LASIK Eye Surgery


Suitability



Suitability

If you are considering laser eye surgery, you must undergo a thorough eye examination at Vision Laser to determine your suitability. Only after this examination, in consultation with you, can a decision be made as to whether or not refractive surgery is appropriate and suitable. In particular, your eye specialist can diagnose any conditions that may make surgery a poor choice for you, and recommend an alternative solution.

Is it right for me? If you’re looking for blade free treatment that virtually eliminates the most severe sight-threatening complications, the answer is yes.

If you have thin, irregular or unstable cornea you are unsuitable for LASIK, so we usually recommend ADVANCED LASER Eye Surgery.

Benefits



Benefits

In 2004 we introduced IntraLase® technology to Australia, which allows the corneal flap in LASIK eye surgery to be created using a special laser instead of a blade, resulting in safer more accurate procedure and a better result. IntraLase® has now become the standard of care throughout Australia and the world, with well over a million IntraLase® procedures now having been preformed.

The IntraLase Method also delivers outstanding visual results: more patients achieve vision that is 20/20 or better when the IntraLase Method is used. Patients also report better quality of vision overall, particularly in terms of their ability to see well in low light, such as at dusk or at night.

In a clinical survey of LASIK patients who had their corneal flaps created using a blade and IntraLase Method in the other, the vision in IntraLase eye was preferred 3-to-1 among those who stated a preference.
  • LASIK  (Laser In Situ Keratmileusis) is by far the most widely used surgical procedure for correcting short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and astigmatism because of its excellent results and fast recovery.
  • 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 in order to create the shape required to provide clear vision without glasses of contact lenses.
  • In the past, the flap was created with a blade called a micro-keratome. At Vision Eye Institute this flap is now created using the latest technology laser, called IntraLase®. The IntraLase® laser, with its micron-level accuracy, creates the flap without any cutting in about 15 seconds.
  • In the second step of the procedure, some of the tissue under the flap is painlessly lasered away and the surgeon places the flap back in its original position.
  • No stitches required. Within a few minutes the flap adheres to your underlying cornea, and the edges actually heal in 12 to 48 hours. The entire flap gains strength as it continues to heal in the following weeks or months.
  • Visual recovery is rapid after LASIK. Within one or two days of surgery you can usually see very clearly with minimal side effects and little or no discomfort. Most people can drive and return to work within a day or two of surgery.

    • Procedure



    Procedure

    Post-op Visual Recovery

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

    Post-op Comfort

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