Femto-LASIK laser eye surgery

LASIK (Laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) was developed at the end of the 1980s and has been widely performed since the late 1990s. Previously, the eye surgeon used a microkeratome (a thin, razor-sharp blade) to cut the flap. Today the practice uses a femtosecond laser (Zeiss VisuMax) to create the flap — hence the name Femto-LASIK. This laser-based approach is significantly more accurate and offers a higher margin of safety.

At the laser centre the wavescan measurements are repeated. You then receive a mild sedative and anaesthetic drops. The procedure has two phases: first the femtosecond laser for the flap, then the excimer laser for the correction:

1. A small ring stabilises the eye under the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser. Creating the flap takes just 7 seconds. The same is repeated on the other eye.
2. You are moved under the excimer laser. The flap is gently loosened. Your vision becomes briefly blurry.
3. You fixate on a blinking light. Iris and pupil are registered for the personalised, wavefront-guided treatment.
4. The excimer laser reshapes the cornea in 10 to 40 seconds per eye. If you look away, the laser automatically pauses.
5. The flap is repositioned and rinsed; it re-adheres on its own — no sutures needed.
6. After a final check you receive a protective shield for the first nights.

Recovery is very fast. In the hours after the treatment vision is a little blurry and an irritated feeling may occur. The next day vision is already sharp and most daily activities can be resumed. A first check-up is scheduled 1 day after the treatment.

Screen work is usually possible from day 2 or 3. Contact and water sports are avoided for 4 weeks. Vision fully stabilises within 1 to 3 months. See the full drop schedule and recovery plan.

Femto-LASIK has been performed safely for more than ten years: over 1 million treatments per year worldwide. Nonetheless, as with any procedure, complications are possible:

• Over- or undercorrections: usually well treatable with a laser retreatment (included in the price within 24 months).
• Flap issues: very rare thanks to the femtosecond laser; in exceptional cases the flap can shift due to rubbing.
• Halos and glare: usually temporary (within 3 months). Strongly reduced thanks to wavefront-guided laser.
• Dryness complaints: common in the first 3–6 months, manageable with artificial tears.
• Corneal ectasia: extremely rare thanks to upfront Pentacam screening.

Femto-LASIK is suitable for short-sightedness between −8 and +3 D and astigmatism up to 4 D. Conditions include a sufficiently thick cornea with normal topography, a stable correction and an age between 20 and 50 years. See all laser eye surgery eligibility criteria.