The Nidek EC 5000 Laser is a great Laser if you have a low prescription with a low level or no astigmatism. Many National Lasik Providers use this laser as a marketing tool. They have the laser in house in order to advertise low $499 and even $299 per eye ads to lure in potential Lasik patients. Once the potential Lasik patient is in the door on the price they are then informed the price is for the old Nidek EC 5000 which was approved over 7 years ago back in 1998. They are even then sometimes shown blurry pictures of what they say the Nidek EC 5000 Laser will do and then shown a clear crisp picture of what the high price Custom Lasik procedure will do. The potential Lasik patient is then pretty much scared of never going with the NIDEK EC 5000 Laser and will have to either pay the high price for custom wavefront lasik or hold off and then save up for the procedure or not get it done at all. The NIDEK EC 5000 does not have an automatic eye tracking system it is more manual and Doctor controlled during the procedure. This leaves room for a tired Doctor who has done around 14 Lasik Surgeries already to make an error in the alignment of the laser. If the alignment is off and the the laser is applied this could cause ghosting or double vision side effects. BAD NEWS! You will have problems pretty much for life. Folks this is serious, research the technology before you leap into lasik. My goodness! These are your precious eyes we are talking about. Below I have more information on the NIDEK EC 5000 for you to read through. If you are asking yourself well, what laser do you recommend? I would have to say as of right now it would have to be the Allegretto Wavelight Laser. Go to www.AllegrettoLaser.com to research this awesome German made Eximer Laser. It is the fastest to date with some of the highest correcton parameters with peripheal vision in mind. Well keep on reading below about the NIDEK EC 5000. Take care you all.
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Risks and Benefits of the NIDEK EC 5000 Laser:
The NIDEK EC-5000 Excimer Laser System (including EC-5000CX/CXII) has been approved for use in the United States to perform photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for the reduction or elimination of myopia in the low, moderate or high ranges (-0.75 to -13.00 D), spherical equivalent at the spectacle plane, uncomplicated by refractive astigmatism (i.e. equal or less than 0.75 D in any meridian), and of moderate myopia with astigmatism from -1.00 to -8.00 D spherical equivalent with astigmatism from -0.50 to -4.00 D absolute cylinder by manifest refraction in subjects who are 21 years or older, and to perform laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for the correction of myopia ranging from -1.00 D to -14.00 D MRSE with or without less than or equal to -4.00 D astigmatism; in patients who are over 21 years of age; and in patients with documentation of stable manifest refraction as defined in the indications statement over the past year.In PRK of moderate myopia with astigmatism, due to cylinder coupling effects on sphere, the lower range of the intended use must be restricted in a step-wise fashion, with a nomogram lookup table provided for specific treatment combinations.In PRK studies of 587 eyes (consistent cohort) after final treatment with refractive data at 6 months, 91.3% were corrected to 20/40 or better and 60.6% were corrected at 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses.Approval of the PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism application was based on clinical trials with 749 eyes treated, of which 635 of 748 eligible eyes were followed for 6 months together with supplemental safety and effectiveness information from the 9 through 24 months examination intervals. This clinical investigation extended for 24 months. In PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism studies of 635 eyes with refractive data at 6 months of follow-up, 93.5% were corrected to 20/40 or better and 64.3% were corrected to 20/20 or better without spectacles or contact lenses. Long term risks of PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism beyond this time interval have not been studied.Approval of the LASIK application is based on a clinical trial of 1126 eyes (622 primary and 504 secondary) of which 722 eyes were treated for astigmatic myopia and 404 for spherical myopia. Of all eyes treated, 966 eyes were available for analysis at 3 months, and 758 eyes were followed for 6 months or more. Accountability was 88.3% at 3 months and 82.5% at 6 months. The data analysis was based on the refractive data at the 6 month follow-up examination for 758 total eyes. This analysis showed that 640/758 (84.4%) eyes were corrected to 20/40 or better and 359/758 (47.4%) were corrected to 20/20 or better visual acuity without spectacles or contact lenses. Long term risks of LASIK for myopia or myopic astigmatism have not been determined.This laser is not indicated to correct farsightedness in the United States.Adverse Events and Complications Reported:In PRK clinical trials the percentage of individuals with 20/20 or better pre-op had best corrected spectacle visual acuity worse than 20/25 in the following proportions; 4.0% (-6.00 to -9.00 D) and 4.8% (>-10.00 D). Complications reported by subjects: An increase in fluctuation of vision (34.1% pre-op vs. 48.1% post-op); glare (26.9% pre-op vs. 34.4% post-op); and difficulty in night driving (23.5% pre-op vs. 48% post-op.)In PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism adverse events were reported by at least 1% of subjects at 6 months post final treatment; increased glare (3.7%); increase in fluctuation of vision (5.2%); and an increased difficulty in night driving (19.6%).Alternatives to PRK for myopia and to PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism: PRK and PRK for moderate myopia with astigmatism are elective procedures with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, LASIK, radial keratotomy or automated lamellar keratoplasty.Contraindications, Warnings & Cautions:PRK and LASIK are contraindicated in patients with autoimmune, immunodeficiency, or collagen vascular disease, signs of keratoconus, susceptibility to excessive keloid formation, or who are pregnant or nursing, or on certain ocular or systemic steriod regimens. Laser surgery is NOT recommended for patients with a history of ocular Herpes simplex or ocular Herpes zoster. Caution should be exercised when considering performing laser eye surgery on patients with unstable refraction, systemic disease likely to adversely affect wound healing, active ocular disease, glaucoma/ocular hypertension, insulin-dependent diabetes or clinically significant atopic disease, corneal epithelial, stromal, or endothelial dystrophy, previous corneal scarring, previous penetrating ocular or corneal surgery, or in patients currently taking medications which may adversely affect corneal wound healing. The safety and effectiveness of performing laser eye surgery on these patients has not been determined.Adverse Events for LASIKThe LASIK study showed that most adverse events occurred in trace amounts (<1%). Those that were greater than 1% included 13 eyes (1.2%) that required surgical fixation of a loose flap; and foreign bodies or apparent infection were observed in 20 eyes (1.8%). In addition, at 6 months post final treatment, ghost/double images occurred at 1.3%.LASIK is an elective procedure with the alternatives including but not limited to eyeglasses, contact lenses, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), radial keratotomy, astigmatic keratotomy or automated lamellar keratectomy.In the United States, this device is not to be used in procedures other than those described in the approved U.S. version Operator's Manual.
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