Recently, certain doctors and centers have been promoting a procedure called "Thin Flap LASIK," "TF-LASIK," or even "MICRO-LASIK." In some cases, there seems to be an effort to make patients think this is a new procedure they have invented, different from traditional LASIK. Some centers have even made bold claims that this is a "safer" way to do LASIK.

However, LASIK with a thin flap is nothing new. In fact, Dr. Kawesch published an article in the scientific journal Ophthalmology a few years back, based on work he started in 1996, using thin (130 micron) flaps to treat patients with higher levels of correction. Many other doctors over the past 5-10 years have varied intended flap thickness with LASIK depending on a number of factors.

Is a thin flap better than a thick one? This is controversial--there are definite advantages AND disadvantages to making thinner flaps. In our practice, we decide on a case-by-case basis what flap thickness to create, depending on the patient's prescription, corneal thickness, corneal curvature, and pupil size. Dr. Kawesch has been doing this for YEARS--even so, he does not claim to have invented the concept. If we do consider it advantageous to create a thin flap in a particular patient, we now offer IntraLASE, an all-laser no-blade technology that can predictably and controllably create thinner flaps. There is less risk of a flap complication when making a thin flap with IntraLASE compared with using a traditional blade-based microkeratome.

Beware of "hype" in the marketplace...

Click here to read an article from Cataract & Refractive Surgery which discusses the differences in thin and thick LASIK flaps

Three surgeons outline what is known about thin flaps in EyeWorld news magazine

Read an article by Dr. Kawesch discussing the results of LASIK for high myopia with the VISX Star Laser