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What is it? This breakthrough, computer-controlled, all-laser technology with its unique IntraLASIK®* software provides the surgeon with a minimally invasive approach to creating the corneal flap in laser vision correction surgery. IntraLASIK®* does not use a blade to create the corneal flap as in traditional LASIK. Instead, the INTRALASE™ FS (femtosecond) Laser's energy passes through the outer layers of the cornea until reaching its exact focal point in the central layer. The laser then works in an "inside out" process, precisely defining a dissection plane and then leaving an uncut section of tissue on the surface to act as a hinge. The resulting corneal flap is folded back & the vision correction treatment is accomplished as usual. Then, the corneal flap is folded back onto the eye to complete the surgery.

The results are unparalleled safety for the patient and unprecedented control for the physician. Each corneal flap procedure is customized by the surgeon according to an individual's vision disorder and corneal anatomy. The patient may simply relax in comfort as the procedure is completed.

Precision re-defined. IntraLASIK®* provides remarkable accuracy, and may enable patients who have previously been dismissed as high risk to be re-evaluated for vision correction surgery. This level of precision reduces patient anxiety and significantly reduces or eliminates the possibility for complications that may occur with the traditional LASIK approach. This level of safety is a first in vision correction technology.

IntraLASIK®* can truly make vision correction surgery one of the most rewarding decisions of your life. A choice to be made with confidence.

A word from Dr. Paul Wright: One of only 75 surgeons in the world authorized to do IntraLASIK®, Paul L. Wright, M.D. is a board certified Ophthalmologist and a recognized leader in advanced eye care practices. Dr. Wright has this to say about IntraLASIK® surgery: “This all-laser procedure is smoother and more precise. It significantly reduces the risk of complications and delivers outstanding results.*** Safer surgery. Better results. That’s why we use IntraLASIK®.”

Safer
—No risk of button holes, thin flaps, or partial flaps
—Less risk of epithelial defects, epithelial ingrowth or displaced flaps
—Less risk of decreased corneal sensation and dry eyes

More accurate
—More predictable thickness
—More predictable diameter
—Improved centration
—Decreased need for enhancements

Improved quality vision
—Less induced aberration
—More consistent ablation

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Slingsby & Wright Eye Care offers free screenings and consultations, as well as monthly seminars, to help patients determine their refractive surgery options. Several important factors influence our recommendations. They include:

• Your Age - You should be at least 18 years old.

• Your Condition - lntraLASIK®* treats most refractive errors, but cannot correct eye diseases such as glaucoma or cataracts.

• Your Degree of Refractive Error - Myopia treatment is generally advisable up to -12 diopters, hyperopia treatment up to +6 diopters, and astigmatism treatment up to 4 diopters.

• Stability of Your Refractive Error - Your vision must be stable for at least one year prior to surgery.

• Your Pupil Size - if your pupil dilates too much in the dark, you may suffer from glare or halos at night.

• Your Corneal Thickness - You must have adequate corneal thickness for your level of refractive error.

• Your General Health - You must not suffer from an autoimmune disorder, have uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled thyroid, active collagen vascular disease, keratoconus, advanced cataracts, ocular herpes, active iritis/uveitis, or use Cordarone or Accutane. You should not be pregnant or nursing at the time of surgery.

• Realistic Expectations - You must understand the risks involved with IntraLASIK® and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome.

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lntraLASIK®*treats most refractive errors, but cannot correct eye diseases such as glaucoma or cataracts. It is commonly used to treat Nearsightedness (myopia), Farsightedness (hyperopia) and Astigmatism. Because of its consistent accuracy, IntraLASIK®* now makes it possible to treat many patients who were dismissed as candidates for laser vision correction due to thin corneas.

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IntraLASIK delivers safety. This is due to the unprecedented precision of the following lasers used in the IntraLASIK procedure.

The INTRALASE™ FS Laser
The INTRALASE™ FS Laser, in a nutshell, is the laser that creates the flap during the IntraLASIK procedure.

It gives surgeons maximum control and accuracy to customize surgical parameters for every flap. Delivered optically through a disposable applanation lens, the INTRALASE FS Laser fires approximately 10,000 femtosecond pulses per second to a precise point within the corneal stroma.

Tiny 2-3 micron spots are placed very closely together to define a resection plane at a precise depth and diameter. The spots are then stacked vertically around the periphery of the resection plane until they reach the cornea's surface.

An uncut section is preserved as the hinge for the flap. The hinge may be positioned at any point on the corneal surface as programmed by the surgeon.

For more information about INTRALASE™ FS Laser go to: http://www.intralasik.com/intralase_fs.html

The Technolas 217A Excimer Laser
Once the INTRALASE™ FS Laser is used to create the corneal flap, the Technolas 217A Excimer Laser is used to reshape the tissue under the flap.

The Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217 is a 4th generation scanning spot laser equipped with an eye tracker that is capable of treating the entire cornea. This goes beyond the standard of broad beam technology, using a computer-controlled, scanner-directed 2mm flying spot beam. This precise technology corrects the refractive error by utilizing its small beam profile to flatten the cornea centrally and then polishes the corneal periphery, or transition zone, to produce an extremely smooth cornea. With this superior performance, more LASIK procedures are done with Technolas lasers worldwide than with any other systems.

US FDA clinical study results show that following surgery with the Technolas 217 laser, 99.7% of patients see 20/40 or better without glasses or contact lenses (20/40 is the usual legal requirement for being able to drive without correction). This outcome is many times better than the FDA benchmark for approval of 85%.

The FDA data also shows that 87.3% of patients can see 20/20 or better after treatment with the Technolas 217 laser. In regard to the loss of the ability to see fine detail after LASIK, the FDA approval benchmark is no more than 5%. With the Technolas 217, the outcome was no more than 0.8%. In addition, the Technolas 217 demonstrated the best outcome of all approved lasers in terms of night vision qualities.

For more information about Bausch & Lomb Technolas™ 217A go to: http://www.bausch.com/us/resource/surgical/refractive/technolas.jsp

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Q. Why IntraLASIK®*?

A. Traditional LASIK is a very good procedure. While the risk of complication is very minimal, all surgery carries some degree of risk. Now, an advanced laser technology is available that significantly reduces the risk of complications. It is known as IntraLASIK®*.

With IntraLASIK®*, Dr. Wright feels he can further reduce the risk of complication and give his patients a new level of confidence in vision correction surgery.

Q. How is IntraLASIK®* different from traditional LASIK?

A. LASIK surgery is actually a two step process. First, a flap of corneal tissue must be created and then folded back. The cornea is the transparent dome-like structure that covers the iris and pupil of your eye. By creating a flap in the cornea, the surgeon is able to perform the laser vision correction treatment on the inner layer of the cornea, which practically eliminates any patient discomfort and allows for a rapid visual recovery.

Traditionally, the surgeon created the corneal flap with a hand-held mechanical device which utilizes a metal blade. This method has worked well over the years; however, the performance of these devices can be unpredictable. And although LASIK complications are rare, this mechanical device is frequently the source for many of the reported complications.

With IntraLASIK®*, the surgeon uses the precision of a laser to create the corneal flap. The accuracy of the laser (+/- 10 microns) is unparalleled by any other technology in vision correction surgery. This advanced technology puts unprecedented control in the hands of the surgeon, and even allows him to customize the corneal flap for every individual patient. Because of its consistent accuracy, IntraLASIK®* now makes it possible to treat many patients who were dismissed as candidates for laser vision correction due to thin corneas.

Q. Is IntraLASIK®* safer?

A. IntraLASIK®* is considered by many to provide a safer approach to vision correction surgery. This is a result of the superior precision of a computer controlled laser as compared to that of a handheld mechanical device. The mechanical device houses a metal blade which cuts across the cornea to create the flap. IntraLASIK* accomplishes the flap procedure with a laser instead of a blade, and does not travel across the cornea; these features reduce the risk of complications.

IntraLASIK®* provides a safer procedure because of its precision. This precision was documented in studies conducted for the FDA clearance of the laser, where the accuracy of flap thickness was demonstrated at +/- 10 microns. Precise flap thickness is critical to a successful LASIK outcome, and IntraLASIK* created flaps feature a consistent thickness from edge to edge. Again, this degree of accuracy is unprecedented in flap creation technology to date.

Finally, greater flap stability was also demonstrated with IntraLASIK®* flaps in studies for the laser’s FDA submission. Although the incidence of flap slippage is rare in LASIK, the consequences can be quite problematical. The assurance that the IntraLASIK®* created flap will be securely re-positioned without incident provides added peace of mind for many patients.

Q. Is traditional LASIK unsafe?

A. No, but IntraLASIK®* seems to reduce the risk of complications reported with traditional LASIK and we feel that is very important for our patients.

Q. Is IntraLASIK* new? How is Dr. Wright able to offer IntraLASIK* when others in the area do not?

A. The INTRALASE™ FS Laser has been cleared by the FDA and became commercially available on a limited basis in 2001. The INTRALASE FS Laser is the only laser that provides IntraLASIK®*. To date, over 65,000 procedures have been completed with no significant complications reported. Dr. Wright is among an elite group of key opinion leaders in ophthalmology who continually evaluate advanced technologies and adopt them into practice as soon as they become available.

Q. How would you compare the visual outcomes using IntraLASIK* with those of traditional LASIK?

A. Today it is known that visual outcomes with IntraLASIK* are comparable with those of traditional LASIK. Studies are now underway to evaluate whether results with IntraLASIK®* might be even better, as has been anecdotally reported.

Q. I have seen several advertisements for “All Laser LASIK.” Is this IntraLASIK*?

A. Be sure to ask for IntraLASIK®* by name. Only IntraLASIK®* offers the safety of micron level precision of a truly all laser surgical approach. Other providers may advertise all laser, but you should ensure that IntraLASIK®* is indeed being used to create your flap. Your surgical provider should be happy to answer any questions you may have about your procedure in great detail.

Q. A very close friend had traditional LASIK surgery, and today enjoys 20/20 vision. Why should I pay more for IntraLASIK®*?

A. Because we feel this is very compelling technology that significantly raises the standard for safety in vision correction surgery, we are recommending IntraLASIK®* for all of our patients. You should discuss your concerns directly with Dr. Wright as certain vision disorders and corneal anatomy may be associated with a higher degree of risk. Dr. Wright will help you to decide which is best for you.

Q. Is IntraLASIK ®* more expensive?

A. Advanced technologies are usually more expensive for the surgeon to employ in his practice. Most patients agree that the added level of safety and assurance offered by IntraLASIK®* is well worth the additional cost when considering vision correction surgery. IntraLASIK® proprietary software is offered exclusively by and is a registered trademark of IntraLase Corp.

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