The Femto-LASIK is a development of the classical proven LASIK method. It is a safe technology for patients suffering from short- and far-sightedness as well as from corneal curvature.
The Femto-LASIK is the “blade-free” method of eye laser. Contrary to the conventional LASIK the thin corneal flap is created not in a mechanical way but with a high-precision Femtoseconds laser.
Generally LASIK indicates an eye laser treatment which uses a so-called corneal lid, the flap. With the conventional LASIK the surgeon employs a micro-keratoma, a kind of plane, a precision knife. Since this technique is outdated by now, we at Smile Eyes apply only the more advanced Femto-LASIK method where the flap is generated with a Femtoseconds laser. The flap is then folded back and the underlying corneal layer is removed according to the grade of defective vision, with a further laser, the Excimer laser.
The Femtoseconds laser VisuMax® of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, employed by the Smile Eyes centers allows the surgeon within a few seconds to make a microscopic laser incision in the cornea thus creating the corneal lid. With this laser system it is possible to treat defective vision in a precise and tissue- conserving way. The risk of incision complications compared to the classic LASIK is further minimized.
Since contact lenses can influence the form of your cornea, you should not wear them for several weeks before the surgery.
Start your day with your usual routines. That will help to calm you. Cleanse the eye zone carefully and do not use cosmetic products such as facial cream, make-up or perfume the day before and the day after the surgery. You can eat and drink normally.
It is an outpatient treatment and takes for both eyes approximately 20 minutes. A bit of excitement and tension are completely normal. If you feel too anxious you can ask for sedation. Prior to the surgery, we check together all data before anesthetizing the first eye with eye drops. To avoid you blinking during surgery, a lid-opener is inserted while the other eye is covered up. Then your eye is gently fixed with an individually tailored contact glass. The Femtosecond laser VisuMax® then generates the corneal lid, the flap. The same procedure for the second eye. The flap is pulled to a side; with the Excimer laser the surgeon shapes the cornea according to the previously established data so that optimum refractive power is obtained. A so-called eye-tracker tracks your eye during surgery and controls the laser in a way that even with minimal eye movement it is perfectly positioned. Afterwards the flap is moved back into its old position and within seconds closes automatically.
There is no need for other post-surgical measures. After the surgery it is convenient that family or friends collect you as you are not allowed to drive a vehicle. For the protection of your eyes we suggest that you wear sun-glasses.
Be careful not to rub your eyes after the surgery. Though the flap closes quickly the cornea has not yet achieved its previous stability. We provide you with eye-drops for the week after the surgery which you should administer up to 5 times a day. On request we provide additional artificial tears. After 2 to 3 days you can go back to work and undergo sports activities. Hobbies such as swimming or sauna should be avoided for about 3 to 4 weeks to minimize the risk of infections. A control of the successful treatment takes place the day after, several days after and several weeks after the surgery. Should you have any question you can always call upon us.
Surgical risks can be reduced to a minimum through conscious acting and through our quality management but cannot be excluded completely. But there is a solution for nearly all complications, if patient and physician behave correctly. The employment of modern technologies at our locations as well as regular training, the experience of the operating surgeons and of the whole Smile Eyes team contribute decisively to minimize the risk of Femto-LASIK surgeries.
A loss of vacuum can occur during the 30 seconds of the surgery through extensive pinching or sudden movements of the head. Depending on the progress of the treatment the surgery can either be continued immediately or can be repeated at a later time.
There is a risk of under 1:3000 for incision complications. Normally the incomplete incision heals in the first 2 to 3 days. After a few days or weeks further surgery is possible. Femtoseconds laser completely minimize the risk.
Infections can occur at every surgery. Applying the eye drops on a regular basis and adhering to the suggested treatment can substantially minimize the risk.
Aim of the treatment is the complete correction of defective vision. This goal can be achieved in appr. 95% of the cases with one single intervention. Individual tissue reactions can implicate over- or under-correction which necessitate a second intervention.
A constitutional tissue weakness can very rarely, provoke a protrusion of the cornea soon after the surgery or years after, which can compromise the vision.
Our patient wore glasses since the age of 4. Her interview at Smile Eyes Trier not only led to a new professional career but, thanks to Femto-LASIK, also to a life without glasses which she had desired for years. – To blog