Wavefront Mapping is The Future of Boothe Eye Care
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011Introduction
Discoveries are made every day in the medical field but some are more significant than others with regards to widespread implementation and the actual effect they have on our daily lives. Wavefront mapping, for example, is a technology that has revolutionized the world of ophthalmologic medicine and given us a better understanding of the human eye.
With this technology, an ophthalmologist is able to more accurately determine the diopters that each person needs to correct their vision. As you may know, there are many types of eye problems. Some are treatable by glasses or contact lenses, and others by surgery. In order for a doctor to realize what is causing reduced or impaired vision, some tests need to be done. This is where Wavefront mapping is useful. During an eye exam in the past, a doctor would have to try various lenses on a patient to see if that particular strength improved their vision, and then to rely on the patient’s subjective affirmation of improvement. These days, the process can be automated using Wavefront mapping, and the results are much more accurate and reliable.
How does Wavefront mapping work?
The patient is seated in front of a piece of medical equipment, from which a beam of light is passed through his or her eyes. The reflected light is used to create a map of the eye with all its unique aberrations. From this, Dr. Boothe, is able to see exactly what is wrong with the eye. Furthermore, if the patient chooses to undergo laser eye surgery, the doctor will pass this exact data into the computer that powers the laser during the procedure, which helps the doctor perform the best surgery possible. No one has a perfect Wavefront mapping since no one has perfect eyes; however, not all aberrations affect your vision or need to be corrected. In many cases our eyes become accustomed to these aberrations and they fix the problem by themselves.
Advantages of Wavefront mapping
There are so many advantages for Wavefront mapping, that only few doctors are solely relying on older methods to detect vision problems. Dr. Boothe recommends a mapping for each patient, as it is a very accurate and fast process, and has no harmful side effects. All you have to do is look into the device, and the computer takes care of everything else. One of the main advantages is the accuracy and the speed of the process. Another interesting advantage is that the data collected from this mapping can be used to calibrate other medical devices, for example in laser eye surgery. In an ophthalmological office like Dr. Boothe’s, Wavefront mapping is one of the standard procedures for every patient. From this, the doctor knows exactly with what problems to address, and the patient can be assured they are received the correct treatment. Wavefront mapping can be used to determine and aid in the resolution of so many visual problems, that today it is recognized as one of the most important pieces of equipment in an ophthalmology office.


