What to expect at the pre-operative examination?

Step by step – the process and steps of a laser eye surgery

What to expect during the examination?

• be prepared for a completely painless examination that takes 1.5-2 hours
• the most important tests are carried out by two experts independently (a list of our assistants and ophthalmologists can be found here)
• the refractive errors of your eyes will be measured with five different methods
• the expected outcome of your treatment will be presented to you in a personalised Medical Guarantee Certificate
• during the pre-operative examination, we will collect tens of thousands of data items that enable us to design the ideal treatment

How should you come to the examination?

• As you will receive pupil-dilating drops (mydriatics), after the examination, your vision will be blurred for even up to an entire day, thus it is advisable to come with a companion and/or arrive by public transport
• Please do not wear soft contact lenses for 4-5 days before the examination, semi-rigid and rigid lenses for at least 2 weeks in order to obtain accurate measurement results
• Ladies are recommended not to use any make-up, especially mascara
• You can eat and drink (non-alcoholic beverages) as usual before the examination
• ring your national health insurance card with you so that we can prescribe you the necessary drugs
• Bring your previous eyesight reports and glasses with you

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

What kind of tests should you expect?

Tests are completely painless. We use the most advanced technology: Carl Zeiss and Alcon devices.

• Visual acuity measurement: a precise definition of the correction used so far. Video
• Measurement of primary and secondary refractive errors: definition of the level of myopia, hyperopia and/or astigmatism. These are refractive errors that can be corrected by conventional laser treatments as well. Video
• Measurement of higher-order hidden refractive errors: by means of a wavefront analysis, carried out using an aberrometer (or ‘Eagle Eye Meter’, as nicknamed by our patients), hidden individual refractive errors can be precisely mapped. These errors can be corrected by an Eagle Eye Treatment (Sasszemkezelés®), thus a 20/20 or even better visual acuity may be obtained. Today’s cutting-edge technologies are able to ensure a vision that is better than 20/20 (normal) vision created by nature. Video
• Cornea and pupil diameter measurement: the surface of the area to be treated may also determine which treatment is recommended. The size of the area available for vision correction is relevant when the treatment is planned.
• Intra-ocular pressure (IOP) measurement: Increased intro-ocular pressure may be a first sign of glaucoma. In such cases, a full examination is recommended and laser treatment is out of the question..
• Spatial vision examination: this examination helps in assessing the vision of both eyes together. In fact, this cannot be improved with laser treatment.
• Corneal topography (photokeratoscopy): the cornea is a clear membrane that covers the front of the eye; this is where light rays enter the eye. It is not completely smooth; there might be minor irregularities on its two surfaces. After mapping the surface curvature of the cornea, these irregularities can be smoothed out by means of an Eagle Eye Treatment (Sasszemkezelés®) in order to achieve a perfect vision. In addition, this examination also helps to diagnose or to detect the first signs of certain types of eye conditions that compromises the outcome of many laser eye treatments. Video
• Corneal thickness measurement: Only surface treatment (PRK, involving one laser) is recommended for those with a low corneal thickness; FEMTO is not recommended. It is therefore important to measure the thickness of the cornea.
• Corneal curvature measurement (keratometry):this will be an important aspect in planning the treatment..
• Determining the subjective refraction: the use of conventional alphabetical and numerical charts helps to assess the corrected visual acuity which is the most suitable for you.
• Determining the dominant eye: this is essential especially in the case of LBV presbyopia treatments.
• Slit lamp examination: an examination of the corneal surface and epithelium designed to detect a number of conditions affecting the cornea, or their first signs. Video
• Tear production measurement: pre-treatment tear secretion determines the amount of artificial tears to be prescribed for the post-treatment recovery period. In the first few months after the treatment, tear production slows down, and therefore you will need to use artificial tears. Usually 3-6 months after the treatment, tear production returns to the normal level.
• Dilated eye examination: pupils are dilated using mydriatics. Blocking the pupillary reflexes allows the examiner to obtain further data that are important in planning the laser treatment. After dilation of the pupils, your eyes will be sensitive to the light, and you will experience blurry vision, especially up close, in the next 12-24 hours.
• Lens examination: it is primarily necessary in order to exclude the early signs of cataract.
• Fundus examination: it aims at the exclusion of certain retinal diseases that cause visual disturbances.

Based on all the test results, the examining specialist will determine whether the patient is a candidate for laser treatment. The specialist will also demonstrate the degree of guaranteed vision improvement. This will be include a personalised Medical Guarantee Certificate.

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What happens on the day of the treatment?

What to expect on the day of your surgery?

• Prepare for a painless procedure which will take approximately 1.5-2 hours
• In the preoperative care unit, you will receive sedative pills and anaesthetic eye drops
• In the operating theatre, you will have nothing to do but to take up a comfortable position and to look ahead
• The PRK treatment takes 2-3 minutes, while the FEMTO treatment takes 8-10 minutes
• After the surgery, you will experience sharp vision immediately
• You can leave immediately or after a short rest with your companion, if you wish

How to come to your laser eye surgery?

• Bring a pair of sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection (your sunglasses’ ability to block UV rays can be verified at the clinic), or you can buy sunglasses from the clinic’s offer
• You must not wear soft contact lenses for 4-5 days, semi-rigid and rigid lenses for at least 3-4 weeks before the treatment
• Ask a friend to come and pick you up at the end of your surgery
• Bring with you the guarantee certificate provided to you during the pre-operative examination
• Eat as usual, however, avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine
• Ladies must avoid make-up (especially waterproof make-up) and perfumes
• Tell your physician about the drugs taken on the day of the surgery!
• If you have not chosen upfront payment, please bring with you the documents necessary for the selected payment plan and/or your surety

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What happens in the two hours spent at the Clinic?

The day of the treatment will be a big day for you, as it will change your life.

We present the steps of laser eye surgery and what will happen on the day of the treatment.

Prior to entering the operating theatre:
Don't forget to bring all the necessary documents with you:: identity card, national health insurance card needed to prescribe eye drops, documents required in accordance with the payment plan selected by you, any further questions you may have.

• Arrival at the Clinic
• Reconciliation of data
• Performance of control eye examinations and comparison of the results with those obtained during the pre-operative examination
• Information about the surgery, clarification of issues
• Signing a Surgical Consent Form
• • Signing a Surgical Consent Form • Validation of the Guarantee Certificate
• Payment of the laser treatment’s price
• Taking the sedative pills
• Entry to the preoperative care unit
• Administration of anaesthetic eye drops
• Offering your glasses for a good cause (at your discretion)

In the operating theatre:
You do not have to worry about unintentionally blinking during the procedure. After numbing your eyes with the anaesthetic eye drops, your surgeon will place a special instrument in your eye, which holds your eyelids open to prevent you from blinking. Patients usually do not even notice it.

You do not have to be afraid of committing any errors during your treatment. This procedure does not require any cooperation from patients besides focusing on a special fixation light in a microscope. Should any problem occur, the treatment can be interrupted, resumed or restarted at any time.

• Introduction of the surgical team
• Repeated reconciliation of data
• Assumption of a comfortable position on the surgical stretcher
• Your surgeon will continuously inform you about what is happening
• Preparation and disinfection of the surgical site
• You only have to look ahead; you cannot blink
• The Laser Engineer indicates the launching of the laser; countdown until the device stops
• Only in the case of FEMTO and LBV® treatments: creation of a flap with a femtosecond laser (approx. 20 seconds per eye)
• The necessary vision correction is performed by the spot scanning laser (it takes approx. 2 seconds per dioptre per eye)
• Only in the case of PRK treatments: placement of protective contact lenses which will be removed by the doctor during the post-operative check performed 3 days later
• You will be asked to read the time from the clock in the operating theatre; you will be able to see even the second hand of the clock

After the surgery:
After the operation, your vision will become sharp immediately, without the need for any devices. Some people touch their foreheads by habit to put on their non-existing glasses and then they happily conclude that they see a lot of things that they had not seen before the surgery even with glasses.

• A little rest
• Information on the medical instructions both orally and in writing
• Prescription of eye drops
• Scheduling the date and time of the first post-operative check
• Issuance of medical records, which must be presented to your GP so that they can issue a medical certificate needed for the sick leave
• Departure from the Clinic without glasses, if the sun is shining, wearing sunglasses with 100% UV protection

Things to do after departure from the Clinic:

• Buying the prescribed eye drops
• Sleeping and resting
• Respecting the medical instructions (see: ‘What should I pay attention to during the recovery period?’ in the following menu item)
• Should any questions or issues arise, you can contact the Eagle Eye Clinic' s 24/7 hotline

What should I pay attention to during the recovery period?

What are the most important medical instructions during the recovery time?

• Rest after the treatment (for 1 day after FEMTO and 5-6 days after PRK procedures)
• Apply eye drops according to the instructions
• Keep away from dusty places or places with cigarette smoke during the first month
• Do not expose your eyes to water for a month (neither sauna, nor steam room is recommended)
• Do not wear make-up on your eyes for 2 weeks after a PRK and 4 weeks after a FEMTO procedure
• Do not rub your eyes during the months following the treatment
• The use of tanning beds must be strictly avoided for 3-6 months
• Outdoors, when the sun is shining, wear sunglasses providing 100% protection from UVA rays (for 2 months after a FEMTO and 6 months after a PRK procedure)
• Please show up at the required post-operative checks
• Should you have any questions, please call the Eagle Eye Clinic's 24/7 hotline at: +36 1 250 5505

Do you have to pay special attention to anything after the recovery?

After your recovery, you will not have to pay special attention to anything. Vaginal deliverys is still possible after this treatment. All kinds of sports and physical effort can be done just like before. Antal Kovács (Olympic champion in judo), Botond Storcz (sprint canoeist) and Norbert Schobert (fitness guru) continued working out in the same way as they did prior to their laser eye surgery.

Although the treatment virtually takes only 1-2 hours and after that you will see perfectly, you must adhere to certain rules in the next period. We have summarised what medical instructions must be observed after an eye surgery.

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