Frequently Asked Questions, Common Questions

Pre-operative examinations include several very detailed tests that require the use of several special instruments. This instrumentation is only available in OPTIK-MED's Budapest-based centre, therefore the entire pre-operative examination may only be performed here.

The first pre-operative examination is discounted in case of online application, for people aged under 40 it costs HUF 15 000(in case of online application, it costs HUF 25.000 instead of HUF 45.000 for patients above 40). HUF 15 000 is included in the price of the treatment.

On the day of the examination no laser surgery may be performed because of the dilation of the pupils. However, from the next day on, it may take place at any time within the next six months. Usually, surgeries can be scheduled within 1-2 weeks.

This largely depends on your individual sensitivity and the degree of your prescription. Patients usually go back to work 1-2 days after FEMTO and LBV® presbyopia treatments, whereas after PRK tretament it is necessary to have a rest for 4 to 10 days.

On the day of treatment, the patient receives a Treatment Report sheet which confirms that a laser intervention has been performed. Please take this report to your GP who will issue the medical certificate needed to go on sick leave. The length of the required sick leave must be consulted with your GP.

It is not recommended to drive a car in the first 7-10 days after a PRK treatment. After a FEMTO or an LBV® surgery, the next day patients usually come to the first day’s post-operative check with their own car; however, we can only issue an official certificate on suitability for driving on the third day.

If the patient has an old (non-card format) driver’s license, when they have reached the final visual acuity, i.e. during the post-operative appointment which takes place after 5 or 6 months, we can affix a stamp reading ‘may drive without corrective lenses’ on your driver’s license.
If you already have a new driver’s license in card format, your ophthalmologist will write the text ‘may drive without corrective lenses’ in the report on your last post-operative appointment.

From an ophthalmologic point of view, there is no difference between the seasons. More or less the same proportion of patients choose winter and summer months.

Why are eye drops needed?

The cornea has epithelial limbal stem cells which have a very useful biological function. If any damage occurs to the eye (e.g. it is hit by a branch), these stem cells immediately take action and attempt to restore the initial state as it was before the injury. However, stem cells also perceive a laser treatment as a damage and immediately after the surgery they mobilise their forces to restore the state prior to the laser treatment, that is, the refractive error of the cornea. In order to prevent this from happening, the prescribed eye drops must be used.

In extremely rare cases, however, in spite of the constant use of eye drops, stem cells manage to achieve some results; for example, in contrast to the correction of 8 dioptres promised to you, eventually your visual acuity is only improved by 7 dioptres. Our medical guarantee applies to such cases. In this case, OPTIK-MED will perform the supplementary correction free of charge.

The use of eye drops in the post-operative period protects the eye against infections and inflammations as well.

How long do I have to use eye drops?

After aFEMTO and an LBV® presbyopia treatment, the struggle with stem cells takes significantly less time, because the dioptre correction is not performed on the surface of the cornea. Usually, it is enough to use eye drops for 3 weeks, with a gradually decreasing intensity.

After a PRK treatment stem cells typically need 6 months to give up the fight. Afterwards, they will not try to restore the defective curvature of the cornea, but consider the post-treatment corneal curvature as the new state to protect.

The good news is that from this moment on, stem cells will relentlessly safeguard your new keen eyesight gained owing to the treatment for a lifetime.

The dosage of eye drops may vary from person to person. Therefore, it is important to attend the scheduled post-operative visits so that your ophthalmologist and you are able to jointly monitor and control the evolution of your visual acuity. The medical guarantee is only valid for people who regularly attend the post-operative appointments.

Why do I need to wear sunglasses?

After laser treatments, UV light stimulates an increased activity of corneal stem cells, which are working to restore the situation prior to the treatment and thereby preventing achievement of the best possible visual acuity. You can easily prevent this by wearing sunglasses.

How long should I wear sunglasses?

After the FEMTO and LBV® presbyopia treatments, it is enough to pay attention to UV protection for 2 months. After PRK treatments, it is recommended to wear sunglasses for 6 months. However, wearing sunglasses is also recommended for those who have not undergone a laser surgery in case of UV rays.

When should I wear sunglasses?

• outdoors when you can see your own shadow (in cloudy weather and indoors it is not necessary)
• in the car and on the means of public transport, as windshields usually do not block 100% of the UV rays
• in places with UV lamps: in bars/clubs with UV lamps, tanning beds, or if someone works with UV light, such as money inspectors, manicurists or dental assistants.

It is a misbelief that wearing sunglasses indoors is necessary after a laser eye surgery. There is no need for this, since conventional windows block 100% of UV rays.

Yes, pre-operative examinations are scheduled in advance. Every day, 200-300 patients visit OPTIK-MED and all of them rightfully expect from us that their pre-operative examination or post-operative check is started on time. This can only be ensured if appointments are made in advance.

Call us at +36 1 250 5505, fill in the form in the upper right corner or contact us in person.

Post-operative examinations are performed each day of the week excepting Sundays.
Mon, Wed: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
A pre-operative examination usually takes 1.5-2 hours, therefore our latest starting time is at 4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

In general, in the winter, we can schedule an appointment for a pre-operative examination within 2 weeks, whereas in the summer, within 1 week.

In general, in the winter, we can schedule an appointment for a pre-operative examination within 2 weeks, while in the summer, within 1 week.

Post-operative checks after PRK treatments

• On the 1st day (only in the Budapest-based centre)
• On the 1st day (only in the Budapest-based centre)
• After 1 week
• After 1 month
• After 2 months
• After 3 months
• After 4 months
• After 5 months
• After 6 months (only in the Budapest centre)
• After 1 year (only in the Budapest centre)

Post-operative checks after FEMTO treatments

• On the 1st day (only in the Budapest-based centre)
• After 1 week
• After 1 month
• After 2 months
• After 6 months (only in the Budapest centre)

Post-operative checks after LBV® presbyopia treatments (for people with reading glasses)

• On the 1st day (only in the Budapest-based centre)
• After 1 week
• After 1 months (only in the Budapest centre)
• After 2 months (only in the Budapest centre)
• After 6 months (only in the Budapest centre)

Pre-operative examinations, laser treatments and the first post-operative checks may expensively be carried out in the centre of OPTIK-MED Eagle Eye Clinic since the required very expensive, high-tech instrumentation and the three lasers are only available here. The remaining post-operative visits, however, may also take place in OPTIK-MED’s regional centres (except for LBV® presbyopia treatments, in the case of which all post-operative checks must take place in the Budapest-based centre).

OPTIK-MED’s regional centres:

To this end, OPTIK-MED has established a regional network in order to save a significant amount of travelling for patients living outside of the capital. Find the nearest accredited OPTIK-MED centre. Your personal consultant will provide you with the exact contact details.

 

Payments on cash or by bank card are possible on the day of the treatment. In the case of instalment payment, the initial payment is to be made on the day of the treatment, while remaining instalments will fall due on the 15th day of each month starting from the following month. In the case of payment by bank transfer, please initiate the transaction at least three working days before the treatment. Payee: K-MED Kft. Bank account: MKB Bank: 10300002-20196233-70213285. Please be sure to enter the name of the patient whose treatment is being paid in the Comments field. It is important that you bring the original bank transfer confirmation with you and present it before the surgery.

A tax refund may be requested for individual payments. If you are a contracted member of a voluntary health insurance fund (egészségpénztár), at the end of the examination you must check with us whether or not we accept the card issued by the given fund, or you can pay the price of the surgery only in cash, or eventually you need to produce a certificate of coverage. The invoice on the treatment, indicating the appropriate payment method, will be issued to your voluntary health insurance fund. Please request the additional terms and conditions from your voluntary health insurance fund.

Payments may be made through voluntary health insurance funds in three ways. These are as follows:

• the patient pays in cash and is given an invoice issued to the voluntary health insurance fund as customer. The patient will have to present this to the fund.
• Blocking on the account (also known as ‘certificate of coverage’): The patient should call their voluntary health insurance fund and requests them to block the amount on their account. On the day of treatment, the patient should bring documentary proof of this blocking, or it should be sent directly to the clinic by the fund. If a treatment is scheduled for Saturday, please note that voluntary health insurance funds are usually not open Saturdays, and therefore the amount must be blocked by no later than Friday.
• Payment by voluntary health insurance fund card (egészségpénztári kártya): This is a plastic payment card similar to a bank card: the holder can pay by presenting this card. Please make sure that, in addition to the price of the treatment, a few thousand forints should be available on the account to cover the handling charges. In this case, the clinic will send the bill directly to your voluntary health insurance fund.

If the Eagle Eye® treatment is not carried out on the voluntary health insurance fund member but on the beneficiary, the contract must be signed by the member as well, or the authorisation at the bottom of the page must be completed.

We are contracted with the following voluntary health insurance funds: