Refractive surgery
We correct your eye’s refractive errors so you can enjoy clear vision without glasses or contact lenses. Our team of specialists combines training, experience, and the most advanced techniques and technologies to address your condition.
What is refractive surgery?
Refractive surgery is a set of surgical procedures aimed at correcting vision defects, thereby reducing or eliminating the patient’s need to use glasses or contact lenses. Conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia (age-related farsightedness) can be treated with refractive surgery.
What is the treatment?
Laser Techniques
Laser refractive surgery is a safe, painless, and precise method that carries a low risk of infection and offers stable results. Advanced technology enables a quick procedure that takes only a few minutes, ensuring greater comfort for the patient.
At Instituto de Oftalmología Castanera, we are pioneers and always use the most innovative technology, thanks to the constant renewal of our equipment. Our professionals are highly qualified specialists with extensive experience who continuously update their skills.
We have been working with the Excimer laser since February 1988 and performing LASIK surgery since February 1995. Our experience and thousands of satisfied patients speak for us.
The type of surgical technique used depends on each patient’s ocular parameters. We study your case and, using our professional judgment, recommend and apply the ideal solution for you.
To perform the LASIK technique, we lift a thin corneal lenticule or “flap.” Depending on the patient’s needs, this can be shaped using a high-precision automated device called a microkeratome or created with a Femtosecond laser. After this preparation, the Excimer laser is applied to the deeper layers of the cornea to correct the specific refractive error—myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism.
For optimal results, we apply a customized treatment tailored to each patient using wavefront and aspheric profiles, taking into account the individual characteristics of the eye.
A corneal polishing or photoablation is performed using the laser, correcting refractive errors and optical irregularities, thus improving the patient’s visual quality.
As the final step of the surgical procedure, the lifted flap is repositioned, covering the treated area.
PRK technique is a surface-based procedure whose main advantage is that it preserves corneal stiffness, eliminating the need to create a flap. It involves removing the epithelium at the center of the cornea, allowing the Excimer laser to be applied directly to the corneal surface.
Intraocular techniques
For young patients with high myopia or hyperopia, borderline vision, or thin corneas, the implantation of a phakic intraocular lens (placed in front of the natural lens) is often more advisable than laser surgery, offering sharper vision.
This is also the recommended refractive surgical solution for patients who are not suitable candidates for laser surgery due to thin or irregular corneas, dry eyes, or poor tear film quality.
In such cases, surgery involving the placement of a flexible phakic lens to correct the existing refractive error is the perfect alternative. At Instituto Castanera, we have been performing this technique since May 1997, using the intraocular lens known as ICL (Implantable Contact Lens).
We also perform implantation of premium pseudophakic lenses—aspheric, toric, bifocal, and trifocal—with replacement of the natural crystalline lens as needed. We always use top-quality materials with maximum guarantees and the most advanced technology.
Our specialists speak about refractive surgery
¿Qué es la cirugía refractiva?
Cirugía refractiva con láser
Pruebas preoperatorias de la cirugía refractiva
¿En qué consiste la Cirugía Refractiva?
Requirements for Refractive Surgery
Each case is different and requires a personalized approach and treatment plan to achieve the best possible outcome for every patient.
We perform prior diagnostic tests to determine whether the patient is a suitable candidate for refractive surgery and to select the appropriate treatment for their specific case. This ensures maximum efficacy and safety, with optimal results.
Contact lens wearers must stop using their lenses 5 days before the preoperative examination and surgery.
At Instituto de Oftalmología Castanera, we have all the necessary tools to analyze and evaluate visual function in order to determine the most appropriate surgical indication for each patient.
We carry out a thorough examination to apply the correct technology in every case. There is a wide range of therapeutic solutions available depending on age group and refractive error.
- Corneal Topography: Used to assess and measure the shape, curvature, power, and thickness of the cornea. It can detect corneal pathologies even in their earliest stages, enabling early treatment and better planning. It is also used to evaluate patients who are candidates for laser or intraocular refractive techniques.
- Aberrometry: This test studies optical irregularities in the eye that directly affect vision quality.
- Laser Interferometry Biometry: This technique measures the length of the eye, allowing for accurate calculation of the intraocular lens power to be implanted.
- Endothelial Microscopy: Used to analyze the morphology and cell density of the corneal endothelium.
- Optical and Ultrasound Pachymetry: Techniques for measuring corneal thickness.
- Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): A high-resolution imaging technique for analyzing the cornea, iris, anterior chamber, and central lens zone.
Professionals Who Form the Medical Team for Refractive Surgery
Frequently asked questions
It’s a fast, comfortable, and painless procedure for the patient, typically lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.
The cost depends on the technique used. Book an appointment for an initial assessment to learn about your expected results and receive a personalized quote.
You will be able to watch TV, read, and use your mobile phone within one day. After three weeks, you can resume physical activities such as exercising, swimming, and applying makeup.
Because it does not involve creating a corneal flap, PRK is recommended for patients who practice contact sports like martial arts or rugby, and for professions such as police officers, firefighters, or military personnel. It is also the technique of choice for thin, slightly irregular, very flat or very curved corneas, or in cases where LASIK is contraindicated.
This surgery is indicated for patients with high refractive errors or for those who, for any reason, are not suitable candidates for laser surgery. It is the only reversible refractive surgery, as it does not alter any ocular structures and offers very high visual quality.
No, not all patients are candidates for refractive surgery, which is why a complete refractive evaluation is so important. During the first visit to Instituto de Oftalmología Castanera, we carry out painless tests that provide extensive information about the anatomy of the eye and the patient’s risk factors, allowing us to choose the most appropriate and safest technique in each case.
The postoperative experience differs slightly depending on the technique used.
LASIK surgery is virtually painless. The day after surgery, patients already have quite good vision with almost no discomfort.
If PRK technique is used, the patient will wear contact lenses for a few days until the surface heals. This phase involves slightly more discomfort, and visual recovery is a bit slower, although most patients can return to their activities within a few days.
With phakic intraocular lenses, visual recovery is also quick. Within 1 or 2 days, vision is excellent and discomfort is almost imperceptible.
In general, by one month post-op, all three procedures yield similar visual recovery.
You can rest assured—refractive surgery has few risks. The main risk is operating on a patient who should not be operated on, which is why a thorough preoperative assessment is so important. After the procedure, the most common risk is dry eye, which typically resolves within a few weeks.
No, it is not recommended, as small changes in refraction may occur during pregnancy and usually return to normal postpartum. However, there is no contraindication for having the surgery before or after pregnancy, as long as your prescription is stable.
There’s no ideal season for refractive surgery. However, it’s important to keep in mind that after the procedure, swimming in pools or the sea should be avoided for 2–3 weeks, depending on the surgical technique used.
