What is the IntraLase® Method?

The IntraLase® Method is a 100% blade-free technique used to perform the critical first step in the LASIK procedure: creating the corneal flap. The creation of the corneal flap prepares the eye for the second step of the LASIK procedure, where an excimer laser is used on the inner cornea to correct vision.

How does it work?

The IntraLase® femtosecond laser beam passes harmlessly through the outer layers of the cornea until it reaches its exact focal point within. Then it uses tiny, rapid pulses of laser light to create the corneal flap—instead of using a metal blade—during the first step of LASIK.

In seconds, with computer precision and high-speed delivery of 60,000 spots per second, the IntraLase® laser delivers over a million pulses that pass through the top layers of the cornea and forms a microscopic bubble at a specific depth and position within your eye. The IntraLase® laser moves back and forth across the eye, creating a uniform layer of bubbles just beneath the corneal surface, as it gently separates the layers of corneal tissue and creates a customized flap of the desired thickness, size, orientation and location.

The corneal flap is then folded back so the doctor can perform the second step of your LASIK treatment—the correction of your refractive error.

The Intralase® laser is focused to a precise depth within the cornea.

Corneal tissue is separated by over a million tiny two-micron-sized bubbles.

The flap is lifted to allow for the VISX STAR S4™ laser treatment.

The flap is placed back into its original position after treatment.