Press Release InView Vision
The leader in vision correction.

Epi-LASIK®, Next Generation of Laser Vision Correction Surgery, Now Available in Atlanta at InView.

ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2005 - Epi-LASIK® is a revolutionary procedure that allows new treatment options for patients who were previously not good candidates for LASIK. Epi-LASIK is now available at InView, Atlanta's research-based leader in vision correction surgery. The procedure was recently featured as a part of a special on advancements in vision correction on NBC-TV's "Today" show.

This next-generation technology offers an alternative to the corneal flap traditionally used in LASIK surgery. It provides patients with a bladeless surgical approach designed to avoid flap-related complications, potentially minimize visual distortions, and present another treatment option for patients who want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

"This new technology, combined with InView's exclusive wavefront technology, gives our patients the most advanced options for vision correction," said InView surgeon Jonathan Carr, M.D. Since 1993, InView surgeons Jonathan Carr, M.D., Keith Thompson, M.D. and George Waring, M.D. have brought vision surgery patients many "firsts." "The Epi-LASIK complements our existing treatment options to offer our patients the latest and most comprehensive treatments in surgical vision correction," Carr added.

The Newest Advances in Vision Surgery

Epi-LASIK, which features the Epikeratome System, is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k)-approved and a European CE certified instrument. With this new system, surgeons can reduce the chance of post-surgical risks and complications associated with LASIK, such as dry eye. This technology also offers new surgical vision correction options for patients who have been non-candidates for LASIK due to dry eyes, thin corneas or high myopia.
 
InView surgeons have led the way in the evolution of laser vision correction surgery since the early '80s. In 1981, Waring was selected by the U.S. Federal Government's National Eye Institute to direct the Prospective Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) study, the largest and most comprehensive clinical investigation of radial keratotomy, one of the first vision correction surgery treatments available. 

Photorefractive Keratotomy (PRK) surgery was the first generation of laser vision correction surgery, in which the laser correction was applied directly to the eye's surface by using an excimer laser. These procedures were painful and recovery could be prolonged. In the early '90s, Waring performed one of the first LASIK procedures in the U.S. using the excimer laser. He was then awarded the first physician-sponsored FDA clinical trial for the LASIK procedure. LASIK reduced the pain and recovery time of patients by creating a flap, applying the laser treatment and replacing the flap, which acted like a bandage to eliminate pain and reduce recovery time. Now, InView is the first to offer this latest development in surgical vision correction available in the Atlanta area.
 
"In the past, patients who had very thin corneas or high levels of nearsightedness were not ideal candidates for LASIK surgery," Waring explained. "InView has been at the forefront of introducing new technologies that allow surgeons to give more patients the opportunity to live life free of contacts and glasses. Epi-LASIK is an advancement in laser vision correction for nearsighted patients, or those with thin corneas."

How It Works

In traditional LASIK surgery, a flap is created with the use of a blade or laser. The Epi-LASIK system utilizes a separator rather than a blade to create a thin sheet of surface cells and eliminates the need for alcohol or other chemical agents, which can be toxic to the cornea. Because of this, complications sometimes associated with the blade, such as flap complications or aberrations induced by the flap, can be eliminated. Following the application of the laser correction to the cornea, the thin sheet is returned to its original position. Custom or wavefront-guided laser treatments are best when coupled with the Epi-LASIK surface treatment rather than the flap-based technology because of the reduced risk of flap induced aberrations.

About InView

InView is a state-of-the-art vision surgery center founded in 1994. It is the only center in the country to offer the revolutionary InterWave® technology, a subjective system of vision measurement and individualized, patient-interactive treatment in LASIK surgery. InView has performed more than 40,000 LASIK procedures, and the Center offers patients the widest range of options for vision correction surgery and treatment. InView is located at 301 Perimeter Center North, Suite 600, Atlanta, Ga., 30346. For more information, go to www.inviewvision.com or call 404-843-3937.
 
Editor's Note: Photography and video images are available by calling Karen Keiser-Jenkins at 678-222-5142 or send email request to karenjenkins@inviewvision.com.