The initial check-up determines your eligibility and gives you the necessary information for an eye laser operation. This includes a thorough eye examination. The doctor is interested in: general sight (refraction), corneal thickness and surface condition, pupil size - including total vision impairment (Aberrometry), and eventually general patient afflictions (glaucoma, diabetes).

The following values will be determined in detail:

• Refractive Power (refraction): The diopter value will be determined. It is therefore necessary that contact lenses be removed 12 hours prior to the examination.
• The corneal thickness (Pachymetry): This is a deciding factor in determining which operation is for you. The corneal thickness will be ascertained by ultrasound.
• Topographical analysis (Astigmatism): The so-called topography of your eye will be measured much like a map - the height and refractive power of your eye will be ascertained and other diseases or scars on your cornea determined.
• Pupil diameter. A pupilometer will measure your maximum pupil diameter in darkness. This is decisive to your operative eligibility - if it is smaller than the area of cornea to be laser treated, over-sensitivity to light and halos occur.
• Length of eyeball (Biometry) - this is determined by ultrasound.
• The Retina - eye drops artificially open the pupil and the retina is examined for degeneration and weak points, especially on the retinal borders.

Contact Lens removal

Wearers of hard contact lenses must remove and abstain from contact lenses at least 6 weeks prior to the operation - soft contact lens wearers 1 week prior (therefore hard contact lens wearers can switch to soft contact lenses until 1 week prior to the operation).