Am I eligible for Lasik?

Generally, a suitable candidate will be at least 18 years of age, have had a stable vision for the last 12 months, is not pregnant, is free of certain diseases of the cornea and retina and is generally in good health.

How long will the procedure take?

Each procedure takes only a few minutes on each eye but you will need to be at the centre for a few hours to ensure all pre- and post-operative checks are carried out.

Will I be able to throw away my glasses?

This depends on your age and what you and the surgeon decide. The goal is for you to throw away your glasses!

How soon can I get back to normal, drive, play sport or go to work?

Most people return to work and drive the day after lasik surgery.

Do I need to take time off from work?

This depends on the procedure you have and your work environment. It is possible to have a consultation and surgery on the same day.

Is the procedure safe?

LASIK is considered to be very safe. Over 10 million cases have been performed worldwide in the past 14 years. In the hands of an experienced surgeon utilising state-of-the-art equipment the procedure has an extremely low incidence of complications that are significant.

Lens Implants are increasingly popular and very safe, with Cataract surgery the most commonly performed eye procedure in Australia.

What is the risk of complication?

Like with all surgical or medical procedures there is a risk of complication. These are rare, and usually minor if they do occur. However, treatment should not be done if the patient cannot accept the remote possibility of a complication that could compromise the vision in an eye.

Will I have any long-term side effects?

If your surgery is complication free - no.

What if I can't keep my eye still enough or if I blink during the procedure?

We use a small device to prevent the eyelids blinking. We have an active eye tracker which detects even microscopic eye movement and can redirect the laser beam as required.

Will my vision be corrected forever?

Once the cornea has been modified it tends to stay modified permanently. There can be occurrences of regression in the first three months, which can be corrected with an enhancement procedure. The vast majority of corrected eyes remain stable, permanently correcting near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism.

Near vision deteriorates in all people over forty. This deterioration is called presbyopia and occurs regardless of whether a person is short or long sighted, or started with normal vision.

The onset of cataracts in older age can also affect vision. Cataract surgery is one of the most common eye procedures in Australia and can fix this problem.

I wear glasses for reading. Can laser surgery fix this?

Yes. Monovision provides independence from reading glasses and contact lenses. The word 'monovision' literally means 'one vision', in which one eye is focused for near vision and the other for distance.

Monovision is subject to individual adaptation and can be trialled with contacts or glasses prior to surgical treatment. Your suitability to monovision can be discussed at the time of your consultation with the ophthalmologist.

Will I be able to wear corrective lenses after Lasik?

Most patients do not require any correction after their procedure. However, there is usually no problem if you do require a minor prescription. Contact lenses can be worn 1 month after the procedure.

Are all Excimer lasers the same?

No, the first generation lasers were called 'broad beam lasers'. The results were satisfactory and still today a small number are used. Later, scanning lasers were developed where a small spot or strip of laser beam rapidly scans the cornea.

Nearly all lasers today are made of this type and most experts are of the view that there are significant advantages of flying spot lasers like the Bausch and Lomb TechnolasTM 217 used by LASERSIGHT.

How will I know which treatment is best for me?

Your surgeon will advise this after a thorough examination at a consultation.

I don't need glasses all the time, so would LASIK work for me?

This depends on your age and your vision issues.