FAQ & Training

Our primary goal is to continue to be a world leader in technological innovation and to continue to make our lenses and technologies available to our patients now and into the future.

Laserfit® can often help restore vision lost through corneal disfigurement. The reason is that that corneal scarring is often accompanied by an irregular corneal surface. Unfortunately, the scar tissue creates another type of light scatter or diffusion that cannot be fixed with a lens, and so the improvements in these cases are always somewhat limited. However, it is not something that can always be predicted with certainty, and sometimes the results are surprisingly better than expected.

It is true that our studies have shown up to 16% of our patients have been able to resolve 20/10 letters with Laserfit® lenses. This is a result of great optics and not anything that we purposely have tried to achieve. Unfortunately we cannot predict who can be improved to that degree. In other words, our aim is to achieve the best possible optics but we cannot guarantee a specific result.

Prism in any direction – base up, down, in, or out – can be readily designed into our Laserfit® lenses. Because of thickness and optic zone limitations there may be a limit to the amount.

Laserfit® uses a patented process to incorporate wavefront-guided optics into the lens optics. The purpose of this is to reduce or eliminate the higher order aberrations which cause visual distortions such as glare, halos, ghost images, etc.

Yes, Laserfit® can absolutely correct astigmatism of any amount or axis.

The vast majority of scleral lens fittings are done with trial lenses in which boxes or kits of lenses are trialed to obtain the closest but only the best approximate fit. In difficult situations, an impression mold might be created as a last resort. In late 2007, Dr. G. recognized the potential for optical coherence tomography to capture accurate digital images of the eye, and to use those to fit scleral-type lenses.

Apart from the cornea, the surface of the eye can be quite non-reflective, irregular and “rough,” which poses a real challenge to image acquisition. This is inconsequential to optical coherence tomography. OCT technology allows Laserfit® to captures the surface of the eye directly. The Laserfit® scanning system is very robust and can capture images of any eye, regardless of how dry or rough the surface is.

While it is possible to obtain an image of the eye, or even a mold of the eye, it is quite another to create an engineered lens to fit the eye precisely and accurately. Laserfit® uses best in class engineering methods, software and consultants to create the most advanced lenses in the world.

Finally, Laserfit® uses an advanced system of vision correction called wavefront optics in which an FDA approved laser is used to precisely map the eye’s own individual optics, and then calculates the deviation from a perfect focus. This information is used to create a complex optical surface on the Laserfit® lens to cancel out those deviations and to create a more perfect retinal image for better vision. Laserfit® is the future of vision – today!

Unlike impression molding, the Laserfit® process is totally non-invasive. A high tech FDA approved digital scanner known as an optical coherence tomographer is used to scan the surface of the eye directly. The process is quick, easy, and pleasant for the patient as well as the doctor or technician. Once the process is finished, the scans are fed into the amazing software which generates a 3D image of your eye. A lens template is then customized to fit your own unique eye. Some have described the process as futuristic.

The eye - especially in the case of keratoconus - is rather soft and malleable, and can be distorted by touching. Great care is taken during the scanning process so that nothing is altered during the scanning. Nothing ever comes in contact with the eye during the scanning process, except when the eyelids are gently lifted out of the way to expose the surface of the eye to the scanner. Nothing goes into the eye except a lens that was specifically designed for that eye.

Once the scanned images are acquired, the process does not need to be repeated in the vast majority of cases.  Minor adjustments in fit such as edge adjustments can be made quickly and easily in the software. In fact, our software is so powerful that there is almost no limit to the way the lens can be adjusted to achieve a better fit.

The answer is no. Dr. Gemoules is the pioneer in the use of digital imaging in designing and fitting scleral lenses and has several U.S. patents on the process. Others may use OCT devices for various reasons such as documenting the lens on the eye, but nothing remotely similar to the process that Dr. Gemoules has created to arrive at an exact fit.

The name Laserfit® was chosen because of the laser scanning technologies used to fit and make them. A low-coherence FDA-approved diode laser called an optical coherence tomographer is used to map the eye. Another FDA-approved laser device called a ray-tracing aberrometer is used to map the optics of the eye in great detail.

As with scleral lenses, Laserfit® lenses vault the cornea and are made of highly oxygen permeable polymers, and retain a fluid layer between the lens and the cornea. However, Laserfit® lenses are unique in several respects. They are unique in the way they are fitted. They are unique in how they are designed. They are unique for their ability to provide superior vision using wavefront-guided optics. In short, Laserfit® is a completely custom-engineered solution for vision disorders.

The first step in the process is to understand the needs of the patient. The fitting begins by creating a non-invasive digital 3D “mold” of the entire front of the eye. The next step is to design a custom lens to match the shape of the eye. This accomplishes two things: a comfortable, well-fitting lens, as well as a stable platform for the optics. The optics are then customized and optimized using wavefront technology for the best possible vision and least possible distortion. Laserfit® lenses are protected by several U.S. Patents and others pending. With Laserfit®, nothing ever touches your eye except a lens that was made uniquely for it.

With Laserfit®, complex lens fitting is now more of a science than an art.

Laserfit® lenses are created from a digital “mold” of the eye. They are totally aspheric, and there is no simple set of numbers or defined curvatures or zones. The wavefront optics alone are described by dozens of complex equations using our patented processes. Therefore no prescription is available for them, and they are not available anywhere else except through Laserfit® at the present time. The sole manufacturer is Truform Optics of Hurst, Texas.

Each patient and each eye is unique. Therefore there is no simple answer to that question. The fitting is really over when the patient and doctor are satisfied.

One advantage of the Laserfit® process is that the very first lens fits well. But the road to perfection is often a bit more involved, especially where vision is concerned. The Laserfit® lens is capable of correcting the smallest measurable amount of refractive error (sphere and astigmatism) as well as the higher order aberrations, and this often adds additional time to the process. Challenging cases such as advanced keratoconus are more difficult just because getting an accurate refraction is challenging in the initial stages. The fitting is not difficult, but getting the best possible vision can be a bit more complex and may involve trying different optical models – which takes time.

Since many of our patients are traveling from distant places, we want to make sure we allow enough time to take care of any necessary adjustments that are not obvious in the early fitting stages. We would rather take care of all issues while the patient is here and not after they have returned home. This is why we tell our traveling patients to plan to be with us from 5 to 7 working days, depending on the diagnosis.

The perfectionist in us simply won’t allow us to cut corners.

Whether Laserfit® is covered depends on the diagnosis and the insurance company. If the lenses are deemed medically necessary by the insurance company, then they may cover a portion of or the entire fee. Our staff will provide you with supporting documentation to file a claim, but payment in full must be made to us at the time of service. We strive to keep our fees reasonable and we can only do that by being paid promptly and in full.

Currently Laserfit® is only available here in our Coppell, Texas location. However, our proximity to a major international airport hub and our fee arrangement with a local hotel makes travel to our location both pleasant and convenient.

Because Laserfit® utilizes digital scanning devices that are distributed throughout the world, the process is ideally suited for telemedicine in the future. As knowledge grows exponentially, Laserfit® provides an ideal platform for the sharing of our specialized expertise.

Unfortunately cataracts create a type of light scatter and diffusion that cannot be completely corrected with our lenses. While other aspects of vision can be greatly improved, the presence of a cataract will limit that improvement.

Unlike some, Laserfit® does not charge extra for astigmatic corrections, prism, decentered optics, wavefront-guided optics or any other special or unique features. Those are all included under the global fee. However, for extremely challenging cases requiring more than the typical one week stay, there are additional charges for time and materials.