Proper preoperative tests and strong will by the patient are needed.
Proper preoperative tests and strong will by the patient are needed for treating myopia with laser.

Such procedures have been performed for 25 years and experts consider them a revolution in myopia and astigmatism correction. Precision and safety are two of their characteristics.
Proper preoperative tests and strong will by the patient are needed.
Proper preoperative tests and strong will by the patient are needed for treating myopia with laser.

Such procedures have been performed for 25 years and experts consider them a revolution in myopia and astigmatism correction. Precision and safety are two of their characteristics.
“There are two methods of effective correction of low or high degrees of myopia and astigmatism”, ophthalmologist surgeon Dr. George Chronopoulos points out and explains: “One is called PRK and the other LASIK. The difference between these two methods lies in the fact that, in the first, the correction occurs on the surface of the cornea, while in the second in its interior”.

In PRK, he remarks, there might be some minor discomfort for the first two or three days after the procedure but in LASIK the discomfort is insignificant and eyesight restoration happens almost immediately, on the very first day. The final result is the same in both cases. What's time consuming is the preoperative tests, on which successful results rely.

The procedure lasts five to six minutes for both eyes, local anesthesia is used and the patient feels no pain.

The correction is permanent and in the very few cases where some degrees of the condition remain, then an additional laser procedure can be done to achieve full correction. On the topic of complications of such a procedure, Dr. Chronopoulos explains that their long experience allows the surgeons to claim that the possibility of serious complications is minimal, while rare complications can be treated.

“The chances of infection from contact lenses are more than the possible complications of refractive surgery”, he says, pointing out that the next step for scientists is to treat presbyopia.

Published in the newspaper Ethnos on 28 April 2007

ifteen thousand laser procedures to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism are performed every year in Greece. This method, that has already existed for three decades, “changes our way of life within a few minutes”, says to “THEMA” the ophthalmologist surgeon Dr. George Chronopoulos and clarifies that only “presbyopia cannot yet be treated with laser”.

Fifteen thousand laser procedures to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism are performed every year in Greece. This method, that has already existed for three decades, “changes our way of life within a few minutes”, says to “THEMA” the ophthalmologist surgeon Dr. George Chronopoulos and clarifies that only “presbyopia cannot yet be treated with laser”.

“With the use of this remarkable technology we can eliminate our dependence on corrective glasses or contact lenses”, underlines Dr. Chronopoulos and points out: “There are two methods of effective correction of low or high degrees of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism:PRK and LASIΚ.

The difference between these two methods lies in the fact that, in the first, the correction occurs on the surface of the cornea, while in the second in its interior. In PRK there is some minor discomfort the first 2-3 days, while in LASIK the discomfort is insignificant and eyesight restoration happens almost immediately, on the very first day. The final result is the same in both cases”. The procedure lasts only a few minutes and it is never longer than 5 or 6 minutes for both eyes. As Dr. Chronopoulos says, “The doctor uses local anesthesia and the patient feels no pain. After the procedure it is advisable for the patient to sleep for a couple of hours and to avoid washing his hair with the eyes open, driving on the first day, swimming for the next four weeks and exerting himself for about a week”.

The important thing is that it is a permanent correction. In the very few cases where some degrees of the condition remain, then an additional laser procedure can be done to achieve full correction. The chances for complications are minimal. Now the interests of ophthalmologists are focused on presbyopia, which cannot yet be corrected with laser, since such a procedure will affect distant vision as well, and the results cannot yet be controlled.

Published in the newspaper PROTO THEMA on 7 December 2008