Laser refractive surgery , especially using excimer laser technology, has revolutionized the treatment of refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Traditionally, these conditions were corrected only with glasses or contact lenses, which could significantly limit the quality of life of those affected, including work, sports, and leisure activities. Now, thanks to advances in laser surgery, patients have the option of permanently correcting these visual defects.
The Excimer Laser technique precisely reshapes the cornea , the surface of the eye, improving the eye's ability to focus light on the retina and thus correcting vision. This procedure is quick, generally painless, and offers long-lasting results, allowing most patients to enjoy 20/20 vision or even better without the need for additional optical correction . At Clínica Nivaria, we use this cutting-edge technology to ensure our patients receive safe and effective treatments, specifically designed for their unique vision needs, allowing them to return to their normal activities shortly after surgery with newfound visual freedom.
What is laser refractive surgery?
Laser refractive surgery is a procedure that uses laser technology to correct vision defects such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. By precisely reshaping the cornea, this treatment improves how light focuses on the retina, resulting in clearer vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Who are candidates for laser refractive surgery?
Ideal candidates for laser refractive surgery are adults with stable refractive errors who have not experienced significant changes in their eye prescription for at least the past year. Patients should have corneas of adequate thickness and health and not suffer from eye diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma.
What laser technologies are used at Clínica Nivaria for refractive surgery?
At Clínica Nivaria, we use advanced technologies such as the Excimer Laser, renowned for its precision and safety. This type of laser allows for personalized vision correction and is especially effective in ensuring optimal results and a quick recovery.
What is the difference between LASIK and PRK?
LASIK and PRK are two of the most common refractive surgery methods. LASIK involves creating a small flap in the cornea, while PRK does not create a flap, which may be more suitable for patients with thin corneas. Both treatments reshape the cornea to improve vision, but they differ in technique and recovery time.
Is laser refractive surgery painful?
Laser refractive surgery is performed under local anesthetic eye drops and is generally painless. Patients may experience a slight feeling of pressure during the procedure and some discomfort during the first few hours of recovery.
What is the recovery time after laser refractive surgery?
Most patients notice a significant improvement in their vision almost immediately after the procedure. Full recovery and stabilization of vision can occur within a few weeks, although many return to their normal activities the next day.
What are the risks of laser refractive surgery?
Although laser refractive surgery is highly safe, like any surgical procedure, it does involve some risks, including infections, reactions to anesthesia, and unwanted visual changes such as halos or double vision, although these are rare.
How long does the effect of laser refractive surgery last?
The effects of laser refractive surgery are generally permanent; however, age-related vision changes, such as presbyopia, may require the eventual use of reading glasses.
What should I do to prepare for surgery?
Before surgery, a complete examination will be performed to ensure you are a suitable candidate. It is recommended that you do not wear contact lenses for a period of time before the evaluation and surgery, and avoid any makeup or lotions in the eye area on the day of the procedure.
What is the cost of laser refractive surgery at Clínica Nivaria?
At Clínica Nivaria, we offer an initial consultation to discuss your options, costs, and financing possibilities. We have a special offer on laser surgery for myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, designed just for you.
What refractive errors does the laser correct?
The most common refractive errors that can be corrected through a simple procedure with the Excimer Laser are the following:
HYPEROPIA: In the case of hyperopia, the focusing of the light rays that form the image occurs behind the retina, instead of directly on it, so that a person with hyperopia has blurry distant vision, but their near vision is even more blurry.
Myopia: Myopia occurs when parallel light rays entering the eye focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, causing blurred distance vision in a myopic person while having clear near vision.
ASTIGMATISM: Astigmatism is a visual distortion caused by an irregular shape of the cornea (usually occurring if the corneal curvature is different in the different meridians of the cornea), so that the light rays that pass through it suffer different degrees of refraction causing two different focal points, causing the person with this refractive defect to not enjoy clear and focused vision both near and far objects (blurred and unclear vision).
It is worth noting that these vision defects can occur independently or in combination in the same person, and in both cases, correction through Excimer Laser is viable after study and confirmation by the ophthalmologist.
What requirements must be met?
To determine if a patient is a good candidate for vision correction using the Excimer Laser technique, it is essential that an ophthalmologist perform an evaluation to verify that all the selection criteria for this type of intervention are met.
In general, a series of minimum requirements must be met to be eligible to be a candidate:
- Be over 18 years old.
- The graduation must have remained stable for at least one year.
- Not to have any ocular or systemic pathology that contraindicates the treatment.
- Having a prescription that is within the correction limits of this treatment, in relation to the corneal thickness of the patient.
In addition to these general criteria, the results of all ophthalmological tests performed by the specialist during the preoperative examination will be essential to determine if a patient is a good candidate.
What does the pre-surgical consultation consist of?
A simple but comprehensive ophthalmological study will determine if a patient is a good candidate for refractive treatment, since it is the personal circumstances of each patient (age, medical history, prescription, etc.) that determine in each case the possibility of carrying out this type of treatment, in addition to providing the necessary information to the specialist to determine what type of technique to use in each case.
At Clínica Nivaria, we believe direct contact with each patient who entrusts us with their eye health is of paramount importance. Therefore, the entire pre- and post-surgical process is carried out by the same ophthalmologist who will perform the procedure.
If you are interested in this type of surgery, the first step is to request a pre-surgical consultation. This consultation is essential for determining the correct procedure. Below, we explain what it involves.
BEFORE THE PRE-SURGICAL CONSULTATION:
IMPORTANT: It is very important that when you book your appointment by phone (822 027 777) you indicate that you want a pre-surgical consultation or general pre-surgical examination.
If you wear contact lenses, you must stop wearing them at least ONE WEEK in advance, so that the test results are as reliable as necessary.
We advise you to come accompanied, as your pupils will dilate during the tests, causing blurred vision for a few hours. Driving after the tests is not recommended for the same reason.
PRELIMINARY GENERAL EXAM:
In addition to the consultation, a series of ophthalmological and optometric tests will be performed to determine both whether or not the procedure is advisable and the most appropriate surgical technique for each individual case. These tests are:
- Refraction with and without pupillary dilation.
- Corneal Study.
- Retinography/ OCT retinal.
- The possibility of carrying out some other test on special occasions, according to medical criteria, is not ruled out.
If you would like more information about the General Examination tests, we invite you to consult the following information collected in our BLOG: GENERAL EXAMINATION FOR REFRACTIVE SURGERY.
AFTER THE CONSULTATION AND TESTS:
The results of all these tests allow the ophthalmologist to determine whether a patient is an optimal candidate for this type of intervention, or whether a different surgical technique should be proposed to solve their refractive problem.
When booking an appointment for the procedure, in addition to providing you with the cost of your treatment and the financing options available, you will be given the following documentation:
- Informed Consent.
- Instructions and recommendations prior to the intervention.
What is the procedure like?
- This technique is performed under topical anesthesia, meaning that anesthetic drops are applied to the patient's eye, without the need for injections or any other type of sedation.
- Laser treatment is completely painless. The patient will only feel a beam of light being applied to their eye.
- The duration of the complete treatment per eye is approximately 15 minutes, including patient preparation and application of anesthetic drops, although the direct application of the laser is reduced to just a few seconds.
- This is an outpatient technique, which allows the patient to leave the Center just one hour after having the treatment, without the need for hospitalization.
- Once the treatment is finished, it is not necessary to cover the eyes, so the patient will only notice a slight discomfort (a sensation of rubbing or of "sand" inside the eye) during the first few hours after the procedure.
What is the postoperative recovery like?
One of the main advantages of this technique is the speed and comfort of the post-operative recovery it offers the patient; hence, it is an outpatient procedure, allowing the patient to leave the ophthalmological center just one hour after the intervention.
In the hours following the procedure, vision will be somewhat blurred and will gradually recover in the following days, so that depending on the type of activity, a patient can return to their daily tasks just one or two days after the treatment, avoiding certain activities that may pose a risk of direct contact with the eyes, such as sports activities, being in unclean environments, with suspended particles, etc., as well as excessive use of TVs, computers, consoles, etc.
Some recommendations, such as certain sports activities, swimming in pools or the sea, or being in an unclean environment with suspended particles, are extended for the first two weeks after the application of the treatment.
POST-OPERATIVE REVIEWS:
- At 24 hours.
- After 15 days.
- At three months.
Further check-ups may be performed if the patient's recovery indicates it is necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does the procedure hurt? What type of anesthesia will I receive? It doesn't hurt. A topical anesthetic (drops) is applied, without injections or any other type of sedation. It has an immediate effect and prevents discomfort. In any case, any discomfort is tolerable and will depend on the individual, as this is very subjective.
- Can anyone have the surgery? It is essential to have passed the appropriate prior ophthalmological examination, in which the ophthalmologist will determine if a patient is a candidate for the treatment.
- Will I need to wear glasses? Generally, it's not necessary, although in some cases glasses with a slight correction may be helpful. However, this can be determined after the general eye exam.
- How long does a laser procedure take? The procedure itself lasts between seven and ten minutes per eye (although the application time of the laser light for each eye is reduced to just a few seconds), although a little more time is required for patient preparation.
- How long will it take to recover? Recovery is immediate and progressive. Depending on the number of diopters corrected and the type of vision defect treated, recovery is faster or slower, but as a general rule, most patients achieve sufficient visual comfort to resume their work or other activities within 48-72 hours of the procedure.
- When can I resume my normal activities after treatment? After the laser treatment, the patient should rest at home, keeping their eyes closed as much as possible. By the following morning, the improvement is so significant that a large percentage of patients have recovered enough vision to drive and even perform their daily tasks.
- Will I need to wear a blindfold? It is not necessary to wear a blindfold at any time; in fact, the patient can see once the procedure is finished, although it may be blurry at first.
- What would happen if I move during the procedure? Nothing. If the patient makes any sudden movement, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the laser will stop applying light.
- Can different vision defects be corrected in the same procedure? Yes, the treatment allows for the correction of refractive errors individually or together in the same patient: (myopia and astigmatism, hyperopia and astigmatism… and other combinations), adapting to each specific case.
- Is the procedure performed on both eyes at the same time? Yes. One after the other and consecutively. If there were any contraindication, it would not be performed on either eye.
- Can I wear makeup after the procedure? It is advisable not to wear makeup for at least two days before surgery and for at least a week afterward, or for as long as the ophthalmologist deems appropriate.
- What type of medication should be taken? Basically, topical antibiotics and anti-inflammatories (eye drops), in addition to the regular application of artificial tears, following the instructions and guidelines provided by the ophthalmologist.
- Is it possible to make a touch-up? Yes, this technique allows for touch-ups if the result obtained in the medium term is not as satisfactory as desired.
