How does laser eye surgery work?

The eye is like a camera that focuses a clear image onto the retina at the back of the eye. The shape of cornea at the front of the eye determines the focusing power. If this is not perfectly aligned with the length of the eye itself, the image on the retina may be blurred or distorted. These misalignments are called refractive errors and this is why glasses or contact lens are needed to sharpen the focus.

The aim of laser eye surgery is to change the shape of the cornea using a cold ultraviolet laser. The ideal shape for clear vision is calculated pre-operatively at your assessment using state of the art computerized optical technology.

• To correct short-sight (myopia) the cornea needs to be made flatter.
• To correct long-sight (hyperopia) the centre of the cornea needs to be made steeper.
• To correct astigmatism the laser beam modifies the corneal shape in different regions.

Am I a candidate for laser eye surgery?

You must:

• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be free of eye disease
• Wear glasses or contacts for distance vision and have a stable refraction
• Be within treatment parameters
• Have realistic expectations and are in good health
• Be able to come to your 1 day, 1 month, 3 months, 1 year and any other follow-up appointments required.

Is Laser eye surgery effective?

One year after treatment over 95% of people with low to moderate prescriptions are able to pass a driver’s licence vision test without corrective lenses.

Can both eyes be treated at the same time?

Yes. Patients frequently request both eyes to be treated on the same day, whilst we are also happy to treat each eye individually on separate visits if the patient prefers.

Does it hurt?

Local anaesthetic eye drops are used to numb the eye so that you may find the feeling ‘unusual’ but rarely painful. As long as you feel comfortable and confident in your surgical team, as our patients are, you are unlikely to feel any pain during the treatment.

Will I need to take time off work?

Your initial consultation can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours, so it’s advisable that you take a couple of hours off work so that you can relax and get the most out of your consultation. Whilst you can go straight back to work after your consultation, you are advised not to drive as the drops that you will have had to dilate your pupils may make your vision slightly blurry or sensitive. Although the treatment itself only takes 15-20 minutes you should allow 2 hours from arrival to leaving the clinic, and you should have somebody with you. With regards to how many days you need to take off work afterwards, it depends on your treatment and your surgeon will advise you of this at your consultation. On average, you may need to take from 1 day to 1 week off work, and allow fifteen minutes at least for each of your follow-up appointments.

How quickly will I be able to exercise after treatment?

You will be able to perform gentle exercise for the first one week after treatment. After this you will be able to resume more strenuous activity, such as going to the gym. We advise that you avoid contact sports for 3 months prior to treatment. We advise that you avoid swimming for 3- 4 weeks after surgery (especially if it is in the sea).

Can I afford it?

Think about how much money you’ve spent so far on glasses, think about how much more you’re going to spend on your designer frames, prescriptions or contact lenses then come to your consultation, get a quotation and do the maths. At your consultation the amount that you are quoted will be the final amount that you pay, with no hidden extras.

Cathedral Eye Clinic can offer easy payment terms and we will do our best to ensure that you manage to pay for your treatment at a realistic rate and time-frame.

No more paying for the glasses you left on the plane, no more repairing the other pair you sat on!

What are the risks?

Laser eye treatment has been around for over 20 years and the results have been extremely positive, especially as technology has improved.

The most common problem after treatment is dry-eye, which ironically can cause your eyes to water. This problem usually goes within a couple of months. The other complication which may occur is under or over-correction, which can be easily rectified by what is called an ‘enhancement’.

At your consultation your surgeon will discuss all the pros and cons with you in great depth so that you can make an informed decision of what you want to do.

Am I too old for laser surgery?

There are different treatments to suit different age-groups. At Cathedral Eye Clinic we can even treat children for such conditions as Strabismus (squint). Where a person may not be suitable for LASEK or LASIK due to their age or requirements, intra-ocular lens (IOL) surgery may be more suitable for them. Your surgeon will advise you on which is most suitable for you in order to make the right decision.

Will it change my life?

It is important to remain realistic about your laser eye surgery, as some treatments are deigned to prevent your condition from worsening as opposed to gaining 20/20 vision.

It is the little things that you may find revolutionise your life....being able to swim in the sea, play rugby with the lads, see your baby’s smile first thing in the morning (before you’ve managed to scramble about under the bed to find your specs).