LASIK FAQ: The most important questions/answers about laser eye surgery

Eye Laser Surgery and Lasik-FAQ

Can the excimer laser cause you to go blind?

No. The excimer laser treats only the surface of the cornea, and does not penetrate into the eye. It can therefore put no major components of the eye at risk.

What happens in the case of involuntary eye movements during surgery?

Newest generation lasers have a special image-tracking system. This tracking system captures involuntary eye movements and makes ultra-fast adjustments. Because of this, the laser is always positioned at exactly the intended point.

Which visual defects can be corrected by laser eye surgery?

The Commission for Refractive Surgery (KRC) of the German Professional Association of Ophthalmologists has established standards for the treatment of visual defects. Reliable treatment by the LASIK method is available for myopia up to -10 diopters, farsightedness up to +4 diopters and astigmatism to -3 diopters.

How can I find a qualified doctor for eye laser surgery?

The Commission for Refractive Surgery (KRC) of the Professional Association of Ophthalmologists has published a referral list. It accepts only doctors who work to established quality standards- currently around 250 doctors.

The German Commission for Refractive Surgery "KRC" cites recognized trainers responsible for the proper training of new laser eye surgeons. There are currently about 30 coaches in Germany. One of them is our laser eye surgery specialist Dr. Bertram Meyer.

German Commission for Refractive Surgery (KRC)

What happens if any defects remain after the laser treatment?
 
Especially following the correction of larger visual defects, small residual errors can remain. This may be compensated by a pair of glasses or contact lenses. If the left-over error is problematic, a correction is possible three to six months after the initial surgery. However, this can only be undertaken if the cornea is still thick enough. This can be determined within the framework of the follow-up examinations after the first operation.

With which excimer laser does the Eye Laser Center in Dubai, UAE work?

We use the excimer laser MEL 80, made by the Carl Zeiss Meditec company. It is the latest product of decades of experience in the development of excimer lasers. The high-speed laser operates with a "flying spot." It has an aspherical ablation profile, which adjusts itself to the surface curvature of the cornea. It also possesses an ultra-fast infrared Eye Tracking system.

Thanks to the combination of the Zeiss WASCA-Analyser, with its wavefront analysis system, and the Zeiss CRS-Master, an individual ablation profile can be calculated for each eye and transmitted to the laser. This allows us to calculate the finest moderations on an individual basis, in order to give you perfect visual acuity. Unpleasant glare phenomena are reduced to a minimum.

The precision of the Zeiss MEL 80 has been emphasized in the most recent publications of the US health authority (FDA, Food and Drug Administration) Objective investigations under strict conditions confirmed that the MEL 80 is the world's leading laser system in terms of efficiency, accuracy and security.

Which instrument is used to lift the corneal flap?

We work with the tried and tested M2-Microkeratome, created by the Moria company. It is small, compact and versatile. According to the curvature of the cornea, the doctor can select a particular suction ring and determine the position of the opened flap. The thickness of the cornea flaps can be adjusted between 90 and 160 µ. The doctor can also influence the thickness of the remaining cornea.

How many post-operational checks are needed?

We perform the first follow-up inspection one day after the operation. This is not primarily a check-up of the patient’s vision. We make sure that the corneal flap is firmly back in its original position, that there are no wrinkles on the surface, and that no particles of dust remain in the operated area.

Two days later the doctor and his specialized assistant determine whether the wound in the epithelium is fully closed, and whether visual acuity been fully restored. Clarity of sight may fluctuate at the beginning, and you will be sensitive to light. Both these reactions will significantly improve in the following weeks.

During the healing phase, you will at first be given anti-inflammatory eye drops, followed by "artificial tears" which keep the surface of the cornea clean and hydrated. After four to six weeks, the healing phase is complete. The final results of the laser surgery have been accomplished.

The fourth and final check-up takes place one year after surgery.

What side effects can occur due to laser eye surgery?

Laser surgery is an operation performed on living tissue unique to each patient, and, as such, can never be free of risks. Therefore, nobody can perfectly predict the results of laser surgery. Despite state-of-the-art equipment and extremely precise work, individual healing processes can lead to the desired visual capacity not being fully achieved. But with modern equipment, the probability is over 90%, that your sight after surgery will fall within a range of maximum 0.5 diopters above or below the target figure.

To prevent infection, you will receive antibiotic eyedrops in the first few days after the procedure.
If you drive at night: In the first few weeks, you will be sensitive to light and glare. In the first two to three months, the quality of short and long-distance sight may also vary.

An accurate risk assessment depends on individual findings. Your ophthalmologist can explain this to you in detail after a preliminary analysis.