Refractive surgery to reduce your dependence on glasses or contact lenses, using Femto-LASIK, TransPRK, SMILE pro or ICL depending on your eyes, with Dr. Ali Nowrouzi MD, FACS, FICO, FWCRS, FEBOS-CR, a specialist in refractive surgery.
Answer these short questions and we will send you a personalised assessment.
It is the first step to finding out whether refractive surgery is an option for you.
Refractive surgery corrects vision problems such as short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia), astigmatism and presbyopia to reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Depending on the technique, the surgery uses an excimer laser, which reshapes the cornea (Femto-LASIK, PRK and TransPRK); a femtosecond laser, which creates the Femto-LASIK flap or the SMILE pro lenticule; or a Phakic intraocular lenses (ICL) when the cornea is not ideal for laser treatment.
It is a quick, personalised procedure under anaesthetic eye drops, and you go home the same day. After Femto-LASIK and SMILE pro, vision usually recovers within 24–48 hours; after PRK and TransPRK, recovery is slower (from a few days to a few weeks). You will always have follow-up appointments after surgery.
Femto-LASIK (all-laser, bladeless): a femtosecond laser creates a thin flap in the cornea, without a manual blade, and an excimer laser corrects your prescription beneath it. It is the most widely performed technique: vision usually recovers within 24–48 hours and any discomfort is mild.
TransPRK and PRK: surface treatments, with no flap. In PRK the epithelium (the outermost layer of the cornea) is removed first; in TransPRK the excimer laser itself removes it, without touching the eye. They are an alternative for people with thin corneas or who play contact sports. While the epithelium heals, there is more discomfort in the first few days and vision takes longer to recover than after Femto-LASIK, although the final results are similar.
SMILE pro: femtosecond laser only. The laser cuts a thin disc of tissue (lenticule) inside the cornea; the lenticule is then removed through a small incision, with no flap and no excimer laser. It is used for short-sightedness, with or without astigmatism.
Laser surgery for presbyopia: we combine the correction of short-sightedness, long-sightedness or astigmatism with specific techniques for presbyopia, in patients over 40.
Intraocular lenses:
Phakic intraocular lenses (ICL): for very high prescriptions or corneas that are not suitable for laser treatment.
Premium multifocal lenses, Lens Upgrade (Refractive Lens Exchange / Lens Replacement): they replace the natural lens to improve distance and near vision in a single procedure. The lens is chosen to suit your eye; it can reduce the need for glasses, but there is no guarantee that you will not need them.
Which technique is right for you? There is no single best option for everyone: it is decided after assessing your eyes with topography, aberrometry and pachymetry.
| Femto-LASIK | femtosecond laser (creates a thin flap) and excimer laser (corrects the prescription) · corneas of sufficient thickness · quick visual recovery, usually within 24–48 hours. |
| TransPRK / PRK | excimer laser on the surface of the cornea, no flap (no contact in TransPRK) · thin corneas and contact sports · more discomfort in the first few days and slower recovery. |
| SMILE pro | femtosecond laser only: a lenticule removed through a small incision, no flap · short-sightedness, with or without astigmatism. |
| ICL | a lens placed inside the eye, without reshaping the cornea · very high prescriptions or corneas not suitable for laser treatment. |
| Premium lens: Lens Upgrade (Refractive Lens Exchange / Lens Replacement) | replaces the natural lens with an implant chosen for your eye, which can reduce the need for glasses, but there is no guarantee that you will not need them · presbyopia, from the age of 45 · full recovery in one to two weeks. |
With or without mild oral sedation; no hospital stay.
Real-time eye tracking follows your eye.
Depending on the technique: Femto-LASIK, TransPRK, SMILE pro or ICL
With a course of eye drops (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and artificial tears).
Guide price (2026): refractive surgery treatments start from €900 per eye, depending on the technique. The final price depends on each patient's characteristics and the recommended treatment.
The cost varies with the technique and whether one or both eyes are treated. All options include the pre-operative assessment, surgery, follow-up appointments and post-operative care.
Payment: ask us about finance options; the terms are confirmed in writing with your quote, after your assessment.
At our clinic in Marbella we use up-to-date equipment and assess each eye before recommending a technique.
Dr. Nowrouzi personalises each treatment to correct not only your prescription but also the optical imperfections specific to your eye. He uses different technologies depending on the case, and they are not interchangeable:
Wavefront Optimized: an excimer laser treatment profile that preserves the natural shape of the cornea to reduce the aberrations that the surgery itself can induce.
Wavefront-guided or topography-guided treatment: the laser is guided by measurements of your eye to treat, where appropriate, higher-order aberrations or corneal irregularities as well as your prescription.
iVis iRes®: an excimer laser for personalised corneal treatment, with ablation profiles planned using your measurements. Dr. Nowrouzi explains it in his article Personalised laser vision correction with iVis iRes® technology.
Femtosecond laser: creates the Femto-LASIK flap or, in SMILE pro, the lenticule that is removed without a flap. Read more in Which laser technology is best for eye surgery?
To find out more, Dr. Nowrouzi explains it in detail in two articles:
Dr. Ali Nowrouzi MD, FACS, FICO, FWCRS, FEBOS-CR is an ophthalmologist in Marbella specialising in refractive surgery, with more than 10 years of experience and more than 10,000 operations.
📄 Medical registration no. 291110233 (Colegio Oficial de Médicos de Málaga)
📍 Eye clinic in the centre of Marbella: Av. Severo Ochoa, 19, 29603 Marbella, Málaga
The clinic is in the centre of Marbella (Av. Severo Ochoa, 19), with easy access from across the Costa del Sol: San Pedro de Alcántara, Puerto Banús, Estepona, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Málaga. We also see patients who travel from abroad for laser eye surgery in Spain.
Yes, we work with Adeslas, Sanitas, AXA Salud, AXA Agrupación, Cigna, Mapfre, Aegon, DKV, HNA, Nueva Mutua Sanitaria, ACUNSA, Allianz, Caser, European Commission, Línea Directa, Helvetia, Divina Seguros, Eurocenter, Cigna Internacional, Eurocross, Europ Assistance, FIATC, Generali, GES Seguros, La Unión Madrileña, Mondial Assistance, Occident, SOS Internacional, Alan.
Low-intensity sport can usually be resumed about one week after surgery, as long as there is no risk of a direct blow to the eyes or of exposure to dust or water (as there is in football, swimming or padel). In any case, check with your ophthalmologist first.
All surgery carries some risk, but refractive surgery is a widely studied procedure with a high safety profile. Before surgery we discuss with you the risks that apply in your case.
Are both eyes operated on at the same time?
Yes, unless there is a specific medical contraindication, both eyes are operated on during the same surgical session, so both eyes recover at the same time, which is more comfortable for you.
The surgery is quick. You will usually spend no more than 15 minutes in the operating theatre in total, and the laser itself is applied for only a few seconds per eye. The rest of the time is spent on preparation and precise positioning.
If you are over 18, your prescription is stable and your eyes are healthy, you are probably suitable.
Not during the procedure: all refractive procedures are performed under anaesthetic eye drops. Afterwards, with Femto-LASIK or SMILE pro you may notice mild discomfort or a gritty feeling for the first few hours; with PRK and TransPRK, discomfort can last a few days while the surface of the cornea heals, and it is controlled with medication.
The risks are low when the surgery is carried out by a qualified specialist using up-to-date technology. Possible complications include temporary dry eye, halos at night or the need for an enhancement in very high prescriptions; they are uncommon and, in most cases, treatable.
It is not a problem. A small instrument (lid speculum) keeps your eye open throughout the procedure and prevents blinking, and the laser's eye-tracking system follows any involuntary eye movement.
No. The surgery is minimally invasive. In techniques such as LASIK, the thin corneal flap is carefully repositioned at the end and adheres on its own, thanks to the natural properties of the corneal tissue, with no need for stitches.
In most cases you will rest at home for the first 24 hours. Visual recovery varies with the technique and the number of dioptres corrected: after Femto-LASIK and SMILE pro, most patients return to their usual activities within 48 to 72 hours; after PRK and TransPRK it usually takes a few days longer.
You will be prescribed antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops and artificial tears, to use for the first few days to help healing and prevent infection. It is important to follow your specialist's instructions exactly.
