When can I have LASIK?
High Definition LASIK® or Personalised PRK is done by Dr Kent at Fendalton Eye Clinic most weeks on Thursdays. Occasionally other days of the week are also available. Generally both eyes are treated on the same day one after the other.What happens on the day of my procedure?
You will need to bring someone with you who will be able to drive you home. Prior to going through to the laser theatre you will be offered a mild sedative. Cross checks will be made, then you will be taken through to the laser theatre.What happens in the laser theatre?
You will be requested to lie down on a bed and are positioned under the laser. Anaesthetic eye drops will numb your eyes. First the LASIK flap is created using the IntraLase laser. A soft plastic disposable suction ring is placed onto the eye. When the suction goes on the vision in that eye goes dark. We attach a disposable metal cone that has a glass lens in the bottom of it to the IntraLase laser. The glass lens is brought into the middle of the suction ring and docked into position. The glass lens flattens the curvature of the cornea. The infrared beam of the IntraLase laser passes through the glass lens and is focused at a set depth below the bottom of the glasses lens. The IntraLase pulses 60,000 times per second and each pulse vapourises a minute amount of corneal tissue. By connecting together about 1.2 million pulses in the shape of a flap in about 22 seconds a corneal flap can be made entirely with the IntraLase laser. The flap is about 2-3 times the thickness of a human hair. Both flaps are made before doing the excimer laser treatment.Prior to the excimer laser treatment we put in more anaesthetic eyedrops and also Betadine antiseptic. A sterile drape holds back the eyelashes and a prop (speculum) is used to hold your eyelids open. Iris recognition is performed at this stage for all Zyoptix Personalized procedures.The flap is lifted up by the surgeon using a specially designed spatula and the eyetracker of the excimer laser is locked onto the eye. The excimer laser is then used to reshape the cornea. Once the laser treatment is completed the flap is carefully repositioned. Within 2 minutes the flap adheres back into position without the need for stitches. A protective clear plastic eye shield is placed over the eye and is kept on until your eyes are checked the next day by Dr Kent. You can see through the shield. It is in place to protect your eye from being accidentally knocked or rubbed in the first 24 hours as your eye heals.