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Refractive eye surgery, or vision correction surgery, are surgical procedures used to fix or improve the refractive state of the eye. It is a simple and safe alternative to glasses or contact lenses. There are various methods of this surgery, including surgical remodeling of the cornea, lens implantation, or lens replacement. Today, the most common method is using excimer lasers to reshape the curvature of the cornea. The cornea is the clear front part of the eye that lets light travel through and focus properly on your retina. Most of the refractive eye surgery can treat a range of very common vision problems, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), as well as astigmatism.
Refractive eye surgery is not for everyone. In general, this procedure is appropriate for people with a moderate degree of refractive error and no unusual vision problems. The best candidate for this procedure is people who are at least 18 years of age and not pregnant or nursing. You should also make sure that you have a stable vision over the past year and have no history of active corneal disease or significant medical problems (such as corneal ulcers, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma). In some cases, a number of patients will still need to wear sunglasses in certain situations, for example when driving at night. To decide if this procedure is right for you and to determine which technique is most suitable for your condition, your eye surgeon will ask you detailed questions.
There are some cases in which refractive eye surgery is performed on children, usually on children who are cognitive or visual development is failing due to refractive error. Some examples where children will need refractive eye surgery are a bilateral high refractive error, anisometric amblyopia, anisometropia, or accommodative esotropia. However, refractive eye surgery for children involves other risks than for adults.
There are several types of refractive eye surgery. The following are some of the more common types.
In general, you are given either local anesthesia in the form of eye drops or general anesthesia. If you are given local anesthesia and you fear that you will be nervous, you can request a mild sedative to help you relax. Pediatric refractive eye surgery requires general anesthesia in order to avoid risks due to involuntary movement.
After the procedure, you need to stay in the hospital for a few hours to be monitored. You may go back to your hotel on the same day once the effects of the anesthesia wear off. Some procedures such as LASIK will only require you to stay in Spain for 2 days, but other procedures will take longer, sometimes up to 7 days.
The recovery period is different depending on which type of procedure is being performed. For LASIK, a full recovery can take up to 6 months. However, you should be able to return to work within 1 week. The recovery time for PRK may be longer than that. In general, the recovery time is painless and quick with only slight discomfort. It is common to feel some soreness and your eyes may feel a little watery. Most people can immediately see significant positive results after the first few days after the procedure.
Follow-up checkups are very important because it allows your surgeon to determine your eye health and when you will be able to drive or use gadgets. Your surgeon will likely give you detailed aftercare instructions and there might be several restrictions that you must obey during your recovery period. Try to avoid having a shower immediately after the procedure. You will also need to reduce the chances of exposing your eyes to irritation for the first week. Do not apply any products around your eye, get soap or water in your eyes or wear eye makeup. Avoid being around people who smoke as smoke can irritate your eyes. You should also avoid rubbing your eyes as it can cause severe discomfort and increase the risk of complications. It is advised to do some exercise within three days of your surgery, but you should avoid yoga, aerobics, as well as strenuous exercises and sports such as weight lifting, football, or tennis.
The success rate for refractive eye surgery is exceptionally high and your result depends on several factors, including your refractive error. People with mild nearsightedness usually have the most success, while people with a high degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism have less predictable results. According to studies, 95% of nearsighted patients who undergo LASIK achieve improved vision after recovery.
It is important to be aware that refractive eye surgery also possesses some potential risks and complications, including under correction or overcorrection, excess corneal haze, regression, halo effect, flap damage or loss, worse vision, as well as infection and delayed healing
Refractive eye surgery is still the best way to treat common vision problems. Nevertheless, people who do not want to undergo surgery can have conventional reading glasses, varifocals, multifocal, or bifocals to focus the top half of the glasses for distance and the lower half for reading. Contact lenses can also be used to create a multifocal cornea.
Whilst the information presented here has been accurately sourced and verified by a medical professional for its accuracy, it is still advised to consult with your doctor before pursuing a medical treatment at one of the listed medical providers
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Historic Spain is home to the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy and China. Part of the Iberian Peninsula, along with Portugal, Spain also shares borders with France and the less well-known, Andorra. The country itself is made up of several regions, both on the mainland and out at sea, with the Canary Islands closer to Morocco than Spain - they are located in the Atlantic Ocean, whilst the Balearic Islands are a little closer to home, in the Mediterranean Sea. On the mainland there is Central Spain, home to the capital, Madrid, Catalonia in the East, home to the second city, Barcelona, and the Basque Country in the North, to name but a few.
Spain sees an estimated 100,000 medical tourists each year, many of which travel for Refractive Eye Surgery procedures. The biggest target market is from the UK, accounting for one in four of Spain's 60m annual tourists. An excellent healthcare system combined with warm temperatures and competitive prices means that Spain is now one of the more popular destinations in Europe for medical tourism. The most popular procedures tend to be cosmetic surgery, fertility treatments, bariatric surgery, cardiac surgery, orthopedics, urology, and bone marrow transplants.
Spain has diverse landscapes, dynamic cities, influential art, and delightful food.
Spain has wonderful weather all year-round. Summer starts from June to August and tends to be nice. Tourists can expect warm and sunny weather. The temperature can get as high as 30 °C, sometimes even higher. Summer is the peak season for tourism so prices can increase by up to 50%.
Spring (April to May) and Autumn (September to October) are great times to visit. The weather is mild and perfect to do outdoor activities, although sometimes it can be unpredictable. The country is not as crowded as during summertime.
Winter in Spain is cold but the temperature does not drop too low. The average temperature is between 4 °C to 10 °C. Northern Spain and the mountainous areas sometimes experience snowfall and rain showers.
The main international airport in Spain is Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona El Prat Airport. Madrid-Barajas is the largest airport in the country. It operates domestic and international flights. The airport connects Madrid with almost every country in the world. It serves several budget airlines such as Iberia Express, Ryanair, and EasyJet. It is the hub for Air Europa and Iberia.
Barcelona El Prat Airport also serves domestic and international connections with almost every country globally. Budget airlines such as Ryanair and WestJet operate flights from this airport. It is the hub for Level and Vueling.
To get to the city center, both airports provide taxis, buses, and metro. Taxis are the most convenient transportation mode but usually more expensive. Tourists who travel to Madrid are advised to buy the Madrid Tourist Travel Pass which can be used on any Metro, bus, or suburban train for just 5 EUR.
Spain has a well-designed public transportation network. Tourists can get around Spain by train. There are high-speed (AVE) and regular service trains (Talgo) for long-distance or medium distance travel, the fares are based on a 1st and 2nd class system. For short destinations, tourists can use local trains. It offers one class of seats and makes a lot of stops. 60-year-old and older travelers can get a discount between 25 to 40 percent for train tickets. Children under the age of 13 also qualified for discounts. Buses are another excellent option. Intercity buses are affordable, clean, and safe.
Renting a car gives more flexibility for tourists. International car rental agencies are widely available in the country. The highway system is easy for foreigners to follow. Parking can be quite hard in some cities and historic towns because it can get really crowded.
Taxis have a reasonable price. Spanish taxi drivers are usually trustworthy and don’t cheat. The taxi can be hailed on the street or from a taxi stand (parade de taxi). Available taxis have green lights or signs that say “libre” on them. Taxis run on meters, but if you’re traveling a long distance, you will have to agree on the fare in advance.
Citizens of the European Union, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Switzerland can travel to Spain with their identity cards only. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the United States, and New Zealand are granted visa-free entry and can stay for up to 90 days. Other countries can check with their nearest Spanish embassy or consulate. Spain is a member of the Schengen Convention. If you hold a Schengen visa, you cannot extend it.