26.8.2024
Hyperopia, technically known as farsightedness, is an eye condition that affects approximately ten percent of the population. The Gemini Eye Clinic has performed the world’s first official ReLEx SMILE surgery for hyperopia.
High hyperopia causes blurred vision, particularly at near distances. Although people are typically born farsighted, in cases of healthy vision development, this defect usually corrects itself. If it doesn’t, it becomes necessary to wear glasses, contact lenses, or undergo surgery.
Laser surgery is becoming increasingly popular among Czechs, primarily due to its gentle and affordable nature. Since the end of July, Czechs have been the first in the world to undergo a new method of correcting high farsightedness, which offers quick, safe, and painless improvement of near vision. “In general, the SMILE method is considered more gentle, as the doctor only minimally disrupts the cornea during the procedure. Unlike the Lasik and Femtolasik methods, the top layer of the cornea is not removed prior to surgery; instead, only a small incision is made by the laser. This significantly reduces the post-operative risk of dry eye syndrome. Thanks to the gentle and fast laser technology, the eye is not strained during the operation, the patient can see immediately after the procedure, and healing is very fast. Until now, this method was available only for the correction of myopia,” explained Pavel Stodůlka. (As with all other methods, this one will be recommended by the examining doctor only after a comprehensive examination.)
This success is the result of several years of research and collaboration with eight clinics around the world, including the Czech Gemini Clinic, which participated in the development of the new technology. “For the Czech Republic, it was our clinic that was involved in the innovation, where we performed over 100 operations out of a total of 374. Unfortunately, in Europe, new surgical methods take many years to be approved, which is why it was only in mid-July this year that the hyperopic ReLEx SMILE received the CE mark and can now be performed in practice,” said eye surgeon Pavel Stodůlka.
The world’s first surgery using this method was performed on 20-year-old Michaela, who had high hyperopia combined with a thinner cornea. Traditional solutions, such as intraocular lens exchange, were not suitable for her due to her young age, making hyperopic ReLEx SMILE the ideal solution in her case. After the procedure, Michaela said, “I wore glasses from the age of three and contact lenses from the age of 13. It’s a relief not to have to think about glasses or contacts when traveling or playing sports. I was slightly nervous before the procedure, but it didn’t hurt at all. I would describe it as a slight pressure on the eye, but you get used to it. Plus, everything went very quickly.”
For the time being, this method will only be performed at the Gemini Clinic in Zlín.
