FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ's)

HOW SAFE IS LASIK SURGERY?

LASIK is very safe with more than 10 million procedures performed over nearly two decades. The risk of complications is very low and now if they occur is usually minor.

ARE THE EFFECTS OF SURGERY PERMANENT?

Once a cornea has been modified by surgery, it tends to stay modified permanently. In a few cases, regression can occur, but this can usually
be corrected. However, age-related visual deterioration (presbyopia) will continue in all people from their forties.

WHAT VISION CAN YOU EXPECT?

• Following laser surgery, the vision is very clear, but not necessarily perfect. We aim to give you perfect vision.
• The object of laser surgery is to dramatically reduce your dependence on spectacles.
• Following laser surgery, 98% of patients can legally drive a car without glasses.

HOW LONG DOES SURGERY TAKE?

• You will be at the Centre for approximately one and a half hours.

WILL YOU BE ANAESTHETISED?

• There are no needles. A 5mg Diazepam (Valium) tablet will be given to you on your arrival at the Centre. Then anaesthetic eye drops will be instilled over a half hour period prior to surgery.

ARE THERE ANY RISKS?

• All surgery carries an element of risk and laser surgery is no different.
• Although the total risk factor is only in the order of 1%, it is imperative that all risks are fully discussed and fully understood by anyone contemplating laser surgery. LASIK performed for severe Myopia and Astigmatism is associated with a higher risk in the order of 2%.

Discomfort:

• Some patients experience mild discomfort following LASIK.

Under or Over Correction:

• Over correction could result if the cornea changes shape too much following laser surgery. Under correction could result if the cornea does not change shape enough following laser surgery. It may be possible to retreat such cases with the laser to enhance the result and restore clear vision. Enhancement procedures, if required, are performed by The Laservision Centre at no extra cost to the patient.

Halo Effect:

• In dim light (e.g. night driving) it is possible some patients might experience halos around lights.

Corneal Haze:

• It is possible that corneal scarring could develop under the flap in LASIK. The effect on vision could be like that of a dirty car windscreen.

Initial Blurred Vision:

• With LASIK, the initial 48 hours sees a large improvement in the initial blurriness caused by the surgery. In only 1-2% does this blurring not fully recover.

Corneal Flap Complications:

• The size and depth of the flap are important for a good result in LASIK. A poor corneal flap may necessitate delaying the surgery. It is conceivably possible that too deep an incision may perforate the cornea resulting in blindness.

Regression:

• Regression is where the cornea's shape after surgery starts to go back towards its original shape. In the unlikely event that this were to occur, it may be possible to retreat the cornea and restore clear vision.

Epithelial Ingrowth:

• During the first 24 hours, the epithelial protective layer grows over the corneal flap. It may be possible that the epithelial cells start to grow under the flap. In such a case, the cornea would need to be retreated with the laser. This is to ensure clear vision.

Raised eye pressure:

• Steroid eye drops used after the procedure can raise the eye pressure. In the unlikely event that this were to occur, it is normally short term. Long term raised eye pressure, however, can permanently damage vision. Thus it is important to attend the follow up care provided by your eye care practitioner to have the eye pressure monitored.

Presbyopia:

• Patients with presbyopia or approaching presbyopia (the need for reading glasses prevalent in the over 40 age group) must understand that LASIK does not treat this age related process (see above).

Loss of best corrected visual acuity:

• It is possible that some patients could lose the ability to read 1 - 2 lines on the eye chart in comparison to their previous best corrected level of vision. This can be due to surface irregularities or decentration of the corrected zone.

Remote risks:

• There is a remote possibility of infection, drug reaction, retinal detachment or other rare complications that could cause partial vision loss.

Long term effects:

• LASIK has been performed for some ten years. Therefore the long term effects and consequences beyond this have not been fully determined.

WHY CHOOSE Vision Laser?

Vision Laser is at the forefront of refractive surgery in Australia. Our highly experienced doctors are committed to providing the most proven and up-to-date technology. We use only world-leading systems and upgrade consistently to maintain the highest standards throughout our centres.

Vision Laser is a pioneer of refractive surgery in Australia. Our doctors are often selected to trial many new advances in eye surgery because of their expertise.

Vision Laser employs dedicated and experienced staff, who are highly trained in all aspects of refractive surgery. Your wellbeing is their top priority.