Say goodbye to glasses and contacts with LASIK in Newcastle

LASIK is a vision correction surgery that reshapes the cornea, the clear front part of your eye. It improves how light enters your eye and focuses on the retina, which helps you see more clearly. First, the doctor applies numbing drops to your eye. Then, they create a thin flap on the surface of the cornea. A laser is used to reshape the cornea underneath. Once done, the flap is gently put back in place, where it heals naturally. The entire procedure is quick, and most people notice a significant improvement in their vision within a day or two.

Advantages of LASIK:

• LASIK surgery is very accurate and improves your vision effectively.
• The procedure is painless.
• Recovery is quick.
• It can fix problems like nearsightedness (trouble seeing far away), farsightedness (trouble seeing up close), and astigmatism (when the eye is not perfectly round).
• If needed, it’s easy to do a second LASIK surgery.

Disadvantages of LASIK:

• The surgery creates a small flap on your eye. This flap can sometimes move, get infected, or have skin cells grow underneath it, which may cause problems.

• Loss of best corrected vision (~4% 1 Snellen line)
• Over or under correction, or regression of treatment effect → residual ametropia
• Flap related complications 1-2% (buttonhole, wrinkles, ingrowth, DLK)
• Night vision problems, eg glare and halos
• Corneal haze or scarring
• Dry eyes
• Presbyopia (option of monovision discussed)
• Possible need for enhancement surgery
• Rare complications (<1/1000) with potential for severe sight loss
• Increased risk of simultaneous bilateral surgery (e.g. severe bilateral visual loss)

While LASIK is a great option for many, it’s not for everyone.

Alternatives include TransPRK (Transepithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy), which reshapes the cornea without creating a flap, making it a better option for people with thinner corneas.

Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is another alternative, where the eye’s natural lens is replaced with an artificial one.

Contact lenses and glasses remain non-surgical options for those who are not candidates for LASIK.

1. Preparation: We apply numbing drops to ensure you feel comfortable. You’ll rest on a reclining chair, and a small tool helps keep your eye gently open.
2. Creating the Flap: Using a precise laser or tiny instrument, we carefully create a thin flap on the surface of your eye.
3. Reshaping the Cornea: A laser gently reshapes your cornea to improve your vision. This step takes only a few seconds for each eye.
4. Replacing the Flap: The flap is returned to its place, where it naturally heals.
5. Recovery: After a short rest, you’re free to go home and begin your recovery.

LASIK surgery makes many people happy because it helps them see clearly without glasses or contact lenses. After LASIK, most people can see as well as they did with glasses or contacts. Many even achieve 20/20 vision or better, which means excellent eyesight.

Most people see at least 20/40, which is the vision needed for driving. How well you see after surgery depends on your eyes before the procedure.

If your vision isn’t as good as expected, you may be eligible for a free enhancement.

Some may still need glasses or contacts, but their prescription will be much weaker.

With LASIK, life becomes easier. You can wake up and see clearly without reaching for your glasses. You can enjoy sports, swimming, and outdoor activities without worrying about lenses or glasses. From the moment you wake up until bedtime, clear vision is with you. This surgery can make daily life more enjoyable and free.