FLAAK VS laser depigmentation
Often a source of confusion among patients, the two techniques (FLAAK and laser depigmentation) are in fact completely different.
Laser depigmentation
Laser depigmentation involves applying YAG laser pulses to the iris to remove pigment.
Numerous sessions are required (10 to 15) to achieve a result that is often unsatisfactory from an aesthetic point of view (a whitish iris similar to albinism) and only visible in bright light conditions.
Its intraocular nature means that it is not without risk, as the dispersion of pigments in the eye can lead to a blockage of the flow of aqueous humor (pigmentary glaucoma) or inflammatory reactions.
The FLAAK
FLAAK, on the other hand, is different in that it uses a femtosecond laser to create a peripheral annular tunnel around the pupil in the cornea.
The second stage of FLAAK involves distributing the pigment in this tunnel through two small incisions made by the femtosecond laser.
The new color is obtained by the intracorneal pigment, which masks the natural color of the iris.
This much safer technique offers much better aesthetic results and a much wider range of color choices.
Conclusion
In short, these two techniques are not at all comparable, and FLAAK currently has a clear advantage in terms of both aesthetics and safety.
Référence bibliographique :
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34623172/