Laser vision correction

Qualification tests for laser vision correction

As already mentioned, an absolute prerequisite for qualifying for laser eye surgery is stabilization of the defect. This means that one year before the qualification tests are undertaken, the defect should remain stable. Breaking this rule can result in the return and worsening of the vision defect already after laser eye correction. Another consideration for the procedure is the age of the patient. It is assumed that until the age of 18 the eyes should not undergo surgery due to the developmental changes taking place in them, although in justified cases laser vision correction procedures are performed on people who are 18 or older. year of life. As part of the qualifying examination, the ophthalmologist conducts an in-depth interview with the patient to get an idea of whether there are any contraindications to the procedure. It is worth remembering that while there is a lower age limit for a doctor to undertake laser vision correction, there is no upper limit.

Contraindications to laser eye surgery

Laser vision correction – convalescence

After laser vision correction surgery, it is recommended:

on the day of the surgery, avoid driving – the operated eye is hypersensitive to light (this sensitivity may be only temporary or may persist permanently), may tear, and may burn;

• limit computer work for a few days after surgery
• Wear sunglasses for a few days
• be careful with the eye while bathing – so that no soap or shampoo gets into it
• beware of any sudden movements of the hand around the eye – do not rub, do not squeeze the eyelids
• Do not use sunbathing without glasses for a month, public swimming pools, dusty and smoky rooms

In case of any doubt, pain or the appearance of inflammation, the patient should immediately see a doctor.

Depending on the method used, from 1 – 7 days after the operation, the patient begins to function normally, and after a month he can see perfectly.

Risks and contraindications

Each surgical procedure involves certain risks and side effects, which the patient has the opportunity to learn about during a visit to SwissLaser Warsaw Krakow.

The rate of complications in laser vision correction is low; depending on the method chosen, the patient may experience various unusual sensations. With most laser correction methods, the pain disappears after just a few hours, and the patient can enjoy good vision the day after the procedure.

Laser vision correction is a well-established method, and the procedure itself is one of the more commonly performed types of surgery in the world. The associated risks can be described as very low – largely due to the detailed preliminary research and extensive experience of our staff.

Potential complications the patient may experience include:

• Pain lasting up to three days and fluctuating vision lasting up to several months after surgery (characteristic of the method of LASEK).
• Using the method Femto-LASIK, there may be tearing and a sense of the presence of a foreign body in the eye, which generally persists for 4 to 8 hours after surgery.
• Patients over 45. Year olds are likely to need reading glasses after myopia correction.
• Sensitivity of the eyes to light, which may be only temporary or persist permanently.
• In the weeks following surgery, there may be increased sensitivity to glare, which can lead to a halo effect (a glow around light sources) or reduced visual acuity at dusk and in glare (such as oncoming traffic). This risk can be mitigated through the use of so-called “augmentation”. Wavefront.
• Due to the variability of the healing process and the power of the laser, undercorrection or overcorrection of 20% of the desired visual acuity may occur, but this can be corrected in the post-operative period chosen by the patient.
• As a result of the procedure, in-growth or displacement of the corneal flap (flap) may occur, which can be corrected with a quick procedure.
• Incision errors during corneal flap formation are very rare – their occurrence is further reduced by advanced femtosecond laser technology.
• Corneal protrusion (keratectasia) is extremely rare (1 in 10-40,000 cases) and can be removed by
  corneal cross-linking
  .
• Dry eye, which usually occurs only temporarily. Relief and adequate hydration can be achieved with commonly available eye drops.
• Postoperative infection is prevented by using antibiotic eye drops in the first week. If you experience inflammation or pain in your eye, please contact us immediately. The use of cortisone eye drops can also lead to increased dryness and increased intraocular pressure.