We polled our staff to find the most common questions they hear about laser eye surgery, and the London Vision Clinic.
The procedure itself is pain-free. With LASIK, you may experience a pressure sensation when the surgeon creates the corneal flap, and some discomfort or irritation for up to 24 hours after surgery. With PRK you may experience irritation for one week or more after surgery. Because discomfort can occur in some patients during the healing phase, we provide pain relief medication in eye drop form to help eliminate this.
No. Realistically, the chance of going blind from laser eye surgery, using today’s technology, is about the same as the chance of dying in a plane crash – roughly 1 in 5 million.
LASIK patients can plan to return to work 24 hours after surgery, but you should keep your eyes well lubricated with artificial tears (staring at computer screens can dry your eyes). This does not affect the outcome, but can cause temporary visual fluctuations.LASEK patients should plan to return to work after 7 days.
The cost of LASIK and LASEK/PRK surgery at the London Vision Clinic is £4,600 (for both eyes) for a Standard or Laser Blended Vision treatment and £6,300 (for both eyes) for a High Profile treatment. Our fees include everything you will need for a successful laser eye surgery procedure. And, all of our treatments can be made affordable with interest-free finance. Visit our laser eye surgery pricing page for more information.
If you’re considering laser vision correction, you’ll find yourself bombarded with options, each claiming to offer high standards of treatment. So what’s different about the London Vision Clinic? We offer every patient a unique combination of world-class benefits:
Mr Glenn Carp, Professor Dan Reinstein (from left to right) review a patient's VHF Ultrasound scans on the Artemis. This equipment, invented by Professor Reinstein and used in exclusive clinics worldwide, enables our surgeons to perform treatments considered "cutting edge" elsewhere.
Best of all, we can validate all of the claims above. Just give us a call or click on the links above to learn more.
The operation takes only minutes, and the laser is only active for seconds. Preparation for surgery on the day takes between 30 minutes to one hour.
You can expect to be with us from 2-3 hours from the beginning of the initial screening, the ophthalmic exam, and through the Surgeon Consultation appointment with your surgeon, at least a day before surgery. Nobody else takes as much time to examine your eyes in detail before surgery, or offers the same degree of aftercare. You can call or come and see us any time after your treatment, if something’s bothering you. It won’t cost you any more. Learn more about the laser eye surgery process…
There’s a 98% chance we can help you, so review our information about suitability requirements for laser eye surgery to determine your suitability for laser eye surgery. Or, you can contact us to book an initial screening.
We advise you not to drive until after the 1st day aftercare appointment. Driving short distances after the 1st day appointment is acceptable if we confirm adequate vision at the evaluation.
You can apply makeup to your face 48 hours after surgery. However, you should avoid eye-makeup for 7 days after your laser eye surgery.
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22 Comments
7:11 pm
Dawn Crothers
I have been considering laser eye surgery for quite some time and I would be using the London Vision Clinic when I decide its time to do it. I have a complex prescription (astigmatism) and suffer from migraine if my glases are even slightly off. What worries me most about taking the plunge is how dependent the outcome is on my answers during the eye exam. I always have a fear that I answer a question wrong i.e is the right or left circle the darkest or which set of dots appear the clearest. I understand that this may sound silly but because I suffer from extreme headaches I place a lot of pressure on myself to ensure that the responses I give the optician are correct but I always wonder ‘what if im wrong’. So my question is will an incorrect answer during the eye exam ruin my chances of gaining the best vision?
Thank you
Dawn
3:08 pm
admin
Regarding the complex prescription for astigmatism, it would be well worth you having an initial screening when the time comes in order to find out whether your prescription really is complex or not. We are a specialist clinic with the technology and experience to treat high or complex prescriptions. High prescription are normal for us and we treat them every day.
The worry about giving the wrong answer is fairly ubiquitous! Rest assured that the process of refraction contains lots of double, triple and quadruple checks so even if you say the wrong thing or disagree with yourself we can tell. We also measure the prescription at least three times before surgery and this is measured by at least two different people… My best advice is don’t worry, don’t feel under pressure and do trust what your eyes are telling you and tell us what you see, even if it’s ‘I don’t know’! ‘I don’t know’ is a legitimate answer!
~ courtesy of Alexandra Lyons (Lead Optometrist)
10:39 am
david
I have been researching a lot, as you do, before actually going ahead with the procedure and there are a few things I want to ask and was hoping someone could put some light to my worries. Can I still have LASIK if I am to participate in contact sports such as martial arts (considering I have been poked in the eye and punched there a few times), will LASIK’s method cause dry eyes permanently due to the sevring of corneal nerves, and finally I have come across some comments that people that had LASIK have had difficulty focusing at night or have been seeing spots/halos. I read a few reports that this is caused by the cornea creating opaque cells in response to being interferred with. I would greatly appreciate if ant of these questions could be answered. i am very confident in LVC’s methods and want to ahead but it’s those questions that are stopping me or making me consider LASEK if necessary. Thank you very much for your time. Take care.
2:28 pm
Admin
Our stance on martial arts is that patients should avoid contact sports during their healing period of roughly 3 to 4 months in total because their corneas are more fragile during that time. Thereafter they can carry on punching!
LASIK does sever corneal nerves but these regenerate during the healing period. We do a full dry eye work up pre-op at the Initial Screening to assess all possible dry eye risk factors and discuss a patient’s susceptibility to dry eye post op. Long term dry is possible but we find it is very rare.
It’s possible to get light sensitivity and night vision disturbances from corneal haze (the opaque cells mentioned) but haze is more common in surface procedures such as PRK or LASEK for higher prescriptions than in LASIK. It’s also possible to get haloes around lights after any laser technique. Some patients are more at risk of this than others; this is why it is incredibly important to do a full pre-op work-up beforehand and use the right technology to do the treatment; not all lasers are the same; older laser platforms are different to newer ones. You need good surgery and a surgeon who knows how!
2:28 pm
Linda Kenealy
I wear varifocal glasses but do not find them very good for computer work, it always seems fuzzy. Can laser surgery remedy this?
2:40 pm
Admin
Thanks for your question Linda. Yes, the same condition that requires one to wear reading glasses is the one responsible for the need for varifocals: Presbyopia. The difference is due to the fact that you also have a refractive error (like longsightedness, shortsightedness or astigmatism) that reading glasses alone will not correct, therefore you benefit from varifocals so you can see at both distance and near. To learn more about the laser treatment that will correct both problems at the same time, have a read of our Laser Blended Vision page or give one of our Patient Care Coordinators a call. Thanks for asking your question!
9:01 pm
Serdar
Hello.
I am a student here in the UK and planning for laser eye surgery. Could you please answer following questions:
1. I wear contact lenses. Can I wear them to the consultation/screening or should I wear glasses?
2. Do you work on weekends (Saturday and Sunday)?
3. How long will it take for eye examination (initial screening, optometrist assessment, ophthalmic exam)? Can I have all of above-mentioned exams in one day?
4. Being a citizen of another country, can I apply for interest free finance? or pay half of the surgery price and then apply for interest free finance?
Thank you very much for your answers.
9:11 am
Admin
Hi Serdar,
Here are the answers to your questions:
1. You’ll need to wear your glasses to the consultation
2. We’re only open Monday to Friday
3. The comprehensive exam takes up to 2.5 hours and yes, you can have it all done on the same day
4. You need to be a resident of the UK for at least two years before qualifying for interest-free finance, for full or partial payment of the surgery fee.
I hope this helps.
10:06 pm
Stuart Gilchrist
HI,
I am a 68 year old pensioner who has worn contact lenses for 33 years, and I have cataracts in both eyes. Would I be suitable for laser blended vision, or would you suggest another treatment, I believe total vision at Optegra also alleviates the cataracts? I would be very pleased if you could answer these questions. Thank you.
3:44 pm
Admin
Assuming that your cataracts are visually significant, you would most likely be suitable for BIOPTICs at London Vision Clinic – that is a combination of IOLs in the eye and LASIK on the eye. If your cataracts are visually insignificant you would be suitable for LASIK Blended Vision. It all depends on the results of an Initial Screening with one of our Optometrists.
7:53 pm
DS
Hi I was trying to find out what is considered a high prescription. My right eye is -13 and my left -11 I know its quite bad but would it make me an unlikely candidate for surgery? It looks likely that I would be paying the higher cost if I was suitable so could I pay a decent deposit and still get interest free credit over 3 years.
Also would living on the Isle of Wight pose problems for aftercare etc? Thanks.
7:43 am
Admin
Thanks for your question DS. Yes, you would certainly qualify as a high prescription and would therefore most likely be recommended the high profile treatment. Your deposit would remain the same, and you could still avail yourself of interest free credit, see our fees page for details. In terms of aftercare, you would need to see us the day after surgery, for another appointment at 3-4 weeks after surgery, and then another at 3 months after surgery. Usually, anything we would be looking for usually presents itself within 3 months. If you needed to come in again, we’d likely see you at 6 months and maybe even at 12 months after surgery. I hope this helps answer your questions. If you need any further information, please contact one of our staff who will be able to help you further.
7:57 am
optician
I can relate to the questions. Most patients do have qualms about pain or side effects risks.
6:32 pm
Glen
Hi, I am 44 and considering laser surgery on my eyes. I have worn contact lenses for approximately ten years and my prescriptions are Left 2.25 and Right +2.50. I have a few questions:
Would I be suitable for eye surgery?
if yes, what improvement could I expect after surgery?
How long will this improvement last?
I have found over the last couple of years my night vision is not as good as was (even though my prescription has not changed) – will my night vision improve post surgery?
I have had a lazy eye (right) since I was a child – can this be corrected?
Thank you
11:46 am
Admin
Would I be suitable for eye surgery? – Your prescription is within the boundaries of what our lasers are able to treat but suitability cannot be confirmed until your Initial Screening with us.
if yes, what improvement could I expect after surgery? – Laser Refractive surgery aims to get you to what you see currently in your glasses or contact lenses as a minimum, again we need to carry out the Initial Screening to confirm this.
How long will this improvement last? – The outcome of the surgery of the distance vision is a permanent change. Your reading vision will continue to deteriorate due to Presbyopia but we can correct the effects of this Laser Blended Vision
Will my night vision improve post surgery? – This all depends on what is causing the night vision disturbances. In some cases yes this can be improved.
I have had a lazy eye (right) since I was a child – can this be corrected? – No the surgery will not correct the effects of the lazy eye, it will get it to the same vision as your glasses and contact lenses do.
7:54 pm
david stubbs
I was wondering if after having laser surgery to correct distance vision whether my near vision would change?
11:48 am
rodsolar
Hello David, near vision changes (presbyopia) caused by the natural ageing process are independent of laser eye surgery to correct your distance vision. Laser eye surgery aimed at correcting distance vision will have no effect on your near vision.
11:49 am
Admin
Dear David, laser eye surgery aimed at correcting your distance vision will have no effect on your near vision. However, your near vision may still change as you age (as it does for everyone), but that will happen whether you have laser eye surgery or not.
4:22 pm
David
Hi,
The Moorfields website states in its FAQ that “around a third of patients still require glasses for some distance purposes after LASIK”
Is this true? I was hoping to not need glasses again for distance purposes after the procedure. What proportion of your patients still use glasses eg for night driving or some other reason after the procedure?
4:05 pm
Admin
Hello David, thank you for your question. It would mainly be blended vision (presbyopia treatment) patients who would require distance prescription intermittently post LASIK for about 3 months. We can, of course, extract an exact figure for you for blended vision patients, and give you a personal prognosis if we can see you for an initial screening and examine your eyes.Anecdotally we would feel the figure would be closer to 10%. We don’t see this need for patients after standard laser eye surgery aimed at correcting distance only.
1:33 pm
Diana Masters
I have been considering corrective surgery for many years and have in the past visited “the high street” clinics for examination. On one occasion I was advised I suffered from dry eyes and on another occasion I was advised my eyes are relatively large causing the cornea to be thinner than normal as it was stretched over a larger surface.
My prescription is: right -3.75 and left -3.50. Would I be suitable for surgery and would that push me into the higher pricing bracket?
3:58 pm
Admin
Hello Diana, thank you for your question.
Dry eyes can be an issue, and if you have them before surgery, it is very likely this will continue after surgery. However, alternatives can be recommended to avoid aggravating the condition. We test for that in our initial screening and will advise you accordingly. In terms of thin corneas, we have sophisticated VHFU testing equipment that exceeds the standards of accuracy available elsewhere using conventional corneal thickness measurement equipment. We can run an Artemis scan on your eyes and provide you with a very accurate assessment if this will be a problem for you. Given your prescription as stated, I don’t think that would put you in a higher pricing bracket. We would, however, need to evaluate any astigmatism you might have, which may put you over the edge. But judging from the numbers you’ve provided, I would doubt it would be anything more than the standard pricing for you. I hope this helps.