Custom LASIK surgery is a highly sophisticated laser vision correction procedure that employs wavefront technology based on the unique nuances of the patient’s eye and therefore, is a highly personalized treatment. An aberrometer precisely and comprehensively measures all optical aberrations of the patient’s eye creating a 3D fingerprint specific to each eye called ‘wavefront map guides/ wavescan’ using the ‘wavefront technology’. These wavefront map guides are then used to correct vision using a computer-controlled laser procedure by reshaping the cornea, ensuring a sharper and clearer vision. The comprehensive customized technique assures definite and better results with longevity, thrusting the custom LASIK surgery market to approximately a thousand million industry in 2016.
LASIK procedures are of three types: Conventional LASIK, Optimised LASIK and Custom/Wavefront LASIK procedures. Both in Conventional and Optimised LASIK surgeries, vision correction is based on eyeglass prescription, which is quite primitive in analyzing the aberrations in the eye. The standard method simply replaces glasses or lens and can inadvertently lead to spherical aberration. The optimized method neither causes aberrations nor corrects existing ones. On the other hand, the Custom LASIK procedure is successful in minimizing the incidence of aberrations. It also treats higher-order aberrations such as spherical aberrations, coma that cause blurry images, glare and double vision, and lower order aberrations called refractive errors that cause near-sightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. Conventional LASIK surgery treats only lower-order aberrations with indefinite results. A well-performed optimized LASIK surgery and a wavefront LASIK surgery results might seem deceptively similar, though wavefront LASIK offers superior results when it comes to night-vision, reading road-signs in fog, and capturing minute details.
According to the report titled "Global Custom LASIK Surgery Market, By Procedure (Wavefront Guided, Wavefront Optimized, Topography), Therapeutic Applications (Myopia, Hyperopia, Astigmatism, Others), and Geography - Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2024" published by Coherent Market Insights, the market for Veterinary Vaccines is expected to surpassUS$ 3.5 billion by the end of 2024 at a robust CAGR of 9.7% during 2016–2024.
Sophisticated infrastructure, high-end technology, advanced research facilities, and better health awareness make North America a highly lucrative market for custom LASIK surgery, followed by Europe. According to the National Eye Institute, by 2020, the number of people with vision problems would have doubled. By 2050, myopia cases are expected to rise to roughly 50 million and hyperopia cases to roughly 25 million. With such a tremendous increase in visual impairments, the growth of the exponential custom LASIK surgery market is undoubted. In the recent past, Asia Pacific has emerged as a fast-growing market for LASIK surgery, with Japan accounting for almost 50% of market share. Ever-increasing population, increasing the number of world-class ophthalmological clinics and eye hospitals in emerging economies such as India, and increasing discretionary income are expected to position Asia Pacific on a high growth trajectory that is projected to see the region become the largest market for custom LASIK surgery by 2020.
The Visx Customcue Wavescan, one of the first FDA-approved custom LASIK surgery systems in 2005 can treat up to -6 diopters of myopia and -3 diopters of hyperopia using a VISX Star S4 excimer laser. The company in its information booklet claims 94% of the patients treated achieved 20/20 vision. VISX Customcue VSS iDesign Advance Wavescan, Abbotts iDesign, Allegretto WAVE Eye-Q Excimer Laser, Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser, AMO Manufacturing USA LLC’s Star S4 IR Excimer laser and iDesign Advanced Wavescan Studio systems are some of the other FDA approved custom LASIK systems available in the market.
Major players in the market include Alcon Laboratories Inc, Abbott Medical Optics, Bausch and Lomb Surgical Inc, Carl Zeiss Inc and Nidek Inc.
Advanced technology certainly places custom LASIK surgery in the higher price bracket. However, its benefits far outweigh the costs involved, especially for patients with severe vision impairment. The better outcome and enhanced vision quality is the prime advantage of this procedure, especially for night-vision. However, being a surgical procedure there are risks associated with custom LASIK procedure too, as with conventional LASIK methods. Patients would do well to discuss the potential post-surgery complications with their ophthalmologists before-hand. Precise measurement of the aberrometer and detailed analysis are key to the success of this treatment technique. Patients with scars on the cornea or small pupil size, younger population are not good candidates for custom LASIK surgery, as precise measurement of optical aberrations is difficult in such cases. The young population largely perceives corrective spectacles to be an eyesore and increasingly inclined towards maintaining good personal aesthetics. This demographic group forms a major target population for the surgery, creating highly lucrative growth opportunities for players involved in the custom LASIK surgery market in the foreseeable future.
To know more about the latest market trends and insights, read the report titled, "GLOBAL CUSTOM LASIK SURGERY MARKET, BY PROCEDURE (WAVEFRONT GUIDED, WAVEFRONT OPTIMIZED, TOPOGRAPHY), THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS (MYOPIA, HYPEROPIA, ASTIGMATISM, OTHERS), AND GEOGRAPHY - TRENDS, ANALYSIS, AND FORECAST TILL 2024", published by Coherent Market Insights. Click on the link below to access the report –
https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/custom-lasik-surgery-market-86
