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Formerly used mainly among pilots, now it is available for the ordinary Kowalski. Laser vision correction, because we are talking about it, is a procedure that is becoming more and more popular among people who are fed up with wearing glasses and contact lenses. The constantly developing technology means that there are more and more methods of laser vision correction. One of the newest is the ReLEx smile method.
Metoda ReLEx smile
The ReLEx smile method is a novelty on the laser vision correction market. In classical correction methods, it is necessary to separate a fragment or the entire corneal epithelium in order to perform it. Only then can the laser begin its action of modeling the cornea to the appropriate shape. However, a large incision carries a higher risk of complications and infection.
Technika ReLEx smile is considered innovative because a 4 mm incision is made instead of a large incision of the corneal flap. Through them, a fragment of the so-called lenses, i.e. one of the layers of the cornea that is responsible for the development of a vision defect. In this method, a femtosecond laser is used to perform the incision and remove the lens.
Read more: Preparation for laser vision correction. What to remember?
The course of laser vision correction using the ReLEx smile method
The patient’s cooperation is crucial during the procedure. He will have to look into the laser beam and keep his head and eye still in a stable position. Since the patient does not feel any pain during the procedure, anesthetic drops are rarely used in this method. However, the impression during the procedure is not the most pleasant – an immobilized patient may have the impression of pulling and sucking the eye. This is because a suction ring is used for immobilization.
After the correction procedure is completed, they are seeded into the patient’s eye anti-inflammatory dropsas well as those with antibiotics to protect against infections and infection. The biggest disadvantage of this method is that it only corrects myopia down to -10 diopters and astigmatism down to 5 diopters. At this point, specialists are not able to correct farsightedness with this method.
Check also the prices of the treatments: Laser vision correction – how much does it cost?
Contraindications to laser vision correction
Although laser vision correction using the ReLEx smile method is relatively minimally invasive, not everyone can benefit from it. There are a number of contraindications that make it impossible to refrain from wearing contact lenses and glasses. It is worth remembering, however, that ultimately the doctor decides that a patient cannot be qualified for the procedure after a series of specialist eye examinations. The most frequently performed ones include:
- fundus examination,
- examination of the shape of the cornea,
- diameter measurement,
- Eyeball ultrasound,
- intraocular pressure test,
- corneal topography.
If the test results are unclear, your doctor will order additional, more specialized tests. Only when all the results are good will it decide whether the procedure can be performed.
However, there are conditions that disqualify the patient from having a correction even before the qualifying tests are performed. They include, among others age under 20 and over 55. Ophthalmologists assume that the human eye develops by the age of 20. There would be no point in doing corrective surgery when the eye is not fully developed.
The same is true for the next contraindication it is unstable sight defect. If the defect is not stabilized for at least 6 months before the planned surgery, no doctor will perform laser correction because the corrected vision defect could worsen very quickly.
The procedure is also not performed in people who have been diagnosed with eye diseases, such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration or dry eye syndrome. Diabetes, pregnancy and breastfeeding are also contraindications. In women, laser vision correction can be performed only 6 months after childbirth or after breastfeeding. Otherwise, hormonal changes in the woman’s body may negatively affect the effects of the treatment.
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