INSTITUT COMTAL d'OFTALMOLOGIA
Eye clinic in Barcelona, Spain

 
4.93 out of 5 (3 reviews )

PROFILE

INSTITUT COMTAL d'OFTALMOLOGIA has provided eye surgery in Barcelona, Spain since 1989. A wide range of conditions are treated, including Glaucoma, Refractive Surgery (diopter treatments), Retinal disorders and Cataracts. At ICO they work with more than 20 ophthalmologists and 10 optometrists. ICO handled 100,000 visits and more than 5,000 surgery procedures in 2014.

Eye surgery procedures often chosen by patients travelling to Spain for treatment at INSTITUT COMTAL d'OFTALMOLOGIA

  • LASIK for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbiopia. Topographic guided customised laser eye surgery
  • Intraocular Phaquic lens Implantation in high refractive diopter corrections (ICL Staar, Trifocal FineVision)
  • Cataract Extraction and multifocal / toric / monofocal lens implantation. Topical or local anaesthesia. Non stitch small incision with short recovery CE-marked and FDA intraocular lenses from Alcon, Topcon (Lenstec) or Zeiss providers
  • Glaucoma procedures including Non Penetrating Procedures,Trabeculectomy, Drainage Implants and Glaucoma Valves
  • Diabetic VitreoRetinal complications: vitreous hemorrhage, macular oedema and retinal detachment
  • Pterygium removal surgery with conjuntival auto-graft as the best technique to avoid regrowth of the pterygium.
  • Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery, lid and Orbital Reconstruction
  • Intravitreal injections for Aged Related Macular Degenerations
  • Full thickness Corneal Transplant and Corneal Endothelial Transplant (DSAEK)

Clinical Units available at INSTITUT COMTAL d'OFTALMOLOGIA:

  • VITREORETINAL UNIT
  • REFRACTIVE SURGERY UNIT
  • GLAUCOMA UNIT
  • CRYSTALLINE LENS (CATARACT) UNIT
  • OCULOPLASTIC, ORBITAL AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY UNIT
  • OCULAR GENETICS UNIT
  • CORNEA AND OCULAR SURFACE UNIT
  • OCULAR TRAUMA UNIT
  • A&E UNIT
  • UVEA UNIT
  • PAEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY UNIT
  • NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY UNIT
  • CLINICAL OPTOMETRY UNIT
  • OCULAR ANAESTHESIOLOGY UNIT
  • PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING SERVICE TO ADJUST TO SIGHT LOSS

Emergency eye treatment 24h in Barcelona

Contact details

ICO 1
Vía Augusta 61 (Barcelona) Spain

ICO 2
Via Augusta 48-54, 2n (Barcelona) Spain

CLINICA CEM
Balmes 253 (Barcelona) Spain

Address:

Via Augusta, 61
Barcelona
Catalonia
8006
Spain

Tel:

(34) 934155 637 – Patient service Clínica ICO

(34) 608 493 788 - International Patients Department ICO

International Email: [email protected]

Welcoming and providing care for international patients. Ophthalmic surgery abroad, a question of trust.

Club ICO

Club ICO is defined as a community of interest between doctors and patients seeking care exclusivity marked by high expectations, both in health care and their care and their families , making a doctor's visit becomes all an unforgettable EXPERIENCE.

Official Member of "Spain Cares"

Take the virtual tour : visit the Clinic - Google 360º

ISO 9001 certified.

Frequently asked questions

Regarding booking the operating theatre

Does someone have to come with me when I have surgery?

This is compulsory because since you will be having Outpatient Surgery, once the surgical discharge report has been signed by the attending doctor, your escort enters into our patient care protocols as a precaution.

While the patient is in the operating theatre, can the escort leave the Clinic?

Our patient care protocols recommend that the escort should remain at our clinic just in case any type of incident occurs.

Regarding preoperative instructions

Do I have to take all my clothes off to enter the eye surgery operating theatre?

You do not need to take everything off. You can leave your underwear on, except for bras with metal underwire in the case of female patients.

You have to wear a blue paper gown that fastens at the back, shoe covers/booties over your socks and a white cap on your head to hold your hair out of the way. It is also recommended that you leave any jewellery (especially if an electric scalpel is to be used) and hearing aids with your escort or in the changing room locker, although we assess whether to leave one hearing aid in if your hearing is very poor without them.

Regarding the surgical procedure

Do I have to be admitted after the surgery?

No, at present most surgeries within the field of ophthalmology do not require hospital admission. The patient must be accompanied by an escort on the day of the operation and will be able to go home shortly after the surgery. This is known as Outpatient Surgery.

Is it possible that my eye will hurt during the operation? Will I be able to see out of the eye that is being operated on?

The objective of any operation is to eliminate or minimise feeling so that the experience is always satisfactory. However, if you notice any discomfort or if you feel nervous during the operation, please do not hesitate to let us know so that the anaesthesiologist can give you more anaesthetic or sedation.

As there are different anaesthetic techniques, perceptions may vary. It is common to perceive lights, shadows and movements under the glare of the microscope light.

How do I know they will not operate on the wrong eye?

Many steps and procedures are followed to ensure that the correct eye is operated on during each operation. Revision of the digital medical record by the nurse, the anaesthesiologist and the surgeon himself ensures that everyone is aware of which eye is to be operated on. In addition, before entering the operating theatre, the skin on the eyelids, cheek and eyebrow is painted in the pre-anaesthetic room with an iodine-based antiseptic solution that is a dark brown colour.

You are therefore 100% guaranteed that when you enter the operating theatre, nobody should be thinking about asking which eye is to be operated on.

Do I have to take my hearing aid out to enter the ophthalmic operating theatre?

In most cases, eye surgery is performed with the patient sedated but conscious so the patient will be able to communicate verbally with the theatre staff. The patient will need to be able to listen to the surgeon's instructions or the anaesthesiologist's questions about his health during the surgery.

That is why we recommend that you still wear the hearing aid in the ear on the opposite side to the eye operation.

It is very cold in the ophthalmic operating theatre. Is this normal?

Operating theatres for all specialties must be kept at fairly cool temperatures. Heat promotes the growth of micro-organisms and therefore we always keep the operating theatres at the ideal temperature. But don't worry, we always cover patients as necessary with very cosy blankets.

The Excimer Laser (LASIK) room is even colder (17-18ºC) to provide optimal laser operating conditions. In this case the operation is very short (only 10 minutes inside the room) and no patients should feel the cold once covered with a thick blanket. It is the staff (refractive surgeon, scrub nurse and laser optometrist) who need to be dressed warmly because sessions can be long.

Regarding postoperative instructions

After the operation, will my eye hurt when I get home? What can I take?

You may possibly feel discomfort or even mild pain in your eye once you get home. If there is no contraindication, simply take one paracetamol or ibuprofen tablet and wait for it to have an effect.

If the pain is more intense or persists for more than one hour after taking the painkiller, we recommend that you come in to our A&E Department or at least call us to explain your symptoms. Remember, our telephone number is: 34 934 155 637.

In most cases, the problem tends to be fairly minor but early diagnosis of high eye pressure, inflammation or any superficial injury will allow us to treat the problem successfully without serious consequences.

How soon can I eat after the eye operation?

As soon as you leave the clinic, you can consume both fluids and solids. You may be hungry due to fasting prior to the operation but we recommend that you avoid heavy meals and alcoholic beverages until the following day.

How should I sleep after the eye surgery?

You can generally rest or sleep by lying face-up or on the side that was not operated on. After certain surgical procedures, you may be recommended to sleep propped up on pillows to prevent inflammation. In most cases, your eye will be protected with a plastic shield so that no pressure is put on the eye.

Following operations for retinal detachment with intraocular gas, you may be told to adopt a special posture and you should follow the instructions given to your relatives by the retina surgeon as documented in the report given to you upon leaving the clinic.

If you have any questions, please call the A&E Department on 34 934 155 637

Is the eye covered up after the eye operation?

The need to use a dressing on the recently operated eye usually depends on the type of anaesthetic used. If the operation is performed under topical anaesthetic (drops), as is the case for many cataract surgeries, your eye will not need to be covered, although it is a good idea to protect it from any type of bump or pressure using a clear plastic shield.

Following operations requiring anaesthesia of the eyeball, as in the case of retinal or glaucoma surgery etc., it is necessary that the eye is protected and closed with an antibiotic ointment. The eye may remain half-open for a few hours, which could cause major problems if a suitable dressing is not used.

Will I be admitted to the clinic after the eye operation?

These days, eye surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis, i.e. the patient goes home approximately 1 hour after the surgery. Your surgeon will give you instructions on the Surgical Discharge Report that you must follow, including administration of eye drops or other treatments and necessary recommendations.

For most operations, a check-up visit will be scheduled for the following day.

How soon after the eye surgery will I start postoperative treatment?

This depends on the type of operation and your surgeon.

Postoperative treatment is normally started once the dressing is removed from the eye. If your surgery does not require a dressing on your eye, you will probably start to administer eye drops a few hours after the operation. Your surgeon, however, will tell you the best regimen to follow in your case. Do not hesitate to ask your surgeon after the surgery.

If you have any questions, please call the A&E Department on 34 934 155 637

When should I remove the eye patch?

This depends on the type of operation and your surgeon.

Your eye is usually not covered after minor surgery.

Following major surgery and operations under local anaesthetic, your eye will be covered and the dressing will generally be removed during your first postoperative visit to the doctor. Your surgeon, however, will tell you exactly what to do.

Regarding diagnostic tests

How long will it take to regain clear vision after my pupil has been dilated?

Four to six hours, depending on each person......and also on the drops being administered.

Dilating drops can have two effects: they can make the pupil larger and they can paralyse the near-distance focusing muscle (ciliary muscle). That is why strong light is more uncomfortable and it is harder to read under the effects of these drops.

When maximum dilation of the pupil is not required, we use tropicamide eye drops as sight is then regained in less than 3 hours in most cases. Cycloplegic eye drops (cyclopentolate) are stronger and have a longer-lasting dilating effect.

For children, we use other longer-lasting drops, which generally last for 12 hours. The effects of atropine eye drops may take 1-2 days to wear off.

If I am given eye drops to dilate my pupil, can I drive?

Although the effects may be mild and short-lived in most cases, prudence should prevail. It is recommended that you do not drive or operate heavy machinery until the effects of the drops have worn off. You should ask about the estimated duration of the effects based on the type and amount of drops administered. We therefore always recommend that you are accompanied to the clinic by someone who can drive whenever you have an appointment for a diagnostic test or dilated fundus examination.

Are the tests done at ICO or CEM confidential?

All documents and tests carried out on the patient at our centres are completely confidential and private in compliance with the LOPD (Spanish Personal Data Protection Act). If your doctor is interested in using any of your images or test data exclusively for scientific purposes, you will be asked explicitly for your written permission. The patient's anonymity is always guaranteed when using clinical documents for scientific purposes.

I am going to move house. Can I get a copy of my previous tests?

Documents are saved in our databases so patients can come and collect a copy of their tests at any time.

Legal

Liability insurance: Yes
Limit of indemnity: £0.00

Documents

Dr Aguila  [ PDF 311kb]

CONTACT US

 

Via Augusta, 61

Barcelona

Catalonia

8006

Main phone

340934155637

Fax

34