Questions and answers:

Is the treatment painful?

The treatment is not painful. During a few days following the operation one may experience some irritation and light sensitivity. Most side effects are treated well and overcome with eye drops.

Research has shown that when lasik is compared with lasek, lasik patients claim to have experienced irritation, not pain. Lasek, however, is commonly considered to be moderately to very painful.

Will my vision be 100% after the treatment?

We would love to guarantee you 100% vision. Unfortunately, just like with any other medical procedure, this is impossible. The right attitude is to believe that a "normal" life without the need of glasses or contact lenses is achievable. One doesn't need 100% vision to reach this goal. Depending on your work-, and or social life it might be useful to be slightly undercorrected. A final refractive result of for example -0,75 will give you the option to drive a car without glasses and the need for reading glasses (normally around the age of 40) has been extended for about 10 years (around the age of 50). Having glasses nearby during poor vision situation (rain, badly lit streets) can be handy just in case.

The final result largely depends on the original refraction. Somebody with a higher refraction has an increased chance of a remaining refraction.

If this is the case an enhancement treatment can provide further correction.

The transmission from an eye with a fairly high refraction to about 0 is a big change. After Lasik, people with small refractions have a higher chance of achieving a good end result.

How long will I benefit from these treatments?

Most likely your entire life. After the age of 21 most eyes are fully developed. Of course it is possible that little changes take place, but this is usually limited to half or one dioptre. Often these changes lead to changes in the eye's lens. Even glasses and contact lenses cannot prevent these changes.

What are the long term negative side effects?

Not all possible side effects are known. At congresses the possibility of a curving cornea to the front is sometimes discussed. Until now though this effect has not been proved. Of course after the many years of experience in corneal surgery and laser treatments most of the side effects are knows. The fact that Lasik treatments are increasingly more common and used frequently by a rising number of eyesurgeons shows that this technique is trustworthy.

How long before I can drive?

Usually 24 hours.

How long before I can return to work?

Depending on the amount and severity of the irritation you experience, you can usually return to work after 24 hours.

What about sport activities?

As soon as the irritation is gone the flap is stuck on the cornea. The upper epithelium layer holds it there. Of course a heavy blow to the area (fist, ball, etc) can cause the flap to detach. If the blow is hard enough it may even mean losing the flap. For this reason we advise you to wear protection (for example goggles) during sport activities.

Can both eyes be treated at the same time?

Yes absolutely. Extensive recent research has shown that treating both eyes simultaneously has no negative impact on the final result.

Lasik - both eyes at once or not?

Advantage of treating the eyes on separate dates:

• Safety:
  • Smaller risk of infection in both eyes. An infection, although highly unlikely, can result in a decrease in vision capability.
  • It is possible that the cornea scars. Sometimes this can lead to visual problems during a long period of time. Daily tasks will be difficult if this occurs in both eyes.
• Precision:

The doctor can monitor and evaluate the healing process of the first eye and adjust the treatment of the second eye according to the results of the first eye.

• Vision recovery
• Although most patients recover quickly, it is possible that your recovery takes longer than expected. If this is the case, the untreated eye will help you a lot whilst the other recovers and heals.
• Satisfaction

You have the opportunity to decide how much of a satisfactory result Lasik will give you. With this we take good vision, absence of a haze, light sensitivity and other optical side effects into consideration.

Advantage of treating both eyes on the same day:

• Easiness.
  • Directly after the treatment the patient is asked how he/she feels. The most common reaction is, "Oh, was that it? You may as well do the other one as well then. Having both eyes done one after the other avoids having to feel the nervousness experienced before the treatment again.
• The healing process only has to happen once. This can be an advantage especially to those that are limited to free time (of work).
• Vision

By having the second eye treated straight away you avoid the "uneven" period where one has been corrected and one hasn't. Especially for those who are unable to wear contact lenses the in between treatments days can be difficult and lead to dizziness, unevenness and double vision.

What about my reading glasses?

Every eye will eventually require reading glasses. The techniques only correct farsighted and shortsighted eyes. If the choice of treatment is the laser, you have to keep in mind that one day you will still need reading glasses. When you reach the age of 40 you can have intra ocular lens implants such Humanoptics, Crystalens and Thinoptx which correct both far and near.