Look again at laser eye surgery at Visualase

Published on 6th June 2010

Laser treatment has proved very safe over the last twenty years

Laser vision correction has been around for about twenty years now, and many people were concerned about getting the procedure done early on mostly because it was new. Now that a significant amount of time has passed and the procedure has been shown to be very safe, it might be something that you want to consider once again. The methods and technology that are used have also improved and it is even safer than it was in the beginning.

The treatment is very quick

The procedure itself is actually very quick. When you go in to have laser vision correction done, you will have drops administered to your eyes that will make you more comfortable during the procedure. A small flap is made on the outer surface of the eye. Many people are concerned about this part of the procedure as they are afraid that the surgeon will be using a scalpel to create the flap. It is actually a microkeratome that has been used and is very safe and in many cases they will actually utilize a laser to complete this part of the procedure as well.

Our lasers instantly reshape your cornea

Once this is done, a different type of laser is then applied to the eye. This happens only for a few seconds and this will reshape the cornea. It is now possible to have this done for people who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness or even astigmatism. People may sometimes smell something during the procedure but this is perfectly normal. For those that are quite apprehensive, a mild sedative can be used to help them remain calm.

Treatment lasers can compensate for your eye movement

Another common myth is that the laser eye procedure can be ineffective or damage the eye if there is any movement of the eye. While it is obviously not recommended to unnecessarily move the eye during a procedure, the modern technology allows the laser to track small movements of the eye and adjust itself accordingly. This means that the procedure remains very safe and there is less chance that you'll have to go back for another procedure down the road. It is actually quite rare to have complications or to need anything more than a follow-up visit to make sure everything went as planned.

All eye surgical procedures carry a level of risk including not obtaining the desired outcome, through to varying levels of visual loss. Your eye surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits, including ones specific to your circumstances, at the time of your pre-operative consultation.