The Intralase uses a femtosecond pulsed YAG laser to cleave the corneal
stroma at a predetermined depth.  It does this by creating tiny
contiguous bursts of energy in a plane.  The claims are for greater
accuracy and precision in flap thickness resulting in improved safety.

Ophthalmic conferences are often used by the manufacturers to showcase
new technology, be it new lasers or new contact lenses.  Although the
studies purport improved visual results over standard
microkeratome-created flaps, I would want to know how many of those
referenced studies were sponsored by the manufacturer, and how many of
the authors were paid consultants.  I have heard that visual recovery
following Intralase-created flaps takes longer, presumably because of
the effects of the gaseous by-products created in the process.

We will probably hear a volley from the microkeratome manufacturers.

DrG