Frequently asked questions
How is the payment made?
You can pay by bank transfer, credit card, or cash. Payment is made before surgery.
Which method is the best and safest?
In terms of the outcome 6 months after surgery, all methods are equal! The most serious complications may occur with the Lasik method. Surface ablations (PRK, Lasek, EPI-Lasik) have minimal risks during the surgery.
When can I start exercising after the surgery?
Practically as soon as the eyes allow it, usually after removing contact lenses. Avoid rubbing your eyes and contact with the cornea.
Is it possible to operate astigmatism and plus diopter power?
Yes, of course, the new laser is certified for astigmatism up to +/-6 diopters and hyperopia (farsightedness) up to + 6 diopter. It achieves better results than older generation lasers thanks to the ability to individually correct the Kappa angle, which is significant in people with hyperopia.
Will it hurt?
The surgery does not hurt, your eyes are desensitized with drops. Pain after surgery is individual, depends on the operating method. The important thing is that with our new laser, the eye surface after the surgery is more gently treated, and healing is, therefore, faster and less unpleasant than with PRK or Lasek.
What if I move the eye?
The position of the eye is monitored several 100 times per second throughout the surgery by a special Eye tracking system, and therefore laser intervention occurs in the right spot during eye movement. In the case of large movements, the laser automatically stops and continues after putting the eye in the correct position.
After how many days can I start to work normally?
Immediate recovery takes about 5 days. Settlement of the final visual acuity normally occurs over the course of several weeks to months, depending on the amount of the corrected the diopter.
They both eyes be operated at the same time? How long does the surgery take?
By default, both eyes are operated at the same time. On average, short-sighted eye (-4D) surgery takes about 10 seconds.
How long do you wait for surgery?
Waiting period is virtually none, we operate every week; there is a time limit when contact lenses need to be discontinued, ideally at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. The initial examination and the surgery can be done in one day.
What are the risks and complications?
Like every medical performance, an surgery using an excimer laser is associated with a certain risk and possible complications such as: dry eye sensation, inflammation in the postoperative period, fluctuating visual acuity in the postoperative period, decreased visual acuity at night, re-occurrence of a refractive error again after some time and the like. As a general rule, the better the laser system and the more experienced the surgeon, the smaller the risk of complications.
Can the eyes be operated on again and is the re-opeation in the case of a return of refractive error paid by me?
Yes they can, even repeatedly, and this surgery is free of charge for patients operated at iClinic centers in the past.
What is Z-Lasik?
Z-Lasik Crystal plus (Lasik: Laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is the most perfect method of laser refractive surgery available at present, which corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism using a new generation femotsecond laser and excimer laser.
It is a two-step procedure. In the first phase, the femtosecond laser creates a 0.1 mm thin layer of the cornea which is lifted to the side, thus saving the most sensitive surface layer of the cornea. FEMTO LDV Crystal line femtosecond laser by the Swiss manufacturer Ziemer represents a new generation femtosecond laser, which is 10 to 100 times faster and more refined than the other existing systems and therefore it doesn’t have any adverse side effects on the corneal tissue.
The Z-Lasik Crystal plus method is the fastest, gentlest, and most accurate femtolasik laser surgery at present.
In the second phase, the excimer laser to change the curvature of the cornea, thus correcting the refractive error. The thin layer of the cornea is placed back. The entire surgery takes only a few minutes.
What is a femtosecond laser?
Femtosecond laser is a high-frequency laser, which produces ultra short pulses of invisible light. They last incredible 0.000,000,000,000,001 seconds, and FEMTO LDV Crystal line places up to 5 million of these pulses into the cornea in one second. This gently separates the surface layer of the cornea and thus allows to safely and accurately correct the refractive errors directly in the cornea.
What is an excimer laser?
The excimer laser produces a high energy beam that vaporize microscopic amounts of corneal tissue in a precisely calculated place, thus changing the curvature of the cornea. This is reflected by the change of the refractive power of the eye. The excimer laser Allegretto Wavelight Eye-Q blue line 400Hz from the German producer Wavelight AG is currently the best selling excimer laser and with a FDA certificate for all refractive errors. One diopter correction takes approximately 2 seconds, it is equipped with an Eye Tracker system, which monitors the position of the eye at every moment, so that each laser beam precisely hits the computer calculated place.
What are the benefits of Z-Lasik?
The whole surgery is done by laser beam – the most accurate instrument available in medicine.
The patient does not feel any pain after the surgery because the correction is made inside the cornea, and the outer most sensitive layer remains intact.
Femto LDV Crystal line laser produces no complications that accompany other femtosecond lasers. This is because it is 10 to 100 times faster, has a much lower energy and smaller footprint in the cornea. It does not damage surrounding tissue, and so does not cause an inflammatory reaction.
Sharp vision can therefore be achieved in the course of a few hours of surgery
What can we expect before, during and after the Z-Lasik surgery?
Examination before surgery
Our eye doctor will do a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination to see if your eyes are suitable for laser correction. The examination lasts approximately one hour.
1st stage of the surgery:
The creation of a lobe by FEMTO LDV Crystal line femtosecond laser
A few minutes before laser surgery you are administered anaesthetic eye drops. Then your eye is subjected to the preparation for the correction by creating a corneal flap: The top layer of the cornea (approximately 0.1 mm thin) is separated by laser and lifted to the side. During this phase, you will watch a green flashing light in front of you, which will get lost within a few seconds and then reappear.
2nd stage of the surgery
Correction of the cornea
You keep looking at the green light in the middle. The following is a change in the curvature of the cornea according to the desired refraction. The excimer laser removes corneal tissue within a few seconds with the precision of one hundredth of a millimetre. One diopter correction takes approximately 1.8 seconds. This procedure is performed inside the cornea; the laser doesn’t touch the very sensitive external layers of the cornea. The treated surface of the cornea is then covered by the flap, which is placed back. The whole procedure takes only a few minutes. The eye can open and close normally immediately after the procedure.
Simple post-operative care
If necessary, during the first day the operated eye is protected by a therapeutic contact lens. The healing process is accelerated by special eye drops, which you will receive after your surgery. During the first few days after surgery, you should not rub your eyes. For several subsequent days you should withhold contact sports (football, basketball, etc.), a hot bath and swimming. After surgery, there are no visible consequences on the eye. As a bonus you'll get quality sunglasses free of charge.
What are the risks?
Like any other surgery, Z-Lasik may have side effects and complications. It is important to prevent them by a quality pre-operative examination, the correct indication for the surgery, the use of top technology, the experience of the surgeon and compliance with the post-operative treatment and recommendations.
The side effects most commonly include a temporary feeling of reduced tear production associated with dry eye sensation, which can be treated by artificial tears and the condition then adjusts.
Not every eye responds equally to laser beams and is therefore it happens very rarely that the result is a slight undercorrection, or on the contrary overcorrection despite the full precision and faultless performance of the surgery. Such deviations can be corrected in just a few weeks after the surgery.
Please consult with our doctors about the possible risks and adverse effects in your specific case during the pre-operative examination, or contact us by phone and by email.
Am I a suitable candidate for Z-Lasik?
Will my eyes look different after the surgery?
There will be no visible traces of the surgery on your cornea. Even an ophthalmologist who is not be notified of the performed surgery may miss the microscopic traces.
Will I feel any pain?
No. Before the surgery you will receive anaesthetic drops to numb the eye, those of you who are very scared can get medication to relax. During the surgery, you may perceive a subtle pressure and touches of the surgeon’s hands around the eyes. Several hours after surgery you’ll have a temporary feeling of dust in the eyes and mild tearing. During this period you should rest in peace or sleep since closed eyes speed up comfort and healing.
How long does Z-Lasik surgery take?
The whole process from preparation to the surgery to the checkup after the surgery takes 60-90 minutes. In the operating room, you’ll only spend 10-15 minutes, the lasing itself takes only 20-50 seconds according to the amount of diopters.
What happens if I blink, move the eye or close it during surgery?
Thanks to the numbed corneal surface the need for blinking is greatly reduced. In addition, an instrument called the speculum, which is a fine metal spring placed on the eyelashes, stabilizes them in a wide open position. It is thus not possible to close the eye.
During the lasing you watch a green flashing light in the middle, listen to the sounds of the machines and perceive the typical odor of gases arising from the contact of the laser beam with the tissue. Any movements of the eye are monitored by a special eye tracker system, which prevents inaccurate placement of the laser beam.
How quickly after surgery will I be able to see?
A good vision is usually achieved several hours after the surgery. Post-surgical vision is incomparably shorter than with other surgical techniques. The vast majority of patients is able to resume to work 1-2 days after surgery. Initially, vision may be slightly blurred and fluctuate. This is a normal course of settlement and it improves from day to day. Final stabilization of vision is achieved within 2-3 months after the surgery.
Will the result remain stable, and how long?
Vision after Z-Lasik is good within a few hours; it is still focusing and may be fluctuating in the first days, finally stabilizing within 3 months; from that point on, the result of the correction is permanent and other changes to the refractive power are exceptional, or as a result of age-related or contingent changes in other structures of the eye (ie. in the lens). If such a situation ever arises, we will assess the finding and if another laser correction is a safe and reliable solution, our patients automatically get it free of charge.
Patients older than 40 years must be prepared for the need of reading glasses in the coming years – see below.
Will I need reading glasses?
Focusing on objects closer than 1 meter is ensured in our eyes by a fairly complex system – an accommodative apparatus, whose most important component is the lens. This ability of the human lens decreases continuously with age, just like the lens changes from elastic to hard as a result of the ageing of its proteins. At some point in our lives, usually after the age of 40, the ability of the human eye to focus on close objects drops below the limit which still allows us to read without aid. Reading glasses becomes a necessity, their diopter value increasing (the focusing ability of the lens drops) approx. by 0.50 diopters in 5 years. This condition is called Presbyopia – or age-related farsightedness. Laser or another eye surgery cannot stop the ageing of the lens, restore its function, or fully replace it permanently. One of the compromise solutions is monovision, where the dominant eye is corrected for long-distance and the non-dominant eye for close-distance, and the difference cannot be greater than 2.00 diopters. Thus, the patient is able to exist without glasses until the age of about 55 years. Afterwards, reading glasses are necessary.
Is Z-Lasik suitable for patients older than 40 years?
Of course. Why should people older than 40 years of age who love sports, are active, drive a lot, dislike glasses when watching TV, hiking, swimming, during the daily activities or those who don't want to invest in expensive multifocal glass lenses not get rid of glasses? It is a matter of need; if the patient is middle-aged, like skiing, cycling, swimming, drives a lot and is short-sighted, their quality of life will surely improve a lot if they get rid of myopia and will only use weak glasses when reading literature...
The stabilization of vision occurs within hours of the surgery. At the beginning, your vision may be a little blurry, but your vision will adjust very quickly.
Will it hurt?
No. Relex Smile 3D method is characterized by a painless course of the absence of post-operative pain. Your eyes are numbed by anaesthetic drops before the surgery and you won’t feel anything.
When will I be able to return to work after the surgery?
After undergoing the Relex Smile 3D surgery, you will be able to go to work the next day after the surgery.
What are the risks and complications?
Relex Smile 3D virtually eliminates all the complications that occur with other methods as the result of distortion of the corneal surface.
Can the operated refractive error come back?
Relex Smile 3D is thus far the most perfect method of removing refractive errors, therefore it is highly unlikely that myopia or astigmatism would come back, and certainly not fully.
Is the surgery paid for by the insurance company?
Unfortunately, Relex Smile 3D surgery is not covered by health insurance.
You can pay by bank transfer, credit card, or cash. Payment is made before surgery.
Which method is the best and safest?
In terms of the outcome 6 months after surgery, all methods are equal! The most serious complications may occur with the Lasik method. Surface ablations (PRK, Lasek, EPI-Lasik) have minimal risks during the surgery.
When can I start exercising after the surgery?
Practically as soon as the eyes allow it, usually after removing contact lenses. Avoid rubbing your eyes and contact with the cornea.
Is it possible to operate astigmatism and plus diopter power?
Yes, of course, the new laser is certified for astigmatism up to +/-6 diopters and hyperopia (farsightedness) up to + 6 diopter. It achieves better results than older generation lasers thanks to the ability to individually correct the Kappa angle, which is significant in people with hyperopia.
Will it hurt?
The surgery does not hurt, your eyes are desensitized with drops. Pain after surgery is individual, depends on the operating method. The important thing is that with our new laser, the eye surface after the surgery is more gently treated, and healing is, therefore, faster and less unpleasant than with PRK or Lasek.
What if I move the eye?
The position of the eye is monitored several 100 times per second throughout the surgery by a special Eye tracking system, and therefore laser intervention occurs in the right spot during eye movement. In the case of large movements, the laser automatically stops and continues after putting the eye in the correct position.
After how many days can I start to work normally?
Immediate recovery takes about 5 days. Settlement of the final visual acuity normally occurs over the course of several weeks to months, depending on the amount of the corrected the diopter.
They both eyes be operated at the same time? How long does the surgery take?
By default, both eyes are operated at the same time. On average, short-sighted eye (-4D) surgery takes about 10 seconds.
How long do you wait for surgery?
Waiting period is virtually none, we operate every week; there is a time limit when contact lenses need to be discontinued, ideally at least 2 weeks prior to surgery. The initial examination and the surgery can be done in one day.
What are the risks and complications?
Like every medical performance, an surgery using an excimer laser is associated with a certain risk and possible complications such as: dry eye sensation, inflammation in the postoperative period, fluctuating visual acuity in the postoperative period, decreased visual acuity at night, re-occurrence of a refractive error again after some time and the like. As a general rule, the better the laser system and the more experienced the surgeon, the smaller the risk of complications.
Can the eyes be operated on again and is the re-opeation in the case of a return of refractive error paid by me?
Yes they can, even repeatedly, and this surgery is free of charge for patients operated at iClinic centers in the past.
What is Z-Lasik?
Z-Lasik Crystal plus (Lasik: Laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is the most perfect method of laser refractive surgery available at present, which corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism using a new generation femotsecond laser and excimer laser.
It is a two-step procedure. In the first phase, the femtosecond laser creates a 0.1 mm thin layer of the cornea which is lifted to the side, thus saving the most sensitive surface layer of the cornea. FEMTO LDV Crystal line femtosecond laser by the Swiss manufacturer Ziemer represents a new generation femtosecond laser, which is 10 to 100 times faster and more refined than the other existing systems and therefore it doesn’t have any adverse side effects on the corneal tissue.
The Z-Lasik Crystal plus method is the fastest, gentlest, and most accurate femtolasik laser surgery at present.
In the second phase, the excimer laser to change the curvature of the cornea, thus correcting the refractive error. The thin layer of the cornea is placed back. The entire surgery takes only a few minutes.
What is a femtosecond laser?
Femtosecond laser is a high-frequency laser, which produces ultra short pulses of invisible light. They last incredible 0.000,000,000,000,001 seconds, and FEMTO LDV Crystal line places up to 5 million of these pulses into the cornea in one second. This gently separates the surface layer of the cornea and thus allows to safely and accurately correct the refractive errors directly in the cornea.
What is an excimer laser?
The excimer laser produces a high energy beam that vaporize microscopic amounts of corneal tissue in a precisely calculated place, thus changing the curvature of the cornea. This is reflected by the change of the refractive power of the eye. The excimer laser Allegretto Wavelight Eye-Q blue line 400Hz from the German producer Wavelight AG is currently the best selling excimer laser and with a FDA certificate for all refractive errors. One diopter correction takes approximately 2 seconds, it is equipped with an Eye Tracker system, which monitors the position of the eye at every moment, so that each laser beam precisely hits the computer calculated place.
What are the benefits of Z-Lasik?
The whole surgery is done by laser beam – the most accurate instrument available in medicine.
The patient does not feel any pain after the surgery because the correction is made inside the cornea, and the outer most sensitive layer remains intact.
Femto LDV Crystal line laser produces no complications that accompany other femtosecond lasers. This is because it is 10 to 100 times faster, has a much lower energy and smaller footprint in the cornea. It does not damage surrounding tissue, and so does not cause an inflammatory reaction.
Sharp vision can therefore be achieved in the course of a few hours of surgery
What can we expect before, during and after the Z-Lasik surgery?
Examination before surgery
Our eye doctor will do a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination to see if your eyes are suitable for laser correction. The examination lasts approximately one hour.
1st stage of the surgery:
The creation of a lobe by FEMTO LDV Crystal line femtosecond laser
A few minutes before laser surgery you are administered anaesthetic eye drops. Then your eye is subjected to the preparation for the correction by creating a corneal flap: The top layer of the cornea (approximately 0.1 mm thin) is separated by laser and lifted to the side. During this phase, you will watch a green flashing light in front of you, which will get lost within a few seconds and then reappear.
2nd stage of the surgery
Correction of the cornea
You keep looking at the green light in the middle. The following is a change in the curvature of the cornea according to the desired refraction. The excimer laser removes corneal tissue within a few seconds with the precision of one hundredth of a millimetre. One diopter correction takes approximately 1.8 seconds. This procedure is performed inside the cornea; the laser doesn’t touch the very sensitive external layers of the cornea. The treated surface of the cornea is then covered by the flap, which is placed back. The whole procedure takes only a few minutes. The eye can open and close normally immediately after the procedure.
Simple post-operative care
If necessary, during the first day the operated eye is protected by a therapeutic contact lens. The healing process is accelerated by special eye drops, which you will receive after your surgery. During the first few days after surgery, you should not rub your eyes. For several subsequent days you should withhold contact sports (football, basketball, etc.), a hot bath and swimming. After surgery, there are no visible consequences on the eye. As a bonus you'll get quality sunglasses free of charge.
What are the risks?
Like any other surgery, Z-Lasik may have side effects and complications. It is important to prevent them by a quality pre-operative examination, the correct indication for the surgery, the use of top technology, the experience of the surgeon and compliance with the post-operative treatment and recommendations.
The side effects most commonly include a temporary feeling of reduced tear production associated with dry eye sensation, which can be treated by artificial tears and the condition then adjusts.
Not every eye responds equally to laser beams and is therefore it happens very rarely that the result is a slight undercorrection, or on the contrary overcorrection despite the full precision and faultless performance of the surgery. Such deviations can be corrected in just a few weeks after the surgery.
Please consult with our doctors about the possible risks and adverse effects in your specific case during the pre-operative examination, or contact us by phone and by email.
Am I a suitable candidate for Z-Lasik?
- The preoperative examination is necessary in order to find out whether your eyes are healthy and suitable for laser surgery. A good candidate for Z-Lasik should meet the following criteria:
- minimum 18 years of age
- stable refractive error for at least 1 year
- no serious infection or injury to the eye for the last year
- no autoimmune disease, such as Sjogren's syndrome, lupus, and other
- must not have a history of herpes disease of the cornea
- must not have dry eye syndrome
- no scarring on the cornea
- normal anatomical proportions around the eye and the eye socket
- women should not be pregnant or breastfeed at the time of the surgery
- all candidates must be advised of the risks and have realistic expectations of the outcome that can be achieved in the present case.
Will my eyes look different after the surgery?
There will be no visible traces of the surgery on your cornea. Even an ophthalmologist who is not be notified of the performed surgery may miss the microscopic traces.
Will I feel any pain?
No. Before the surgery you will receive anaesthetic drops to numb the eye, those of you who are very scared can get medication to relax. During the surgery, you may perceive a subtle pressure and touches of the surgeon’s hands around the eyes. Several hours after surgery you’ll have a temporary feeling of dust in the eyes and mild tearing. During this period you should rest in peace or sleep since closed eyes speed up comfort and healing.
How long does Z-Lasik surgery take?
The whole process from preparation to the surgery to the checkup after the surgery takes 60-90 minutes. In the operating room, you’ll only spend 10-15 minutes, the lasing itself takes only 20-50 seconds according to the amount of diopters.
What happens if I blink, move the eye or close it during surgery?
Thanks to the numbed corneal surface the need for blinking is greatly reduced. In addition, an instrument called the speculum, which is a fine metal spring placed on the eyelashes, stabilizes them in a wide open position. It is thus not possible to close the eye.
During the lasing you watch a green flashing light in the middle, listen to the sounds of the machines and perceive the typical odor of gases arising from the contact of the laser beam with the tissue. Any movements of the eye are monitored by a special eye tracker system, which prevents inaccurate placement of the laser beam.
How quickly after surgery will I be able to see?
A good vision is usually achieved several hours after the surgery. Post-surgical vision is incomparably shorter than with other surgical techniques. The vast majority of patients is able to resume to work 1-2 days after surgery. Initially, vision may be slightly blurred and fluctuate. This is a normal course of settlement and it improves from day to day. Final stabilization of vision is achieved within 2-3 months after the surgery.
Will the result remain stable, and how long?
Vision after Z-Lasik is good within a few hours; it is still focusing and may be fluctuating in the first days, finally stabilizing within 3 months; from that point on, the result of the correction is permanent and other changes to the refractive power are exceptional, or as a result of age-related or contingent changes in other structures of the eye (ie. in the lens). If such a situation ever arises, we will assess the finding and if another laser correction is a safe and reliable solution, our patients automatically get it free of charge.
Patients older than 40 years must be prepared for the need of reading glasses in the coming years – see below.
Will I need reading glasses?
Focusing on objects closer than 1 meter is ensured in our eyes by a fairly complex system – an accommodative apparatus, whose most important component is the lens. This ability of the human lens decreases continuously with age, just like the lens changes from elastic to hard as a result of the ageing of its proteins. At some point in our lives, usually after the age of 40, the ability of the human eye to focus on close objects drops below the limit which still allows us to read without aid. Reading glasses becomes a necessity, their diopter value increasing (the focusing ability of the lens drops) approx. by 0.50 diopters in 5 years. This condition is called Presbyopia – or age-related farsightedness. Laser or another eye surgery cannot stop the ageing of the lens, restore its function, or fully replace it permanently. One of the compromise solutions is monovision, where the dominant eye is corrected for long-distance and the non-dominant eye for close-distance, and the difference cannot be greater than 2.00 diopters. Thus, the patient is able to exist without glasses until the age of about 55 years. Afterwards, reading glasses are necessary.
Is Z-Lasik suitable for patients older than 40 years?
Of course. Why should people older than 40 years of age who love sports, are active, drive a lot, dislike glasses when watching TV, hiking, swimming, during the daily activities or those who don't want to invest in expensive multifocal glass lenses not get rid of glasses? It is a matter of need; if the patient is middle-aged, like skiing, cycling, swimming, drives a lot and is short-sighted, their quality of life will surely improve a lot if they get rid of myopia and will only use weak glasses when reading literature...
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RELEX SMILE 3D
When will I see sharply?The stabilization of vision occurs within hours of the surgery. At the beginning, your vision may be a little blurry, but your vision will adjust very quickly.
Will it hurt?
No. Relex Smile 3D method is characterized by a painless course of the absence of post-operative pain. Your eyes are numbed by anaesthetic drops before the surgery and you won’t feel anything.
When will I be able to return to work after the surgery?
After undergoing the Relex Smile 3D surgery, you will be able to go to work the next day after the surgery.
What are the risks and complications?
Relex Smile 3D virtually eliminates all the complications that occur with other methods as the result of distortion of the corneal surface.
Can the operated refractive error come back?
Relex Smile 3D is thus far the most perfect method of removing refractive errors, therefore it is highly unlikely that myopia or astigmatism would come back, and certainly not fully.
Is the surgery paid for by the insurance company?
Unfortunately, Relex Smile 3D surgery is not covered by health insurance.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A CONSULTATION OR EXAMINATION?
Make an appointment today
