Finally free of glasses or contact lenses: That’s what anyone who has their eyes lasered wants. Studies confirm that the usual laser methods generally have high success rates and safety. But: Laser eye centers have to work carefully to achieve this – even before an operation. Because not every laser procedure is suitable in every case. And: Reasons such as eye diseases or diopter values that are too high can actually speak against the procedure in principle.
All of this can be checked through preliminary discussions and preliminary investigations – and this is exactly where the providers in the Stiftung Warentest test disappoint significantly. We can’t choose a test winner – but we can help with background information and tips: We tell you what those interested should pay attention to before deciding on laser surgery.
Advice before laser eye surgery – why our test is worth it for you
Testergebnisse
We tested the advice in five large national eye laser centers: Care Vision, EuroEyes, Lasermed, Optical Express and Smile Eyes. Three providers recorded the individual history of our test subjects well (anamnesis). However, no suitable recommendations were usually derived from the preliminary medical examinations.
Background and tips
We introduce the common methods for laser eye surgery (PRK, Lasik and Smile), look at the chances of success and risks – and say who the procedure is generally suitable for.
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Advice on laser eye surgery in the test Unlock all test results for advice before laser eye surgery
Individual characteristics were neglected in the consultation
Stiftung Warentest has taken a close look at five large national providers. For the test, three visually impaired people under 45 made appointments for consultations and preliminary examinations with all the providers tested. Two ophthalmology specialists were involved in the design and evaluation of the test. One also gave the test subjects a comprehensive ophthalmological examination. So we knew which special features had to be taken into account in each case.
In one case, all laser eye centers suggested suitable laser procedures. In the second case, it would have made sense to first simulate the effects of the operation using contact lenses – but only one of the five providers did. In the third case, no one addressed a medical abnormality in the test subject that should have been urgently clarified before laser treatment. In this respect, our record on this particularly important point is disappointing.
In the remaining test points, such as information about the operation or transparency, the ratings are mostly better – with differences from provider to provider.
Tipp: If you are thinking about new glasses, you can find out what you need to know in our test of optician chains. In addition to advice and service from the opticians, we also checked the quality of the glasses made.
Three common methods of laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery is precision work. Tiny parts of the cornea are removed so that the eye can see clearly again. Laser treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism – it’s all possible. There are even variants that help compensate for presbyopia. Overall, three laser eye procedures are used particularly frequently:
Photorefraktive Keratektomie (PRK for short, this also includes trans-PRK and Lasek)
Lasik (differentiated between microkeratome and femto-Lasik)
Laser lenticule extraction (also called Smile, Clear or SmartSight)
Important: Which method is suitable, whether lasering is even possible and whether artificial lenses are a better alternative must be clarified by the laser center depending on the individual requirements. In the test report we provide more detailed information about the individual methods.
Laser eye surgery costs – and is not paid for by the health insurance company
According to the providers in the test, laser eye surgery often costs several thousand euros. Providers can also charge for advice and preliminary examinations. As a rule, they offset the expenses against the operation. Health insurance companies usually do not reimburse the costs of laser eye surgery, after all it is a procedure on healthy eyes.
Tipp: Our health insurance comparison helps you find the right health insurance company – and also helps you answer the question of whether it’s worth changing. You can look for funds with particularly low contribution rates or suitable extra services.