Eye examination

Results Of Laser Surgery

Vision recovers very rapidly after the lasik procedure. The vision is blurred on the day of surgery and the eyes are scratchy for several hours. However by the next day the eyes are comfortable and most people can see well enough to drive. It takes approximately one month for the eye to be fully healed and for the best level of vision to be achieved. One needs to avoid rubbing the eyes and one should not play contact sports during this time.

We advise patients to take two days off work, the day of surgery and the following day when they see Dr Mesham for a check-up.

Each patient's eyes will respond in their own unique way to the laser treatment and for this reason not all spectacle measurements will be exactly zero after surgery. However the measurements do not need to be zero to have a good level of vision. In reality very few people have spectacle measurements of exactly zero (even those who have never worn spectacles).

Occasionally the first laser procedure does not fully correct the vision. In this situation a second laser may be performed three months later. This "top-up" procedure is required in 5% of patients and there are no additional costs.

After the lasik procedure approximately 90% of patients will have 20/20 vision and 97% will have vision good enough to drive without spectacles.

The correction of distance vision is permanent. However, it is important to remember that patients over the age of 45 will need reading glasses.

Patients who have had laser surgery frequently comment on the improvement in the quality of their lives. Being able to see when they open their eyes in the morning and being able to swim and do outdoor activities without the hassle of spectacles or contact lenses gives a sense of freedom they often haven't known since their teenage years.