Eye laser and lens implants - correction of refractive errors
With surgical vision correction (refractive surgery) and proven laser and implant methods, we can free you from glasses and contact lenses, regardless of your age and refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia, astigmatism).
After a detailed evaluation of your individual initial situation, the most suitable method for you (laser or implant) is selected on the basis of the amount of ametropia, eye shape, anatomical parameters and life-style factors.
Eye laser. A new attitude to life
See clearly again without glasses and contact lenses
Laser treatments are among the most frequently performed treatments, with the highest safety and satisfaction, on the human body.
The term "eye laser" refers to ophthalmic surgical procedures for minimally invasive correction of refractive errors, performed with the use of a laser, which allows interventions on the smallest scale, individually and precisely.
Laser corrections have been performed for this purpose since the 80's and the continuous technological and scientific progress, has further perfected the precision and safety of these treatments. For example, the risk of complications from a laser treatment performed Lege-Artis is many times lower than wearing contact lenses for years (infection, dry eyes, allergies).
There are different laser methods that allow you to enjoy your life without glasses or contact lenses. What they all have in common is that the shape of the cornea is modeled by the laser in such a way that sharp vision becomes possible again.
The most important criteria for performing laser correction are:
- Age over 18
- Stable refractive error (change in refraction less than 1 diopter in the last 2 years)
- Nearsightedness (myopia) up to 8 diopters
- Corneal curvature (astigmatism) up to 4 diopters
- Farsightedness (hyperopia) up to 4 diopters
- Presbyopia up to 1.5 diopters
- Normal corneal thickness
- Healthy eyes
The most important and up-to-date eye laser procedures are the following:
Dr. med.
Myron Kynigopoulos
Ophthalmologist, incl. Ophthalmic Surgery - Specialist FMH Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Surgery
Femto-LASIK (Laser In Situ Keratomileusis)
Femto-LASIK is the most frequently performed laser treatment and life-style surgery with the highest human satisfaction.
Under local anesthesia, a thin flap of about 0.1mm thickness is first prepared on the surface of the cornea with the Femto-LASER. This takes about 25 seconds. The eye is held open by a lid retractor (you cannot close the eye).
After that the flap is folded over, you cannot remove it completely, because a tissue bridge is left at the upper edge of the cornea (hindge) for safety.
The treatment is now performed without contact in the cornea. This gives the cornea its corrected shape (slightly thinner and flatter for myopia treatment). Duration depending on the correction between 2-20sec. During this procedure you fixate on a light. Smallest movements of the eye are compensated by the LASER (active eye tracker, 1050 times per second), so there can be no treatment on an undesired spot of the cornea and an optimal result is achieved.
The flap is then flipped to its original position and wetting and antibiotic eye drops are administered.
You can expect much better vision right after LASER treatment than before and clear vision within the first day.
Duration: 5 minutes / eye
Advantages:
- Correction myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia.
- Pain: only slight burning sensation in the first 2-4 hours
- Inability to work: 1 day
- Sports restriction: 1 week, contact and ball sports 1 month
- Optical rehabilitation: in 4-12 hours
- Treatment of both eyes on the same day
Disadvantages:
- Technically more complex
- More expensive, 2 LASER in use
- Dry eyes in the first months
Price: CHF 2'290 / eye
(Pre-examinations, follow-up examinations and medication, 24/7 accessibility for the first 3 months, 10 years follow-up is included if medically indicated)
Trans-PRK (transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy)
In trans-PRK (also called SmartSight), under local anesthesia and after an eyelid retractor holds the eye open, the correction is performed on the surface of the cornea without contact or incision. The epithelium (the cells of the corneal surface that are constantly regenerating) is also automatically removed by the LASER. Previously, these were removed manually by the surgeon (PRK method).
At the end, antibiotic eye drops are applied and a contact lens, which remains on the cornea until the epithelium regenerates and is removed by the doctor after about 4 days, is put on. The contact lens reduces the expected pain.
Duration: 1 minute / eye
Advantages:
- No incision (flap) needed
- Sports restriction: 5 days, contact and ball sports 2 weeks
- Technically simpler method, contact free
- Price, only 1 LASER applied
- Treatment of both eyes on the same day
Disadvantages:
- Pain: 2-3 days occasionally severe pain can be expected
- Inability to work: 1 week
- Optical rehabilitation: in 5-7 days, optimal result to be expected only after 1-3 months
- Dry eyes in the first months
Price: CHF 1'890 / eye
(Pre-examinations, follow-up examinations and medication, 24/7 accessibility for the first 3 months, 10 years follow-up is included if medically indicated)
Artificial lens implants: Correction of higher refractive errors
Apart from LASER treatments, correction of refractive errors is also possible very precisely with the implantation of phakic lenses in the eye, in addition to the patient's own lens (phakic lenses).
These treatments have been carried out for 30 years and have been performed several million times. The worldwide trend towards implantation is constantly increasing.
Indications:
- More severe refractive errors
- Also for small corrections when cornea is too thin for LASER treatment.
- Nearsightedness (myopia): up to 20 diopters
- Farsightedness (hyperopia): up to 10 diopters
- Corneal curvature (astigmatism): up to 6 diopters
- Presbyopia: up to 2 diopters
- Also for dry eyes or corneal irregularities
- Age under 60
Under local anesthesia and sterile conditions, the artificial lens is implanted and positioned in the eye, behind the pupil, in front of the patient's own lens, through a small incision (less than 3mm) at the edge of the cornea. No removal of tissue is necessary.
The eye is irrigated and antibiotic eye drops are applied to the eye.
Duration: 3-5 minutes / eye
Advantages:
- Optical rehabilitation: after 1 day most patients achieve full visual performance
- No tissue is removed from the eye, Reversible
- No pain
- Does not induce dry eyes
- Sports restriction: 1 week, contact and ball sports 1 month.
- Technically simple method
- Treatment of both eyes possible on the same day
- Incapacity for work: 2-3 days
Disadvantages:
- Treatment in the eye
- Price
Price: CHF 4'390 / eye
Variant: CHF 4'890 / eye, if astigmatism is also present
We implant only the original artificial lenses from Staar Surgical@ from USA
(Pre-examinations, follow-up examinations and medication, 24/7 accessibility for the first 3 months, 10 years post-correction by LASER is included if medically indicated).
Appointments at the Augencenter Wollishofen
If you cannot find an online appointment in a useful time, please contact us by phone.
Agreed dates (GTC's):
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please inform us as soon as possible. Appointments booked online can be canceled electronically up to 24 hours in advance. Appointments that are not cancelled 24 hours in advance will unfortunately be charged. The emergency surcharge can be charged according to the valid tariff for same-day appointments. Thank you for your understanding.
Laser procedures for myopia and hyperopia
There is an almost infinite range of eye laser procedures, which differ from each other to a greater or lesser extent. These can be divided into two main groups: the superficial and the deep procedures. The main difference is in the procedure and the target tissue layer. The most important and current procedures are the following: