Laser Eye Surgery Screening: reassuringly rigorous

Your initial laser eye surgery suitability screening is complimentary and carries no obligation.

At the initial laser eye surgery screening, you will learn, without a doubt, if you are suitable for laser eye surgery, and the results you can expect. To us, this stage is akin to the pre-flight check before flying a passenger jet. We consider the initial laser eye surgery screening to be so important; we allow two hours in our diary for each prospective patient, to ensure that our staff has plenty of time to go through each of the 6 steps to ensure your suitability for laser eye surgery.

The professionalism, thoroughness and kindness of everyone at the London Vision Clinic reassured me. Every conceivable test is run and re-run; safety is clearly the motive. — Valerie B., Quality Project Manager, from Henley-on-Thames, Oxon

We are confident that our complete preoperative assessment, which takes three hours, is probably the most comprehensive eye exam you will ever undergo. In fact, our laser eye surgery screening goes to greater lengths than any other clinic in the country to determine your suitability with certainty, before going forward with surgery.

6 essential steps to assess your laser eye surgery suitability

Your pre-operative laser eye surgery screening consists of 6 essential steps. 1 through 4 is complimentary and assesses eye surgery requirements. Your commitment to proceed will be required for step 5 and 6.

(1) Discovery
(2) Testing
(3) Suitability assessment and treatment recommendation
(4) Have all your questions answered
(5) Ophthalmic exam (if you are found suitable)
(6) Informed consent and consultation with your laser eye surgeon.

After we admit you to our clinic, you will enjoy relaxing in our comfortable clinic. Right from the start, you will know you are flying first-class. Our clinic coordinator will do everything she can to make your stay as relaxing and enjoyable as possible.

(1) Discovery

Shortly after you arrive, your patient education consultant will greet and escort you to the counselling room. All of our patient education consultants have received specialist training aimed at uncovering your most important priorities, answering the majority of your questions, and assisting you with the logistics of your patient experience. During discovery, you will have an opportunity to learn exactly what is to come, share your specific needs and priorities regarding your vision, and highlight any concerns or questions you want answered about your suitability for laser eye surgery.

(2) Testing

Once we have a clear view of what your eye surgery requirements are, you will meet a clinical team member who will perform the testing part of your laser eye surgery screening. We thoroughly train the members of our clinical team to take consistently accurate measurements. This data provides the baseline data that the optometrists use to assess your laser eye surgery suitability. At any time, you are welcome to learn more about any of the technologies we use. During the testing, the clinician will:

• Measure your current glasses prescription (called lensometry)
• Measure the size of your pupils in different lighting conditions (infrared pupillometry)
• Measure your wavefront, or higher order, aberrations (we use a machine called the WASCA that analyses slight imperfections in your visual system — or how light bounces back from the eye)
• Measure the curvature of the front and back of your cornea in 3-D (corneal topography)
• Measure the thickness of your cornea(measured using an Orbscan)
• Measure the pressure inside your eye (Ocular Response Analysis)

(3) Laser eye surgery suitability assessment and treatment recommendation

After testing, you will meet your optometrist who will conduct your laser eye surgery suitability assessment and treatment recommendation. The optometrists at London Vision Clinic are highly experienced specialists in your own right, and receive exhaustive training and continuing education under Professor Reinstein. During this stage of the laser eye surgery suitability assessment, they

• Analyse the results of all of the above tests
• Determine whether you would benefit from advanced corneal thickness mapping (Artemis)
• Take your ocular history
• Ask questions regarding your general health relevant to refractive surgery
• Ask questions regarding your lifestyle relevant to refractive surgery
• Check your monocular and binocular vision
• Check your visual acuity with spectacles
• Assess your eye muscle balance
• Assess your ocular dominance
• Assess your pupil reactions
• Assess your tolerance for blended vision (if you are presbyopic) and perform a simulation
• Explain blended vision (if appropriate)
• Conduct a refraction
• Record visual acuities (near acuities and distance refraction)
• Test your contrast sensitivity
• Perform a slit lamp assessment examining the anterior segment of your eyes (cornea, sclera and lens), lids and lashes
• Assess tear film
• Measure intraocular pressures (using a more accurate method than used in the testing)
• Measure your corneal thickness (using a more accurate method than used in the testing)
• Make a final determination of your suitability
• Recommend and explain your treatment plan
• Discuss safety and relevant risks

(4) Your opportunity to ask questions

At this point, you will likely have questions. You are encouraged to ask any questions that may be on your mind in regards to your specific laser eye treatment, risks and expectations. The optometrist will provide objective, evidence-based information to ensure you feel comfortable in making an informed choice.

(5) Ophthalmic Exam

If the laser eye surgery screening determines that you are suitable, we will then ask you to schedule your treatment and ophthalmic exam. Should you wish to proceed, we will request a deposit of £500 (which we put towards the cost of your treatment). We fully explain our pricing policy. At the ophthalmic exam, the optometrist will

• Conduct a dilated fundus exam
• Conduct a cycloplegic refraction
• Perform Schirmer's test (to assess your tear production)
• Arrange for a dilated wavefront analysis (WASCA)
• Conduct a night vision simulation if appropriate

(6) Informed Consent and consultation with your laser eye surgeon

At London Vision Clinic, we believe that it is very important for our patients to learn and fully understand the technical aspects of safety. It is only in this way that a patient can become truly informed and provide true informed consent for surgery.

In laser eye surgery, you have to participate in the whole process. The Informed Consent and the Surgical Information Package you will receive after the ophthalmic exam part of the laser eye surgery screening are thorough documents. You will be able to take these documents home and review them at your leisure. If, while reading them, you have a question, a patient education consultant or an optometrist will be more than pleased to answer your question or discuss an issue in more detail.

Because every patient needs to know what is in the document, our laser eye surgeons will take the time to go over it with you before surgery. They will then perform a final laser eye surgery screening and review of all the information collected to date so that your treatment can be individually prepared and conducted with confidence and precision.

Contact a patient education consultant on 0800 587 4705 to learn more about our screening processes or to make this appointment.

Common questions about the initial laser eye surgery screening:

• Where is London Vision Clinic located?
• Where can I park?
• When can I have an initial laser eye surgery screening?
• How soon can I have my laser vision correction procedure after the initial laser eye surgery screening?
• Can I bring anyone with me to the initial laser eye screening?
• Will I be able to see clearly after the initial laser eye screening?
• Does anything at the initial laser eye screening cause discomfort or pain?
• For how long is the initial laser eye screening assessment valid?
• Will there be any pressure to have the laser eye treatment while I attend the initial laser eye screening?
• What do I need to do to prepare for the initial laser eye screening?
• What if you find that I am unsuitable, what are my options then?
• What are the differences between screenings at London Vision Clinic and at other laser eye surgery clinics in the UK?
• Where can I learn more about the screening and assessment technologies used for laser eye surgery?
• What is topography?
• What is pachymetry?
• What is an Artemis?
• What is pupillometry?
• What is wavefront?
• Does every patient get wavefront at London Vision Clinic?
• What if I am currently wearing contact lenses?
• If I another clinic finds me unsuitable, why should I come to London Vision Clinic for another screening?
• Do I need to bring old prescriptions to my laser eye surgery suitability screening?

Does your laser eye surgery screening question not appear in the above list?

Find out more about suitability for laser eye surgery. Alternatively, you are most welcome to contact a patient education consultant on 0800 587 4705 to discuss your laser eye surgery suitability at London Vision Clinic.