Amazing results with proven, painless, safe technology
Corrective laser eye surgery was first performed 20 years ago and over 60 million patients to date have benefited from this quick and painless life-changing procedure worldwide.
SurgeryInFrance arranges all-inclusive treatment packages for UK patients seeking corrective laser eye surgery performed by highly-experienced, vetted eye surgeons offering the very highest standards of care and guaranteed results.
If you want the best, then you are in the right place!
Types of laser surgery
Laser eye surgery involves microscopically reshaping the cornea to compensate for refractive errors that reduce visual acuity because the eye does not bend light correctly. There are two techniques for achieving this: PRK and LASIK.
PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratotomy) uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to resculpt the surface of the cornea. The eye is held open with retractors to avoid blinking and a few drops of local anaesthetic are placed in the eye. The laser is programmed with parameters calculated during your extensive preoperative eye examinations and takes between 10 to 60 seconds to reshape the corneal surface depending on the degree of correction required. The whole procedure takes about 10 minutes, after which you will be able to return to your hotel for a short rest before resuming normal activity. You may experience a gritty feeling or watery eyes for a few hours after the procedure and will be given soothing eye drops and a mild analgesic for added comfort. Your surgeon will see you for a final postoperative check-up 48 hours after surgery and prior to returning home.
LASIK (Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to resculpt the bed of the cornea. The eye is held open with retractors to avoid blinking and a few drops of local anaesthetic are placed in the eye. Using a microkeratome or femtosecond laser, a hinged flap is created and folded back to expose the middle section of the cornea called the stroma. The laser is programmed with parameters calculated during your extensive preoperative eye examinations and takes between 10 to 45 seconds to reshape the exposed corneal bed depending on the degree of correction required. The flap is then repositioned over the stroma where it will naturally become fully adherent within a few minutes.
The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes, after which you will be able to return to your hotel for a short rest before resuming normal activity. You may experience a gritty feeling or watery eyes for a few hours after the procedure and will be given soothing eye drops and a mild analgesic for added comfort. Your surgeon will see you for a final postoperative check-up 48 hours after surgery and prior to returning home.
By performing tissue ablation in the deeper stroma, Lasik is said to allow somewhat quicker visual recovery with less discomfort. As the procedure is somewhat longer and more complex, it is a bit more expensive that PRK. However, PRK is often suitable for patients whose corneal thickness is insufficient for Lasik.
LASEK, Epi-LASIK, ASLA, Nu-Lasik are all variations of the PRK technique and differ mainly in how they treat the thin surface membrane of the cornea called the epithelium.
Wave front technology is essentially a set of complementary tools that allow an individual's optical distortions to be measured with greater accuracy to create a detailed optical map of the eye. The results can then be applied to optimise the correction performed by laser surgery, in particular for those patients with high-order visual aberrations. Laser surgery with this technology may also be promoted as "Custom Lasik" or use a proprietary name (e.g. Final Fit®).
Despite the marketing hype and expanding nomenclature surrounding the various techniques, the most important factor in successful corrective laser eye surgery is the surgeon who will be performing the procedure. The preoperative consultation is essential to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for laser surgery and, if so, which technique is the most appropriate for you.
Who can benefit from laser surgery?
Eye anomalies that can be corrected by laser surgery are myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, depending on your prescription and corneal thickness.
- Myopia ("short sightedness"): myopia is the most common eyesight deficiency. It is due to the eye being too long and causing images to form in front of the retina, which results in good close up vision and we have an extensive network of hand picked surgeons imperfect distance vision. Laser surgery is usually suitable to correct up to -8 or -9 diopters.
- Hyperopia ("long sightedness"): hyperopia is caused by the eye being too short and causing images to be formed behind the retina. This manifests itself by weakened close up vision and eyes that tire with distance vision. Laser surgery is usually suitable to correct up to +3 or +4 diopters.
- Astigmatism: astigmatism is caused by a deformation of the cornea and typically causes the eyes to tire easily and blurred vision, especially distance vision. Laser surgery is usually suitable to correct up to +/- 2 to 2.5 diopters.
- Presbyopia: presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye whereby the crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility, making focussing on close objects difficult. Despite symptoms being similar to hyperopia, the causes are quite different. Laser surgery may help by creating monovision whereby one eye is corrected for near vision and the other for distance, but this technique is not without its drawbacks.
Candidates for laser surgery must be over 18 years old, not be suffering from any eye diseases (cataract, glaucoma, dry eyes...) or immune disorders, and not have had any significant change in their vision over the past 12 months. Women who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive should not undergo laser surgery.
Your recommended surgeons
Your laser eye surgery will be performed by a highly-experienced eye surgeon in one of France's leading private specialist eye clinics. This is particularly important when determining whether laser correction is appropriate for your eyes and when calculating the laser input parameters for the subsequent vision correction. Also, though complications are very rare, it is undoubtedly reassuring to know that a team of experts is on site to deal with any unexpected complications that could arise.
Our Laser Package
Deciding on any type of surgery is a big decision and opting to go abroad can often seem too complicated. The SurgeryInFrance team is here to make things easy for you by organising every aspect of your treatment stay, including assisting you with your travel itinerary and accommodation bookings. We take care of airport and local transfers and provide personalised bilingual support throughout to ensure that you remain as well-informed, stress-free and comfortable as possible.
Our laser surgery package is offered on an all-inclusive, fixed-price basis with no hidden extras. All pre- and postoperative consultations, tests, wavefront correction, medication and aftercare are included and the price is the same regardless of your prescription. Also, we will continue to be your postoperative liaison with the surgeon after you have returned home to ensure prompt answers to any queries that you may have.
The only additional costs are flights to France, hotel accommodation, meals and personal spending. We can suggest a number of lovely places to stay to suit all budgets and tastes. There is plenty to see and do in the area without the need for a car hire.
Alternatives to laser surgery
Although the majority of patients seeking corrective laser eye surgery are suitable candidates, there are some for whom it is not appropriate or the best solution. In particular, older patients who are likely to get cataracts in the near future may be better off opting for Refractive Lens Replacement as laser correction does not prevent the onset of cataracts.
If laser surgery is not for you, your surgeon will be able to discuss other appropriate treatment options with you.
Like the sound of it? Have more questions? Then we would love to hear from you to discuss your needs and see how we can get you the best treatment, quickly and affordably. Contact us now!
