I had ReLex smile laser correction yesterday, a huge thank you to Darbuzov Ruslan Nurlybekovich for the operation. The money was worth it: the very next day after surgery I see everything at 90%. The operation was quick and painless, the doctor is a true professional 🫰❤️👍👍
70,000+ operations at the clinic · up to −12.0 D
Leading centre for laser vision correction in Astana
Lose the glasses in one day. At 10:20 you walk out of the clinic, and the next morning you go to work without glasses. The ReLEx SMILE correction itself takes 25 seconds on the Carl Zeiss VisuMax laser.
- 25-second correction
- painless
- 80 minutes to discharge
- back to work tomorrow
list price from 175,000 ₸ special price from 100,000 ₸ per eye · three methods to choose from
22,000 ₸ per visit · two hours · an honest answer on whether you’re a candidate
22,000 ₸ per visit · two hours · an honest answer
You take your glasses off — and the first thing you do is look for where you put them
Drag the slider sideways · pick your minus: we’ll show what it looks like and which methods suit you
At −4.0 D all three methods are suitable
ReLEx SMILE · from −0.5 to −10.0 D · astigmatism up to ±5.0
- The laser shapes a thin lens inside the cornea, and the surgeon removes it through an incision of about 2 mm. The surface stays intact.
- The correction itself takes 25 seconds; vision clears in a couple of hours.
- The next day you can be back at your office desk.
list price 400,000 ₸ special price 350,000 ₸ per eye700,000 ₸ for both≈ 58,300 ₸ a month
Femto-LASIK · from −12.0 to +4.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
- One laser creates a thin corneal flap, the second removes the necessary microns, and the flap goes back in place. No stitches needed.
- Covers the widest range, including hyperopia.
- Clear vision by the next morning, back to work the next day.
list price 300,000 ₸ special price 250,000 ₸ per eye500,000 ₸ for both≈ 41,700 ₸ a month
PRK · from +3.0 to −6.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
- The laser works directly on the corneal surface, and the top layer of cells grows back on its own. No flap, no tunnel.
- Suitable where the cornea is too thin for the other two methods.
- 2–3 days of discomfort, back to work on day 3–4, the final result in 3–4 weeks.
list price 175,000 ₸ special price 100,000 ₸ per eye200,000 ₸ for both≈ 16,700 ₸ a month
Laser vision correction in brief
Laser vision correction at RB CLINIC (Astana, 12 Orynbor St.): ReLEx SMILE, Femto-LASIK and PRK on ZEISS VisuMax and MEL 90 lasers. Special price per eye: PRK — 100,000 ₸ until 31 October, Femto-LASIK — 250,000 ₸, ReLEx SMILE — 350,000 ₸; list prices are 175,000, 300,000 and 400,000 ₸. Four surgeons, 906 laser corrections a year. It starts with diagnostics — 22,000 ₸ per visit. Check-ups for three months after surgery are free.
Laser correction reviews
Don’t ask us — ask those who’ve already lost the glasses
We don’t write reviews on patients’ behalf. Below are photos and videos from laser days, filmed at the clinic: people speak for themselves, we just hold the camera. And the Yandex Maps listing, where ratings are given without us.
That morning they came in wearing glasses
The photo is taken in the lobby on laser correction day, when the group is getting ready to go home and nobody is wearing glasses any more. The dark glasses aren’t because something is wrong: for the first hours after the laser the eyes are sensitive to light. That morning these same people were just as nervous as you are now.
Video reviews after laser vision correction
Filmed at the clinic, no script: people speak in their own words. The preview plays by itself; tap and the video opens right here, with sound.
Minus 7 for twelve years: nervous before surgery — and delighted right after. “I worried for nothing”
@dr.bigeldiyev“It’s like you’re not doing anything”: a patient under the ReLEx SMILE laser — and ten seconds to go
@dr.bigeldiyevBulbul Kartanbay, the first Kazakhstani woman in the women’s NHL, — ReLEx SMILE with Dr. Darbuzov
@dr.bigeldiyevMinus 8.5 and minus 9: someone once told her “no”. ReLEx SMILE with Dr. Bigeldiyev
@dr.bigeldiyevMinus 2.5 and twenty years in glasses — her vision appeared right there on the table
@dr.bigeldiyevThe patient cried before surgery: forty minutes of talking — and laser correction
@dr.bigeldiyevAizhan came from Kyrgyzstan: ReLEx SMILE — “fast, painless, I see everything”
@dr.bigeldiyevReviews on Yandex Maps
What people write the day after the laser
People left these reviews themselves, on Yandex Maps — where we can’t delete or change a single word. All are about laser correction: ReLEx SMILE, Femto-LASIK and PRK. Quoted in full, as written.
I had Femto-LASIK surgery with Dr. Darbuzov Ruslan Nurlybekovich. The operation went well, everything was quick and comfortable. Now I see very well and I’m happy with the result. A huge thank you to the doctor for his professionalism and attentive care. I definitely recommend him!
I want to share my review of the relex smile vision correction I had with Dr. Darbuzov Ruslan Nurlybekovich. From the consultation, through the operation itself, right up to the post-operative period, all the staff were very responsive, listened to every request and tried to help with every question.. the operation was very quick and comfortable, and I am deeply grateful to Dr. Ruslan Nurlybekovich for your work and for freeing me from wearing lenses and glasses, without which I couldn’t even leave the house before.
I want to say a huge thank you to Dr. Sagat Serikovich for my vision correction. From the very first visit you feel real professionalism, confidence and calm — it really helped me cope with my nerves before the procedure. Everything was explained in detail, without rushing, and at every stage I understood what was happening. The correction itself was quick and comfortable, and the result exceeded all my expectations — my vision became sharp, as if a new world had opened up. Thank you for the attentive care, the support and an excellent result.
I had laser correction using the FEMTO-LASIC method with Dr. Darbuzov R. N. Everything went well: within a few hours my eyes stopped watering and the pain was gone, and my vision improved just as they said — one eye 80%, the other 90%, because I’ve had astigmatism since childhood, what they also call a lazy eye. Finally I don’t need contact lenses or glasses!
My vision was -2.5, I thought about surgery for a very long time, doubted it, was scared, but this clinic advised me so competently that no doubts were left at all; at reception Moldir and Asel met me and explained how everything would go
My doctors: Darbuzov R.N and Bigeldiyev R.K did their job professionally, my vision is now a full 110%😅
Thank you to this clinic
Huge thanks to the RB Clinic team. I had vision correction using the PRK method. I want to highlight Dr. Ruslan Nurlybekovich’s professionalism! A dream come true!😍
I want to express huge gratitude to Dr. Ruslan Nurlybekovich and the whole RB Clinic team for their high professionalism. I had laser vision correction, and the result exceeded all my expectations. The operation was quick and painless, and recovery was easy thanks to the doctor’s detailed advice. Now I see the world in a new way. Thank you so much for your work and care🫶🏻
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the RB Clinic team for their professionalism and attentive care for patients! Special thanks to Dr. Bigeldinov, who performed my laser vision correction.
I’d also like to say a separate thank you to the wonderful clinic staff, Moldir and Aziza, who accompanied me before and after the operation, showing care and attention at every stage. I also thank nurse Shagane for her “light hand” when taking blood samples.
The clinic has a real team approach and a sincere wish to help patients. The doctors’ professionalism combined with the staff’s kindness creates an atmosphere of reliability and comfort.
Thank you to the whole RB Clinic team for your work and care for patients!
I express my sincere gratitude to ophthalmologist Ruslan Nurlybekovich for his high professionalism, attentive care and the successful operation, Femto LASIK and blepharoplasty😍. Thanks to your skill and care everything went calmly and confidently. Thank you for the chance to see the world more clearly and feel better🙏.
I also want to thank the whole clinic team for the warm welcome, kindness, support and comfortable atmosphere. Special, deepest gratitude to Gulima Serikovna❤️🤗🙏. From the very first minutes I felt her attention, care and sincere wish to help patients. I wish you good health, well-being and further success in your noble work🙌!
Great girls, Ruslan Darbuzov operated yesterday, -3.75, today it’s 100%
RB clinic service is good
everything went just as I hoped
My gratitude is endless
Dr. Bigeldiyev’s team
Who performs laser vision correction at RB CLINIC
Four surgeons, one price. The clinic’s founder is Rishat Bigeldiyev, with 35,000+ operations behind him: every surgeon works under his guidance, and each holds the “Altyn Dariger” medal. The listed price is the same with all four, so you choose a person, not a price.
Darbuzov Ruslan Nurlybekovich
Ophthalmic surgeon
ReLEx SMILE, Femto-LASIK and PRK. “The operation went well, everything was quick and comfortable,” — Sayazhan Kairzhan, Yandex Maps, June 2026.
operating since 2018
list price from 175,000 ₸ special price from 100,000 ₸ per eye
Galiyev Yerzhan Serikkanovich
Ophthalmic surgeon
MSc in Ophthalmology from University College London (2020), Bolashak scholar.
list price from 175,000 ₸ special price from 100,000 ₸ per eye
Zhukeyev Sagat Serikovich
Laser ophthalmic surgeon
All three methods and cross-linking for keratoconus: at the clinic only he performs it. ReLEx SMILE school with ZEISS participation, 2023.
in ophthalmology since 2019
list price from 175,000 ₸ special price from 100,000 ₸ per eye
Dyusenbayeva Zhanerke Allabergenovna
Ophthalmic surgeon
ReLEx SMILE, Femto-LASIK and PRK at the clinic’s listed prices; sees patients every working day. “A very attentive and competent doctor,” — Zhansulu Karamurzina about her appointment, July 2026.
6 years in medicine
list price from 175,000 ₸ special price from 100,000 ₸ per eye
The founder, Dr. Bigeldiyev, performs ReLEx SMILE too. An academician with over 35,000 surgeries behind him. If you want him to do your laser, — write to us.
The reels on the cards play muted; tap to open them on the surgeon’s Instagram.
Surgeons on camera: laser days at RB CLINIC
Surgeons’ reels from Instagram, as they are. The preview plays by itself; tap to open the reel.
Afraid of the laser? The clinic’s founder shows how correction works, right at the machine
@dr.bigeldiyev ↗For the surgeon it’s an ordinary Friday — many corrections in a day. For you — one day, and home without glasses
@dr.darbuzov ↗Correction in the morning — home the same day. The surgeon sees them off: “an easy recovery and reaching your goals with new vision”
@dr.jukeev ↗It was −5, after ReLEx SMILE — 120%: the patient shows her result herself
@dr_allabergenovna_ ↗PRK — the most affordable laser at the clinic. The patient tells how it all went
@dr_allabergenovna_ ↗




Why here
The German VisuMax — the laser behind ReLEx SMILE in Europe. We have it too
Scroll: the camera moves in to the laser

Second laser: ZEISS MEL 90Works in tandem with VisuMax for Femto-LASIK and PRK. The method is chosen for your eye, not for whichever laser the clinic has.

Oculus PentacamScans the whole cornea. This is the map that shows keratoconus, which rules out correction.
The surgeon answers
Laser correction on video: the surgeon answers your questions
ReLEx SMILE, SmartSight or CLEAR: Dr. Bigeldiyev explains the difference
@dr.bigeldiyevWhich method to choose
“Professionals always choose the brand they trust”
What you’ll learn from the video
- How ReLEx SMILE, SmartSight and CLEAR differ
- Where the SMILE technique came from
- Why surgeons compare lasers to cars
Bigeldiyev Rishat KalilullaevichClinic founder: eyes and eyelids
What happens in the operating room, step by step: Dr. Bigeldiyev explains ReLEx SMILE before you lie down under the laser
@dr.bigeldiyevDr. Bigeldiyev shows how PRK went and what the patient feels — so everything at the clinic feels familiar
@dr.bigeldiyevThe VisuMax femtosecond laser at RB CLINIC: Dr. Bigeldiyev shows the machine
@dr.bigeldiyevA laser surgery day: eight PRK procedures — and what will happen to you in the operating room
@dr.bigeldiyev“No one screamed here — it doesn’t hurt”: PRK in 26 seconds
@dr.bigeldiyev“Have you heard patients scream here? No — because it doesn’t hurt”
What you’ll learn from the video
- How many seconds the laser runs during PRK
- Where to look, and why not to move your eyes
- How the PRK setting differs from ReLEx SMILE
Bigeldiyev Rishat KalilullaevichClinic founder: eyes and eyelids
Same-day surgery: tests in the morning, laser by midday, new vision by evening
@dr.bigeldiyevPRK on Friday — back to work on Monday: why the protective lens is needed and when it comes off
@dr.bigeldiyev“You get your tests done, by lunchtime we do the laser, and by evening your eyes will show you what they can do”
What you’ll learn from the video
- How to fit laser correction into one day
- What you’ll feel in the first two hours
- Why everything starts with diagnostics
Bigeldiyev Rishat KalilullaevichClinic founder: eyes and eyelids
PRK from the inside: Dr. Bigeldiyev talks with the patient right during surgery
@dr.bigeldiyevA young woman lost vision because of contact lenses: Dr. Bigeldiyev explains why showering and swimming in lenses is risky
@dr.bigeldiyevOne eye for distance, the other a touch closer: how correction is planned so reading stays comfortable after 45
@dr.bigeldiyevWho PRK suits: minus up to 5, astigmatism up to 3 — and why young patients choose it
@dr.bigeldiyevWhy her PRK cost so little — Dr. Bigeldiyev’s answer, with a touch of humour
@dr.bigeldiyevPRK: the advantages of this method for mild short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism
@dr.bigeldiyev“I see both children and adults, and work with laser correction, cross-linking and outpatient surgery”
What you’ll learn from the video
- Who performs PRK laser correction
- What you can come in for: children and adults
Dyusenbayeva Zhanerke AllabergenovnaLaser vision correction
Method and price
Which laser vision correction method is right for you
The method is decided by your eye, not your budget: minus, astigmatism, corneal thickness and shape. You know the first two yourself — check right now. Thickness shows only on Pentacam, so the surgeon names the exact method from the scan.
At −4.0 D all three methods are within range. Which one to choose is decided by the surgeon after diagnostics: a method isn’t prescribed by the minus alone.
ReLEx SMILE
list price 400,000 ₸ special price 350,000 ₸ per eye
from −0.5 to −10.0 D · astigmatism up to ±5.0
- An incision of about 2 mm; the cornea is barely disturbed
- The correction itself — 25 seconds
- Vision clears within a couple of hours
- Back at your office desk the next day
The gentlest of the three methods and the most expensive
ReLEx SMILE: price and timingFemto-LASIK
list price 300,000 ₸ special price 250,000 ₸ per eye
from −12.0 to +4.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
- Covers the widest range, including hyperopia
- A thin corneal flap is created
- Clear vision — the next morning
- Back to office work the next day
The choice when the minus is too high for SMILE
Femto-LASIK: price and timingPRK
list price 175,000 ₸ special price 100,000 ₸ per eye
from +3.0 to −6.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
- A classic method proven over decades
- Works where the cornea is too thin for the others
- Longer recovery: 2–3 days of discomfort
- Back to work — on day 3–4, the final result in 3–4 weeks
The most affordable option. The first 2–3 days take some patience
PRK vision correction: priceThe ranges are quoted directly from the surgeon. The surgeon names the exact method from your Pentacam scan: it’s decided by corneal thickness and shape, not by the minus alone.
How much laser vision correction costs in Astana
The price is written before you even ask. It’s the same with all four surgeons and is given per eye. The surgeon names the final amount after diagnostics: it depends on which method suits you.
- Pre-correction diagnostics: 22,000 ₸ per visit, repeat visit 12,000 ₸
- Follow-up checks for three months after surgery are free
The total, eyes and surgeon go into the WhatsApp message · the surgeon names the exact amount after diagnostics
The price list in one table: laser vision correction per eye
| Method | Price per eye | Range it treats |
|---|---|---|
| ReLEx SMILE | list price | from −0.5 to −10.0 D · astigmatism up to ±5.0 |
| Femto-LASIK | list price | from −12.0 to +4.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0 |
| PRK | list price | from +3.0 to −6.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0 |
| Pre-correction diagnostics | 22,000 ₸ | per visit, with Pentacam; repeat visit 12,000 ₸ |
The crossed-out figure is the RB SMILE price list of 10.05.2026. We book at the special price, the same with all four surgeons; the PRK special price runs until 31 October. Related to laser correction: myopia treatment, astigmatism treatment, keratoconus and cross-linking.
Your day on the calendar: when you’re back at work
Pick the day of your surgery — and see how many working days each method will take. After ReLEx SMILE and Femto-LASIK people go back to work the next day, after PRK — on day 3–4. Asking for time off is easier when you can already see your days.
-
ReLEx SMILEBack to work — on Monday
Working days off: 1 — the day of surgery itself
-
Femto-LASIKBack to work — on Monday
Working days off: 1 — the day of surgery itself
-
PRKBack to work — on Monday or on Tuesday
Working days off: 1–2
- surgery
- tough days after PRK
- OK to work
- day off
Your surgery day goes into the WhatsApp message together with your prescription
These are average timings — the same as in the “Recovery” section below, from our surgeons’ answers. We count a five-day week: Saturday and Sunday are days off. When you can drive, swim in a pool, use a sauna and do sport, the surgeon will tell you for your eye at the diagnostics.
Surgery day
How laser vision correction goes: 80 minutes from door to discharge
This isn’t a rough plan but the real timing the surgeon gave us. Of the eighty minutes, twenty-five seconds are laser; the rest is paperwork, diagnostics, preparation and the check afterwards. No need to take a week off: if you work in an office, you’ll be back at your desk tomorrow.
Walk through the clinic — 8 rooms in a minuteStarting with the laser room





Arrival and paperwork
Contract, consent, payment. It takes fifteen minutes.
Diagnostics and check
Pre-surgery diagnostics and the doctor’s check: we recheck all the measurements.
Preparation
You’re taken up to the ward, change your clothes, and the area is prepared.
Surgery
You’re taken into the operating room. The ReLEx SMILE correction itself takes 25 seconds.
Done
The operation is over, and you’re taken back to the ward.
Home
A post-surgery check and discharge. You’re free to go: no drips and no overnight stay.
What you’ll feel during the surgery itself
We ask about this separately, because this is exactly what people fear. Here is the surgeon’s honest answer: you’ll feel cool liquid on the eye and the doctor’s touch, but not on the eye itself. The bright light will feel uncomfortable: you’re simply not used to it.
What if I blink or flinch?
You can’t. A lid speculum holds the eyelid open: you physically can’t close the eye, even if you want to. That is the answer to the biggest fear. Two people are beside you the whole time, the surgeon and the theatre nurse; you’re awake and hear every word.
A clinic you won’t want to leave before your surgery
A standalone building at 12 Orynbor St, two storeys, with our own RB OPTICS store on the ground floor. Not a single rendered interior: everything you see below was photographed here.








Come in for diagnostics: two hours, six instruments and an honest answer. Even if correction isn’t right for you, you’ll leave understanding what’s going on with your eyes.
Day-by-day vision recovery after laser correction
The difference between the methods isn’t the quality of the result but how many days you’ll be uncomfortable.
- First sensationsthe first hours: haze and a veil
- When it gets comfortablewithin a few hours
- When back to workthe next day
- Final resulta couple of hours after surgery
- First sensationsa day: haze, grittiness, watering
- When it gets comfortablethe next day
- When back to workthe next day
- Final resultthe next morning
- First sensations2–3 days: grittiness, watering, light sensitivity
- When it gets comfortableon day 4
- When back to workon day 3–4
- Final resultafter 3–4 weeks
With PRK the protective lens comes out on day five, and from then on your vision improves quickly. The full result comes in three to four weeks.
Are you a candidate
Who shouldn’t have laser vision correction
We say no. Not to play it safe, but because in these cases correction would do harm. Better to learn this at diagnostics than after surgery.
Absolutely not
- Keratoconus
- A cornea too thin for a large minus
- Progressive myopia
- Diabetes
- Acute eye inflammation: keratitis, conjunctivitis, uveitis
Possible, but later
First treatment or a pause, then correction.
- Marked corneal dryness
- Acute eye inflammation — after full recovery
- Systemic retinoids — 6 months or more after the course ends
Why diagnostics take two hours — and it isn’t about money
Keratoconus, a thinning of the cornea, shows up only on the Pentacam topographer. If it’s missed and correction is done anyway, the result is a complication that then has to be halted rather than treated. Keratoconus needs cross-linking, a completely different operation. That’s exactly why we examine the eye for two hours, not twenty minutes.
The age for correction is 18 to 45. There are exceptions, but only the surgeon decides them, based on the anatomy of your particular eye.
Eye diagnostics before correction: what the two hours consist of
Six instruments, two hours and a real conversation with the surgeon at the end: that’s how every laser vision correction at RB CLINIC begins. Afterwards he either names the method or honestly explains why it isn’t possible.






22,000 ₸per visit · repeat visit 12,000 ₸ · two hours
First step
Start with diagnostics
Two hours, six instruments and an honest answer: whether you’re a candidate for correction and, if so, with which method.
- You talk to the surgeon, not a manager
- If correction isn’t right for you, you’ll be told so
- Your minus −4.0 D will already be in the message
If you want the details
How laser vision correction works
This section is for those who like to understand the mechanics. It doesn’t affect the decision — feel free to scroll on.
The cornea is the clear front layer of the eye, through which light gets in. With myopia its shape makes the image focus not on the retina but in front of it. Hence the blurry distance vision.
The laser changes the shape and thickness of the cornea: it removes exactly as many microns as needed, exactly where needed, so light focuses on the retina again. The lens, the retina and everything else inside the eye are left untouched.
The new corneal shape stays for good. That’s why we don’t operate on progressive myopia: first the minus has to stop growing.
Where the light lands and why the picture is blurry
The focus falls short of the retina
The eye is slightly longer than it should be, or the cornea bends light too strongly. The rays meet at a point before reaching the retina and then spread out again.
What reaches the retina isn’t a point but a blur. Hence blurry distance vision with perfect near vision.
Minus isn’t a “weak eye”. It’s an eye that focuses too early.The focus would form behind the eye
Here it’s the opposite: the eye is shorter, or the cornea bends light too weakly. The rays don’t have time to meet and reach the retina still spreading apart.
A young eye makes up for this by straining the lens, so for a long time nothing bothers you. With age the reserve runs out: first near vision goes, then distance.
Hence tired, heavy eyes by evening: the eye has been adjusting focus by hand all day.The point forms exactly where it should
The laser reshapes the cornea: it removes a handful of microns exactly where needed. Light focuses to a point precisely on the retina again.
Nothing goes inside the eye: the lens, the vitreous and the retina aren’t touched at all.
The new shape stays for good. That’s why we don’t operate on a growing minus: first it has to stop.The laser doesn’t treat the retina or “improve” the eye. It only corrects the lens at the entrance — the cornea.
Three methods — three different roads to the same result
The work happens inside the cornea
The laser shapes a tiny thin lens, the lenticule, inside the cornea, and the surgeon removes it through an incision of a couple of millimetres. The surface stays intact.
That’s why you can’t see it from outside on the diagram: there’s nothing to see, all the work is under the surface.
The least intervention on the surface, and so the least dryness afterwards. Our main method.The flap is lifted and laid back
The laser separates a thin flap of the front layers, the surgeon folds it back like a page of a book, the second laser removes the necessary microns from the exposed bed, and the flap is laid back down.
It heals on its own — no stitches needed.
The fastest return of vision: sharp by the evening of the same day.No flap, no tunnel
Only the very top layer of cells is removed, the laser works directly on the exposed surface, and the layer then grows back by itself.
Recovery takes longer: three to four days in a protective lens.
On the other hand, it works where the cornea is too thin for the other methods. Sometimes it’s the only way to live without glasses.The method isn’t chosen by the patient or the price list. It’s chosen by the thickness and shape of your cornea, which diagnostics reveal.
Why the surgery doesn’t hurt
They switch off exactly what feels pain
The cornea is the most densely innervated place in the body. The nerve endings sit right in the surface layer, which is why the tiniest speck in the eye hurts so much.
The drops penetrate a fraction of a millimetre and switch off exactly these endings. The drug goes no deeper — and doesn’t need to.
Blue on the diagram shows how far the drug reaches.This is PRK, not SMILE
This is what this particular method looks like from the surgeon’s side. A lid speculum holds the eyelid open: you physically can’t blink, which removes the main fear of “what if I flinch”.
There’s no pain during the operation: the eye is numbed with drops. And the whole operation takes less time than the journey to the clinic.
No general anaesthesia. You’re awake and can hear the surgeon.You feel touch. Not pain.
Laser vision correction in detail: for those who want to understand
Myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism: what’s the difference
All three conditions share one thing: light doesn’t focus on the retina. With myopia the image forms in front of the retina, and distance vision is poor. With hyperopia it forms behind the retina, and near vision suffers. With astigmatism the cornea is irregularly shaped, and light focuses at several points at once: the picture doubles and blurs at any distance.
Laser vision correction solves all three the same way: it changes the shape and thickness of the cornea so light focuses precisely on the retina again.
How the methods differ technically
ReLEx SMILE. A femtosecond laser shapes a thin lens of the right form, the lenticule, inside the cornea and removes it through an incision of about two millimetres. The top layer of the cornea is barely disturbed, so vision recovers fastest and dry eye after correction is less common.
Femto-LASIK. A laser creates a thin corneal flap, it’s folded back, an excimer laser vaporises the necessary amount of tissue beneath, and the flap goes back in place. The method covers the widest range of vision problems, including hyperopia up to +4.0 dioptres.
PRK. The earliest of the three methods and still a working one. The top epithelium of the cornea is removed, the laser works on the surface, and the epithelium regrows by itself within a few days. Hence a longer and less comfortable recovery, but PRK works where the cornea is too thin for the other two methods.
Why age 18 to 45
Before eighteen the eye is still growing, and myopia often keeps progressing: correcting it with a laser is pointless, as the minus returns because of growth, not because the surgery “wears off”. After forty-five, age-related long-sightedness begins, which comes from the lens, not the cornea: correcting the cornea doesn’t solve it, and the conversation turns to lens replacement. There are exceptions at both ends, but only the surgeon decides them, based on the anatomy of your particular eye.
Why correction is ruled out with keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition in which the cornea thins and gradually bulges into a cone. Laser correction removes part of the corneal tissue, making it thinner still. With keratoconus this speeds up a process that then has to be halted rather than treated. For keratoconus, cross-linking is done — a procedure that strengthens the cornea’s collagen fibres. It’s a fundamentally different operation: it doesn’t replace vision correction but solves a completely different problem.
Keratoconus can’t be seen on a routine exam. Only a topographer shows it — in our case the Oculus Pentacam. That’s why diagnostics before laser vision correction take two hours.
What result you can honestly expect
If diagnostics show your eye can see one hundred percent, that becomes the goal of the surgery. If there are accompanying conditions that mean the eye can’t reach that acuity to begin with, the goal is your own maximum: that may be eighty percent, or fifty or sixty. The surgeon tells you your figure after diagnostics, before surgery — not after it.
The right time to measure the result differs: after ReLEx SMILE and Femto-LASIK — the next morning, after PRK — on day five, although final vision settles by the third or fourth week.
What to do before laser correction surgery
Stop wearing lenses in advance
Soft lenses — 2–3 days before. Rigid lenses — 2–3 months before.
Lenses change the shape of the cornea. Without the break, diagnostics will show a distorted picture, and the method may be chosen wrongly.
What to avoid before surgery
- Make-up
- Alcohol
- Coffee and energy drinks
- Contact lenses
- On surgery day — any perfume, including shampoo and shower gel
Tests and examinations
- Gonioscopy of both eyes
- Blood biochemistry: cholesterol, glucose, urea, creatinine
- Complete blood count
- Blood test for syphilis
- Blood test for hepatitis B and C
- Blood test for HIV
Questions about laser vision correction
Four myths the surgeon hears at almost every consultation, and the four questions people ask most.
Does laser vision correction hurt?
Not during the operation: drops numb the eye, and you don’t feel the laser itself. What you do feel: cool liquid on the eye, the doctor’s touch near the eye and a bright light you’re simply not used to.
Will the minus come back in a couple of years?
The laser changes the shape of the cornea, and that shape stays. There’s no going back to the old minus. That’s exactly why we don’t operate on progressive myopia: first it has to stop.
Is it true you can’t give birth after laser correction?
You can. Pregnancy and childbirth after laser correction aren’t forbidden: it’s one of the most persistent myths, and we end up dispelling it for almost every female patient.
Is it true you can’t do sport or lift heavy things?
You can. There are restrictions, but for the first days, not for life. People usually return to sport at the same time as to work.
From what age is laser vision correction done?
From 18 to 45. Before eighteen the eye is still growing, and the minus may come back as it grows. After forty-five, age-related long-sightedness begins, which correcting the cornea doesn’t solve. There are exceptions at both ends, but only the surgeon decides them, based on the anatomy of your particular eye.
How much does laser vision correction cost in Astana?
Right now the clinic books at a special price per eye: PRK — 100,000 ₸ (until 31 October), Femto-LASIK — 250,000 ₸, ReLEx SMILE — 350,000 ₸. The price list says 175,000, 300,000 and 400,000 ₸. The price is the same with all four surgeons. Pre-correction diagnostics — 22,000 ₸ per visit, a repeat visit — 12,000 ₸; follow-up checks for three months after surgery are free.
When can I go back to work after laser correction?
After ReLEx SMILE and Femto-LASIK — the next day, if you work in an office. After PRK — on day 3–4: recovery takes longer, and for the first days the eye has a protective lens.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes. Kaspi — with no overpayment, for any surgery: for 12 months, and up to 24 months with Kaspi Juma. Halyk — 12 or 24 months, for cataract and laser vision correction only; the sales team will confirm Halyk’s terms.


































