myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism (irregular shaped cornea), and presbyopia (age-related loss of close-up focusing ability).

Refractive surgery involves procedures that correct refractive errors by changing the focus of the eye either by altering the shape of the eye’s front surface or adding a permanent lens to improve focus. These surgical procedures are designed to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK (Laser In Situ Keratomileusis) is currently the most popular procedure for correcting refractive errors. After numbing drops are applied to the patient’s eye, a microkeratome creates a thin flap in the cornea. The excimer laser then sculpts the underlying cornea into a new shape to correct the refractive error. The average laser treatment time is 30 seconds.

The flap is then repositioned and adheres on its own without sutures after only a few minutes. Eye drops and/or ointment are placed in the eye to facilitate the healing process. There is no surface scraping done and discomfort is almost absent.

Vision recovery is rapid, usually by the first or second day. There is little or no post-operative pain. Most patients are able to resume their daily activities the day following surgery.

St. Luke’s Vision Laser Center is offering a 20 percent discount on the regular Mel 80 Excimer Laser Surgery package cost (inclusive of professional fees).

To avail of the promo, just call the center’s hotline at 722-2965 and inquire about the procedure. You will then be given a pre-screening schedule at the center to check if you are a suitable candidate for standard/customized LASIK or PRK procedure under the MEL 80.

Only suitable patients will be given the 20 percent discount on the regular package cost. Patients must undergo the procedure at the center within the promo period, which runs until Jan. 31.