EYE LASER SURGERY

Here you will find detailed information on the topic of laser eye surgery and lens implantation.

• • Laser eye surgery (corneal procedure):

In practice, there are two different corneal procedures.

1. • Lasik
   • Lasek

• • • LASIK Laser in Situ Keratomileusis
      The word LASIK, loosely translated, means a change in shape within the cornea using laser technology. Since 1990, approximately 12 million laser eye treatments have been carried out using this method. LASIK can correct around 90 per cent of all refractive errors. Due to its wide range of applications and rapid healing process, this painless, technologically advanced, and highly precise procedure is enjoying increasing popularity worldwide. As a general rule, the lower the refractive error, the more accurate the LASIK result. In practice, LASIK is used to correct mild to moderate short-sightedness, mild long-sightedness, and mild astigmatism. LASIK is performed on an outpatient basis.
      The removal of corneal tissue with the laser takes between 30 and 90 seconds. The eye-tracking system continuously monitors the position of the laser beam several hundred times per second in case you move your eyes involuntarily.
      Key points of the LASIK method:
      • Extremely high precision and stability of the achieved result
        The correction of the refractive error takes place within the cornea
        No pain during or after the operation
      In practice, there are three different LASIK procedures:
      • Standard LASIK (with microkeratome)Femto LASIK (with laser keratome)ReLEx SMILE LASIK
        • Standard Lasik (with microkeratome)
      At the beginning, the doctor cleans the eyelid. A lid holder is then inserted to keep the eyelid in place. With this method, a thin flap of the corneal surface is cut using the computer-controlled blade of a microkeratome, leaving only a narrow connection between the flap and the cornea. This method is hardly used in Turkey anymore. Unfortunately, there are low-cost laser eye centres in Switzerland that still offer this method. Please stay away from them.
      • • Femto LASIK (Intralase procedure – with laser keratome) – I LASIK
      Femto LASIK, also known as femtosecond LASIK, laser LASIK, or IntraLASIK (ILASIK), is a modern procedure in laser eye treatment for short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and astigmatism. In Femto LASIK, a so-called femtosecond laser is used in addition to the excimer laser. Previously, in LASIK procedures, a thin layer of the cornea known as a flap was cut and lifted using a special mini blade called a microkeratome. In modern Femto LASIK, the femtosecond laser replaces the microkeratome, making it possible for the first time to perform the entire LASIK treatment without the use of mechanical instruments. After the laser cut, the superficial corneal flap is lifted, and the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser, just as in conventional LASIK, in order to correct the refractive error.
      • ReLEx SMILE LASIK (third generation laser eye surgery)
        ReLEx SMILE treatment is a further development of Femto LASIK and enables a particularly safe and gentle correction of refractive errors. The decisive advantage is that with ReLEx SMILE, the eyes can be lasered without creating a flap, meaning the cornea no longer needs to be opened over a large area as is necessary with LASIK. A specialised femtosecond laser prepares a thin, three-dimensional lenticule within the cornea, which is removed through an access of only around 2 mm in the cornea. This procedure protects the eye, the cornea remains stable, and flap-related complications are eliminated. This minimally invasive treatment is our first choice for correcting short-sightedness, astigmatism, and for patients with dry eyes. Further information can be found here.

• LASEK Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis
  The LASEK procedure is a method that can be considered midway between PRK and LASIK. It can be used for eyes with relatively low refractive errors (up to 4 dioptres for short-sightedness and astigmatism, and up to 3.5 dioptres for long-sightedness) and in cases where the cornea is too thin to be treated with a LASIK procedure. Unlike LASIK surgery, it is not the back but the front surface of the cornea that is treated. Nevertheless, a corneal flap is first lifted using an alcoholic solution and, after the treatment, placed back in its original position, where it naturally reattaches and heals on its own.

• • Lens procedure

The corneal procedure reaches a natural limit in cases of high refractive errors that should not be exceeded. For short-sightedness, this limit begins at around -10 dioptres, and for long-sightedness at +4 dioptres. This procedure is also used to treat age-related long-sightedness. Further information can be found here.