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Vision correction using the laser method is a way to permanently get rid of vision problems without the need to wear glasses or lenses. The modern vision correction procedure is Wavefront, a procedure that is personalized thanks to detailed eye examinations. It reduces the risk of complications and helps to reduce eye aberration.
What is the Wavefront method?
A department of medicine called refractive surgery is a set of treatments that allow you to correct vision defects. These include laser procedures such as LASIK, LASEK, PRK and EBK. It is relatively new for that procedura Wavefrontwhich is based on individualization of standard methods of laser vision correction. What is meant by this?
The discussed technique, also known as Wavefront-guided, allows you to personalize the treatment profile. This is done by Wavefront measurements, i.e. wave front analysis and corneal topography. Therefore, thorough examinations are carried out for any eye irregularities. In this way, it is possible to program the excimer laser in such a way as to take into account not only the corrected vision defect, but also higher-order aberrations. It is worth mentioning here that optical aberrations of the eye contribute to the appearance of visual disturbances after laser vision correction.
An example of the application and effectiveness of the Wavefront procedure can be the classic LASIK, one of the common side effects of which is the halo effect, i.e. the perception of glow around light sources. If it does zabieg Wavefront-guided LASIK, the probability of such an effect decreases significantly.
When is Wavefront vision correction recommended?
The Wavefront treatment allows you to personalize conventional methods of laser correction, which results in better results. This means that by using this procedure we will correct various defects, including myopia (usually down to –12 diopters), hyperopia (up to +6 diopters) and astigmatism (up to 6 diopters). Wavefront-guided surgery also includes mixed anomalies, mixed astigmatism, and higher-order aberrations.
If the patient has problems with vision in low light, perceives glows or experiences double vision before the procedure, then the laser vision defect correction can aggravate such problems. It is in these circumstances that the implementation of the Wavefront technique is recommended, which reduces the risk of worsening of these symptoms. Also in people who do not suffer from worse night vision or worse contrast of the perceived image, the Wavefront treatment minimizes the risk of their occurrence.
Wavefront vision correction may also be preferred if there are contraindications to using the iLASIK or FemtoLASIK method. The patient must be 21 years old and there should be no contraindications to laser vision correction surgery.
The course of the Wavefront-guided treatment
The individual stages of laser vision correction surgery depend on the chosen method of surgery. When using the Wavefront technique, in any case, the first step will be to perform the necessary research and plan an individual collection for each point of the cornea.
A patient qualified for laser vision correction under the Wavefront program undergoes a corneal topography examination and wave front analysis. The term Wavefront in English means exactly the wave front. Thanks to such a detailed examination, irregularities of the cornea, vitreous body and lens are detected. In this way, an individual corneal modeling profile is planned and the excimer laser is programmed accordingly.
The treatments performed using the Wavefront procedure include:
- LASEK,
- EBK,
- FemtoLASIK.
During proper laser vision correction surgery the surgeon removes or moves the corneal epithelium aside. When the eye is ready, the laser follows the topography of the cornea and corrects the vision defect, while eliminating or reducing any aberrations. Thanks to monitoring devices, i.e. eyetrackers, the safety of the operation is increased – they detect even the smallest movements of the eyeball, and the laser beam does not deviate from the designated path.
When the correction is successful, the doctor protects the patient’s eye. At this stage, it is extremely important to follow all the recommendations after the laser vision correction surgery.
Approximate prices for Wavefront vision correction
The prices of treatments supported by the Wavefront procedure are in a wide range. Operations are among the cheaper ones Wavefront LASEK (from PLN 2600 to PLN 4400 for two eyes). Higher costs must be borne in the case of the technique Wavefront Trans-PRK (on average PLN 2700-3200 from each eye), Wavefront EBK (PLN 3000-3300 per eye), Wavefront EPI-LASIK (about PLN 2200-2900 for one eye) or Wavefront FemtoLASIK (3700–4500 PLN for one eye).