Trying to choose company to have Lasek with

[Matt_2]

Hey I am under going Lasek soon I just need to decide which company to go with. I have a few questions regarding this if anyone can help.
One company has the Carl Ziess Mel 80, does anyone know how much cornea tissue is used to correct a diopter of vision with this?
The other compnay has the Wavelight allegerto which they said was 14 microns per diopter.
I need one that does use much tissue as I am -5 diopters and my corneas are 484 in one eye and 492 in the other.

The firm with the Carl Zeiss laser wants to use mitomycin c, which I'm realy concerned about the possible long term effects of this. However with this firm it was the surgeon I saw for my consultation and I see him at aftercare appointments too. What are peoples throughts on mitomycin c?

Thanks if you can answers any of my questions espically regarding how much tissue the Mel 80 uses. I am also wonderd about night vision as this is important to me would one laser be better than the other at not destroying my night vision. Thanks for any help.

[croanster]

I would strongly recommend choosing the doctor not the laser - especially since both lasers are new and have shown good results. If it were me, I'd go to the fella that was going to take the time to see me personally.

[Matt_2]

Thanks does any one no how much corneal tissue the Carl Zeiss laser uses though per diopter. My problem is my thin corneas and begin -5.25 diopters. The wavelight uses 14 microns per diopter so would leave me with around 405 microns left enough for a retreatment later in live me begin only 23.
I am also realay worried about the use of mitomycin c C what are peoples throughts on this. The company that uses the wavelight are wanting to do a Trans-Epithelial Surface Treatment which they say has less chance of haze so don't use mitomycin c. Any throughts if they are correct in that. Thanks again for any help on these matters.

[LasikExpert]

I strongly agree with Croansters' sentiment. Choose the surgeon, not the tools the surgeon selects to use. See our Lasik Doctor Questions.

Thanks does any one no how much corneal tissue the Carl Zeiss laser uses though per diopter.

The physics of laser-assisted refractive surgery are the same for all lasers. This is called the Munnerlyn Formula. If the total amount removed is greater, then the width of the ablation is larger. You can't changes physics.

My problem is my thin corneas and begin -5.25 diopters. The wavelight uses 14 microns per diopter so would leave me with around 405 microns left enough for a retreatment later in live me begin only 23.

About six decades of research has shown that a healthy cornea will remain stable so long as at least 250 microns of corneal tissue remains untouched (more is always better). The projected 405 microns left untouched should be enough for your healthy eye to remain stable.

I am also realay worried about the use of mitomycin c

Mitomycin C (MMC) is a strong medicine that should probably be avoided when possible, but is appropriate when necessary. At 5.25 diopters of refactive change you are just bumping the amount that corneal haze starts to become a concern, however unless you have an unusually large ablation zone or there is some other need to remove extra tissue, it appears that MMC could be used or declined with the same result. Talk to your doctor if MMC is an absolute requirement and what would be the treatment plan if you did not have MMC and haze did develop.