Laser eye surgery

Yes, many forms of astigmatism can be corrected with Laser Eye Surgery. The laser reshapes the cornea to improve the way light is focused, and astigmatism can often be treated alongside short-sightedness or long-sightedness.

Suitability depends on the type and degree of astigmatism, your corneal measurements and overall eye health.

Having diabetes does not automatically mean Laser Eye Surgery is unsuitable, but additional assessment is important.

Your clinical team will need to consider factors including how well your diabetes is controlled, the stability of your prescription, retinal health, the condition of your natural lens and how your eyes are likely to heal. Poorly controlled blood glucose can affect prescription stability, so suitability must be assessed individually.

Laser Eye Surgery is generally considered once you are an adult and your prescription has become stable. There is no fixed upper age limit, but age-related changes in your vision can affect which treatment is most suitable.

If you are over 45 and need reading glasses, laser eye surgery might not be ideal. This is due to presbyopia, an age-related change in the eye's lens that laser treatment cannot effectively correct. For this age group, Phakic IOL surgery may be a suitable long-term option, depending on eye health and suitability.

No. Laser Eye Surgery is suitable for many adults, but not everybody. Your prescription needs to be sufficiently stable, and your corneal measurements, eye health and prescription must fall within an appropriate treatment range.

Some people who are not suitable for laser eye surgery may have other vision correction options available.

Corneal haze is a potential healing response associated with surface laser procedures such as PRK. It describes cloudiness that can develop within the cornea during healing. Modern treatment planning, medication and careful suitability screening help manage the risk, but corneal haze remains one of the possible PRK side effects that should be discussed before treatment. Your eyes will be monitored during follow-up appointments as they heal.

PRK may be suitable for adults with a stable prescription who want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses. It can be particularly relevant where corneal thickness, eye measurements, occupation or contact sports make a surface laser procedure appropriate. The only way to determine your individual suitability is through a detailed eye assessment.

Both procedures can provide strong long-term vision correction for suitable patients. The main differences relate to how treatment is performed and the early recovery experience. PRK requires several days for the surface of the cornea to heal, while other laser procedures may have a faster initial recovery. Your clinical assessment will determine which approach is more appropriate for your eyes.

PRK provides vision correction without creating a corneal flap. It can therefore be suitable for some patients with thinner corneas or lifestyles where a flap-free procedure may be preferable. For suitable patients, PRK can provide strong long-term vision correction and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

Yes, temporary dry-eye symptoms can occur after PRK. Dryness, grittiness and fluctuating vision can occur while the eye surface heals. These symptoms often improve over time, although every patient's recovery is different. Existing dry eye should also be assessed before treatment.

PRK can correct many cases of astigmatism, but eyes can continue to change naturally over time. Some patients may experience regression of part of their original prescription, which can include some astigmatism. If your vision changes following surgery, the clinical team can assess the cause and determine whether further treatment is appropriate.

No. PRK is a surface laser treatment and does not require the creation of a corneal flap. This means flap-specific complications do not apply to PRK. However, PRK has its own potential risks and recovery considerations, which your surgeon will discuss with you before treatment.

PRK is a well-established form of laser eye surgery. However, no surgical procedure is completely without risk. Possible PRK eye surgery risks include infection, inflammation, dry eye, glare, halos, under- or over-correction and corneal haze. Careful assessment before treatment helps identify whether PRK is appropriate for your eyes. Your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon will discuss the relevant benefits and risks with you before surgery.

PRK treatment costs can vary depending on the treatment plan and technology recommended for your individual eyes. Your full treatment cost will be explained clearly following your suitability assessment, including what is included in your treatment and aftercare. For current information, visit our laser eye surgery pricing page.

The surface layer of the cornea generally heals over approximately five days, during which a protective contact lens is normally worn. Patients may need around 5 to 7 days away from work depending on their occupation and individual recovery. Vision then continues to improve and settle during the following weeks.

The PRK procedure itself is performed using anaesthetic eye drops. The main difference in comfort occurs during recovery. Because the surface of the cornea needs time to heal after PRK, soreness, grittiness, watering and light sensitivity can occur during the first few days. Our team will explain what to expect and how to manage the early recovery period before you have surgery.

Anaesthetic drops are applied first to numb your eye. The epithelial surface is then prepared so an excimer laser can reshape the cornea and correct your prescription. A protective contact lens is placed over the treated eye afterwards and normally remains in place for approximately five days while the surface heals.

PRK may be recommended when your eye measurements or lifestyle make a surface procedure more suitable. For example, it may be considered for some patients with thinner corneas or people involved in certain contact sports or occupations where avoiding a corneal flap may be preferable. Your consultation will establish which treatment is most appropriate for you.

PRK and LASEK are closely related surface laser eye surgery techniques, but they are not exactly the same. With PRK, the epithelial cells on the surface of the cornea are prepared and removed before the excimer laser treatment.

With LASEK, the epithelial layer is softened and moved aside before laser treatment, then repositioned across the corneal surface afterwards. Both procedures normally use a protective contact lens while the eye surface heals. Optilase offers PRK. Your clinical team can explain the procedure in detail during your consultation.

PRK, or Photorefractive Keratectomy, is a surface laser eye surgery used to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism. The outer surface of the cornea is carefully prepared before an excimer laser reshapes the tissue underneath. A protective contact lens is then placed over the eye while the surface heals.

Laser Eye Surgery is performed in order to correct problems related to the cornea. Generally speaking, laser eye surgery is suitable for people between the ages of 18-65 and corrects the following conditions;In people over the age of 40 wearing reading glasses, the problem is usually related to the lens of the eye. As the eye ages, the lens becomes hard and loses its gel-like flexibility. The muscles surrounding the lens which in a young eye can help the lens to focus also become weaker and as a result the eye cannot focus on fine print. The condition is called presbyopia. Reading vision correction corrects presbyopia.Laser Eye Surgery is performed in order to correct problems related to the cornea. Generally speaking, laser eye surgery is suitable for people between the ages of 18-65 and corrects the following conditions;

• Long sightedness
• Short sightedness
• Astigmatism

In people over the age of 40 wearing reading glasses, the problem is usually related to the lens of the eye. As the eye ages, the lens becomes hard and loses its gel-like flexibility. The muscles surrounding the lens which in a young eye can help the lens to focus also become weaker and as a result the eye cannot focus on fine print. The condition is called presbyopia. Reading vision correction corrects presbyopia.

At Optilase, we are also proud to offer combination procedures whereby we can correct problems relating to the cornea and reading vision problems using a combination of laser eye surgery and reading vision correction treatments.

PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) or Surface Treatment (PRK/EK) is a vision correction procedure in which the vision correction treatment is applied to the surface of the cornea. PRK is the procedure of choice for patients whose corneas are too thin to have LASIK.

LASIK is the most frequently performed laser procedure in the world. Your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon prepares your eye for laser treatment by creating a small flap on the surface of the cornea (front surface of the eye) by using blade-free IntraLase technology. The laser is then applied to the underlying surface to reshape your cornea and correct for your prescription. Your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon then places the flap back down and your eye begins to heal. The key benefits of the LASIK procedure are a rapid recovery time, usually within 48 hours and little or no post operative discomfort.

As with any elective surgery, there are risks involved. You will be made aware of these risks during your initial free consultation as well as your pre-operative consultation.

At Optilase, your safety is our No. 1 priority. We use the most advanced and safest laser technology and all of our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons, Laser Optometrists, Laser Technicians and surgery nurses are highly experienced and fully accredited.

The laser vision correction process itself is painless as we use anaesthetic drops to numb your eyes. Depending on your treatment type. there can be some discomfort in the days following treatment, but this is generally temporary.

Everyone is different, but it can be completely normal to have bruising on one or both eyes after LASIK Laser Eye Surgery.

Both procedures have the same outcome/results. The only difference is the the actual procedure and aftercare. There is a slightly longer recovery in a PRK surgery.