Increase in refractive surgeries for functionality

More and more people are opting to have their vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism treated with surgery, not simply for aesthetics, but also for comfort. The pleasure of being able to see well without the need to wear glasses or contact lenses makes people between 20 and 40 years old turn to refractive surgery.

This is a quick and painless procedure. Topical or local anesthesia is used, with a high safety index, so complications are infrequent.

There are currently several surgical techniques, but “at the Institut de la Màcula i de la Retina we use three. All of them, correctly indicated, are equally effective, so the use of one or the other will depend on the needs and characteristics of each patient,” points out Dr. Paula Verdaguer, Ophthalmologist specializing in cornea, refractive surgery and cataract at the Institut.

  • Lasik (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) consists of modifying the shape of the cornea to change the refraction or total graduation of the eye. It lasts about 20 minutes and both eyes are usually operated in the same session. Visual recovery is practically immediate.
  • PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy with Excimer laser): corrects diopters on the outer surface of the cornea. It lasts about 20 minutes and both eyes can be operated in the same intervention. Good vision is obtained one week after surgery.
  • ICL (Implantable Contact Lens) phakic posterior chamber lenses are inserted into the eye in front of the crystalline lens and behind the iris to correct myopia, hyperopia and high astigmatism. The surgery lasts about 20 minutes per eye and, in order to minimize the risk of infection, it is performed first on one eye and one to two weeks later on the second eye. Visual recovery is practically immediate.
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Certain requirements must be met in order to undergo this operation. The first one is to be of legal age and have a stable prescription for at least one year. People with serious or uncontrolled eye diseases and pregnant women are not eligible for surgery.