The technology at LaserSight ® started
with the Compak-200 mini-excimer laser system. This system
featured a compact, low power laserhead operating at low fluence.
It also introduced state-of-the-art, patented scanning technology
that is still considered the best method for refractive surgery.
The next laser system was the LaserScan LS-2000 ®. This
system used the same laserhead and scanning technology, but
possessed a redesigned chassis, automatic gas refill, new
surgical algorithms, a graphical user interface, and other
modifications. This is the system that we first used to obtain
CE marking and in the US FDA clinical trials.
In March, 1998, we released the LaserScan LSX ® excimer
laser system. This system featured an eye tracker, state-of-the-art
laserhead, 200Hz capability, remodeled chassis, and redesigned
software that would integrate with the new hardware components.
The LSX was the model released in the US in March, 2000 with
the 200Hz version in March, 2001, and LASIK in December, 2001.
This was the only model ever produced and sold for the US
market.
The next laser system model was the AstraScan ®, which
we released in April, 2002. This unit offered a significantly
improved eye tracker, energy monitor, revised software to
import the surgical plans from custom ablation planning tools,
and other improvements. We also offer an upgrade kit from
the LSX to the AstraScan so that existing LSX users would
have the opportunity to use the more advanced model.
In June, 2004, we introduced the AstraScan XL ®, the latest
and most advanced model we produce. The XL offers 300Hz laserhead
operation, synchronous high-speed eye tracking, improved delivery
arm mechanics, a revised user interface, improved power stability,
enhanced optical performance, and other features. This unit
is still in production.
In addition to the refractive laser products, LaserSight has
produced a state-of-the-art corneal topography workstation
called the AstraMax ®. Originally released in July, 2002,
the AstraMax features patented stereo topography, pachymetry
measurement, anterior and posterior surface modeling, pupilometry,
and a number of software-driven features. This system had
a software revision in December, 2004 that improved the performance
of the processing algorithms, custom ablation planning output,
and other software improvements. This unit is still in production.
AstraPro ®, the custom ablation planning software, was
first released in January, 2003. This software has been under
development for several years prior to its first release and
numerous well-known and well-respected ophthalmologists from
around the world provided insight and experience into AstraPro.
AstraPro uses the patented ellipsoidal model, which has a
significantly better approximation to the eye surface than
a spherical or even toroid eye model, which is used in all
competitors’ products. This custom ablation planning
software has many other important features not found in the
laser software, such as integrated pupil offset planning,
target refraction, prolate correction, topography-driven surgical
planning, contact lens over refraction, and improved blending
zones. In June, 2006, AstraPro was revised with improved surgical
planning methods, including target z-axis correction and wavefront-guided
surgical planning.
LaserSight has also developed microkeratome products which
are still in use worldwide but are no longer in production.
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