New generation in femtosecond lasers

At the opening of the ESCRS 2010 Convention in Paris, France, Ziemer Group unveiled its new generation of Femtosecond Surgical Lasers. Based on the experience from over half a million Z-LASIK procedures, Ziemer engineers have developed a new laser with a pulse rate of more than five million pulses per second.

The Crystal-tuned, wavefront-optimized, high numerical aperture optics focuses the laser beam on an extremely small tissue volume of less than 2 microns across, achieving smooth tissue dissection at just a few nano-Joules of Laser pulse energy. Ziemer's Crystal-tuned laser technology aims to achieve crystal-perfect tissue dissection with minimal thermal effects, minimum trauma, and minimum oedema in the corneal tissue. This permits dissecting stromal tissue close to Bowman's membrane or the Descemet, without inflicting damage on epithelium or endothelium.

Surgeons who have been using the Ziemer FEMTO LDV have been marketing their LASIK procedures successfully under the name Z-LASIK. Procedures performed with the new Crystal Line platform will be marketed under the trade name Z-LASIK Crystal Plus.

More precise, more uniform flap thickness minimizes risk in thin-flap (SBK) procedures; and shortest procedure times help avoid oedema and enhance predictability of refractive ablation. A new proprietary, smooth in-plane circular rim cut creates a self-sealing flap border that avoids in-growth and facilitates flap lifting.