LASIK, Custom (Wavefront-Guided) LASIK, CATz and Blade-Free LASIK
Since it was approved by the FDA in 1999, LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis) has helped millions of people in the US eliminate or greatly reduce their need for glasses or contact lenses.
Dr. Dougherty was one of the first surgeons in the US to perform laser vision correction on an investigational basis starting in 1993. He has performed nearly 20,000 laser vision procedures, and was among the first LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles, Ventura County (Camarillo) and Santa Barbara to offer Custom (Wavefront-Guided) and Blade Free (Intralase) LASIK.
Dougherty Laser Vision is also poised to become the first vision center in the US to offer the new CATz (Customized Aspheric Treatment Zone) LASIK technology that takes Custom LASIK to a whole new level.
THE LASIK PROCEDURE
LASIK is performed in three steps:
1. Creating a thin flap on the outer layer of the eye that is folded back to expose the deeper layers of corneal tissue. 
2. Applying a highly concentrated beam of cool light from an excimer laser to permanently remove tissue and resculpt the eye without scarring. 
3.Carefully repositioning the flap over the reshaped cornea so the eye’s natural bonding qualities allow it to heal without the need for stitches. - By removing precise amounts of tissue in specific parts of the cornea, LASIK treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The procedure usually takes about 3 minutes per eye.
Custom (Wavefront Guided) LASIK
Custom ("Wavefront-Guided") LASIK is a further refinement of the LASIK procedure that facilitates more precise eye measurement and correction.
While conventional LASIK is based on the patient’s overall eyeglass prescription, Custom LASIK uses Wavefront mapping technology to measure imperfections at hundreds of individual points on the eye. This enables the surgeon to highly customize treatment and help the patient achieve vision that is often better than the best vision possible with glasses or contact lenses. Custom LASIK also tends to result in better nighttime and low light vision than traditional LASIK.
Blade-Free (Intralase) LASIK
With “Blade-Free” LASIK (also referred to as “Intralase” or “All Laser” LASIK), surgeons use a femtosecond laser instead of a metal blade to create the corneal flap. Tiny, rapid pulses of laser light pass through the top layers of the cornea to form a uniform layer of microscopic bubbles just beneath the surface. This process creates a uniquely precise flap and smooth underlying surface. Blade-Free LASIKallows the surgeon to retain more of the patient's corneal tissue upon which to apply the cornea reshaping laser. The Blade-Free Intralase technique is especially advantageous for people with high degrees of nearsightedness and/or thin corneas, who otherwise would not be considered suitable candidates for LASIK.
