Treatment

Avoid the use of eye makeup on the day of treatment and make arrangements for a friend or relative to drive you home.

Your refraction data will be programmed into the laser. Anaesthetic drops will be placed in your eye to make the treatment pain-free.

The other eye will be covered with a shield. You will be asked to lie on a reclining chair and your head will be positioned securely on a pillow helping you to remain still. A surgeon's cap will be worn during the procedure to keep your hair away from your eyes.

A sticky-backed plastic drape is placed over your eyelids to keep your eyelashes away from your eye for the procedure. An eyelid clip is placed into position.

The microkeratome instrument is placed into position to make the corneal flap. This may cause your vision to blur at this stage of the treatment and you may experience slight pressure on the eyeball. It makes a buzzing noise like an electric shaver when it is operational.

During the actual laser treatment you will be asked to look continuously at a flashing light target. Should you move suddenly the treatment will stop until you are ready. The actual laser treatment takes anything from a few seconds to a few minutes. You can expect the procedure in total to last 15 minutes per eye.

Following treatment, you will be examined at the slit lamp and a clear plastic eye shield(s) placed over the eye(s). You will be given all necessary eye drops and instructions, which start that evening.

In order to protect the corneal flap it is important not to rub the eye. For added safety at night or when bathing or showering, you are advised to replace the plastic shield(s) for the first week after treatment.

It is recommended that you take 2- 3 days off work, depending on your kind of employment.

You will be asked to return for examination on day one, day ten and one month, after treatment. In some cases it is then possible for you to continue your reviews with your community optometrist.

If in doubt, do not go forward for treatment. It is recommended that you consider your options carefully and take time to understand refractive surgery prior to requesting treatment. If there are questions you wish to ask or anything you do not fully understand, do not hesitate to ask or obtain a second opinion. It is very important that you are fully informed before proceeding with refractive surgery.