If you are eighteen years of age or older and wear glasses for long or shortsightedness or for astigmatism, you may be a good candidate for corrective laser eye surgery.
Yes, it can. This is a widely misunderstood issue. There is an urban myth about laser eye surgery, and it is perpetrated by a lot of eye surgeons: “laser eye surgery is only good for young people. It can only get people out of their spectacles for distance vision and it can do nothing about the reading.”
Increased internal eye pressure – eye pressure needs to be well-controlled. Diabetes – if your retinas are healthy, you can proceed to treatment. Large pupils with a high prescription. MS, dry eyes – your suitability will depend on the status of your condition.
You have a thin or irregular cornea
If you have a predisposition to corneal shape irregularity, this can be made worse by laser eye surgery, and a condition called corneal ectasia may develop. This occurs infrequently and can often be treated successfully without the need for a corneal transplant.
One of the key eligibility criteria for laser eye surgery is that your glasses prescription has not changed for at least 12 months. A stable prescription means your vision is unlikely to deteriorate after surgery because of further changes to your cornea.
The cost of consultation fees across Australia range and can be as much as $250 each. At personalEYES, your initial LASIK assessment is completely FREE. The actual cost of laser eye surgery ranges from $2,525 to $6,200 per eye in Australia, depending on the clinic and the type of procedure.
The changes achieved through Laser Eye Surgery are permanent and can often lead to better visual acuity than other options. Furthermore, patients are able to get back to sports and other activities shortly after their procedure.
Typically, eye doctors will set their limits to +6 for farsightedness, -12 for nearsightedness, and 6 diopters for astigmatism. However, not all laser strengths are the same, so there's some wiggle room.
The LASIK Eye Surgery Recovery Process
Most patients see clearly within 24 hours after vision correction surgery, but others take two to five days to recover. Some patients may experience some blurred vision and fluctuations in their vision for several weeks after LASIK.
The LASIK complication rate is less than 1%. LASIK complications include infections as well as dislocation of the corneal flap that's made during the surgery.
In general, laser vision correction works best for nearsighted (myopic) people under about -8 diopters. There are better options for people with a prescription higher than about that. Even people with very low prescriptions can benefit if there is a compelling reason such as taking part in competitive sports, etc.
Someone can become completely blind in one eye or both eyes, even if the person's eyes were only exposed to a laser for a brief period. Laser safety glasses or goggles are critical tools for protecting one's eyesight. The majority of injuries to the eye occur because someone fails to wear the proper eye protection.
The Success Rate of Laser Eye Surgery is Over 99%
Did you know that according to the latest LASIK report by the American Refractive Surgery Council, the success rate of LASIK is now up to 99%? This is incredible to say the least and it just goes to show how far the technology has come over the years.
It's estimated that the chances of going blind as a result of laser eye surgery are around 1 in 5 million.
Immediately after the procedure, your eye may burn, itch, or feel like there is something in it. You may experience some discomfort, or in some cases, mild pain and your doctor may suggest you take a mild pain reliever. Both your eyes may tear or water. Your vision will probably be hazy or blurry.
After LASIK, your eyes will feel gritty and sore. This will typically resolve within 12-24 hours. Severe pain is rare and if you experience severe pain you should contact your surgeon immediately. After trans-PRK/LASEK, your eyes will experience pain and photophobia for 2-3 days as the surface of the eyes heal.
Laser eye surgery (LASIK) is the best way to correct your eyesight to achieve 20/20 vision or better again. The procedure uses a type of laser to gently reshape the surface of the eye and can correct common vision related issues such as far sightedness, near sightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia.
Before we jump into what each section means, as a general rule, the higher the numbers on your prescription, the worse your eyesight is and the stronger your prescription will be to provide the necessary correction. Mild: -0.50 to -3. Moderate: -3.25 to -5.00. High: -5.25 to -10. Extreme: greater than-10.
Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate.
The average age for LASIK has historically been from the mid-30s up. We know that when patients return unhappy with their vision about 10 years after a LASIK procedure, the chief suspects are presbyopia and cataract. So the answer is: “It's almost always the lens, not the LASIK.”
Yes, you will be awake for your entire LASIK corrective eye surgery procedure. Some people assume because they are undergoing a surgical procedure that they will be given anesthesia and be put to sleep. Yet, unlike other types of surgeries, laser surgery only takes a few minutes to complete.
LASIK surgery permanently corrects vision problems like myopia (nearsightedness), usually eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses immediately after the procedure.
Sadly, laser eye surgery is not covered by Medicare. Laser eye surgery is considered a cosmetic procedure and therefore; not covered under any Medicare scheme.