Refractive surgery means surgery for a refractive error, ie myopia, hyperopia and / or astigmatism. These two techniques require a sophisticated, technically very advanced device, the excimer laser. This excimer laser ablates, which means removes tissue, in the central part of the cornea for a myopic, or in the periphery, for a hyperopic. The ablated areas can be mixed to treat astigmatism. The modern excimer laser is equipped with a guidance system, which ensures perfect centering of the treatment, even if the patient has difficulty in fixing the indicated point. In addition, an iris recognition system, extremely precise, ensures perfect correspondence (alignment) between the eye examined preoperatively with corneal topography and aberrometry techniques, and the operated eye.
For both techniques (Lasik and PRK), the patient is lying on a table, under the laser, and must stare at a flashing light during the treatment. It is important to remain calm and still, in order to facilitate the surgeon’s work.
PRK
The ablation takes place on the surface of the cornea; the kraff eye institute surgeon must first “clear” the epithelium, which takes a minute; afterwards the laser can treat this new surface and make the desired correction. Treatment is quick, less than a minute, and painless. Finally, after the Cataract Surgery, the eye will be protected by a contact lens-dressing, or by a real dressing. Two variants of this technique: the Epi-Lasik, where the epithelium is removed by a particular instrument, and the Lasek, or the epithelium is removed following the impregnation of an alcoholic solution.
Patients with stable myopia, less than 10 diopters, at least 18 years old, may consider this surgery; patients wishing to have a “normal” life without optical accessories can also consider this surgery; athletes and certain professions where there is a need to see well without glasses or lenses can also have this surgery. Finally, patients unable to wear contact lenses, for whatever reason, can be helped by this surgery.
