LASIK and LASEK

Laser Eye Surgery is generally a very safe and effective treatment for people with a wide range of eyesight problems. It is a quick procedure that reduces the need for glasses or contact lenses. Patients can play sports, swim, spend a day at the beach, and participate in various activities without the restrictions that glasses and contacts bring.

The two most common laser procedures are LASEK and LASIK. With LASIK, a thin flap is cut into the eye's surface and then lifted. Laser energy is applied to the eye for reshaping, and the flap is replaced to serve as a type of natural bandage for quicker healing. A LASEK procedure involves preserving the extremely thin epithelial layer by lifting it from the eye's surface before laser energy is applied for reshaping.

The accuracy of correction has been significantly enhanced by Wavefront analysis of the refractive error prior to surgery and where suitable, the use of Femtosecond lasers and IntraLase® Blade free surgery. Your surgeon will advise you on the most suitable option for you.

Laser vision correction is aimed at those who suffer from one of the more common types of eyesight problems or refractive errors such as near-sightedness (myopia), astigmatism, long-sightedness (hyperopia) or any combination thereof.

Ideally, you should be over 18 years old and have had stable vision and optical prescription for at least the last two years.


All of the above criteria are guidelines, but suitability for treatment by using laser eye corrective surgery can only be determined at a consultation with a trained refractive surgeon.

Risks of refractive surgery
Any surgical procedure can have potential risks or complications. These may vary from mild light sensitivity (or glare) and dryness of the eye, which can last several weeks to those that require additional treatment or enhancement. Fortunately, advances in laser technology have dramatically reduced complications and many problems can be easily corrected with additional treatment.

Preparing for surgery
Contact lenses should not be worn in the weeks prior to LASIK and LASEK vision correction surgery. Your surgeon will advise how long you need to avoid your lenses for, as it will vary depending on the type of lenses you wear. On the day before laser vision correction surgery, patients should stop using any makeup, lotions, perfumes, or creams that may cause debris to get into the eye.

Types of anaesthesia
For most patients, laser surgery is done under local anaesthesia using drops instilled on the surface of the eye. This means you'll be awake during the surgery, but insensitive to any discomfort.

The surgery
The procedure itself takes about 15 minutes, although the length of pre- and post-operative examinations varies depending on the surgeon and the individual case.
The traditional laser vision correction procedure begins with the creation of a hinged corneal flap. After the eye is anaesthetised with topical eye drops, for a LASIK procedure, the surgeon creates the flap on the outer surface of the eye to expose the underlying cornea. The flap can be created with a microkeratome (a hand-held device) or with the IntraLase® computer-guided laser.

After the flap has been created, an excimer laser is used to remove the precise amount of corneal tissue needed to correct your refractive error. Once the cornea has been reshaped, the flap is replaced. The eye will heal by itself and no stitches are necessary.

After surgery
The procedure causes some discomfort for a day or so but the improvement in vision is noticeable almost immediately, although it can take up to six months for vision to stabilize. In most cases, the patient can quickly return to their daily activities a short period of time after the procedure.

Getting back to normal
It may take one to three months for final vision to stabilize.

The new look
Patients can play sports, swim, spend a day at the beach, and participate in various activities without the restrictions that glasses and contacts bring.