In two decades, the world changed significantly and the Service of Ophthalmology of Hospital da Luz Arrábida accompanied that evolution, both at the technical level and in terms of its clinical team, in order to meet the needs of patients. Now celebrating its 20 th anniversary, this service, directed by António Marinho , provides annually an average of five thousand consultations, performing around 20 thousand exams and 1,700 surgeries. Lasik: Is an ophthalmological surgical technique for the correction of myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia, allowing a good vision with no need to use glasses or contact lenses. After application of eye drops to anaesthetize the eye, this one is prepared for surgery with the femtosecond laser. Then, using the Excimer equipment, the ophthalmologist proceeds to the ophthalmological correction. “There has been a great evolution along these 20 years. Our Service of Ophthalmology started with only five physicians and a technician, then differentiating itself in several areas – presently counting with 17 physicians and two technicians – and performing different kinds of surgery, resorting to constantly renewed equipment, in parallel with the relevant advances in technology”, reminds António Marinho. The 1 st femtosecond laser in the country Lasik surgery was launched in January 2003, with an equipment by then already cutting-edge and which came to “increase the offer” in this type of surgery, in the North region. But “the greatest innovation” that Hospital da Luz Arrábida brought to the area occurred in 2008, when it began applying the Lasik surgery resorting to femtosecond laser (replacing the mechanical methodologies until then used), being the first in the country and improving significantly the safety of this surgical procedure. Along these 20 years, the Ophthalmology team of Hospital da Luz Arrábida already performed around six thousand Lasik surgeries, mostly for myopia and astigmatism correction (up to six dioptres) . “The great advantage of this technique is being a quick procedure, allowing good results and a very fast visual recovery. In a few hours, vision is recovered and complications are very low”, explains António Marinho. As for the correction of myopia or astigmatism, it is done through Excimer laser, which we have available since 2003 and was renewed in 2015 with a more modern equipment, having the great advantage of a faster correction. “In Lasik surgery, the centring of the treatment is vital for a perfect correction – which is possible with this progressively more modern equipment”, concludes António Marinho. Meet our Ophthalmology team Schedule your appointments through our usual channels: MY LUZ , by phone 223 776 800 or at hospitaldaluz.pt/arrabida/en .
