The four steps

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

A few minutes before the laser treatment, you are given anesthetic eye drops. A speculum is placed between your eyelids to keep them open and prevent you from blinking during the procedure. 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 for the desired refraction. A so-called excimer laser ablates corneal tissue within seconds and precisely to the hundredth of a millimeter. 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 a couple of days. 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.