The Intralase Laser

Blade-free LASIK was made possible by the Intralase Corp., which markets the laser used to create the precision corneal flap.

The laser emits pulses as short as one-quadrillionth of a second (femtosecond), using an infrared beam of light to separate tissues, simply dividing them without heat or impact. The pulses create microscopic bubbles within the corneal tissue, which then constitute the boundaries of the flap.

The laser works in concert with a special computer which calculates the precise cut needed to allow the excimer laser (the one that creates the actual vision correction) to do its work within the patient's cornea.