LASIK

LASIK may be right for you if:

• You are 45 and over, have always worn glasses for distance vision
• You are 45-60 and mainly use glasses mainly for reading,
• See our information about Prebyond Laser Blended vision

If LASIK is not right for you, you may be the perfect candidate for ICL (Implantable Contact Lenses). 

The LASIK procedure typically takes only 15 minutes per eye. The actual time that the laser is applied is only 60-90 seconds per eye. You will need to have someone drive you to the practice on the treatment day and take you home afterwards. You and your driver should plan to spend about an hour to an hour and a half at Auckland Eye from start to finish.

No, the laser procedure itself does not hurt. Anaesthetic drops are used to numb the eye and a sedative tablet is offered to help you relax. If you are having LASIK, slight pressure may be felt during the procedure. For three or four hours after surgery, most people’s eyes will feel scratchy, watery and uncomfortable. If you have had PRK, this feeling may last for a few days. Your surgeon will give you medicated drops and lubricants to ease the discomfort and help the cornea heal.

Drive – Most people are able to legally drive on the day after LASIK surgery. Occasionally, glare or residual blurring may make a person feel unsure about driving so soon after LASIK. Sometimes, night driving may be more difficult for a few weeks due to glare. If you had PRK, your vision will take longer to settle so check with your surgeon.

Work – Most people will be completely pain free and have good vision on the day after LASIK. Because you will need a check with your surgeon, this should be a planned day off. Most people will be able to return to normal work on the second day after LASIK surgery. Occasionally people may need a longer period off work (fewer than 5%), mainly those having PRK.

We provide special packages for people travelling to Auckland specifically for LASIK. This includes:

• All-in-one – your assessment and surgery organised for the same day so you only have to spend one night in Auckland, with the first post –op check the following day prior to you returning home.
• Overnight accommodation at nearby hotel is included in your surgery costs.
• The 2-3 month post-operative appointment is provided by your local optometrist
• Patients over the age of 45 may be required to do some additional tests with their local Optometrist prior to coming to Auckland

You’ll need to cover the cost of your travel to and from Auckland and any living expenses you incur while you are here (food, drink etc), but your surgery and one night’s accommodation are both covered by the normal price of surgery.

No, we cannot guarantee perfect results from the surgery because each eye responds slightly differently. However, experience from previously treated people allows us to estimate the probability of your achieving perfect vision. With low amounts of myopia and astigmatism, 98% of people will achieve perfect or near perfect vision.

With moderate amounts of myopia 85% of people will achieve perfect or near perfect vision. People with higher amounts of myopia and astigmatism also have a very good probability of achieving good vision but with a significant chance that glasses or contact lenses will be needed at times, or that further (enhancement) surgery may be required to achieve a full correction.

No, as long as the eye and in particular, the cornea is healthy. After the age of 45 the eye’s ability to do the extra focusing work needed to see for reading or close work gradually diminishes. Many people start to need reading glasses at this age and this requirement for reading glasses is not prevented or fixed by laser eye surgery.

This means that even if you have surgery, you will probably still need reading glasses from age 50. Our experienced team will take this into account and will be able to advise you about the best refractive option for your situation and vision requirements, whether this is LASIK or possibly something else such as a lens replacement procedure

Yes, this is essential to achieve an accurate result. The use of contact lenses may alter the natural shape of soft lenses should be left out for seven days and hard (rigid gas permeable) lenses should be left out for one month per decade of use prior to the initial assessment.

Results have shown that after the completion of the healing process the results gained will be permanent. There are rare cases where blurring of vision may recur. In most cases, this happens after many years and is a result of progression of the process of myopia, which can occur naturally in any person. This could be expected in around 1-2% of treated people