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Mon–Sat 9:00–19:00 · 12 Orynbor St

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

RB CLINIC patients on laser vision correction day by the clinic logo
how you see now · −4.0 D how you’ll see the next morning

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

5.0 on Yandex Maps · 176 ratings
25 s is how long the ReLEx SMILE correction itself takes
80 min from the clinic door to discharge home
906laser corrections a year

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.

28 photos from laser days · drag the strip or tap a photo

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.

Result1:11

PRK: the sound you’ll hear under the laser — and “it doesn’t hurt at all”

PRK · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Story0:54

Minus 7 for twelve years: nervous before surgery — and delighted right after. “I worried for nothing”

Myopia · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Result1:22

“It’s like you’re not doing anything”: a patient under the ReLEx SMILE laser — and ten seconds to go

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Story3:30

Bulbul Kartanbay, the first Kazakhstani woman in the women’s NHL, — ReLEx SMILE with Dr. Darbuzov

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Darbuzov

@dr.bigeldiyev
Result0:42

Minus 8.5 and minus 9: someone once told her “no”. ReLEx SMILE with Dr. Bigeldiyev

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Result0:57

Minus 2.5 and twenty years in glasses — her vision appeared right there on the table

Laser correction · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Result1:00

The patient cried before surgery: forty minutes of talking — and laser correction

Laser correction · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
Story0:43

Aizhan came from Kyrgyzstan: ReLEx SMILE — “fast, painless, I see everything”

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
All laser correction stories

Reviews on Yandex Maps

What people write the day after the laser

5.0176 ratings on Yandex Maps

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.

Malika Nurmagambet★★★★★3 July 2026

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 🫰❤️👍👍

Sayazhan Kairzhan★★★★★6 June 2026

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!

Laura Bolat★★★★★28 February 2026

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.

K A★★★★★10 February 2026

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.

Aiymgul Akhmetzhanova★★★★★4 October 2025

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!

Adlet Kanatbek★★★★★15 April 2026

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

Nursaya Aratbayeva★★★★★5 August 2026

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!😍

baqnur iztleuova★★★★★26 February 2025

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🫶🏻

Kanat★★★★★1 November 2024

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!

Aizhan Saylib★★★★★4 June 2026

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🙌!

nazerke nazarbek★★★★★2 May 2026

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

Swipe sideways

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

About the doctor

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

About the doctor

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

About the doctor

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

About the doctor

Surgeon 1 of 4 · swipe sideways

Bigeldiyev Rishat Kalilullaevich, academician, founder of RB CLINIC

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.

About Dr. Bigeldiyev

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.

Bigeldiyev · founder

Afraid of the laser? The clinic’s founder shows how correction works, right at the machine

@dr.bigeldiyev ↗
Darbuzov · ophthalmic surgeon

For the surgeon it’s an ordinary Friday — many corrections in a day. For you — one day, and home without glasses

@dr.darbuzov ↗
Zhukeyev · ophthalmic surgeon

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 ↗
Dyusenbayeva · ophthalmic surgeon

It was −5, after ReLEx SMILE — 120%: the patient shows her result herself

@dr_allabergenovna_ ↗
Dyusenbayeva · ophthalmic surgeon

PRK — the most affordable laser at the clinic. The patient tells how it all went

@dr_allabergenovna_ ↗

Swipe sideways

Carl Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser in the RB CLINIC operating room
Close-up of the VisuMax laser’s optical head
RB CLINIC founder Dr. Bigeldiyev on the VisuMax laser couch in his operating room
ZEISS MEL 90 excimer laser in the RB CLINIC operating room
The Oculus Pentacam topographer maps the cornea before laser correction

Why here

The German VisuMax — the laser behind ReLEx SMILE in Europe. We have it too

Carl Zeiss VisuMax GERMANY Not “one of the lasers”, but the machine ReLEx SMILE started with. Tap a dot: we’ll tell you what that part does.
Optical head PART 2 OF 4Here the femtosecond laser shapes a lens of the right form inside the cornea. The precision is in microns. The tissue doesn’t heat up: a pulse lasts one quadrillionth of a second.
Couch PART 3 OF 4The clinic’s founder, Dr. Bigeldiyev, in his operating room. He’s sitting on the very couch you’ll lie on a minute later: it moves your eye under the laser by itself, so there’s no need to move or “aim” at the machine.
ZEISS MEL 90 GERMANYThe second laser works in tandem with VisuMax for Femto-LASIK and PRK: it vaporises the exact amount of corneal tissue needed. So the method is chosen for your eye, not for whichever laser the clinic happens to have.
Oculus Pentacam DIAGNOSTICSScans the whole cornea, not just one point. This is the map that shows keratoconus, which rules out correction. It’s what the surgeon uses to say “yes” or “no”.

Scroll: the camera moves in to the laser

The ZEISS MEL 90 excimer laser at RB CLINIC

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.

The Oculus Pentacam topographer at RB CLINIC

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

A doctor explains1:30

ReLEx SMILE, SmartSight or CLEAR: Dr. Bigeldiyev explains the difference

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev

Which 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

A doctor explains1:07

What happens in the operating room, step by step: Dr. Bigeldiyev explains ReLEx SMILE before you lie down under the laser

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
A doctor explains1:14

Dr. Bigeldiyev shows how PRK went and what the patient feels — so everything at the clinic feels familiar

PRK · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
A doctor explains0:28

The VisuMax femtosecond laser at RB CLINIC: Dr. Bigeldiyev shows the machine

ReLEx SMILE · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
A day in the operating room1:18

A laser surgery day: eight PRK procedures — and what will happen to you in the operating room

PRK · Dr. Bigeldiyev

@dr.bigeldiyev
A doctor explains1:05

He explains how laser correction works himself

Laser correction · Dr. Zhukeyev

YouTube RB CLINIC

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.

Your minus or plus
Astigmatism if you know it

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 timing

Femto-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 timing

PRK

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: price

The 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.

Method
How many eyes
Surgeon same price with all
Kaspi RedKaspi Red Halyk BankHalyk Bank Up to 24 months with Kaspi Juma. Halyk — 12 or 24 months; the sales team will confirm the terms
Total at the special price list price 800,000 ₸ 700,000 ₸ for both eyes, ReLEx SMILE ≈ 58,300 ₸ a month, Kaspi over 12 months
  • 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
MethodPrice per eyeRange it treats
ReLEx SMILElist price 400,000 ₸ special price 350,000 ₸from −0.5 to −10.0 D · astigmatism up to ±5.0
Femto-LASIKlist price 300,000 ₸ special price 250,000 ₸from −12.0 to +4.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
PRKlist price 175,000 ₸ special price 100,000 ₸from +3.0 to −6.0 D · astigmatism up to ±3.0
Pre-correction diagnostics22,000 ₸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.

Day of surgery the clinic is open Monday to Saturday
  • 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
The RB CLINIC lobby in Astana: laser correction day starts here
Diagnostics and check before laser vision correction
RB CLINIC surgical wing corridor with automatic doors
A patient under the VisuMax laser: the correction itself takes 25 seconds
An RB CLINIC surgeon and a patient in dark glasses after laser correction
Patients heading home after laser vision correction
  1. Arrival and paperwork

    Contract, consent, payment. It takes fifteen minutes.

  2. Diagnostics and check

    Pre-surgery diagnostics and the doctor’s check: we recheck all the measurements.

  3. Preparation

    You’re taken up to the ward, change your clothes, and the area is prepared.

  4. Surgery

    You’re taken into the operating room. The ReLEx SMILE correction itself takes 25 seconds.

  5. Done

    The operation is over, and you’re taken back to the ward.

  6. 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.

The RB CLINIC lobby in Astana
The clinic lobbyYour surgery day starts and ends here
The RB CLINIC façade at 12 Orynbor St
The RB CLINIC façadeAstana, 12 Orynbor St: a standalone building, not an office in a shopping centre
The RB CLINIC logo in the clinic lobby
The logo in the lobbyThe very wall where every other shot in the strip above was taken
RB CLINIC waiting area
Waiting areaThose who came with you wait here
Rest area in the RB CLINIC lobby
Rest areaBetween stages you wait here, not in a corridor
The RB OPTICS store on the clinic’s ground floor
RB OPTICS storeOur own optician on the ground floor — pick up sunglasses for the first days
RB CLINIC interior
Clinic interiorAppointments by booking, at the set time
The RB CLINIC logo on the clinic façade
The logo on the façadeThe landmark that shows you the entrance

Photo 1 of 8 · swipe sideways

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.

  1. First sensationsthe first hours: haze and a veil
  2. When it gets comfortablewithin a few hours
  3. When back to workthe next day
  4. Final resulta couple of hours after surgery
  1. First sensationsa day: haze, grittiness, watering
  2. When it gets comfortablethe next day
  3. When back to workthe next day
  4. Final resultthe next morning
  1. First sensations2–3 days: grittiness, watering, light sensitivity
  2. When it gets comfortableon day 4
  3. When back to workon day 3–4
  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.

Autorefractometry and visual acuity: eye diagnostics at RB CLINIC
1Autorefractometry and visual acuityThe device measures your minus, plus and astigmatism, and we check your visual acuity. That’s our starting point.
No-touch tonometer: eye pressure before laser correction
2Eye pressureA puff of air instead of touch. Unpleasant for exactly one second, then you feel nothing.
Corneal topography on the Oculus Pentacam before laser vision correction
3Corneal topographyThe Oculus Pentacam maps corneal thickness at every point. This is the very scan the surgeon uses to say “yes” or “no”.
A device for examining the front of the eye at RB CLINIC
4Slit-lamp examinationThe surgeon looks at the eye under magnification: the cornea, the lens and the state of the tear film.
Dilated check of the back of the eye before laser correction
5Pupil dilation and a check of the back of the eyeThe retina is always checked: with high myopia it can be thinned, which changes the plan.
An RB CLINIC doctor goes through the diagnostic scans with a patient
6Going through it with the doctorYou’re shown your own scans and told what they reveal. Not “a report to take away” but a conversation.

Stage 1 of 6 · swipe sideways

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.

22,000 ₸ per visit2 hours6 instruments
  • 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

Cross-section of a myopic eye: the rays meet in front of the retina Cross-section of a hyperopic eye: the focus would form behind the retina Cross-section of the eye after laser correction: light focuses precisely on the retina

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

Cross-section of the cornea: the lenticule is removed through a micro-incision, the surface stays intact The cornea: a thin flap folded back on its hinge, the exposed bed beneath The cornea: the top layer of cells removed in the central zone, no flap, no tunnel

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

Cross-section of the cornea: the drops switch off nerve endings in the surface layer A patient’s eye under the laser during PRK vision correction at RB CLINIC

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.

from 100,000 ₸ per eye · laser correction