Laser eye surgery, or vision correction, reshapes the cornea to change the focusing of the eye and improve vision without glasses or contact lenses. Short/near-sightedness (myopia), Long/far-sightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism can all be treated with this simple corrective procedure. There are three types of laser vision correction:
Results for these types of surgery are the same, but the most appropriate procedure will depend on the examination results and the individual needs of the patient. Mr Gore will determine the best treatment for you during your consultation.
SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction) is a type of keyhole laser vision correction using a femtosecond laser. In SMILE a contact lens shaped small disc of corneal stroma is removed through a small incisions. The incision typically heals within 24 hours of the procedure meaning minimal discomfort afterwards. The visual recovery after SMILE is quick with most patients achieving 20/20 vision within the first 48 hours.
SMILE is suitable for many patients, but there are a number of reasons why an alternative such as LASIK, TransPRK or ICL surgery may be a safer option for you. For example, if your corneas are thin, or you have a 'positive' / 'long-sighted' prescription. SMILE is also not suitable for very young patients.
SMILE is a quick procedure. One laser is used during SMILE to create the lenticule (the femtosecond laser). Treating each eye takes about 10 minutes, with the laser part lasting only a few seconds at a time.
Recovery after SMILE eye surgery is rapid. Your vision in most cases will already be better straight after the procedure is complete. The following day you should be seeing 20/20 or better. We advise you to take the day off following SMILE surgery. By day 2, you should be fine to head back to work.
LASIK is the commonest type of laser vision correction worldwide. It is performed using a suction ring applied to the eye to secure it for the creation of a thin corneal flap on the top of the cornea with a femtosecond laser. An excimer laser is then applied under the flap to re-shape the cornea to correct your vision. The flap is gently re-positioned at the end of procedure.
LASEK and TransPRK eye surgeries are both examples of laser treatments applied directly to the surface of the cornea (without a flap). LASEK involves manually brushing away the corneal skin layer (epithelium). A more advanced technique, transepithelial PRK (TransPRK), reshapes the cornea through the epithelium. TransPRK with the Schwind Amaris 1050RS laser using SmartSurfACE technology, is a 'no-touch' technique for laser refractive surgery - applying the laser light directly to the surface of the eye means no brushing, no cutting and no flap.
All the answers to all your questions about laser surgery, including questions you might not even have thought to answer.