LASIK LASER EYE SURGERY: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
Nearly half the population require vision correction for problems such as myopia (short-
sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness), astigmatism (irregular cornea) or presbyopia
(reading vision). If you happen to be in the half that already wears contact lens or
glasses, then you must have considered laser eye surgery at least once. In this article
we will answer the many questions you may have about Laser Eye Surgery or Laser
Vision Correction (LVC).
What is laser eye surgery and how does it work?
If you have perfect vision, light rays travel smoothly through the eye to the retina.
However, if the cornea is bumpy or uneven it causes the light to bend so it lands either
before or beyond the retina. The result is poor vision. Laser eye surgery corrects these
tiny imperfections so the light falls in precisely the right place, allowing you to see
clearly without needing to wear glasses or contact lenses.
The most common LVC procedures performed worldwide include LASIK, LASEK/PRK and
SMILE.
All these procedures involve reshaping the cornea, the front layer of your eye,
and correcting any tiny imperfections using an advanced cool beam laser. This makes
your vision clearer and sharper so you no longer need to wear glasses or contact
lenses. In LASIK, laser is used to reshape the cornea after a flap is created in the cornea. In LASEK or PRK, laser is used to reshape the surface of the cornea. In SMILE, laser is used
to remove a lenticule of tissue from within the cornea. All these procedures give you
good vision without glasses or contact lenses.
Who is suitable for laser eye surgery?
If you wear wears glasses and/or contact lens then you may be suitable for LVC. However,
there are other factors which also determine suitability for laser eye surgery. Important
factors include your current glasses prescription, the health of your eyes, results of scans of your eyes, and your work and lifestyle needs.
People with high prescriptions, who are not suitable for LVC, may be suitable for an
alternative refractive procedure called Implantable Contact Lens (ICL). In this procedure, a
tiny contact lens is placed in your eye behind the iris (the coloured portion of your eye) and
in front of your natural lens. The lens implant stays in your eyes for life and does not have to be removed. These special lens give you good vision without the need for glasses or contact
lenses!
Is laser eye surgery permanent?
The effects of laser eye surgery stay with you throughout your life. However, as you age,
your vision naturally changes. After the age of 45, everyone needs reading glasses as the
lens inside your eye loses its elasticity making it harder to focus on close objects. At this
point you have the option of top-up laser surgery or refractive lens exchange surgery so you can remain free from glasses or contact lenses.
Is there is an age limit for laser eye surgery?
No, laser eye surgery can be performed any time after the age of 18. And in fact, there is no upper age limit to having Laser eye surgery. Most people have the misconception that LVC including LASIK can only be performed in their late 20s or early 30s. After the age of 45, most people develop a condition called presbyopia. They find having to wear bifocal/varifocal glasses or more annoyingly two separate pairs of glasses: one for distance and another for near. Presbyopia can be corrected with a type of LASIK called Presby-LASIK or monovision-LASIK.
The procedure is similar to standard LASIK. However, your dominant eye is corrected for
distance vision and your non-dominant eye for near vision. After the procedure, you can do
most daily activities such as driving, playing golf, watching TV, working on the computer and reading the newspaper without glasses.
Refractive lens exchange is another option for correcting presbyopia after the age of 50. In
this surgery, the natural lens in the eye is replaced with a multifocal lens. The surgery not
only treats your myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism but prevents cataracts forming later in
life. This is a more permanent solution to correcting presbyopia and helping you achieve
glasses independence.
How much does laser eye surgery cost?
The average spend on contact lens over ten years is approximately £3600. Add to this the
cost of a pair of glasses (never wear contact lens 7 days a week!) and your spend increases
to £5000. High prescription and astigmatism lens and glasses cost extra. Lost or torn contact lens and broken spectacles cost more. As you can see the costs continue to multiply!! The cost of laser eye surgery is comfortably covered by your spend on contact lens and glasses over a few years.
Interest-free finance provides greater flexibility to spread out this cost.
Mr. Tariq Ayoub
Laser, Refractive & Cataract surgeon
Oculase – The Eye Clinic: London & Birmingham
Considering Laser Eye Surgery?
Book a FREE video consultation to assess your suitability for surgery on oculase.com or call
03301281616