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More people than ever are suitable to have laser eye surgery but there are still some restrictions on who can have refractive surgery. Below we’ve put together a guide to the criteria normally used by clinics to select who is eligible for vision correction surgery (we also have more information on suitability here):
You are suitable if:
You are not suitable if:
The particular laser eye treatment that is right for you will depend on your budget and eye condition. The tabs below give an overview of the different laser eye surgery treatment types.
What Is It? |
Best for? |
|
---|---|---|
LASIKLaser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis |
LASIK is the most common type of laser treatment and is relatively painless. It involves creating a flap in the cornea, peeling it back to expose the stromal layer. The cornea is then reshaped with a laser beam and the flap is replaced afterwards. | This procedure is best for those with common sight problems, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. |
LASEKLaser-Assisted Epithelial Keratomileusis |
LASEK surgery involves peeling back the epithelium (the thin layer of cells that cover the cornea), exposing the Bowman’s layer. This is then reshaped with a laser beam and the epithelium is replaced. | This treatment is the most viable option for patients with thin corneas, and is a good alternative to LASIK surgery. |
Wavefront |
Wavefront is a type of technology utilised in LASIK and LASEK procedures. Software creates a map of the patient’s eye to give an accurate picture of the aberrations to be corrected. The map is then used to control the laser so that it can reshapes the cornea exactly to the patient’s specific requirements. | This is best for those who can are eligible for standard LASIK and LASEK procedures but have the budget to pay the extra to get superior results. |
SMILESmall Incision Lenticule Extraction |
ReLex SMILE is a new, minimally-invasive laser eye treatment which offers a great alternative to LASEK and LASIK treatment. Rather than creating a flap in the cornea for the laser, this procedure involves making a small hole in the cornea using a state of the art laser that places a series of pulses in the centre of the cornea. | It is generally used for correcting higher degrees of myopia with or without astigmatism. More people are suitable for this treatment than for LASEK and LASIK treatment. |
PRKPhotorefractive Keratoctomy |
PRK is the oldest type of laser eye treatment and involves the removal of the epithelium in order to access the cornea. The cornea is reshaped with laser and the patient will then have to wear a protective lens during the recovery period. | Best for those on a budget and who qualify. It is rarely used these days, but PRK a good alternative to LASIK and LASEK for people with very thin corneas who would otherwise not be considered as candidates for laser eye treatment. |
Laser eye surgery is appropriate for you if you have a moderate degree of:
The eye is quickly numbed with some anaesthetic eye drops.
You'll only be in the surgical theatre for around 10 minutes and the actual laser will only be used from just a few seconds to two minutes depending upon the complexity of your prescription. The procedure should be painless.
The length of your recovery period depends on the type of laser eye surgery you’ve had and your overall health. In general, LASIK surgery patients can expect to have normal vision and return to work within 24-48 hours after surgery. Patients who underwent LASEK surgery may take up to one week to recover. Your surgeon will give you an expected recovery duration in your initial consultation.
Clinics will typically offer some aftercare provision as standard for all patients which is included in the price. This normally involves 2 to 4 checkups over the course of 3-12 months, depending on the clinic. You will also be provided antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops to use after your procedure.
The particular laser eye treatment that is right for you will depend on your budget and eye condition. Click the tabs below to get an overview of the treatment types offered.
Is It Safe?
Whilst the procedure has a very good safety record and does not hurt it is important to understand there are some risks and potential side effects with any surgery as shown in the tabs below.
It should be noted that serious issues are rare and in the UK, regression occurs among only 5% of laser eye surgery patients. People who are likely to have regression are those with high prescriptions and/or are longsighted.
It’s common to experience some of the following side effects after your procedure but these will often disappear with time:
Prices for both eye can vary from £1,190 to over £6,000 based on the treatment type, the clinic selected and sometimes the severity of your prescription. To get more detailed information on prices broken down by treatments and clinic read our guide on laser eye surgery costs.
If you’d like to get prices for your local clinics please complete our short comparison form.
You will most likely have to pay for the surgery at a private clinic as laser eye surgery for long and short-sightedness or blurred vision caused by astigmatism is not covered by the NHS or most private health insurance policies.
If you decide you’d like to proceed with the treatment it is best to shortlist 1-3 clinics and visit their website to see exactly what they offer, their prices (including any additional fees), their terms and conditions and any guarantees they offer. If you are satisfied with what you read it is a good idea to arrange a free consultation so you can meet the surgeon and team in person. You should prepare some questions to ask like the following:
If you are not a primary candidate for laser eye surgery, or want to weigh up your options? Then there are some alternatives available:
When you’re looking for permanent vision correction, you may find lens replacement surgery a more suitable solution. Evolving from cataract surgery, these state-of-the-art procedures include refractive lens exchange (RLE) and phakic intraocular lenses (PIOLs).
In essence, PIOLs are like having permanent contact lenses placed in your eyes because the natural lens isn’t removed beforehand although they are removable if cataract surgery is needed or other vision changes take place. They also eliminate many of the restrictions faced with contact lenses as this lens is inside your eye. This type of surgery is often recommended for younger patients who have a high degree of astigmatism or myopia, aren’t suitable for laser eye surgery or have a high eye prescription.
In contrast, RLE is often better for older people who aren’t suitable for laser eye surgery, have a high eye prescription or are suffering from the start of cataracts. This procedure is the same as cataract surgery as the natural lens is removed before a monofocal, multifocal or toric lens is put in its place.
Another alternative is to stick with what you’ve already got – your glasses or contact lenses.
And when weighing up your options as to whether or not this is a suitable choice for you, you’ll need to consider the limitations of contact lenses and glasses which include being unable to participate in sports, the aesthetics of wearing glasses (for some), the fact contact lenses can also increase your risk of irritation and infection and the ongoing costs involved in replacing these. That would explain why 42% of those who wear prescription glasses have considered having laser eye surgery.
You can find further information in our FAQ section of in the PDFs below.
Patient Guide Refractive Laser Eye Surgery by Laser Eye Surgery Hub
Patient Information: Laser Vision Correction by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Guide to Sight Problems
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