Mr CT Pillai
Ophthalmology

A new level of precision – Advanced Wavefront laser eye treatment

Written by: Mr CT Pillai

Published: 26/11/2018 | Updated: 29/11/2023

Edited by: Cal Murphy

Since the advent of laser eye surgery, technology has continued to evolve and advance, with new treatments becoming available to patients looking to correct their vision. Wavefront laser eye treatment is one such example. We learn more in this informative article.

What is Wavefront laser eye treatment?

Wavefront laser eye treatment is an exciting type of laser eye surgery that recognises that the “one size fits all” approach of traditional surgery isn’t best for everyone because everyone’s eyes are different.

First, a machine is used to analyse the patient’s eyes, particularly the prescription and any imperfections. The machine sends the light into the eye and, since light travels like a wave, the light is reflected back by the eye.

When the light is reflected back, it bounces off certain structures of the eye, such as the lens, the sides of the pupil and the cornea. This allows the eye doctor to build a picture of these structures, meaning that the reflected light not only gives you the prescription of the eye, but also gives you details about various imperfections or aberrations. These could be problems with:

The shape of the cornea
The size of the pupil
The position of the pupil
The position of the lens
The shape of the lens
The length of the eyeball.

The Wavefront treatment not only corrects the prescription, but also corrects all the imperfections of the eye and also the pupil diameter. Since it is highly precise, and there’s a great opportunity for patients to achieve more than 20-20 vision (driving standard vision).

How does Wavefront laser treatment work?

In Wavefront laser treatment, the laser precisely removes the tissue where there is an aberration, meaning that the laser treatment is not uniform, but is tailor-made for the imperfections of each eye, and also the prescription. The laser moves in a different pattern for each individual case.

How does Wavefront compare with standard laser eye treatment?

Standard laser eye treatment cannot treat large pupils. Large pupils have imperfections, and if you don’t correct the imperfections and the pupil size, the patient will end up with more problems, including haloes and glare at night time. That is why Advanced Wavefront treatment is preferred for patients with higher prescriptions, astigmatism and larger pupils.

Which patients is Wavefront most suitable for?

Wavefront laser treatment is most suitable for both short-sighted and long-sighted patients with higher prescriptions and astigmatism as well as patients with larger pupils. Wavefront is a standard treatment for everybody now, regardless of factors such as age.

By Mr CT Pillai

Ophthalmology in London

Mr CT Pillai is one of the most experienced laser eye surgeons in the UK, having performed more than 30,000 LASIK, LASEK and PRK procedures over a 25-year career. Mr Pillai's surgical skills and record of very low complication rates have been widely applauded in specialist journals such as Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Eye, IOVS, Optician and Cosmetic Surgery. He is the medical director and founder of Advanced Vision Care, a leading independent eye surgery clinic with a globa...

By Mr CT Pillai
Ophthalmology

Mr CT Pillai is one of the most experienced laser eye surgeons in the UK, having performed more than 30,000 LASIK, LASEK and PRK procedures over a 25-year career. Mr Pillai's surgical skills and record of very low complication rates have been widely applauded in specialist journals such as Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Eye, IOVS, Optician and Cosmetic Surgery. He is the medical director and founder of Advanced Vision Care, a leading independent eye surgery clinic with a global reputation for high success rates and extensive post-surgical care.

Originally qualifying from the University of Madras in 1980, Mr Pillai moved to the UK and became a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 1990. After extensive training with internationally recognised surgeons in Greece, the UK and the USA, he became one of the few surgeons in the UK to be granted a Fellowship in both Corneal and Refractive Surgery. Mr Pillai is celebrated for being one of the first surgeons in the UK to perform bilateral LASIK surgery, treating both eyes on the same day.

As the medical director of Advanced Vision Care, Mr Pillai is committed to providing an impartial service that is independent from any one lens manufacturer. Over the last 15 years he has built up a unique network of ophthalmologists to provide personalised aftercare to the patient, wherever they live in the UK. Under his leadership the clinic enjoys excellent patient reviews and outstanding results - with 99% of patients achieving 20/20 vision or better.