Both CLEAR and LASIK are ideal for correcting myopia (nearsightedness) as they use different techniques to reduce the amount of tissue material in the cornea to improve your vision. 

CLEAR is an advanced lenticule extraction procedure that utilizes one femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser used in CLEAR creates a disk shape from the interior of your cornea and this disk shape is called a lenticule.  The lenticule is removed by your doctor through one or two very small incisions created by the laser.  When the lenticule is removed the amount of tissue in your cornea is reduced and this improves yours vision. 

LASIK also uses a femtosecond laser, but is also reliant on an excimer or ablation laser to remove excess tissue.  With LASIK the femtosecond laser creates a flap that can be folded back.  After the flap is folded back a second ablation or excimer laser is used to remove excess tissue.  Once the required excess tissue is removed the flap created by the femtosecond laser is put back in place.  Aftwerwards patients are required to wear protective contact lenses until the cornea has healed.  

CLEAR is flapless and LASIK has a flap, the difference is in the methods used to reduce the tissue material in the cornea.

Your doctor will do a full diagnostic analysis of your eye prior to recommending any eye procedures. Doctors have a range of values they must consider prior to recommending CLEAR over another procedure such as LASIK. Sometimes patients are candidates for both CLEAR and LASIK. CLEAR is often a choice for individuals with active lifestyles that include running, action sports or combat sports as there is no flap created with CLEAR. CLEAR produces great visual accuity, however vision continually improves over days and weeks where as LASIK could have faster next day results. For those with less active lifestyles who require faster visual improvement for work then a doctor might recommend LASIK over CLEAR. 

Your doctor will apply drops that will numb your eye to ensure you have the most comfortable treatment possible. The laser utilizes a suction to hold your eye in place during the laser procedure. Some patients have said they feel a slight pressure from the suction. Unlike other laser eye surgeries, CLEAR is a single laser procedure. It’s a fast, bladeless, flapless and gentle. The upper layers of the cornea are minimally disturbed and this means your nerves are less affected compared with LASIK, thus potentially reducing the incidence of dry eye after the procedure.  Your doctor will still provide eye drops to relieve any discomfort you might have after the procedure.

This could potentially allow for more corneal stability after surgery.

The laser aspect of the CLEAR procedure takes just 30 seconds and from start to finish the entire procedure takes 10-15 minutes. 

Every individual will heal at different rates. In most cases, visual acuity is very good one or two days after the operation and stabilizes within one week. Normally, you will be able to drive, work and participate in sports within a few days.

CLEAR is developed in Switzerland by Ziemer and gained CE approval in 2020. CLEAR is therefore the most modern lenticule extraction procedure in the world.  CLEAR is developed to be used with the Ziemer Z8 lasers that are renowned for their low energy use. Low energy means there is less energy directed at your eye to create a smooth overlapping laser beam profile.  The result of Ziemers unique beam profile are smooth incisions and smooth lenticule creation. A smoother incision and lenticule could improve patient comfort and recovery as both the structure of the cornea is smoother and nerves less disturbed when compared to lasers used in other lenticule extraction procedures. Being the most modern lenticule extraction technique means Ziemer was able to improve upon procedures of the past and deliver a more modern and advanced lenticule technique to patients.