What is LASIK Xtra™?LASIK Xtra™ is the LASIK procedure enhanced with an add-on corneal strengthening procedure (collagen cross-linking). During LASIK, the excimer laser sculpts the cornea in order to correct refractive errors like myopia and astigmatism. Therefore, those with a higher degree of spectacle power correction would require a proportionately greater amount of cornea tissue removal by the laser. Rarely, thin and weakened corneas may progressively bulge forward, a condition called corneal ectasia. LASIK Xtra™ is postulated to reduce this risk by strengthening the cornea and at the same time stabilizing the resultant degree of the LASIK treatment. Collagen cross-linking (or the “Xtra” component of LASIK Xtra) may also be combined with other laser vision correction surgeries like PRK, EpiLASIK and SMILE. Who should go for it? Patients being corrected for high degrees of Myopia/ Hyperopia/ Astigmatism Borderline residual bed thickness Patients with corneas that have unusual features Patients with family history of keratoconus Any patients who wish to improve the stability of their laser vision correction surgery And, if you are a candidate for LASIK/TransPRK/ EpiLASIK/ SMILE, you are also likely a candidate for Xtra™ treatment too. Benefits of Having Xtra™ TreatmentSee Strong Incorporating Xtra™ treatment into your laser procedure improves the mechanical stability of the cornea. Lock-in the Prescription Adding Xtra™ treatment may extend the longevity of your laser procedure and could eliminate the need for touch-up procedures, reducing the risk of long-term changes to your vision. Improve Procedure Accuracy LASIK Xtra™ can help reduce over- or undercorrection of your laser vision correction procedure. Safe, Convenient and Reliable Fast – adds only 3 minutes to your laser procedure Performed during your LASIK procedure No further lasering is done during the treatment The Xtra™ Treatment ProcedureXtra™ treatment involves the use of riboflavin (Vitamin B2) eyedrops. Straight after LASIK/ Soft-touch PRK/ TransPRK/ SMILE, the riboflavin drops are applied to the cornea and ultraviolet light is applied on the cornea for about 45-60 seconds. The entire process only adds about 3 minutes to the LASIK procedure.
