LASEK Eye Surgery

Posted on July 30, 2011 by admin

It seems that LASEK Eye Surgery is a hot topic for anyone who has problems with their vision.

  • Should you consider LASEK Eye Surgery?
  • Is it Safe?
  • Most importantly, does it really make a difference in your everyday life?

First, however, it might help to understand exactly what Lasek Eye Surgery is.

What is LASEK Eye Surgery?

LASEK eye surgery is one of the newest kinds of eye surgeries. It combines the procedures of LASIK eye surgery and PRK.LASEK eye surgery in order to treat a number of eye conditions including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Some of the decided benefits of LASEK eye surgery as compared to other types are the fact that the complications stemming from cutting and having to reattach the flap in the cornea are avoided and also that LASEK is less likely to cause your eyes to dry out; a side effect of LASIK eye surgery that is a common complaint.

During LASEK eye surgery, the outer layer of the cornea is lifted off altogether using a very fine blade which is referred to as a trephine instead of creating a flap with a microkeratome. This means that the procedure is less invasive and that the chances of infection or negative side effects are decreased significantly.

What are the Disadvantages of LASEK Eye Surgery?

Some of LASEK’s disadvantages include a longer recovery time. Unlike those who undergo PREK or LASIK and get their eyesight back within a day or two, LASEK patients can take as long as two weeks to recover completely, though the success of the surgery is also decidedly better than either of the others. LASEK can also be more painful than LASIK, though it is still less painful than PREK surgery. And finally, most LASEK patients will need to wear what is known as a “bandage contact lens” for several days following surgery to serve as protection between your eyelids and the surface of the cornea, they will also need to use topical steroid drops for quite a bit longer than LASIK or PREK patients.

The Advantages and Side Effects of LASEK Eye Surgery

For patients who have what are known as steep (or thin) corneas, LASEK is a better choice than either LASIK or PREK, it also has significantly fewer overall side effects than either of the other two surgeries, especially PREK, but there are still some side effects that a LASEK patient might have to deal with.
These include;

  • The sensation of having something in your eye (this can last up to four days).
  • Temporarily poor vision in low light conditions (which can last up to one year).
  • Dry eyes that may require eye drops (which can last up to six months).
  • Hazy or even cloudy vision (6-9 months).

In the end, of course, the choice of which kind of eye surgery you choose (if you choose any at all) will be entirely up to you, and will depend a great deal on how bad your vision is, and what sort of eye surgery that your doctor recommends.

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London laser eye surgery

Posted on July 5, 2011 by admin

Find laser eye clinics in London

Tired of wearing contact lenses, or frumbling for your glasses first thing in the morning? Or maybe you want to be able to go swimming and play more sport without worrying about losing a lense or breaking your glasses. Laser eye surgery in London is affordable, safe, and available near you.

Reputable laser eye surgery clinics in London are available in most parts of the capital, below we list some of the well-known clinics to help you with your search.

  • Ultralase in Tottenham Court Road
  • Ultralase in Harley Street
  • Ultralase in Hammersmith
  • London Vision Clinic in Harley Street
  • Accuvision in Fulham
  • Optical Express in Kensington
  • Moorfields Eye Hospital in The City of London

Reputable laser eye clinics in London

Good laser eye surgery is all about quality. Quality of the clinic, and of the surgeon carrying out the procedures. Check they are registered with the Royal College of Opthalmologists - many of the London clinics listed above are. Ask about what kind of aftercare backup the clinic offers (patients will require follow-up care and monitoring of their eyes), and find out how many laser eye procedures the surgeon carries out every year – it’s important to know that their clinical knowledge and skills are up-to-date. It’s also common to get a free initial consultation at which the risks, costs and a patient’s suitability for treatment should be discussed.

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The risks of laser eye surgery

Posted on July 5, 2011 by admin

Laser eye clinics often extol the virtues of laser eye treatment to prospective patients, without explaining the risks. Any decision to have potentially life-changing, and relatively expensive surgery, particularly to the eyesight, should not be taken lightly. For that reason, a good laser eye clinic will explain the costs, benefits, and risks to patients at the initial consultation stage.

Laser eye treatment – what are the risks?

Fortunately, laser eye treatment is on the whole very safe and can have a positive effect on people’s lives by freeing them from having to use glasses or contact lenses. But there can be side effects and drawbacks to having treatment – we explore some of those below:

  1. Dry eyes - some people experience dry eye symptoms after having laser eye treatment. Whilst the symptoms can be lessened with eye drops or medication, they may not entirely disappear.
  2. Visual aberrations – in rare cases, patients may see ‘halos’ around objects, have reduced night vision, double vision, or increased sensitivity to light.
  3. Results may wear off – more likely in patients with long-sightedness, but the improvements in vision brought about by laser eye surgery may begin to wear off after a few years. Again, this is rare.
  4. Further treatment may be needed – Occasionally, vision may be under-corrected meaning further surgery is needed to achieve perfect sight.

Whilst there are risks, for many people the benefits of laser eye surgery outweigh these. Being able to play more sport, or swim without worrying about contact lenses, as well as never having to buy another pair of glasses – just some of the reasons that more than 100,000 people choose to have laser treatment every year. Reputable laser eye clinics will always take time to explain the potential risks and many will do this as part of a free initial consultation to assess patients’ suitability for laser eye surgery.

 

 

 

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