An Abbotsford clinic is the first in B.C. to offer a new eye surgery procedure.
Dr. John Blaylock has witnessed many technical advancements in eye surgery over the past two decades — from replacing cutting blades with lasers to the advent of innovative 3D mapping technology that's now used during procedures.
Today, LASIK laser eye surgery has become the most common form of vision correction in Canada, with nearly 90,000 procedures performed annually.
LASIK Xtra is a new three-minute procedure that's performed in conjunction with a LASIK treatment.
Here's how it works: a few drops of riboflavin are applied to the cornea which is activated with a UV light forming molecular bonds which strengthen the cornea.
As Dr. Blaylock explains, "LASIK Xtra effectively 'locks in' the LASIK correction, providing improved procedure accuracy and longer-term stability."
"The strength of the cornea is significantly enhanced in the last few minutes of the LASIK surgery, reducing the need for touch-up corrections later on."