LASIK can treat a range of prescriptions, including long-sightedness, short-sightedness and astigmatism.

LASIK is ideal for patients who are motivated to be spectacle or contact lens free, and who are looking for the quickest recovery time and minimal discomfort.

Before you can have LASIK, you must first have your eye health thoroughly evaluated. This is to identify certain circumstances where this type of laser surgery would not be suitable. You must also have a stable prescription.

If you participate in contact sports, you will be cautioned on the risk of trauma to the eye.

LASIK uses two types of lasers. We use the first laser to create a very small ‘flap’ in the surface of the eye.

We then apply the second laser to shape the front surface of the eye to allow images to focus clearly onto the back part of the eye, which is called the retina.

Advantages of LASIK

• Quick recovery
• Minimal discomfort
• Excellent vision after surgery
• Independence from glasses and contact lenses
• Well established and proven technology (20 years+) with long term data available

Disadvantages of LASIK

• Some patients may not be suitable for it, e.g. those involved with contact sports or with very high prescriptions

A small minority of patients require further laser enhancement in the future.

There is a small risk of infection in the early stages after treatment which can be resolved with antibiotic drops.

LASIK can cause or worsen dry eye symptoms. This can be managed with simple lubricating eye drops and settles with time.

You may experience glare or halos. This usually settles with time.

Exceptionally rarely, the underlying strength of the surface of the eye (cornea) becomes weakened, which may need further treatment to strengthen it.

If you are unsuitable or do not wish to have LASIK you can treat your eye condition with:

• Glasses or contact lenses
• Clear lens extraction – a non-laser treatment that involves the removal of the natural lens in the eye
• Implantable collamer lens (ICL) – a non-laser treatment that involves placing an artificial lens on top of the eyes natural lens

LASIK is complete in 3 simple steps:

1. First, we administer anaesthetic eye drops to eliminate any pain. You lie flat on a bed for approximately 10 – 15 minutes, but the actual procedure takes no longer than a few minutes
2. The first laser is applied to create the flap, and then the second stage laser is used to shape the surface of the eye
3. You can go home

You will notice the results of LASIK within hours of the treatment.

The recovery is very swift, although the healing process may take a few months to complete.

LASIK is permanent; however, it is important to remember that laser eye surgery does not eliminate the need for reading glasses or cataract surgery later on in life.