More about Vision Correction at the JHB Vision Clinic

Johannesburg Vision Clinic

Using the safest and most effective technology is a priority for the JHB Vision Clinic The Johannesburg Eye Hospital is one of the only hospitals in JHB with three different laser machines, all offering the latest technology and, in turn, a greater field of treatment. With this broad scope of technology, the surgeons are able to treat and correct the vision of patients who were previously told they were not suitable candidates for laser vision correction. The practice uses the following lasers for vision correction:

• Zeiss VisuMax Femtosecond Laser
• Zeiss Mel 80 Excimer Laser
• Schwind Amaris

The impressive features of these lasers improve the predictability of the results and lower treatment time, making them a superior choice. The above three lasers’ versatility allows the doctor the following capabilities:

• SMILE — The new “keyhole” laser vision correction procedure
• Femtosecond LASIK — A blade-free corneal flap is created with a femtosecond laser instead of a microkeratome
• PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision — A presbyopia treatment that increases depth of field and reading ability
• TransPRK — “No touch” laser surgery
• Aberration-free aspheric treatment — a tissue-saving procedure
• Ocular wavefront — whole-eye customized treatment
• Corneal wavefront

Using these laser treatments, JHB Vision Clinic is able to correct near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism. The newly innovative SMILE procedure enables treatment of even higher prescriptions than previously deemed possible to correct. The lasers compensate for eye rotations and the different positions of the eyes, and they correct higher-order aberrations (i.e., subtle vision problems that cannot be detected with another diagnostic system), which are due to slight irregularities on the corneal surface.

Prior to laser eye surgery, JHB Vision Clinic surgeons may choose to use wavefront technology to create a “map,” or “fingerprint,” of the patient’s refractive errors, including higher-order aberrations. This information is used to guide the excimer laser during the laser procedure.

During LASIK surgery, JHB Vision Clinic surgeons create a small flap in the surface of the cornea, using either a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser. He then folds back the flap and uses an excimer laser to carefully reshape the cornea. Once the corneal tissue has been properly shaped, the doctor returns the flap to its original position, where it naturally seals itself to the underlying tissue without the need for sutures. With the SMILE procedure, no flap is cut, but instead a lenticle (a thin disc of tissue) is formed within the cornea using the femtosecond laser. The lenticle is then removed through a keyhole incision.

JHB Vision Clinic laser vision correction patients typically notice an improvement in their vision within one to two days of their procedure. Some achieve such great results that they no longer have to wear glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.