FLAAK vs laser depigmentation
Often a source of confusion for patients, the two techniques (FLAAK and laser depigmentation) are in fact completely different.
Laser depigmentation
Laser depigmentation involves applying yag laser impacts to the iris to remove pigment.
Numerous sessions (10 to 15) are required to obtain a result that is often unsatisfactory from an aesthetic point of view (whitish iris similar to albinism) and visible only in bright light.
Its intra-ocular nature does not make it risk-free, since the dispersion of pigments in the eye can lead to blocked aqueous humor (pigmentary glaucoma) or inflammatory reactions.
FLAAK
FLAAK, on the other hand, uses a femtosecond laser to create an annular peripheral tunnel in the cornea around the pupil.
The second stage of FLAAK consists in distributing the pigment in this tunnel through two small incisions made by the femtosecond laser.
The new color is obtained by the intra-corneal pigment, which masks the natural color of the iris.
This much safer technique offers far better aesthetic results and a much wider range of color choices.
Conclusion
In short, the two techniques are not at all comparable, and the advantage is clearly with the FLAAK, both in terms of aesthetics and safety.
Bibliographical reference :
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34623172/
HEALTHCIE | Le Créateur Digital des Professions Médicales