At our clinics we put great emphasis on a thorough, accurate and detailed examination.
The pre-operative eye examination is the key for a successful surgical procedure. It is the most important source of information for your eye doctor, who will evaluate the state of your eyes and choose the best suited surgical method for you. The same goes for your eye surgeon, who will be operating on you. That is the reason why the quality and extent of data obtained during the preoperative examination is so important.
At our clinics in Bratislava, Brno, Český Těšín and Prague we know that each and every one of you has individual expectations from their vision, different hobbies, varying types of jobs. Additionally, every single eye is different. That is why we give each and every one of our patients individual care and attention.
We are constantly investing into new machine technology and equipment, so that we can always offer the highest possible level of health care.
We reach high- quality results of the examinations through a synergy of the work of the whole team. That is the reason why our mutual collaboration and the Czech and Slovak consillia are important to us, as well as our collaboration with you, our patients. Please follow the instructions of our doctors, nurses and optometrists during the examinations.
What can we find out during the entry eye examination?
The procedure starts with basic data concerning the visual acuity and intraocular pressure, followed by parameters of the anterior eye segment (the cornea, the iris and the eye lens), a test of the actual extent of the refractive error, leading up to the detailed description and exploration of the so-called posterior eye segment (the retina, the vitreous body).
The importance of dilating your eyes
In order to examine the retina and explore the actual extent of the refractive error, it is necessary to dilate the eye with the help of eye drops. It is necessary to put the eyes into a state, where the muscles responsible for focusing (the so- calles cycloplegia) are „paralyzed“. This examination is crucial for the doctor to be able to decide whether you are a suitable candidate for the laser operation or not.
A myopic eye (most of the patients who are doing a laser surgery have to undergo this because of myopia) is „longer“ than a healthy eye. Additionally, it suffers from serious retinal diseases more often. The retina is often thinner, and the changes usually also affect the retina's edges (the retinal peripheries). If the doctor were to not notice any retinal disorders or risky changes in its peripheries before a laser surgery or any other eye surgery, the consequences could be fatal – a retinal detachment or even a complete loss of vision. A high- quality and detailed examination of the retina cannot be done without dilating the retina first.
When the retina is dilated, the doctor can very accurately see the whole retinal surface, including its peripheral areas. That way, any visible or hidden degeneration can be uncovered. If the patient is undergoing the entry examination and the laser surgery on the same day, it is clear that he could not have undergone the examination with a dilated retina. A patient, who has had their retina dilated, cannot undergo the most modern laser surgery on the same day,because the laser monitor (the eye tracker) that is responsible for the accuracy of the procedure, would not work.
What could happen, if the examination was not detailed enough?
The eye is one of our most sensitive organs, so you should consider each and every detail when choosing an eye clinic. One of the most important ones is the quality and precision of the entry examination.
„Before a laser or intraocular surgery, it is inevitable to explore the full extent of the entry examination. This is the only way for us to be able to recommend the best solution to our patient, taking into account their age and predicting the most probable future development of the eye. One part of a complex entry examination is definitely the retinal examination during mydriasis, or the so- called dilation. This examination should be performed by a doctor, who has experience with the diagnostics of the posterior eye segment and retinal disorders. The absence of this dilation could actually put the patient at risk,“ our doctors and eye surgeons agree.
What should be included in an entry examination?
The patient history is performed by a professionally trained nurse and a doctor. The goal is to gather the following information:
Multiple machine measurments are part of the entry examination:
Following these examinations, the patient will be examined by an optometrist, who is best suited to explore the dioptric correction and the visual acuity of both eyes with the help of a modern machine, the phoropter. He measures the ability of depth perception, the collaboration of both eyes, the optical dominance, the balance of the muscles responsible for moving the eyes, and eventually also the contrast sensitivity.
Cycloplegia: loosening of the accommodative muscles
Thanks to the cycloplegia, it is possible to discover hidden dioptries. People who are born with presbyopia have the ability to compensate for their dioptries with constant focusing. On the other hand, in patients with myopia, this error can, in some rare cases, be caused by the long- term flexing of the focusing mucles, even if they do not suffer from a refractive error. The cause can also be neurological or lie in hidden strabism. If this step is underrated, the dioptries can either „stay put“ after the laser or intraocular surgery, or new ones can develop. The patient could have even more problems after the surgery than before. After a certain time has passed, the patient would need to undergo the surgery again, if it is even possible in such a case. The detailed examination of the state of the retina is performed by a professional eye doctor and it needs to be given the appropriate amount of attention. Changes in the retina that are caused by hidden diseases usually cannot be corrected and cause a worsening vision, blackouts in the field of vision or even a complete loss of vision.
After the retinal examination and the examination of the posterior segment of the eye and a conversation with the patient, the doctor will be able to recommend the most suitable method of treatment for the specific refractive error, or eventually other treatment methods.
The whole process takes approximately 2 – 3 hours and results in perfect materials that a successful surgical procedure can be based on.
You will be able to undergo the surgery during the next few days, but not on the same day as the entry examination. This small hold-up is very beneficial for the safety of your eyes. This is a time when hurrying would be absolutely useless.
