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Laser eye surgery is a quick and painless procedure to restore vision so that glasses or lenses are no longer needed. Have a read of our content below to find out more about the different types, what’s involved, suitability, recovery and our prices.
Laser eye surgery is a term used to describe a collection of procedures. It commonly corrects short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia), astigmatism and reading vision problems (presbyopia).
Different laser eye surgery techniques are used to correct each condition. These corrections are achieved through the use of a laser which reshapes the cornea (the transparent part) and adjusts the focus of the eye. Laser eye surgery at our central London clinic is a brief procedure and is entirely painless due to the application of anaesthetic drops.
There are several different types of laser eye surgery techniques due to the varying conditions treated.
The commonest type of laser eye surgery; 90%+ of patients are suitable. A flap is created in the cornea and reshaped underneath to the correct prescription. Most suited to treating long & short-sightedness and Astigmatism. PresbyMAX can be used to treat reading vision.
LASEK is an alternative to LASIK for patients who have thinner corneas. The main difference is that a flap is not created so reshaping takes place on the surface, resulting in a longer recovery time. This also includes TransPRK with SmartSurf technology (no-touch technique).
SmartSight is the latest innovation in laser eye surgery. It uses a process called refractive lenticule extraction, first popularised by the SMILE™ procedure. This involves creating a corrective lens of tissue within the cornea. Click on the link below to find out more.
Find out more about the process of laser eye surgery, from initial consultation to aftercare and recovery.
We’ll take you through the process of laser eye surgery step by step and explain the potential complications to help you to weigh up the risks and benefits in order to make an informed decision regarding laser eye surgery.
Our consultants will tailor a bespoke laser eye treatment plan just for you, based on your current eye sight and personal needs.
Our dedicated team of consultants, nurses and patient co-ordinators will take you through our laser eye surgery pre-op process ensuring all your questions are answered and you’re totally at ease.
Using a combination of the Schwind ATOS femtosecond laser and the Schwind Amaris 1050RS Excimer laser, your surgeon will correct your vision. The procedure is not painful as anaesthetic drops are used to completely numb the surface of the eye. Both eyes are treated at the same time and the whole laser eye surgery typically takes around 10-15 minutes from start to finish.
If you are about to have or have just had laser eye surgery you’ll want to know how to look after your eyes immediately after surgery to get the best results from your investment. We will let you know what to do, for example avoiding rubbing your eyes, avoiding contact with water, staying away from dirt and dust and wearing sunglasses.
After your laser eye surgery, we’ll support you and review you again on a number of visits to make sure your eyes are healing well and that you’re getting on well with your new HD vision.
While most people are eligible for laser eye surgery, there are a few exceptions:
Find out more about suitability for laser eye surgery here
Your eyes will start healing as soon as the procedure is over and you should see the results of your vision improvement immediately. You will be able to see things much more accurately but there may be a little blurriness shortly after surgery while your eyes stabilise so it’s important to arrange someone to meet you following surgery.
After 24- 48 hours the majority of patients are fully recovered and able to go about their usual day to day activities but this can vary depending on the type of laser eye surgery undergone.
Read more here to find out more about recovery after surgery and common questions asked.
The longest study is about 20 years and we know that those patients have generally been very safe and long-term safety has been excellent. Your laser eye surgery won’t last forever, just as a pair of glasses won’t last forever. That’s because the human eye continues to age and having laser eye surgery doesn’t stop that. So your prescription can change mildly over time, but the main changes occur in your mid to late 40s when your reading vision becomes an issue.
The simple answer is no. We use anaesthetic eye drops to numb the eyes before the procedure, making it as painless as possible. There are certain bits of the procedure where you may be aware of what’s going on, for example in the LASIK procedure there is a bit of pressure, which lasts about 20 seconds – but I wouldn’t describe that as pain.
Laser eye surgery is one of the safest operations available today. We screen patients very thoroughly to try and reduce the risk to the lowest level possible. With modern technology, the risk of laser eye surgery is less than a lifetime of contact lens wear. However, risks do still occur. The most common risk is dry eye. There is always a very small risk of reduction of vision. This can be treated with further corrective surgery. The final risk of surgery relates to a problem with the surgery itself. We are confident in the ability of our surgeons to reduce this to the lowest level possible.
See our surgeons answering some top FAQs in the video below. For more videos, please visit our YouTube channel.
We understand that laser eye surgery is a big decision, and you may have questions. Here we answer some of the most common questions from our patients. For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us on 0203 369 2020.
Yes! Laser eye surgery is one of the safest vision correction procedures. Technology has evolved and our elite surgeons can help you achieve the best results possible with little to no pain.
In our view, laser eye surgery is worth it. Combined with the obvious lifestyle benefits, you will likely find that the cost of the procedure works out at less than the total cost of contact lenses, glasses, eye check ups and other expenses over your lifetime.
Most people are able to resume normal daily activities 24 hours after laser eye surgery. You should notice clearer vision immediately after your surgery. You should wait a little longer before doing certain activities such as exercise. Find out more on our recovery page.
At OCL Vision, our minimum age for laser eye surgery is normally 21, although there are occasional exceptions. This is because the eyes often continue to change into early adulthood or even mid-twenties. There is no upper age limit for laser eye surgery, but for patients who have begun to develop presbyopia a different type of surgery may be needed to correct for both distance and reading vision.
The cost of laser eye surgery at OCL Vision includes the consultation, surgery itself, aftercare and our 15 year guarantee.
We have a number of clinic locations in London and Hertfordshire. This includes our central London clinic close to Harley Street, our Hertfordshire clinic in Elstree, or Spire Harpenden hospital.
Last updated on September 11th, 2023 by Ms Masara Laginaf
