LASIK is a laser vision correction procedure that treats refractive errors permanently. No medical procedure is without any risk. The important thing is to weigh the risks and benefits of each procedure. When the surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon using a careful screening process, the rate of success is very high.

In some cases, years after LASIK, your vision might not be as sharp as the first few years after the procedure. This is called regression, even though it can happen it is unlikely. Each year after LASIK there is a slightly increased chance of needing retreatment. It is common for refractive surgeons to offer a no-cost enhancement in the first year after LASIK if needed. Similar to wearing glasses, LASIK does not prevent your eyes from changing from other diseases or old age. Around the age of 45 you will start wearing reading glasses. This can be corrected again with a laser procedure called PresbyLASIK. Later old age will also give you cataracts or macular degeneration which would need a whole different treatment approach.

Unfortunately, most medical aids do not cover LASIK as it is seen as lifestyle surgery. Medical aids do however cover the pre-tests from your day-to-day benefits if you have funds available. After surgery, patients are welcome to claim back from their medical aid if they do have a refractive benefit in their plan, after the procedure the full costs of the procedure remain the patient’s responsibility. 

The consultation and tests done during an Advanced Ocular Analysis is charged at Discovery Classic Direct rates, other medical aids may have co-payments. If a different eye disease is detected additional tests and scans may lead to additional costs. Most medical aids only cover the consultation from your day-to-day benefits and the rest of the procedure costs are still payable by the patient.   

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If you are considering LASIK and want to find out if you are a candidate you can book a consultation with one of our surgeons.

During our consultations we have to be as thorough as possible. With Laser Vision Correction our aim is perfection which means that we may have to do many scans and tests. Your consultation may take up to 2 hours. Your pupils may have to be dilated to clearly visualise the back of your eye to exclude any other diseases that may influence your results. Dilation can cause you to have blurry vision. It is advisable that you have someone drive for you after your consultation.

Immediately after surgery, you should plan to rest your eyes for 6-12 hours. Consider taking a nap. The day after surgery most patients will see clearly, others may take 2-5 days to recover. You will have post procedure follow-up appointments at one day, one week and six weeks with your ophthalmologist to assess your vision and healing. Complete recovery takes about 3 to 6 months, within this period your vision might fluctuate a bit. You may also experience dryness that should improve. Healing is different for each patient. There is no set timeline for recovery.

LASIK is the safest, most effective, life changing outpatient surgical procedure of any kind. You should look at the risks as compared to your current vision correction choice. Although both contact lenses and LASIK are considered safe, studies show that contact lens wearers are 10 times more likely to experience significant vision loss or blindness from wearing contact lenses compared with having LASIK eye surgery. When the surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon using a careful screening process, the rate of success is very high. Complications from contact lenses accumulate over years, while those from LASIK eye surgery occur over a brief time. Although there are certain situations when losing your glasses might not only be inconvenient but even dangerous, statistically glasses are the safest option.

LASIK is one of the most researched medical procedures. The evidence supporting LASIK is overwhelming, with over 6 300 studies and reports as of July 2019. A recent review of the best studies found them to be free of industry bias and in support of a better than 99% success rate. Refractive surgeons themselves have LASIK and similar surgeries 4 times more frequently than the general population, and they routinely recommend it to friends and family members.

Every surgical procedure, even LASIK, has risks and all patients do not have the same chance of success. You and your ophthalmologist must look at the advantages and disadvantages of Laser Vision Correction considering your lifestyle and your specific situation.

Fortunately, most patients agree that it is a pain-free procedure. You may experience some discomfort like someone is pressing on your eye. Numbing eye drops are used to keep your eyes comfortable and pain-free during LASIK. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes to numb both eyes. 

During the first half of the procedure, it feels like someone is pressing on your eyelid, with the creation of the corneal flap. Thereafter you will be asked to stare at a light as the laser reshapes the cornea. If you are anxious before your procedure, your surgeon can give you a mild sedative to help you relax.

Afterward, you might find that your eyes will be light sensitive and a bit uncomfortable for about 6-8hours, use your drops and pain medication as prescribed to ensure minimum discomfort. 

LASIK is a Laser Vision Correction procedure that treats refractive errors permanently. When the surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon using a careful screening process, the rate of success is very high.

In some cases, years after LASIK, your vision might not be as sharp as the first few years after the procedure. This is called regression and even though it can happen, it is unlikely. Each year after LASIK, there is a slightly increased chance of needing a retreatment. It is common for refractive surgeons to offer an enhancement free of charge in the first year after LASIK if needed. Similar to wearing glasses, LASIK does not prevent your eyes from changing as a result of other diseases or aging. 

Around the age of 45 you will start wearing reading glasses. This can be corrected again with a laser procedure called PresbyLASIK. Later, old age is likely to give rise to cataracts or macular degeneration which would need a whole different treatment approach.

Before we do LASIK/PRK, preparation is key to success. An advanced ocular examination takes about 1.5-2 hours. Not only will these tests determine candidacy for laser vision correction but also screen for other eye diseases. It’s important to note that you might need a driver. Your eyes may be dilated to examine the back of your eye, this leads to light sensitivity and blurry vision.

The procedure itself takes about 15 minutes per eye. By the next morning, you will already see much clearer. For PRK patients the vision will fluctuate for up to two weeks after the procedure.

You should not wear contact lenses for two weeks before having LASIK. 

Like the intricate process of luxury watchmaking, Laser Vision Correction is a delicate combination of art and precision. For a true refractive surgeon, it is not only a form of responsibility, but also a kind of pleasure and an instrument of compassion. A surgeon’s skill is not a dispensable luxury but a simple necessity. Do your homework – spend some time researching refractive surgeons in your area. Look at things like the training they had, how many laser eye surgery procedures they have performed, their success record of visual outcomes, and their patient references.