Cataract surgery (one eye) in Thessaloniki Vision Clinic

Thessaloniki Vision Clinic is a specialized ophthalmology surgery practice in Thessaloniki, Greece. Care covers everything from first diagnosis to complex surgery planned around each patient. The medical team focuses on corneal disorders, ocular surface diseases, glaucoma, cataracts, and refractive errors.

Academic Expertise and Research Activity

Dr. Panagiotis Dervenis leads the clinic's research-informed approach to treatment. He is an active clinical researcher and reviews manuscripts for major medical journals. His work appears in over 25 publications, including Eye (Nature) and BMJ Open Ophthalmology.

Dr. Dervenis gained extensive clinical experience at several prominent UK NHS eye hospitals:

• Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Colchester Eye Centre of Excellence

He holds the FEBO diploma from the European Board of Ophthalmology. His trial experience includes multicenter clinical trials such as STAR-V and STAR-VI.

Advanced Corneal and Glaucoma Surgery

The surgical team specializes in layered corneal transplants. These methods keep healthy tissue in place and improve the eye's structure. For layered techniques, the clinic reports a low rejection rate of approximately 1% for layered corneal approaches.

Specialists perform several types of keratoplasty and ocular surface treatments:

• DMEK and DSAEK – partial-thickness endothelial transplants
• DALK – deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty
• PK – traditional penetrating keratoplasty
• Treatment for keratoconus and ocular surface diseases like blepharitis

Glaucoma care includes both traditional and modern surgery. Surgeons perform MIGS (minimally invasive glaucoma surgery) to lower pressure inside the eye with less trauma. If a patient needs a different approach, trabeculectomy and surgically placed drainage valves or devices are available.

Cataract and Refractive Procedures

Cataract surgery is a day surgery procedure, so patients don't need to stay overnight. Surgeons use small-incision phacoemulsification. This method uses ultrasound energy to break up the cloudy lens through a microscopic incision. The incision then closes without stitches. Instead of injections around the eye, the procedure uses local anesthetic eye drops.

For patients who want vision correction, the clinic offers several refractive options:

• LASIK and PRK – laser-assisted vision correction
• SMILE – small incision lenticule extraction
• Premium intraocular lenses (IOLs) to treat presbyopia during cataract surgery

These options can reduce or remove the need for glasses after surgery.

Surgical Technology and Diagnostic Services

The clinic uses femtosecond lasers for more accurate corneal and refractive procedures. These lasers help the surgeon create incisions and prepare tissue for grafting. Before any procedure, detailed planning starts with an ophthalmologist consultation and specialized tests.

Diagnostic services include several essential eye exams:

• Slit lamp examination and ophthalmoscopy
• Visual field examination and visual acuity tests
• Cataract diagnostics and corneal topography

International patients follow a doctor-led pathway, so their care stays consistent from start to finish.