By Dr Lee Mun Toong
FEMTOLASIK is suitable for correcting the following refractive errors:
- Myopia: Distant objects appear blurred.
- Hyperopia: Closed objects appear blurred.
- Astigmatism: Objects appear distorted at all distances.
- Presbyopia: The lens of the eye loses its ability to focus, making it difficult to see objects up close.
The 4 steps of the FEMTOLASIK procedure
- Step 1: Pre-operative Exam
Your physician performs a series of tests to ensure that your eyes are healthy and suitable for laser vision correction. Then, your eye is electronically measured in detail: Thousands of data points are surveyed to create an accurate three-dimensional image of your eye’s surface. From this image, the computer calculates the laser treatment that will best correct your refractive error.
- Step 2: Flap Creation with the FEMTO LDV femtosecond laser
A few minutes before the laser treatment, you are given anaesthetic eye drops. Next, your eye is prepared for the correction itself by creating the corneal flap: The top layer of the cornea (approx. 0.1 mm thin) is separated with the laser and folded back.
- Step 3: Corneal Correction
Now the curvature of the cornea is reshaped according to the desired refraction. An excimer laser ablates corneal tissue within seconds and precisely to the hundredth of a millimetre. This procedure is performed inside the cornea; the outer, very sensitive layers of the cornea are not touched by the laser. Finally, the treated area is recovered with the flap that grows back quickly. The whole procedure takes only a couple of minutes. Immediately after treatment, you can open and close your eye normally.
- Step 4: Easy Aftercare
If necessary, your operative eye is protected with a contact lens for one day. Special eye drops promote healing. During the first few hours after the procedure, you should not rub your eyes. You should also avoid contact sports (football, basketball, etc.) and hot tubs and swimming pools for some times. There are no visible traces of surgery on the eye. An eye doctor who is not looking for the procedure could even miss it with instruments.
The risks of laser surgery
We wish to openly explain the risks associated with refractive error surgery, even if their appearance is very rare these days. The FemtoLasik® methods have reduced the already minimal number of risks associated with laser surgery. These days it’s easy to say that with FemtoLasik® laser surgery, getting rid of spectacles is a very safe procedure!
1. Drying of the eyes
Drying of the eyes after FemtoLasik® laser surgery is quite common but the length of time it lasts will vary from individual to individual. For this reason, it is recommended that moisture drops are applied to the operated eyes for a three- to six-month period. Most patients report, however, that they no longer need moisture drops for more than a month or two after surgery. About 10–15% require moisture drops for a period longer than three months. Since the eye is part of the skin, it requires moisture care the same way as skin otherwise – so drops are good for the health of the eye.
To be continued…
