LASIK & Refractive Eye Surgery

What is Lasik surgery?

Before you know what Lasik is, you need to understand essentially how the eye functions:

Our eye works just like a camera, with the front glass of our eye called the cornea, bending the light rays inwards and the light getting fine focused with the help of a lens on the camera film called the retina. Finally, the fibres from the film/retina make a wire/ optic nerve that takes all the signals from the camera (eye) to the computer (brain).

If the eyeball is longer or shorter than normal or the shape of the cornea is deviant from normal, a person needs to wear glasses or contact lenses to help focus the light on the eye camera film (retina).

We can’t change the length of the eyeball, but we can surely remove glasses by working on the cornea or on the lens. The process by which the shape of the cornea is remodelled so that you don’t need glasses anymore is called Lasik.

Laser in-situ keratomileusis or Lasik eye surgery corrects refractive errors. Lasik surgery altogether eliminates the necessity of spectacles or corrective lenses.

Lets understand different types of laser refractive surgeries:

1. Surface laser treatments

There are three kinds of advanced surface ablation refractive surgery; PRK, Lasek and Epi Lasek. All of these techniques use an excimer laser to alter the shape of the cornea from the front surface. Advanced surface ablation does not involve creating a flap and preserves more tissue.

• It can be an option for people with thin corneas
• Useful for those having corneal scars
• Useful for low levels of correction
• Longer recovery
• Can be discomforting

Before Lasik surgery was developed, surgeons performed photorefractive keratectomy or PRK. Photorefractive keratectomy is a first-generation laser refractive surgery where a manual instrument is used to remove the outer layer of your cornea, called the epithelium. Then, an excimer laser is used to reshape your cornea so that your vision is improved.

2. Lasik surgery

Lasik surgery involves creating a thin flap on the cornea (front clear glass-like dome of the eye) with a femtosecond laser or microkeratome. This exposes the underlying corneal tissue. Then, Lasik specialists use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea in a unique pattern for each patient. Post-surgery, light rays bend appropriately and focus on the sensitive film of the eye called the retina. The result is a sharper and clearer vision.

Blade Lasik surgery

Blade Lasik surgery, also known as traditional Lasik, uses a microkeratome blade to cut a flap into the cornea. Then, Lasik specialists lift the flap to allow lasers to reshape the cornea. The extreme sharpness of the microkeratome blade helps the corneal flap to fit back in place allowing the eyes to heal.

Blade vs Bladeless Lasik

Pros and cons of traditional Lasik (Blade Lasik)

• The traditional method or blade Lasik is being performed for more than 30 years now
• Cost effective

Pros and cons of bladeless Lasik (laser created flaps)

• Laser created flaps are more predictable and have consistent thickness throughout
• Offers the lowest risk for flap complications, including decreased risk of corneal abrasions
• Good options for patients with thinner or more curved corneas
• Rarely requires subsequent touch up surgery

3. ReLex SMILE surgery

During this eye surgery, surgeons do not make any flap and remove a thin layer of the cornea with a specialized and most advanced laser eye surgery system called SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction). With advanced technology in place, laser operation for eyes is considered as the best option for treating all kinds of refractive errors.

4. Presbyond or laser blended vision

Presbyond laser blended vision is a treatment for people who have an age-related vision disorder, known as presbyopia. As we age, the natural lens of our eyes starts losing its flexibility. It results in the loss of our ability to near-focus.

Presbyond laser treatment is suitable for people suffering from presbyopia. It is primarily used to compensate for reading glasses, though it can also be combined with correction for refractive errors like shortsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Many patients above the age of forty consider going for presbyond laser blended vision while going for any laser vision correction.

Presbyond laser treatment procedure

Before starting with the treatment, the patients eyes are numbed using anaesthetic eye drops. A lid speculum is fitted to keep the eyes open and stop it from blinking. A vacuum ring is placed over your eye while a femtosecond laser creates a tiny corneal flap. Then, the flap is lifted, and the exposed cornea gets treated with the excimer laser. The flap is repositioned, and the procedure is repeated for the other eye.

Benefits of Presbyond laser treatment

• Works like Lasik

  : Presbyond laser treatment is an advanced form of Lasik vision correction. It uses a well-established procedure with proven long term results.

• Customized treatment:

  Presbyond laser treatment is always tailor-made based on an individuals requirements

• Minimally invasive and offers quick recovery:

  People who have undergone presbyond laser treatment can experience clear vision within 48 hours after the procedure.

Avail Femto Lasik (Bladeless Lasik) Surgery from Centre for Sight

What is Femto Lasik (Bladeless Lasik) surgery?

• Femto laser eye surgery is an entirely bladeless Lasik, which is done in two different stages. Femto laser eye surgery which uses two ultramodern and ultra-precise laser systems. The first laser system known as Femtosecond laser creates a 22 mm flap, and the second laser uses an excimer system to reshape the exposed corneal tissue or stroma.
• Femto laser eye (bladelessLasik) surgery is also suitable for patients with extremely thin cornea as the laser creates a minimally thin and even flap.

Small Incision Lenticule Extraction or SMILE laser eye surgery is a blade-free laser vision correction procedure that does not require corneal flap.

ReLex SMILE eye surgery (a laser operation for eyes) is a fully automated next-generation procedure that gives long-lasting and stable results.

Personalized Lasik is a bladeless procedure that utilizes a more customized technology called wavescan that measures the aberrations unique to an eye. This personalized/customized treatment creates a 3-D image of the eye.

Contoura vision utilises the shape of the cornea also known as topography for personalisation but still uses the excimer laser only. It creates a flap of 22 mm cut size thus coming with potential disadvantages of flap related problems and dry eyes, unlike SMILE, which works on the most advanced femtosecond laser platform. Corneal topography maps the curve of your eye, showing issues like swelling, scarring, or astigmatism. Hence contoura may have certain advantages only in corneas that are irregular or scarred, but does not carry advantage in routine refractive error (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) correction.

This personalized treatment has been around for a decade and continues to be marketed in different avatars like “Contoura Lasik.” The treatment, however, requires a flap & hence carries the same safety profile as Lasik.

Looking for the best Lasik surgery in India?

Centre for Sight is one of the best eye hospitals for Lasik surgery, bladeless Lasik surgery (Femto laser eye surgery), and SMILE eye surgery.

Our team of Lasik and refractive surgeons is one of the leading teams that specialize in offering the best laser eye surgery in India. If you have been searching for the best Lasik surgery in Delhi, Hyderabad, or any other city across India, then look no further than Centre for Sight. Our eye hospitals are available across many cities.

We have one of the best teams of doctors, surgeons, and consultants who use state-of-the-art-technology to diagnose the patient’s eye with accuracy and then recommend the correct treatment.

Contact us to experience one of the best Lasik surgeries in India to enhance your vision. We are renowned for our services across India and are trusted for being one of the best names for offering the best Lasik surgery.

Intraocular Phakic Lenses (ICL, IPCL etc.)

Despair and disappointment is the last thing you will face under the expert care of doctors at Centre For Sight.

If you have a thin cornea or a high refractive error and you have been pronounced unfit for LASIK surgery as a corrective procedure. Then CFS is the place for you. CFS offers maximum years of experience and expertise in the Implantable Collamer Lenses technology.

ICL or IPCL or Phakic IOL is a state-of-the-art intraocular lens suitable for all, especially for candidates deemed unfit for other cornea-based refractive surgeries wherein an ultra-thin Contact lens like specialized lens is implanted inside the eye.

Candidates for ICL/IPCL

1. Age > 18yrs.
2. Refractive error from as low as -0.5D to -20-D which should be stable
3. Thin Corneas
4. Dry eye
5. Candidate unsuitable for Lasik

Phakic Lenses (ICl/IPCL)

ICL or Implantable Collamer Lenses and IPCL or Implantable Phakic Collamer lenses are both available in Spherical and Toric forms thereby correcting all possible refractive errors.

These lenses are placed inside the eye positioned between the iris and natural lens. Spherical ICL correct refractive errors ranging from -3-0D to -20. OD and Toric ICL can correct up to -3.0D to -23.0D and +1to +6.0D of cylinder/astigmatism as well.

Before The Procedure

Your surgeon needs to take precise measurements of your eye in order to identify the perfect fit lens to be placed. In some patients, a laser procedure is known as PI (Peripheral Iridotomy) may be needed to be performed prior to the Surgery to avoid any possibility of raised intraocular pressure.

With the latest technology, this is largely circumvented. Also, the surgeon would prescribe certain prophylactic antibiotics for a few days prior to surgery.

During the Procedure

It is important that you do not drive yourself home so make arrangements before the day of surgery.

Prior to implantation, you will receive topical anesthetic drops to minimize discomfort. Your surgeon may also administer a sedative. Then, the doctor will create two micro openings in the edge of your cornea that will be used to position the lens. The next step is the injection of the lens. The lens is folded and loaded into a small cartridge which will now be placed through the last opening. As the lens is injected, it will gently unfold in your eye. Special marks on the lens ensure proper positioning.

That’s it-the procedure takes about 15 minutes!

Because the opening is microscopic, it will recover naturally in a very short period without needling any sutures. A few hours after the procedure you will be able to leave the hospital.

After Surgery

To complete the procedure, the surgeon will instill eye drops which help prevent infection and inflammation. You will continue to use these drops for several days once you are home.

DO NOT rub your eyes especially for the first 3 to 5 days.

If you experience pain or notice any sudden decrease in vision, you should contact your doctor immediately. Then your only instructions are to check-in for eye exams on a routine basis.