What do I need to do for my initial consultation?
It is important to bring an old spectacle prescription (at least one year old) so that we can check if your eyes are stable. Driving is not advised at this appointment or for the treatment itself but is fine for follow up visits.
Contact lens wear should be discontinued prior to the initial appointment because lenses often change the shape of the eye, making accurate measurement impossible. The length of time needed without lenses depends on the type of lens:
Daily wear soft contact lenses: one week
Gas permeable hard lenses: three weeks
Continuous wear soft contact lenses: three weeks
Can I wear contact lenses until the day of treatment?
Because contact lenses can change the shape of the eye, this may affect the results if lenses are worn immediately prior to treatment. It is advisable to leave soft contact lenses out for one week before treatment, and gas permeable lenses for three weeks.
Will I still need glasses after surgery?
The aim of laser treatment is to substantially reduce the dependence on glasses. Most people will have driving standard vision without glasses, but glasses may still need to be worn in certain circumstances, for instance night driving.
Laser treatment cannot prevent the need for reading glasses that occurs with age, although there are measures that can help with near vision.
When can I go back to work?
After LASIK the visual recovery is very rapid, and most people can return to office work within 1-2 days. After surface treatment vision is blurred for longer, but it usually possible to work within 1 week.
With non-laser treatments visual recovery usually takes 2-3 days.
Is it painful?
None of the treatments are painful in themselves because anaesthetic drops are used to numb the eye. After LASIK, there is usually only mild discomfort for less than 24 hours. After surface treatment the discomfort usually lasts for 3-4 days, although various strategies are used to minimize this.
When can I play sport?
Non-contact sports such as tennis are usually possible at one week after treatment. Swimming should be avoided for two weeks, and contact sports should be avoided for at least one month.
What are the risks?
As with any surgical treatment, there are risks in both laser and non-laser treatments, However the likelihood of serious visual loss is very low. These risks will be discussed at your consultation and you will be given comprehensive printed information.
What is the cost of treatment?
The total cost for laser treatment is £1814 per eye. This includes follow up and any further treatment for one year after initial treatment. Please ask for a quotation for refractive lens exchange, cataract surgery and implantable contact lens. The cost of these procedures depends on the type of implant lens used.
