Almost everyone who has to wear glasses or contact lenses due to a visual defect has considered having their eyes lasered or undergoing lens surgery.
But the decision is not always easy:

• Am I even suitable for laser eye surgery?
• Does laser eye surgery make sense for me?
• Which visual defects can be corrected?
• What about the laser eye surgery costs?

In this article, we give you a little help in making a decision when it comes to the crucial question: Is laser eye surgery right for me?

A personal decision for or against laser eye treatment

Despite all the understandable arguments for or against laser eye treatment, the decision is and remains a very personal and individual one. Accordingly, there can be no universal answer when it comes to the advisability of laser eye surgery.
Accordingly, we recommend that you deal with the subject as comprehensively as possible and seek the advice of an expert.

Is laser eye surgery possible for you?

Of course, laser eye surgery only makes sense if your eyes are in such a condition that vision correction can be carried out safely and effectively.
Regardless of the type of visual defect, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into account:

• The right age: Laser eye surgery at the earliest from the age of 18 and for some treatments there is a maximum age to avoid deterioration due to presbyopia occurring later.
• Stable visual acuity: The visual acuity should not have changed for at least 1 year before the procedure.
  It must be stable.
• General eye health: There must be no obstructive eye diseases – e.g. cataracts, corneal injuries or glaucoma.
• Thickness of the cornea: The cornea must have a minimum thickness and must not be excessively irregular in shape.
• Personal preference: What are your habits and hobbies?
  What do you value after the procedure?

Thanks to the possibilities offered by modern medicine, laser eye treatment is now possible and sensible for almost all types of visual impairment:

Short-sightedness (myopia)

Myopia is a visual impairment in which distant objects are perceived as blurred, while close objects are clearly visible.
The reason for this is that the cornea is too curved so that the light rays are not focused into a sharp image on the retina.
Laser eye surgery for short-sightedness is useful up to the diopter limit:

• Femto-LASIK: -10 diopters
• Trans-PRK: -6 diopters

Farsightedness (hyperopia)

With long-sightedness, close objects can only be seen out of focus – in severe cases, however, this also applies to the distance range.
This is because the eye axis is too short or the cornea is curved too flat.
The diopter limits for laser eye surgery are as follows:

• Femto-LASIK: 4 diopters
• Trans-PRK: Not recommended

Astigmatism (curvature of the cornea)

If the cornea is unevenly curved, this results in an uneven image on the retina, so that those affected can only see out of focus.
However, this visual defect can also be treated effectively with laser eye surgery:

• Femto-LASIK: 6 diopters
• Trans-PRK: 3 diopters

Presbyopia (presbyopia)

When the flexibility of the natural lens in the eye decreases with age, presbyopia occurs.
It is the reason why more and more people over the age of 45 have to wear glasses.
The correction of presbyopia is possible for everyone and often makes sense – but it is carried out with the PresbyMAX procedure or a lens exchange.
You can find these services at EyeLaser Vienna / Linz.

What are the advantages of laser eye surgery compared to glasses or contact lenses?

1. Improved quality of life and comfort

• Freedom from visual aids: After successful laser eye treatment, patients no longer have to wear glasses or contact lenses every day.
  This increases comfort and makes everyday life considerably easier.
• No discomfort from glasses: Glasses can be a nuisance during certain activities such as sport, swimming or in adverse weather conditions (rain, fog).
  Laser eye surgery eliminates these limitations.
• No contact lens problems: Contact lenses can cause dryness, irritation or infections.
  These problems are eliminated after laser eye treatment.

2. Long-term cost savings

• Elimination of replacement costs: Glasses and contact lenses have to be replaced regularly, which can result in considerable costs over the years.
  The one-off costs of laser eye treatment can prove to be more cost-effective in the long term.
• No care products: The regular costs for contact lens care products are completely eliminated.

3. Improved visual quality

• Stable vision correction: In many cases, laser eye treatment offers stable and permanent correction of visual impairment, eliminating the need for regular vision correction.
• Wide field of vision: As there are no spectacle lenses or contact lenses to restrict the field of vision, patients benefit from an unrestricted, natural field of vision.

4. Aesthetic advantages

• Natural appearance: After laser eye treatment, patients no longer need glasses, which is an aesthetic advantage for many.
• No marks or pressure points: Glasses can cause pressure marks and imprints on the nose or behind the ears.
  These inconveniences are eliminated after laser treatment.

5. Practical advantages

• No fogging of glasses: Glasses can fog up when the temperature changes or when wearing masks.
  This problem no longer exists after laser treatment.
• Independence in sports: Sports activities, especially those that require intense physical exertion, can be practiced without the limitations of glasses or contact lenses.

6. Time saving

• Elimination of the daily routine: The daily putting on and taking off, cleaning and care of contact lenses or the cleaning and fitting of spectacles is completely eliminated.
• Quick adaptation: Most patients see significantly better shortly after the procedure and do not require a long adaptation phase.

Consider the risks and side effects of laser eye surgery:

The possible risks and side effects of refractive surgery should also be taken into account when considering the appropriateness of laser eye surgery.
Overall, laser eye surgery is considered to be extremely safe. If complications occur, they are usually easily treatable and only last for a short time.

• Temporary dry eyes after the procedure
• Increased sensitivity to light for a few days to weeks
• Glare and halos in low light conditions
• Temporary visual fluctuations during the adaptation period
• Infections after the operation
• Under- or overcorrection – can be remedied by subsequent correction
• Flap complications with Femto-LASIK
• Epithelial Ingrown with Trans-PRK

During your preliminary examination, your surgeon will provide you with comprehensive and transparent information about all complications and risks.

The cost factor in the decision for refractive surgery

Admittedly, laser eye correction is not cheap.
It costs money once and has to be paid for.
You have to be able to afford this investment – but in most cases it pays off in the long term.
This is because laser eye surgery is a one-off procedure that ensures permanently clear vision without the need for visual aids.
This means you will never have to spend money on opticians, glasses, lenses or contact lenses again.
And if you extrapolate these costs for visual aids over your remaining years of life, laser vision correction will pay for itself faster than you might think. To ensure that it happens quickly and that as many people as possible can afford laser eye surgery, we offer you:

• Trans-PRK from 950 euros / eye (from 19 euros per month)
• Femto-LASIK from 1350 Euro / eye (from 19 Euro per month)

Individual advice from Smartlaser

If you are wondering whether laser eye surgery makes sense for you, then we would like to invite you to visit Smartlaser.
During a non-binding preliminary examination, we can check whether you are suitable and which procedure suits your eyes.
You will then have everything you need to make the right decision for you! Make an appointment