{"id":1706,"date":"2021-05-21T12:59:58","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T10:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/solutions\/eye-surgery\/refractive-surgery\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T12:49:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T11:49:21","slug":"refractive-surgery","status":"publish","type":"solutions","link":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/solutions\/eye-surgery\/refractive-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Refractive surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1706\" class=\"elementor elementor-1706 elementor-406\" data-elementor-post-type=\"solutions\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2ddb7742 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2ddb7742\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-13c88dc6\" data-id=\"13c88dc6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67d9d0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"67d9d0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h2>What is refractive surgery?<\/h2>\n\n<p>A discipline of ophthalmic surgery, refractive surgery aims to correct optical refractive defects of the eye: <\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>myopia,  <\/li>\n<li>astigmatism  <\/li>\n<li>hyperopia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p> The aim is to eliminate the need to wear glasses or contact lenses to correct vision.<\/p>\n\n<p>Refractive surgery involves sculpting the cornea in order to modify its radius of curvature in the center and periphery, homogeneously or not, and thus increase or reduce its optical power. This reshaping of the cornea is carried out using a special laser (the excimer laser). It emits an ultraviolet beam whose energy, absorbed by the cornea, enables photoablation (vaporization of corneal tissue) down to the micron. This technique, the most commonly used, can be used to correct :   <\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>myopia: the eye is too long, so the image is formed too much in front of the retina, and the person sees blurred at a distance. In refractive surgery, we use lasers to reduce the curvature (and therefore the optical power) of the cornea;<br> <\/li>\n<li>hyperopia: the eye is too short and\/or the cornea is too flat. The plane of the sharp image is behind the retina, so the image formed on the retina is enlarged and the person has blurred near vision. Surgery will increase the curvature of the cornea;  <\/li>\n<li>astigmatism: the eye\u2019s refractive power varies according to the meridians of the cornea, resulting in blurred vision depending on the axis, both far and near. The laser is used to regularize the surface of the cornea. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-356a3ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"356a3ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/chirurgie-refractive.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1707\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/chirurgie-refractive.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/chirurgie-refractive-300x208.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/chirurgie-refractive-768x532.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9714f13 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9714f13\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The excimer laser can be used in two different ways<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba35c33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-accordion\" data-id=\"ba35c33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"accordion.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1951\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1951\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Surface laser or PhotoKeratectomy Refractive (PKR)<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1951\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1951\"><p>The laser is used directly on the surface of the cornea, a few microns thick, after removing the epithelium with a small brush.<\/p>\n<p>The correction is delivered to the superficial stroma, just below the epithelium.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Noto Sans', sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';\">This technique can be used for mild to moderate myopia. <\/span>It is particularly <strong>recommended for people with thin or irregular corneas, or with certain anomalies<\/strong> (scars, etc.).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-accordion-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-title-1952\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1952\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon elementor-accordion-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-accordion-icon-opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-accordion-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Intrastromal laser or LASIK<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1952\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1952\"><p>We create a &#8220;superficial corneal flap&#8221; before directly sculpting the corneal stroma, at greater depth than with PRK.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, a small flap is cut on the surface of the cornea using a femtosecond laser (a laser that works with extremely short pulses, of the order of a femtosecond).<\/p>\n<p>The flap is lifted and the cornea sculpted using an excimer laser.<\/p>\n<p>The corneal flap is then replaced.<\/p>\n<p>No sutures are needed; it will heal on its own. Lasik is <strong>particularly suitable for hyperopia<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Surface laser or PhotoKeratectomy Refractive (PKR)\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>The laser is used directly on the surface of the cornea, a few microns thick, after removing the epithelium with a small brush.<\\\/p>\\n<p>The correction is delivered to the superficial stroma, just below the epithelium.<\\\/p>\\n<p><span style=\\\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Noto Sans', sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';\\\">This technique can be used for mild to moderate myopia. <\\\/span>It is particularly <strong>recommended for people with thin or irregular corneas, or with certain anomalies<\\\/strong> (scars, etc.).<\\\/p>\\n\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Intrastromal laser or LASIK\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p>We create a &#8220;superficial corneal flap&#8221; before directly sculpting the corneal stroma, at greater depth than with PRK.<\\\/p>\\n<p>In practice, a small flap is cut on the surface of the cornea using a femtosecond laser (a laser that works with extremely short pulses, of the order of a femtosecond).<\\\/p>\\n<p>The flap is lifted and the cornea sculpted using an excimer laser.<\\\/p>\\n<p>The corneal flap is then replaced.<\\\/p>\\n<p>No sutures are needed; it will heal on its own. Lasik is <strong>particularly suitable for hyperopia<\\\/strong>. <\\\/p>\\n\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bcef4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1bcef4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h2>How does refractive surgery work?<\/h2>\n\n<p>Patients should not wear contact lenses for at least 48 hours prior to surgery, to ensure that the ocular surface is not irritated on the day of surgery.<\/p>\n\n<p>The operation is performed by a surgeon specially trained in refractive surgery techniques. Generally, both eyes are operated on in a single operation (bilateral surgery). <\/p>\n\n<p>Refractive surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthetic (eye drops), possibly supplemented by a mild tranquilizer. The procedure is painless. The patient lies down, and a special device called a blepharostat is fitted to hold the eyelids apart. During the procedure, the patient stares at a spot of light.   <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-089a913 elementor-cta--layout-image-above elementor-cta--valign-middle elementor-bg-transform elementor-bg-transform-move-up elementor-cta--skin-classic elementor-animated-content elementor-widget elementor-widget-call-to-action\" data-id=\"089a913\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"call-to-action.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-cta\" href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTQ1OCwidG9nZ2xlIjpmYWxzZX0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg elementor-bg\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/R2hlITCRSmxgoZvZ5Wne_Autotest.png);\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"R2hlITCRSmxgoZvZ5Wne_Autotest\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__bg-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-content-item elementor-cta__content-item elementor-icon-wrapper elementor-cta__icon elementor-view-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-question-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-cta__title elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAre you eligible for refractive surgery?\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__description elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDo a quick self-assessment to find out if laser eye surgery or lens implantation may be right for you.\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-cta__button-wrapper elementor-cta__content-item elementor-content-item \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-cta__button elementor-button elementor-size-\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tStart self-test\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-ribbon\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-ribbon-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\tAUTO-TEST\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4ef8d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4ef8d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>When should refractive surgery be performed?<\/h2>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>Refractive surgery can correct certain myopias, hyperopias and astigmatisms. It is the patient who expresses the wish to undergo refractive surgery, but not everyone can be operated on, as there are certain selection criteria. A pre-operative assessment is therefore necessary to check whether the patient is eligible for refractive surgery.    <\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"margin-bottom:0;\">It is made up of various elements:<\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-158a713 elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"158a713\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-check\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Examinations: refractive examination (to characterize and measure the extent of the eye's optical defect), corneal topography (to assess the regularity of the cornea), pachymetry (measurement of corneal thickness), pupillometry, ORA (Ocular Response Analyzer) measurement, depending on the patient. The aim is to detect any problems that might contraindicate refractive surgery, such as keratoconus (deformation of the cornea, which gradually thins to take on the shape of an irregular cone), or cataracts. Some severe visual defects are also ineligible for refractive surgery.  <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-check\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">A medical examination concerning all pathologies, ophthalmic or otherwise, and surgical history, particularly refractive surgery.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-125f171 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"125f171\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Refractive surgery cannot be performed on patients who are too young, as their vision must have been stable for at least a year.<\/p>\n<p>\n\n<\/p>\n<p>This assessment also helps determine which technique is best suited to the patient (between PRK and Lasik, for example).<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is refractive surgery? A discipline of ophthalmic surgery, refractive surgery aims to correct optical refractive defects of the eye: myopia, astigmatism hyperopia The aim is to eliminate the need to wear glasses or contact lenses to correct vision. Refractive surgery involves sculpting the cornea in order to modify its radius of curvature in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":1658,"menu_order":2,"template":"","speciality":[31],"class_list":["post-1706","solutions","type-solutions","status-publish","hentry","speciality-ophthalmologist"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions\/1706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/solutions"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions\/1706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1876,"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions\/1706\/revisions\/1876"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/solutions\/1658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"speciality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ophtara.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/speciality?post=1706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}