Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217
The Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217 is an excimer laser system designed for corneal refractive surgery, including LASIK. It uses a 193 nm argon-fluoride (ArF) excimer laser to precisely ablate corneal tissue and reshape the cornea.
The system uses flying-spot scanning technology and incorporates eye-tracking to improve the accuracy and safety of laser delivery. Later versions of the platform, including the Technolas 217z100, introduced higher laser repetition rates and compatibility with Zyoptix wavefront-guided treatments.
The Technolas 217 series includes several hardware and software configurations, so specifications can vary between individual models.
Core Specifications
| Parameter | Technolas 217 specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Bausch & Lomb / Technolas (originally Chiron Technolas) |
| Laser type | ArF excimer laser |
| Wavelength | 193 nm |
| Pulse duration | Approximately 18 ns |
| Operating mode | Pulsed |
| Beam delivery | Flying-spot / scanning laser |
| Nominal repetition rate — early 217 | 50 Hz |
| Later 217z100 | 100 Hz |
| Fluence at cornea — commonly reported 217 configuration | 120 mJ/cm² |
| Beam/spot diameter — standard 217 | Approximately 2 mm |
| Ablation mechanism | Scanning/flying-spot excimer ablation |
| Scanner | Two-axis scanner-mirror system with feedback |
| Eye tracking | Infrared/video-based pupil tracking |
| Eye-tracker sampling | 120 Hz |
| IR illumination wavelength | 880 nm |
| IR illumination power | Approximately 1 mW |
| Tracker adjustment time | Approximately 2.4 ms |
| Total tracker response | Approximately 10.7 ms |
| Tracking field | Approximately 3 × 3 mm |
| Pupil tracking | Active pupil-centre tracking |
| Treatment software | PlanoScan on relevant 217 configurations |
| Wavefront capability | Zyoptix on compatible 217Z/217z100 configurations |
| Typical optical zone | Approximately 5.5–7 mm, depending on treatment/software |
| Transition/blend zone | Treatment-dependent |
| Cooling | Internal water-circulation cooling |
| Electrical supply (documented 217 specification) | 230 V ±10%, 16 A, 50 Hz; 60 Hz option reported |
| Approx. system weight | 600 kg |
| Approx. dimensions | 264 × 120 × 145 cm |
| Operating ambient temperature | Approximately 18–24 °C |
| Storage temperature | Approximately −10 to +40 °C |
| Operating humidity | Approximately 30–50%, non-condensing |
| Classification | Class I, Type B (as reported in the technical specification) |
Eye Tracker
The documented 217 tracking system is particularly useful if you’re trying to identify or compare a machine:
- 120-Hz sampling
- approximately 2.4-ms scanner adjustment
- approximately 10.7-ms total response
- 3 × 3-mm tracking area
- infrared illumination at 880 nm
- automatic interruption of laser delivery when the pupil moves outside the permitted tracking tolerance.
These figures come from a technical specification for the Technolas 217 rather than being generic excimer-laser specifications.
Treatment Characteristics
The 217 family was designed for LASIK and surface-ablation procedures, including treatment of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism depending on the particular software, regulatory approval and configuration.
For example, one clinical study using a Technolas 217 version V312.383 reported:
- 193-nm wavelength
- 160 mJ/cm² fluence
- 50-Hz repetition rate
- approximately 0.25 µm ablation/pulse
- 6.5–7.0-mm ablation zone
- 0.5-mm transition zone.
Can’t find something? Email us at sales@gossinst.co.uk or message our team via the contact page. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our products and will be delighted to assist you in locating precisely what you need.