La laser refractive surgery, especially through the use of Excimer Laser technology, has revolutionized the treatment of refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Traditionally, these conditions were corrected only with the use of glasses or contact lenses, which could significantly limit the quality of life of users in their daily lives, including work, sports and leisure activities. Now, thanks to advances in laser surgery, patients have the option to permanently correct these visual defects.
La Excimer Laser technique precisely reshapes the cornea, the surface of the eye, improving the eye's ability to focus light on the retina and, therefore, correcting vision. This procedure is quick, generally painless, and offers long-lasting results, allowing Most patients 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, designed specifically for their unique vision needs, allowing them to return to their normal activities soon after surgery, with newfound visual freedom.
What is refractive laser surgery?
Laser refractive surgery is a procedure that uses laser technology to correct visual defects such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. By precisely reshaping the cornea, this treatment improves the way light is focused on the retina, resulting in clearer vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Who are candidates for laser refractive surgery?
The ideal candidates for laser refractive surgery are adults with stable refractive errors, who have not had significant changes in their optical prescription for at least the last year. Patients must 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, which is recognized for its precision and safety. This type of laser allows for personalized vision correction and is especially effective in guaranteeing optimal results and rapid recovery.
What is the difference between LASIK and PRK?
LASIK and PRK are two of the most common methods of refractive surgery. 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 differ in the technique and recovery time.
Is laser refractive surgery painful?
Laser refractive surgery is performed under local anesthesia in the form of drops and is generally painless. Patients may experience a slight sensation of pressure during the procedure and some discomfort during the first few hours of recovery.
What is the recovery time after refractive laser surgery?
Most patients notice a significant improvement in their vision almost immediately after the procedure. Complete recovery and stabilization of vision can occur within a few weeks, although many return to 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 carries 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, comprehensive examinations will be carried out to ensure that you are a suitable candidate. It is recommended not to wear contact lenses for a period prior to evaluation and surgery, and to avoid any makeup or lotions in the eye area on the day of the procedure.
What is the cost of refractive laser surgery at Clínica Nivaria?
At Clínica Nivaria, we offer an initial consultation to discuss options, costs, and financing possibilities. We have a promotion of Operation Myopia, Hyperopia, Laser Astigmatism specially designed for you.
What refractive defects does the laser correct?
The most common refractive defects that can be corrected through a simple intervention with the Excimer Laser, are the following:
HYPERMETROPY: In the case of farsightedness, the focus of the light rays that make up the image occurs behind the retina, rather than directly on it, so that a person with farsightedness gets a vision that is not very clear, but Even more blurred is his near vision.
Nearsightedness: Myopia occurs when the parallel rays of light that affect the eye are focused in front of the retina and not directly on it, causing the nearsighted person, a distant vision blurred while having a clear near vision.
ASTIGMATISM: Astigmatism is a visual distortion caused by an irregular shape of the cornea (usually occurs if the corneal curvature is different in the different meridians of it), so that the rays of light that pass through it different degrees of refraction causing two different focus points, causing the person with this refractive defect not to enjoy a clear and focused vision both near and far away objects (blurred vision and not very clear).
It should be noted that these vision defects can occur independently or in combination with the same person, and both in one case and in the other, correction through Excimer Laser is feasible after study and confirmation of the ophthalmologist.
What requirements are nedeed to fulfill?
To determine if a patient is a good candidate for a visual correction through the Excimer Laser technique, it is essential that an ophthalmologist perform an evaluation to check if all the selection criteria for this type of intervention are met.
In general, a series of minimum requirements must be met to qualify to be a candidate:
- Be over 18 years old.
- Graduation must have remained stable for at least one year.
- Do not present any ocular or systemic pathology that contraindicates the treatment.
- Have a graduation that is within the limits of correction of this treatment, in relation to the patient's corneal thickness.
In addition to these general criteria, the results of all ophthalmological tests performed by the specialist during the preoperative examination will be indispensable to determine if a patient is a good candidate.
What is the pre-surgical consultation?
A simple but complete 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, graduation, etc.) that determine in each case the possibility to perform 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.
For the NIVARIA CLINIC, direct treatment with each patient who trusts us with their visual health is of vital importance. That is why the entire pre and post-surgical process is performed by the same ophthalmologist surgeon who will perform the intervention.
If you are interested in this type of surgery, the first step is to request a pre-surgical consultation. This query is essential to be able to make a correct indication. Below we inform you what they consist of.
BEFORE THE PREQUIRURGICAL CONSULTATION:
IMPORTANT: It is very important that when you book your appointment by phone (822 027 777) you indicate that you want to have a pre-surgical consultation or general pre-surgical exam.
If you are a user of contact lenses, you must do without them at least ONE WEEK in advance, so that the results of the tests performed are as reliable as necessary.
We advise you to come accompanied, since during the tests the pupil will dilate and this will make it look blurry for a few hours. It is not advisable to drive after the tests for the same reason.
PRIOR GENERAL EXAM:
In addition to the consultation, a series of ophthalmological and optometric tests will be carried out to determine whether or not to perform the intervention, as well as the most appropriate type of surgical technique for each particular case. These tests are:
- Refraction with and without pupil dilation.
- Corneal study.
- Retinography / retinal OCT.
- The desirability of performing some other test on special occasions according to optional criteria is not ruled out.
If you would like more information on the General Exam tests, we invite you to consult the following information collected in our BLOG: GENERAL EXAMINATION FOR REFRACTIVE SURGERY.
AFTER THE CONSULTATION AND THE TESTS:
The results of all these tests allow the ophthalmologist to determine whether a patient is an optimal candidate or not to perform this type of intervention, or a different surgical technique must be proposed to solve his refractive problem.
When booking an appointment for the intervention, in addition to indicating the budget for your treatment, as well as the financing possibilities, the following documentation will be delivered:
- Informed consent.
- Instructions and recommendations prior to the intervention.
How is the intervention?
- It is a technique that is carried out under topical anesthesia, that is, anesthetic drops are applied to the patient's eye, without the need for punctures or the application of any other type of sedation.
- Laser treatment is completely painless. The patient will only notice the application of a beam of light to his 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 a few seconds.
- It is an outpatient technique, which allows the patient to leave the Center just one hour after 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 (sensation of rubbing or a “grit” inside the eye), during the first hours after the intervention.
What is postoperative recovery like?
One of the main advantages of this technique is the speed and comfort in the post-operative recovery that it offers to the patient, hence it is an outpatient procedure, which allows the patient to leave the ophthalmological center just one hour after performing the intervention. .
In the hours after the intervention, 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 work just one or two days after performing the treatment. , avoiding certain activities that may pose a risk of direct contact with the eyes, such as sports activities, presence in unclean environments, with suspended particles, etc., as well as excesses in front of TV sets, computers, consoles, etc.
Some recommendations, such as certain sports activities, bathing in pools or the sea, or being present in an unclean environment with suspended particles, are continued during the first two weeks after the application of the treatment.
POST-OPERATIVE REVIEWS:
- In the 24 hours.
- At 15 days.
- At three months.
Carrying out another review is not ruled out if the patient's recovery so indicates.
FAQ
- Does the intervention hurt? What type of anesthesia will apply to me? It does not hurt. A topical anesthetic (drops) is applied, without punctures or other sedation, effective immediately, which prevents discomfort. In any case the discomfort is tolerable and will depend on the person, since this aspect is very subjective.
- Can anyone operate? It is essential to have passed the appropriate prior ophthalmological examination, in which the ophthalmologist will determine if a patient is a candidate for treatment.
- Will it be necessary to wear glasses? It is generally not necessary, although in some cases it may be helpful to wear glasses with a small correction. However, this situation can be predicted after passing the general examination.
- How long does a laser intervention last? The intervention itself lasts between seven and ten minutes per eye, (although the time of application of the laser light by each eye is reduced to a few seconds), although some more time is required for the preparation of the patient.
- How long will it take me to recover? The recovery is immediate and progressive. Depending on the number of corrected diopters and the type of vision defect that has been intervened, recovery is more or less rapid, but as a general rule, most patients obtain sufficient visual comfort to resume their work or other activities to the 48-72 hours of the intervention.
- When can I start to live a normal life after treatment? After the application of the Laser, the patient should remain at home resting, keeping as much time as possible, the eyes closed. The next morning, the improvement is so important that a large percentage of patients have recovered enough visual quality to drive and even perform their daily tasks.
- Should I wear my eyes covered? It is not necessary to wear the covered eyes at any time, in fact, the patient can see once the intervention is finished even if it is blurred in the initial moments.
- What would happen if I move during the intervention? Any. If the patient makes a sudden movement voluntarily or involuntarily, the application of light by the laser stops.
- Can different vision defects be corrected in the same intervention? Yes, the treatment allows to correct refractive defects individually or jointly in the same patient: (myopia and astigmatism, hyperopia and astigmatism ... and other combinations), adapting to each specific case.
- Is the intervention performed in both eyes at the same time? Yes. One after another and consecutively, if there were any type of contraindication, it would not be done in either.
- Can I put on makeup after the intervention? It is advisable not to put on makeup at least two days before surgery and until, at least, a week later or instead, the time that the ophthalmologist deems appropriate.
- What type of medication should be taken? Basically topical antibiotics and anti-inflammatories (drops), in addition to the regular application of artificial tear, following the indications and guidelines provided by the ophthalmologist.
- Is there a possibility to make a touch up? Yes, this technique allows you to make adjustments if the result obtained in the medium term is not as satisfactory as we want.
