Before Your Surgery
A full pretreatment examination is required before
any surgical procedure. This examination takes approximately two hours,
and your eyes will be dilated, so you should have someone drive you
to your appointment. The examination will include testing visual acuity,
eye muscle movements, peripheral vision and intraocular pressure. You
will also be able to discuss your proposed surgery in depth with your
surgeon. If you decide to proceed with the surgery, we will schedule
a surgery date and give you pre-surgical instructions.
The Day of Your Surgery
Someone
should drive you to the procedure and drive you home. While
it isn't necessary for your driver to wait for you during
the procedure, if he or she decides to stay, we'll provide
updates on your progress and make every effort to make his
or her stay comfortable. Although the surgery itself only
takes about 10 minutes per eye, you will be at the surgicenter
for 3-4 hours to allow time for sterile preparation and recovery.
Our reception staff will greet you and provide a surgical
authorization form for your review and signature. You will
be taken to the surgical suite a short time before your scheduled
surgery. You will be asked to wear a surgical jumpsuit over
your clothing, and shoe and hair coverings. Our staff will
monitor your vital signs and spend a few minutes reviewing
what to expect. We will administer medication in the form
of a pill to help you relax. A wheelchair brings you from
the pre-op room through the surgical corridor into the operating
room. You will again meet your surgeon and the rest of the
medical team. You'll be seated at the end of the operating
table and helped to lie down. Anesthetic eye drops will be
administered to numb your eyes and the area around your eyes
will be carefully cleaned and swabbed with an antiseptic solution.
You will then be covered in specially designed sterile drapes
to protect the sterile field. Kremer
Laser surgeons operatein truly sterile environments, which
can be up to ten times safer than other eye centers -- safer
even than some hospital conditions. Although you
are relaxed and comfortable, you will be alert and able to
talk with your surgeon and the rest of the medical team.
During and After Your Surgery
An instrument called a speculum will hold your eyes open,
so you don't have to worry about blinking. Two half-circle rings are
usually inserted in each eye. The rings gently shape the cornea to correct
your vision by adding height to the outer edge. The result is a change
in the curvature. In a nearsighted eye, the curve of the cornea is too
steep, resulting in light entering the eye being focused too far in
front of the retina.The rings reshape the cornea so light is focussed
properly on the retina. After the procedure is complete, a protective
shield will be paced over your eyes, and you will be returned to the
post-operative area for a brief stay before you are released to go home.
Follow-Up Care
Relax at home until your initial post-operative
exam. Please bring your drops with you to your appointment. After the
appointment:
• Resume most of your routine activities
• Use your medications as prescribed
• Be careful not to bump or rub your eyes.
INTACS™ FAQ
INTACS™
Surgery
What to
Expect with INTACS™
KremerCare
Kremer Laser Fact Sheet
