Laser vision correction methods — can we divide them into better and worse ones?

When registering for a preliminary examination qualifying for laser vision correction, patients sometimes ask what the price of the procedure depends on and whether a more expensive method is better or which method is the best.

The choice of the laser correction method is always determined by numerous factors, including the parameters of the cornea and the lifestyle the patient leads. The same is strue for the price of the surgery. So can the methods be divided into better and worse ones?

What are laser vision correction methods?

While there is only one type of laser used by an ophthalmic surgeon to correct vision defects, there are several methods of performing the procedure.

What is understood by a correction method is a technique of preparing the cornea for the laser correction. The methods are divided into the superficial ones (involving epithelium removal) and ones that are based on creating a corneal flap/microlens. Apart from the technique itself, correction methods also differ in terms of the convalescence period (up to 30 days following the surgery – time required for the cornea to heal) whose length and course may vary depending on the method. Regardless of the method selected, however, the final effect of the laser vision correction procedure will be the same.

Although each of the available methods allows for effective vision correction, you may not be eligible for all of them. To increase the chances for a positive qualification result in patients interested in having a laser vision correction surgery, our doctors use the following methods: SBK LASIK, LASEK and TransPRK (StreamLight.

What are the factors determining the method selection?

The laser vision correction surgery is preceded by a thorogh qulifying examination, during which the doctor performs the following actions:

• Collects detailed information regarding the patient’s general health condition and their lifestyle,
• Examines the general condition of the eyes and the eye adnexa (eye protection apparatus),
• Verifies whether there are no degenerations, e.g. in the retina,
• Thoroughly examines the parameters of the cornea: its shape, thickness and curvature,
• Examines the thickness of the corneal epithelium,
• Selects the correction method that is most suitable for the patient.

On the basis of the information provided by the patient and the results of the conducted tests, the doctor suggests the most suitable correction method.

You should bear in mind that what job the patient does and whether they practise any sports or not may also affect the choice of the correction method. Similarly, the value of the refractive error also plays a role in this decision – severe refractive errors are usually corrected using the methods that involve creating the corneal flap/microlens. Superficial techniques enable the ophthalmic surgeon to operate on a patient with an excessively thin cornea.

The most important aspect of choosing the correction method is the medical indications resulting from the patient’s individual features (such as particular eye parameters, general health condition or lifestyle). There is one conclusion – the best method is the one that has been adequately selected for a given patient during the qualifying examination.

Are you considering undergoing the laser vision correction procedure? Are you uncertain as to which correction method will be the most suitable for you? Make an appointment for the qualifying examination by filling in the preliminary qualification form available on our website or by contacting us via phone or sending us an email to . If you would like to save time, we recommend choosing the one-day procedure, which enables you to have the qualifying examination and the surgery on the same day.

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