LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis)


LASIK produces excellent visual results with a fast recovery time and minimal discomfort.  This is why it is the most commonly used surgical procedure for correcting:


  • short-sightedness (myopia)
  • long-sightedness (hyperopia)
  • astigmatism


    • LASIK is a two step procedure that involves the creation of a thin flap in the cornea (front surface of your eye) and removal of a tiny amount of tissue from within the cornea.  This procedure creates the corneal shape required to provide clear vision without glasses or contact lenses. The corneal flap can be created with a blade called a micro-keratome. 


    At Vision Laser, this flap is usually created using the latest technology laser called IntraLase®.  The IntraLase® laser, with its micron level accuracy, creates the flap with the laser beam without any cutting.


    At Vision Laser, there are many choices available to our doctors, so there can be some variation in techniques and equipment used.  Your actual procedure will be explained to you in detail as part of your consultation process.  The procedure outlined below is provided as a general guide only.



    Description of the Procedure


    The LASIK procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye:

  • Your cornea is anaesthetised with eye drops.

  • Your surgeon administers anaesthetic eye drops, and then applies an instrument called a lid speculum to keep you from blinking.

  • A corneal flap is created. The flap is comprised of a thin layer of surface corneal tissue. The flap is gently hinged back across the cornea in order to expose the corneal 'bed'.

  • The corneal bed is re-shaped.  Your surgeon uses an Excimer laser to re-contour the corneal bed specifically to your specific prescription needs.  The laser uses an ultraviolet light beam to precisely vaporise a pre-determined amount of tissue across the cornea.

  • The corneal flap is re-positioned. No sutures are required because the eye has natural suction capacity that holds the flap secure.

  • Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are applied.

  • An eye shield is applied to protect the eye while it is healing.

  • Both eyes can be treated on the same day.


    • Post-op Visual Recovery


    People can resume most activities on the day following surgery.  This is because the smoothness of the corneal surface is only minimally disrupted by the LASIK procedure.



    Post-op Comfort


    The eyes should feel fairly comfortable the day after surgery.  This is because the topmost layer of the cornea is only minimally disturbed during the surgery.



    Post-op Stabilisation of Prescription


    The eye tends to stabilise at around one month, which is quicker than with the other laser techniques.  This is because the healing response is relatively mild after LASIK.  Therefore, regression of the prescription is less likely to occur following LASIK surgery compared to other techniques, particularly for treatment of high prescriptions.



    Post-op Corneal Haze


    Virtually no corneal haze is observed after LASIK surgery.