Ophthalmology 
Femtosecond lasers have revolutionized ophthalmic surgery by enabling high-precision procedures with minimal tissue damage and rapid recovery times. Our company has developed a new generation of femtosecond lasers (Indylit Vision series), specifically designed for ophthalmic and other medical applications. Indylit 10 Vision and Indylit 3 Vision lasers set a new standard in ophthalmic laser systems. This application note briefly describes the key applications of femtosecond lasers in ophthalmology, demonstrating how our products enhance the capabilities of surgical equipment and deliver superior outcomes for patients.
Key Applications of Femtosecond Lasers in Ophthalmology:
LASIK Flap Creation
Femtosecond lasers are integral to LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) surgery, where they create a thin, precise corneal flap. The precision of femtosecond lasers ensures uniform flap thickness and a smooth stromal bed, reducing the risk of flap-related complications and improving visual recovery.
SMILE Procedures
In Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE), femtosecond lasers are used to carve out a small lenticule within the cornea, which is then removed through a small incision. This technique offers quicker recovery times and less postoperative discomfort compared to traditional LASIK, thanks to the minimal disruption to corneal biomechanics.
Keratoplasty
Femtosecond lasers enable precise cuts required for keratoplasty, including both anterior and posterior lamellar keratoplasty. The accuracy of these lasers facilitates better donor-host matching, enhancing graft stability and visual outcomes.
Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery (FLACS)
Femtosecond lasers play a pivotal role in modern cataract surgery. They are used for creating perfectly round capsulotomies, which are crucial for optimal intraocular lens (IOL) positioning. Additionally, these lasers fragment the lens, reducing the need for ultrasound energy and minimizing trauma to the eye.
Correction of Refractive Errors
Femtosecond lasers are used to perform refractive surgeries such as PRK and the insertion of intracorneal ring segments. The precision of these lasers allows for accurate reshaping of the cornea to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, providing long-lasting visual improvements.
Intracorneal Inlays
Femtosecond lasers are employed to create corneal pockets for the insertion of inlays, which help restore near vision in presbyopic patients. This less invasive alternative to lens replacement offers a reversible solution to age-related vision decline.
Penetrating Keratoplasty
Femtosecond lasers enable precise cuts for full-thickness corneal transplants, ensuring a perfect fit between the donor tissue and the recipient’s eye. This precision reduces the risk of graft rejection and accelerates visual recovery.
Figure 1. Femtosecond laser-assisted ophthalmic surgery (ref. “Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Ophthalmic Surgery: From Laser Fundamentals to Clinical Applications” by Quan Yan).
Advantages of Indylit Vision Lasers
In recent years, femtosecond laser technology has rapidly matured. However, this industry still faces some key challenges. In particular, reliability, though improving, is still not comparable to some more established technologies (like nanosecond lasers). Manufacturing scalability is limited due to many manual procedures. Complex designs make manufacturing costs very high, and miniaturization is limited. At LITILIT, we have developed patented technology that overcomes all these problems, bringing the technology closer to commodity level.
Robustness and Scalability. Indylit Vision lasers are designed to withstand the demands of continuous clinical use, ensuring reliable performance and minimal downtime. The passive air-cooled design eliminates maintenance requirements and maximizes uptime, contributing to a low total cost of ownership. Our automated assembly technology not only ensures very high manufacturing scalability but also excellent repeatability from unit to unit. Finally, to ensure optimal performance even in less-than-perfect environments, Indylit Vision lasers are dust and water protected up to an IP51 rating.
Compact Form Factor and Small Heat Dissipation. Indylit Vision lasers have the smallest form factor in industry in their class of products. Their small size in combination with very high efficiency allows for easy integration into a variety of ophthalmic systems, saving valuable space in surgical environments. Their small footprint and standardized interfaces make them an ideal choice for manufacturers looking to upgrade or design new equipment with cutting-edge laser technology.
Optimized Optical Parameters. Indylit Vision lasers have been developed from their larger sibling, the Indylit 20 industrial laser, by tuning down the power and pulse energy. This approach not only results in exquisite reliability due to a very high margin in optical parameters but also excellent quality in pulse and beam properties. In particular, a typical value of M² for the beam is 1.05, and ellipticity is better than 0.95. This makes the beam from Indylit Vision lasers very close to a perfect Gaussian beam, ensuring excellent results in ophthalmic surgeries. The same applies to pulse quality—more than 95% of pulse energy is concentrated in the main pulse, meaning that less pulse energy and average power are required during procedures, minimizing thermal effects on the tissue.
Low Cost of Ownership. High reliability, zero maintenance, long operational life, low power consumption, and small heat dissipation contribute to a low total cost of ownership of Indylit Vision lasers, making them the first choice for ophthalmic equipment manufacturers when scaling up their products is a priority.
Figure 2. Indylit 3 Vision femtosecond laser with its control unit.
In conclusion, Indylit Vision lasers represent the pinnacle of precision, reliability, and efficiency in ophthalmic femtosecond laser systems. By integrating our lasers into their equipment, manufacturers can enhance the capabilities of their products, offering superior performance and outcomes in ophthalmic surgery. For more information or to discuss integration opportunities, please contact our sales and technical support team.
