10 Best Laser Eye Surgery Clinics in Rome

Patients who like the idea of a family practice with its own surgical centre can turn to the Gualdi doctors. Their studio in Parioli offers PRK, LASEK, Epi-LASIK and LASIK, including I-LASIK in SBK and femtosecond versions for myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and presbyopia. Surgery is done as day cases at Centro Oculistico DOMA, which the Gualdi doctors direct, so patients go home the same day. Cross-linking for keratoconus and femtosecond cataract surgery are also available.

People who want a clinic built around laser vision correction should start with Primavista, which has treated myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia and presbyopia with laser for more than 20 years. The centre near Piazza Bologna has two laser rooms and two operating theatres, and its techniques include ReLEx SMILE, FemtoLASIK, PRK, phakic lenses and presbyopia treatments. Cataract surgery, also with femtosecond laser, is done on site. Agreements with many health insurers and funds can help with costs.

Patients with keratoconus, or anyone who wants the widest choice of corneal techniques, should consider Dr Marco Abbondanza. His practice offers LASIK, femto-LASIK, SMILE, T-PRK, LASEK and phakic lens implants, and can combine refractive surgery with cross-linking where the cornea needs it. He sits on the steering committee of the Keratoconus Registry. Operations take place at Clinica Nostra Signora della Mercede on Via Tagliamento, and an English page serves international patients.

Patients weighing laser against lens surgery will find both options at Corsi Vision. Prof. Andrea Corsi corrects myopia, astigmatism and hyperopia with excimer and femtosecond lasers on the cornea, and performs femtosecond-assisted cataract surgery with lens implants that also correct refractive errors. The practice in the Nomentano district also handles vitrectomy, strabismus and ptosis surgery. Diagnostic tests are carried out at the practice before any decision on surgery is made.

Patients who want a surgeon trained in Britain will find a natural fit in Dr Andrea Sciscio. A Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, he trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital and learned refractive surgery under Professor John Marshall in London, working on PRK, LASEK and LASIK. He has performed vision correction since 1999 and cataract surgery with multifocal, trifocal and toric lenses since 1995. His EUR studio's website is available in English, Italian and German.

CLIO suits patients who want laser correction and other eye surgery under one roof, with long opening hours. The clinic in north Rome lists a Schwind Amaris 1050RS excimer laser and ATOS and Intralase femtosecond lasers for personalised treatment of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia. It also performs femtosecond cataract surgery, retina surgery, keratoconus treatment and oculoplastics. A preliminary visit checks suitability, and surgery can be paid in 12 to 72 monthly instalments.

Patients coming from outside Rome may value Gamma Medica, which has agreements with nearby B&Bs for those who stay for follow-up visits. The Prati centre near Piazza Mazzini offers PRK and i-LASIK excimer laser treatment, femtosecond cataract surgery with an LDV Z8 laser and corneal work such as cross-linking and intrastromal rings for keratoconus. Scientific director Dr Federico Garzione specialises in ocular microsurgery and oculoplastics. All operations are performed with an anaesthetist's assistance.

Patients with keratoconus or irregular corneas who need a careful check before any laser treatment are at the heart of Dr Marco Lombardo's practice. His Studio Italiano di Oftalmologia treats keratoconus with theranostics, a development of corneal cross-linking that he devised, and corrects myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism after a highly personalised pre-operative assessment. Cataract, glaucoma, retinal and paediatric care are also offered. The website has an English version, and appointments are requested by email.

Patients interested in SMILE, the flapless keyhole technique, can discuss it with Dr Luca Iacobelli, who performs ReLEx SMILE with a Zeiss femtosecond laser. His practice also covers ICL and IPCL lens implants, cataract and femtocataract surgery and multifocal lenses for presbyopia. He sees patients at studios on Via Appia Nuova and Piazza Buenos Aires and at a clinic in Grottaferrata. After an online request, the doctor calls back personally to agree the appointment and the location.

InVista is worth a look for patients who want several options assessed in one place, from laser to implantable lenses. The centre near Talenti, directed by Dr Alessandro D'Amato, offers femtosecond LASIK, LASIK for presbyopia, PRK, LASEK and PTK with a Technolas TENEO 317 excimer laser, plus ICL lens implants. Keratoconus is treated with cross-linking and intrastromal rings. Cataract, eyelid and tear duct surgery are also done here, which keeps follow-up in one place.