The Best Method of Laser Vision Correction

What laser vision correction methods exist

Advice is given by Burdei Artem Vyacheslavovych, one of the leading ophthalmic surgeons in Europe. He has successfully performed thousands of laser vision correction procedures with excellent results.

Artem Vyacheslavovych, could you please tell us about the methods of laser vision correction and which one is the best?

PRK method

The oldest method of laser vision correction is PRK. It is the predecessor of all laser correction techniques and has provided good results in correcting low to moderate myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

How PRK works

The essence of the method is that the epithelium is removed from the cornea in a special way, and an excimer laser reshapes the surface of the cornea, creating a kind of “lens” that corrects the optical imperfections of the eye. After the laser correction, the patient starts to see well.

Disadvantages of PRK

A small open wound forms on the surface of the eye and heals within two to three days. During this time, the patient experiences pain, tearing, and visual discomfort. Today this method is almost not used in modern clinics.

LASIK method

A newer technique is LASIK. This is a modern method of laser vision correction that is widely practiced in many clinics and provides good results for myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

Femto LASIK method

The next method is Femto LASIK, often advertised as “bladeless” surgery.

Features of Femto LASIK

My opinion is as follows: in any laser vision correction procedure no physical “blades” are used at all. This phrase in advertising is purely a marketing trick. With this method, two lasers are used: a femtosecond laser and an excimer laser.

Disadvantages of Femto LASIK

The procedure time increases from 2–3 minutes to about 30 minutes, which is a disadvantage in itself. The use of a femtosecond laser requires additional consumables that are essentially not needed by the patient, but are required for the operation of the laser. As a result, the cost of surgery increases by about two times. Unfortunately, a number of complications may occur, which companies that have invested in expensive equipment often prefer not to mention. Visual acuity after such procedures rarely exceeds the nominal level.

ThinFlap LASIK method

ThinFlap LASIK involves the use of an excimer laser and a microkeratome that allows the surgeon to create an ultrathin flap before performing the laser correction. This helps achieve good visual acuity, and the method is quite commonly used in clinics.

How ThinFlap LASIK differs from conventional LASIK

Compared with conventional LASIK, the main difference is the use of a special disposable microkeratome head.

Super LASIK method

Super LASIK is based on the use of personalized data for each patient, so the laser correction is performed in a more individualized way. This allows higher visual acuity to be achieved when correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

Personalized iQ-LASIK Oxygen technique

Finally, there is the personalized iQ-LASIK technique, which we use in our clinics. Now we have taken another step forward and offer an advanced method — iQ-LASIK Oxygen.

Advantages of iQ-LASIK Oxygen

This is a new level of reliability, safety, and effectiveness. During the procedure, an additional photochemical protection of the eye is used. The quality of the operation becomes even higher, and visual recovery after correction becomes faster.

What results can patients expect

We strive to provide the best possible outcome after laser vision correction with the iQ-LASIK Oxygen method. Our patients from European countries who come to our clinic for laser vision correction generally obtain exactly the result they were expecting. On our website you can find patients’ reviews about the surgery. To avoid any doubts that these reviews are genuine, we publish them together with photos of their authors — real patients.

How to choose a clinic and surgeon for laser vision correction

How should a patient choose a clinic and surgeon for laser vision correction?

What equipment should a clinic have

The equipment in the clinic must be modern and up to date. We completely renew the equipment for laser vision correction in our clinics every 3–4 years. Afterwards, our devices are sold on the secondary market and purchased by other clinics.

What experience should a surgeon have

And of course, an ophthalmic surgeon should have experience of at least 10,000 surgeries as an assistant before taking the main position at the excimer laser console.

What specialists work in the clinic

As for the ophthalmic surgeons working in our clinic, each of them has tens of thousands of operations to their credit. For laser vision correction we use a latest-generation excimer laser. It provides excellent results in standard vision correction as well as in the treatment of complex and irregular astigmatism. The high quality of our work allows us to deliver optimal medical care to our patients.