Q: How safe is laser eye surgery?

A: Similar with other forms of surgery, eye surgery does have potential risks that you should be aware of. The exact success of surgery is impossible, what is done is that an accurate prediction is made based on the large numbers of people who underwent the same procedure in the past. Major complications associated with this type of surgery are very rare.

Q: Is laser eye surgery painful?

A: The surgery its self does not cause any pain. What may be felt is a small pressure on the eyeball and surrounding region during the operation. Some degree of discomfort and/ or pain occurs for 2-3 days after laser eye surgery. LASIK eye surgery typically has less pain associated with it, compared with the other types of eye surgery available, e.g. PRK.

Q: Is guaranteed perfect vision from LASIK and PRK generally achievable?

A: Not at all. Since each patients eyes react differently to treatment no 100% guarantee of perfect eyesight is available. Past operative achievements are used to generate an estimate of the chances of creating perfect eyesight.

Around 95% of people with low levels of myopia and astigmatism (maximum three diopters) who undergo laser eye surgery tend to achieve near-perfect or perfect vision. Higher levels of astigmatism or myopia still allow the majority of patients to gain near-perfect or perfect vision, although there is a significant chance that contact lenses or glasses may be required from time to time. If so required further surgery can be made to improve the patients clarity of vision.

Q: The corrective surgery is effective for what period of time?

A: After your eyes have healed from the operative damage caused the final effect is permanent. In some cases that are extremely rare regression occurs. Further surgery is possible to correct this. The vast majority of people who've undergone corrective eye surgery have eyes that remain in focus. Normal changes in the eyes do occur, as you get older your eyes may become slightly shorter sighted. Patients are only operated on if their focusing error is deemed stable.

Q: Is it possible for both eyes to be surgically corrected in the same day?

A: So as to be safe operations on each eye take place two weeks apart. This method allows the vision from the corrected eye to stabilize before the other eye is operated on. Any infections that could, however rare, appear are less likely to spread from the operated-on eye to the healthy eye.