Laser Specs - Autonomous laser FAQ
Please select your question from the following list of FAQs:
General information on Autonomous
The Autonomous laser was the first FDA approved tracker-guided, small spot laser system. LADARVISION combines active tracking and small beam corneal shaping. Recently, Autonomous was purchased by Alcon, which is one of the leaders in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of ophthalmic products.
Specifications
The autonomous laser is a flying spot laser, which uses a small spot beam of less than 1 mm. The beam moves rapidly across the cornea in a computer-controlled pattern of tiny, non-sequential, overlapping spots. The eye tracker is critical when using a flying spot laser, since it allows the precise placement of laser treatment without accidental overlapping. This results in a very smooth treatment
The FDA approved a 6.0mm optical zone for treating spherical myopia and a 5.5 mm optical zone for myopic astigmats. However, laser surgeons are allowed to over-ride these parameters in the U.S. up to 8 mm for both myopia and myopic astigmatism.
For a 6.0 mm optical zone, the Autonomous laser removes about 12 microns per diopter (which is similar to the VISX laser). However, for the same amount of myopia, the autonomous laser takes over 50% as long to perform the treatment. So for someone with 5 diopters of myopia, the treatment (6.0 mm optical zone)takes about 44 seconds versus 28 seconds for the VISX
FDA approval status
The Autonomous laser is approved by the FDA to treat spherical myopia with or without astigmatism for up to 10 Diopters of myopia with or without stigmatism. It is also approved by the FDA for the treatment of hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism, and mixed astigmatism.
Customized laser info
The Autonomous laser does not link to topography. Clinical trials are being performed for Custom Cornea (wavefront guided custom ablations). This is investigational and is not FDA approved.