#questions #patients #laser #eye #surgery
1. What type of refractive surgery is right for me?
Laser eye surgery has been around for more than 30 years. It has become one of the most performed surgical procedures in France and in the world. And so much to tell you that there has been a lot of technological progress in recent years! There are three main techniques: the PKR or surface excimer laser, LASIK and the SMILE technique. Each of them is used according to their visual defect but also their way of life and their expectations. Thus, the laser allows correcting many visual defects such as myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and presbyopia. If you suffer from keratoconus, it is also possible to consider refractive surgery.
2. How is the first consultation with the ophthalmologist surgeon?
Laser eye surgery requires a careful preoperative evaluation by a qualified and experienced physician. This preoperative consultation is essential. It allows the surgeon to perform a complete evaluation that will allow him to determine if you are eligible for the intervention. Corneal topography evaluating the regularity of the cornea, measurement of the thickness of the cornea, measurement of the pupil… Your eyes will no longer have any secrets for your surgeon! Between the preoperative consultation and the day of the refractive surgery, a reflection period of 15 days is mandatory. If all conditions are met, it can be operated quite quickly.
3. Are there any contraindications for laser eye surgery?
Progressive myopia, excessive myopia (more than 10 d) or too thin a cornea are among the most frequent contraindications. In general, it is above all the stability of your vision that counts. You must have had stable vision for at least two years to qualify for laser eye surgery. You must also be at least 18 years old because eye growth ends between the ages of 18 and 25. With regard to pregnant women, refractive surgery is possible in early pregnancy. So, it is advisable to postpone your operation until after the baby arrives, ideally within 3 months after delivery. This delay allows hormone levels in the blood to return to normal. Hormones can actually cause slight changes in the water content of the cornea and thus change vision (especially during the last two trimesters of pregnancy).
4. Does laser eye surgery hurt?
This is definitely the most frequently asked question about laser eye surgery! Rest assured that current techniques have evolved so much that the risk of blindness is non-existent. Complications from laser refractive surgery are rare because the surgeon does not fit the eye itself. It will treat the ocular defect on the surface, greatly limiting possible complications. At most, he will feel slight discomfort when the surgeon goes to moisten the eye or when he goes to place a retractor to hold the eye open for the operation. The operation is strictly painless thanks to anesthetic eye drops. Know that this very significantly limits your possible complications, your vision will not worsen after laser surgery and you will not risk going blind either!
5. Will I have to take a week off after my laser eye surgery?
Technological advances allow a better recovery and almost no social eviction. Some patients who have surgery in the morning with the state-of-the-art SMILE technique can even go back to work the next day! Depending on the technology that will be used to perform your operation (PKR or LASIK), you have the option of resuming your professional activity the next day (for a Femtolasik or a Smile), or a maximum of one week to 15 days or more for a PKR after the operation. If the operation is performed on an outpatient basis, the ideal is to be accompanied on the day of your operation. It will feel like a light whitish veil that will make it difficult for you to drive immediately after the procedure. This veil disappears between five and six hours after the operation. The beginning of a new life without glasses!
The effects of the surgery are now much better controlled with remarkable laser precision and you are guaranteed vision without glasses or contact lenses in most cases. While there are different refractive surgery techniques, the first thing you need to do is make sure your eye is operable. The Elsan Vision laser center in Toulon brings together all the latest technologies and the experience of its ophthalmic surgeons. “Whether you have nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness or even presbyopia, undergoing laser eye surgery allows everyone to rediscover the pleasure of clear vision.” explains Belkacem Asli, Manager of the Elsan Vision Toulon Laser Center. Something to say goodbye to your glasses or contact lenses forever and give way to a life without ties!