What You Need to Know About Laser Eye Surgery

Did you know that approximately 50% of Australians wear glasses or contact lenses to see clearly and most people will need them at some time during their life for reading?

Laser eye surgery is a lifestyle choice for people who want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses for many different reasons:

• Glasses or contact lenses are uncomfortable
• Swimming, surfing, diving
• Playing sports – cricket, golf
• Wedding day

If you want to experience the freedom of clear vision without glasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery may be the answer for you.

• Laser Eye Surgery FAQ's

  What is LASIK? What is the success rate? What is involved?

  LASIK is an acronym for LASer In-situ Keratomileusis. Kerato means the cornea, and simileusis is Greek for carving or sculpting. It is called in situ because surgeons work with the cornea while it is in the eye.

  This is a procedure designed to correct the refractive error of patients who are short sighted, long sighted or astigmatic by reshaping the corneal surface of the eye. The cornea is the transparent window at the front of the eye.

  The operation is performed under local anaesthetic eye drops to numb the surface of the eye.

  It involves the creation of a very thin layer (or flap) on the surface of the cornea, which is folded back. The laser is then applied, re-shaping the underlying surface for the correction of the refractive error. The flap is then replaced and bonds rapidly with the cornea without requiring any sutures. The flap acts like a natural Band-Aid, allowing for rapid healing, minimizes post-operative discomfort and risk of infection.

  Most people are able to return to their normal activities within 24 hours.

  How much does the surgery cost and is it covered by private health funds or Medicare?

  A free assessment by our refractive surgery staff is available to assess your suitability for refractive surgery.

  The initial  consultation with an ophthalmologist costs $210.00. Although a referral is not necessary, Medicare will provide a slightly higher rebate of around half of this fee  if you obtain a referral from your a GP or your usual optometrist. If no written referral is provided.

  Your investment in the LASIK procedure (laser eye surgery) will be $3,400.00 for one eye. You may choose to pay this by cash, credit card, bank cheque or electronic funds transfer at the time of your surgery.

  This procedure is not covered by Medicare. Most private health funds also do not cover LASIK but you should check with your fund to find out your eligibility. A tax rebate of 20% of medical expenses over $2,000 spent in any financial year is claimable on your tax return at the end of the financial year.

  What steps do I need to take to have LASIK?

  You will need an assessment appointment to find out if you are a suitable candidate for LASIK. It is usual to get a referral letter from either an Optometrist or your GP to see the surgeon. This is not essential, but it will help to reduce the Medicare gap payable for the initial consult. Soft contact lens must be left out for seven days prior to your consultation and hard contact lens for one month. This is because the lenses change the natural shape of your eye and may give inaccurate results during testing.

  How long does the Laser Eye Surgery procedure take?

  Approximately 10-15 minutes per eye. You could expect to be at the clinic for about 2 hour on the day. We ask that you have a restful day after your procedure, and recommend that you sleep or rest with the eyes closed to assist the healing process.

  What happens if my eye moves during surgery?

  In order to make the corneal flap with the IntraLase laser, a fixation device is positioned over the white of the eye, in order to hold the eye in place, therefore minimising your ability to move during this delicate part of the procedure.

  The Excimer laser is fitted with iris recognition and an infrared eye-tracker which is locked in position prior to the commencement of the excimer laser application. This eye-tracker measures eye movements during surgery and is capable of following and actively adjusting the laser beam as small movements are detected. This provides excellent safety and surgeon control.

  How long will it be before I can see clearly after Lasik?

  You will be able to see your surroundings immediately following surgery. Plastic shields cover and protect your eyes for 24 hours after the procedure. Within 4-6 hours after surgery your vision becomes quite clear.

  Can I drive after my Lasik procedure? How long before I can return to work?

  You can not drive until you have been seen by the surgeon the day after your procedure and had the plastic shields removed.

  Returning to work depends on the type of work that you do. The recovery time is rapid, but reading the computer screen (or reading in general) may be difficult for the first two weeks while the tissue is healing. Minor visual clarity changes are also common within the first 10 -14 days post-operatively. If you work in a dusty or aquatic environment it may be advised to take a short period of leave following surgery. A medical certificate can be arranged by a Lasik Consultant.

  Can LASIK work for all types of eye disorders?

  LASIK is the most common type of refractive laser surgery today and is used to correct long-sightedness, short-sightedness or astigmatism. Conditions such as Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma cannot be treated with this type of laser. These conditions may be treated using other types of lasers but this depends on the extent of the condition, and you would be best advised by your specialist.

  How soon can I play sport after surgery?

  We advise that you avoid swimming and contact sports for one month after surgery. Visiting the gym is fine as is cycling, jogging etc.

  LASIK is not suitable for Boxing or other sport where eye injury is possible or expected. PRK is more suitable for these sports.

• Latest Technology - Lasik and Intralse Explained

  What is LASIK and IntraLase?

  Intralase the revolutionary procedure known as LASIK has become one of the most popular and successful in the world today. LASIK is the most commonly used surgical procedure for correcting short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia), and astigmatism.

  With the IntraLase method, pulses of laser light create your corneal flap, which is then lifted so that the next step of LASIK – the re-shaping of your cornea – can be performed. IntraLase is a 100% blade-free computer-guided technology, and it is more accurate than the technique of using a hand-held mechanical microkeratome instrument.

  Vision Eye Institute doctors are the pioneers of laser eye surgery in Australia.

  They are the LASIK specialists in Sydney.

• Cost of Lasik Surgery and Finance Options

  Lasik Eye Surgery Costs

  The cost of your surgery will vary depending on the procedure you have. During your initial consultation we will discuss the options and costs with you.

  As a guide our laser eye surgery fees range from $3,100 per eye to $3,400 per eye. Please consult your Vision Laser clinic for full details.

  The laser eye surgery fee includes:

  • Laser facility fees
  • Surgeon’s fees
  • Optometrist’s fees
  • Post operative medications
  • post-operative visits

  The cost of laser eye surgery cannot be claimed from Medicare or from most Private Health Funds. However, you may be eligible for a Medical Expenses rebate on your tax return. Please check with your tax accountant.

  Please note: The initial assessment is not part of the surgery fee, please contact your clinic for details.

  Lasik Finance Options

  Click the following link to find out more about Vision Payment Plans and laser eye surgery cost.

  Both of these plans are provided by GE CareCredit, which is a credit facility offered by GE Finance Australasia Pty Ltd, trading as GE Money.

  12 month interest-free payment plan available *

  Click the calculator below to estimate your monthly payments

  CareCredit Repayment Estimate Calculator

Laser Cataract Surgery

The most exciting advance in a generation

It’s not often you can announce a development that is truly game changing. But that’s what has happened with laser cataract surgery. The same technology that ophthalmologists have used to perform over 3 million LASIK vision correction procedures worldwide can now be used during cataract and lens replacement surgery. And leading the way – again – is Vision Eye Institute, first with laser cataract srugery in Australia (and the Southern Hemisphere).

What is laser cataract surgery?

This revolutionary breakthrough brings high levels of predictability and control into the surgeon’s hands. In simple terms, laser cataract surgery allows laser technology (known as femtosecond laser) to perform significant parts of cataract and refractive lens exchange surgery. SMA stands for ‘safer, more accurate’ – because of the high level of precision that this new technology introduces to the procedure.

Micron level precision

The benefit of laser technology is that the first three steps of the procedure – the Corneal Incision, Capsulorhexis and partial Lens Fragmentation – are performed using an image-guided femtosecond laser, rather than manually. This means that some of the most critical steps now have a higher level of predictability and control, enhancing the surgeons ability to predictably perform cataract and lens replacement surgery.

Read More

LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis)

The LASIK procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye:

• Your cornea is anaesthetised with eye drops.
• Your surgeon administers anaesthetic eye drops, and then applies an instrument called a lid speculum to keep you from blinking.
• A corneal flap is created. The flap is comprised of a thin layer of surface corneal tissue. The flap is gently hinged back across the cornea in order to expose the corneal ‘bed’.
• The corneal bed is re-shaped. Your surgeon uses an Excimer laser to re-contour the corneal bed specifically to your specific prescription needs. The laser uses an ultraviolet light beam to precisely vaporise a pre-determined amount of tissue across the cornea.
• The corneal flap is re-positioned. No sutures are required because the eye has natural suction capacity that holds the flap secure.
• Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are applied.
• An eye shield is applied to protect the eye while it is healing.
• Both eyes can be treated on the same day.

• How Long Before I Can See Clearly Again

  People can resume most activities on the day following laser eye surgery. This is because the smoothness of the corneal surface is only minimally disrupted by the LASIK procedure.

• Will My Eye Be In Any Discomfort After Surgery?

  The eyes should feel fairly comfortable the day after lasik eye surgery. This is because the topmost layer of the cornea is only minimally disturbed during the surgery.

• How Long Before My Eye Has a Stable Script Again?

  The eye tends to stabilise at around one month, which is quicker than with the other laser techniques. This is because the healing response is relatively mild after LASIK. Therefore, regression of the prescription is less likely to occur following LASIK surgery compared to other techniques, particularly for treatment of high prescriptions.

If you are interested in improving your vision and quality life through Laser Eye Surgery or Laser Cataract Surgery, the first step is finding out if you are a suitable candidate and visiting my clinic for a sutabilty assesment. This assement will take about one hour and several test will be performed to understand your suitability.

Suitability assessments with the optometrist take approx 1 hour.

Tests performed are:

·         History taking – patient’s are asked about general health, ocular health, allergies etc.

·         Vision – vision is checked for distance and near, with and without glasses

·         Corneal topography – orbscan and pentacam are performed to  determine corneal shape and thickness

·         Check glasses – glasses are measured

·         Measure refraction – subjective refraction is performed to determine patient’s prescription

·         Discussion regarding what the patient is suitable for

·         Offers patient to see Doctor that same day for full refractive consult.

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