Ophthalmic surgeon in Geneva

Dr Arthur Hammer, FMH ophthalmic surgeon, practises in Lausanne and Geneva. Consultations and procedures are split between his practice sites depending on the reason for referral and the type of procedure. The exact appointment arrangements, and where the consultation will take place, are confirmed when you contact the secretariat.

Keratoconus, Fuchs dystrophy, corneal swelling and endothelial failure, corneal dystrophies, recurrent corneal erosion syndrome and pterygium are among the conditions treated. Depending on the situation, management ranges from simple monitoring to cross-linking, intracorneal ring segments or lamellar transplantation. Only a specialist examination can establish the indication.

Lamellar transplants replace only the affected corneal layer. DMEK and DSAEK treat the endothelium, for instance in Fuchs dystrophy or corneal swelling. DALK replaces the anterior layers while preserving the patient's own endothelium. Penetrating keratoplasty replaces the full thickness of the cornea and remains indicated in the most extensive disease. The choice depends on which layer is affected and is made after a full assessment.

Consultations can be held in French or in English. Dr Hammer completed his surgical training at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, where he then practised as a consultant, and subsequently at the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital in Lausanne. He regularly sees international patients living in or travelling through the Lake Geneva region.

You can request a consultation directly, without a referral from your family doctor, including on HMO, family-doctor and Telmed insurance models: ophthalmology is an explicit exception with every Swiss LAMal insurer. Many patients are also referred by their ophthalmologist or optometrist for a specialist opinion on the cornea or on refractive surgery.

Yes. Keratoconus, the progressive distortion and thinning of the cornea that mainly affects adolescents and young adults, is one of Dr Arthur Hammer's subspecialties. Several treatments exist depending on the stage: corneal cross-linking to stabilise progression at early stages, topography-guided custom PRK combined with cross-linking, intracorneal ring segments to regularise the cornea, and corneal transplantation at advanced stages. Keratoconus is an absolute contraindication to LASIK and SMILE.

A first consultation generally lasts between 30 and 60 minutes depending on the reason for referral. It includes a full medical history, measurement of the refraction and intraocular pressure, and a slit-lamp examination. Depending on the indication, specialist tests may be performed: corneal topography and tomography, pachymetry, aberrometry, OCT, optical biometry, pupillometry, specular microscopy and visual fields. The diagnosis is made at the end of the consultation and the treatment options explained. Except in emergencies, no procedure is carried out the same day, so that you have time to consider it.

An ophthalmologist is a doctor specialising in the eye and vision, trained in the diagnosis and medical treatment of eye disease. An ophthalmic surgeon has completed advanced surgical training and performs eye operations: cataract, refractive surgery, corneal transplants, ICL implants or surgical treatment of keratoconus. Not every ophthalmologist is a surgeon. The Swiss FMH title in ophthalmology and ophthalmic surgery, held by Dr Arthur Hammer, certifies that dual competence.

Appointments to be held at Swiss Visio Montchoisi (Lausanne) are booked online through the OneDoc platform, accessible from this site, or by telephone with the secretariat. To obtain an appointemnt in Geneva, please use the contact form of this website and the secretaries will get in touch. It helps to bring your previous spectacle or contact lens prescriptions, along with any earlier eye tests. If you wear contact lenses and a corneal assessment is planned, they must be left out for several days beforehand, as they temporarily distort the cornea.