Lasic Surgery

Lasic surgery is generally described as Refractive Surgery that treats refractive errors such as Myopia, Hypermetropia, and Astigmatism. The purpose is to create a clear vision without the aid of eye-glasses or contact lenses.

Who can it be performed on?

Laser eye surgery can be performed on people over the age of 18. The eye and the retina need to be examined thoroughly in a pre operative consultation. Cornea thickness and cornea topographies (maps) are examined thoroughly and suitability is evaluated.

How is it performed?

Fiber at a certain thickness (a flap) is lifted from the cornea with a special electric-knife called Microkeratome, refraction is corrected by applying the Excimer laser to the remaining cornea. The procedure only lasts for a few seconds.

Once this is completed, lifted flap is placed back. There is no need to cover the patient´s eye after this procedure, it is normal for the patient to experience some discomfort a few hours post procedure often accompanied by:

• Watering
• Redness
• Stinging and burning

These symptoms are temporary; the patient can expect to feel much better a day after surgery.

Wavefront Maps

Wavefront is a surgical method that corrects refractive errors called abberations occurring at layers other than the cornea with light beams entering the eye. This method is preferred as it does not cause dispersion or a shadowing effect around lights especially on patients who have difficulty seeing at night or who have large pupils.

However, it is not suitable for all patients. Suitability is evaluated before the surgery with an instrument called an abberometer. Because Wavefront Maps are person-specific, treatments are designed dependent on the patient.

Technology

Lasik surgery is completed within 10-15 minutes and is a method that helps you see without the need of eye-glasses or contact lenses for life. There are however important factors playing on the success of this surgery that need to be taken into consideration.

The laser technology used during this surgery is one of the most important of these factors. The laser beams created by the instrument to result in the desired correction, calibration of the instrument, performing regular optical corrections, storing the instrument in the room temperature, and a humidity rate of under 40% are needed.

The Excimer Laser instrument we use is approved by the FDA and is one of the most-developed and most-high-tech 4th generation lasers. We also have an eye-tracker system that quickly follows the eye during the surgery.

Instruments We Use

Bausch and Lomb Zyoptix

A fourth generation zyoptix217 instrument is used that offers the first personalized vision-correction integrated technology in the world. It is a custom Lasik treatment that bases Diagnostic Workstation together with the Zyoptix wavefront aberrometry instrument and corneal topography instruments.

Currently, no other instruments can perform back camera elevation measurements. It offers treatment planning abilities aside from the specifications above and helps determine the best results for the eye. It has developed the first iris scanning and diagnostics in the world. 100,000 customized ablation treatments were performed across the world with the Technolos217 instrument. It is also FDA approved for customized myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism.

Allegrotto-Wavelight

Allegrotto-Wavelight is an FDS approved German-patented laser used along with the Excimer laser instrument which contains advanced 4th generation technological characteristics. It performs the correction with a 0.95 mm diameter flying spot laser cluster. It corrects at a high speed of 200-400 Hz. It also has eye-tracker (tracking the eye during the surgery) ability. This ability helps eye movements during surgery not affect the procedure.

Visx Stars4

Visx Stars4 is an FDA-approved, U.S. patented, 4th generation excimer laser instrument that has reached the highest technology with STARS4IR. It has the ability to change diameters of light beams between 650 microns and 6.5 mms. This ability helps the creation of a flat surface on the cornea and shortens the treatment. It causes less textural ablations- which in turn causes less thinning on the cornea. It has active eye-tracker and iris recognition systems.

Examinations and Observations

• Detailed eye examination – vision levels with / without glasses – determination of eye glass numbers. Bio Microscopic observations – Eye-pressure measurement- Retina Observation
• Corneal topography (Corneal scanning with 3 different instruments)
• A system that measures vision problems
• Pacimetry (measurement of corneal thickness)
• Pupillometry (Measurement of the pupil in the light and in the dark)
• Measurement with the Aberometer
• Additional examination with an enlarged pupil

How will your surgery take place?

Necessary examinations are completed after the initial consultation with the patient who is interested in laser treatment. The treatment takes place on the second day, and a follow-up appointment is scheduled for the third day.

• The person is told not to wear lenses before the surgery for one week-if using soft contact lenses, and two weeks- if using hard contact lenses
• The eyes are anaesthetized with drops for the surgery, covered, wiped, and cables are used to prevent the eye from closing. As a result, you will not be able to close your eyes during the surgery.
• You will be informed about laser rays and will be told where to look. The patient´s eye will be locked on this light; as a result, even if your eye moves, the treatment will not be affected.
• This is the end of the surgery
• Surgery is about 5 minutes per eye.
• You can go home without covering your eyes
• Next day you will need to come back for a follow-up
• You will need to use eye drops for about ten days
• You should not swim for about 20 days.
• Eye make-up should not be worn for about 15 days.
• You can shower or have a bath one day after the surgery; however, you should be careful not to get soap in your eyes or rub them.