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Welcome to the Optilase Frequently Asked Questions page, if you can't find what you are looking for or have any questions don't hestitate to drop us a comment and we will get back to you.
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What happens at my initial free assessment at Optilase? |
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| Your journey with Optilase begins when you attend your free assessment in either Belfast or Derry. One of our Laser Optometrists will meet with you and spend the next hour thoroughly examining and testing your eyes. You will find out if you are a suitable candidate for eye laser surgery, what treatment will be best for your eyes, and how much exactly it will cost. You will not be able to drive after your assessment for at least 6-8 hours. |
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How much does it cost? |
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| Our prices start at £295 per eye for Standard Treatment and £895 per eye for Advanced CustomVue WaveFront Treatment. For a full breakdown of our costs, please visit our Pricing Page. Of course, we also offer 0% Finance to spread the payments. |
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How long do I have to wait? |
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| We are open 7 days per week and late nights, so we are able to fit in around your busy schedule in either our Belfast or Derry Clinics. We also perform eye laser surgery every week which means you don't have to join a lengthy waiting list for your life-changing treatment.
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Am I suitable to get my eyes lasered? |
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| There are a number of factors that may make you unsuitable for eye laser surgery. These include prescriptions stronger than -10 or +5 (Note that certain stronger prescriptions can be treated by some of our surgeons). Having a squint or a lazy eye can also rule you out (Note that laser vision correction can be carried out on some patients with a lazy eye, depending on its severity). For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is necessary to wait until 6 months after finishing. You also need to be over the age of 18. |
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| 5 |
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Will my eyes look different? |
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| No, there is no permanent change in the appearance of your eyes. The day after LASIK surgery your eyes should be white and clear. The healing process can take 4-5 days with LASEK and during this time the eye may appear slightly red. |
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Why do you offer a free pre-operative consultation with one of your Surgeons? |
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| We offer a free pre-operative consultations for those patients that choose to go ahead with eye laser surgery. It allows your Surgeon time to review your assessment file and determine the specific treatment most suitable for your eyes. We are one of the very few Companies that offer this, we believe it to be a very important part of your care and journey and insist that most patients meet the Surgeon prior to the big day!! |
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Is laser eye surgery effective? |
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| 100% of patients achieved driving standard or better, with 95.6% achieving 20/20 or better 3 months after treatment. Reference: Extract from article published in Ophthalmology Times October 1 2010 pg 51, based on eyes with low to moderate myopia treated with Advanced CustomVue Wavefront procedure using the VISX STAR S4 IR excimer laser. |
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Can both eyes be treated on the same day? |
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| Most of our patients choose to get both eyes treated on the same day, we recommend it for most of our patients. |
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What complications can occur? |
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| There are risks involved in eye laser surgery and you will be made aware of these risks during your initial free assessment as well as your pre-operative consultation. The most common side effects of laser vision correction include dry-eye, night-time glare, halo effect and regression. However, you can take great comfort with our Lifetime Care Guarantee and the fact that our experienced Surgeons are on hand to guide you through any problems and also that your Post-Op check-ups will be in either our Derry or Belfast Clinics. |
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How long does it take? |
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| The eye laser surgery itself takes seconds per eye. Between preparation, treatment and aftercare, you should expect to stay for up to 2.5 hours. |
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Is it permanent? |
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| Yes, long term follow up studies indicate that after the healing process is complete, eyesight remains stable. Some patients may develop the need for reading glasses as they age but this happens to most adults regardless of whether they get laser vision correction. |
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| 7 |
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Is it painful? |
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| The eye laser surgery process itself is painless. Your eye is numbed using anaesthetic drops and you are offered diazepam to reduce anxiety and relax muscle tension. Depending on your treatment type, there can be some discomfort in the days after your treatment but this is generally temporary. |
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Is it safe? |
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| At Optilase, your safety is our No. 1 priority. We use the most advanced and safest laser technology and all of our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons, Laser Optometrists, Laser Technicians and surgery nurses are highly experienced and fully accredited. |
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How long will it take my eyes to heal? |
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| For most of our patients, it takes one or two days for their improved vision to settle. However, we do advise that patients rest their eyes properly for the month following their surgery. |
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How much aftercare is included? |
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| We strongly advise our patients to attend all of their aftercare appointments. We schedule aftercare appointments one-day, one-week, one-month, three-months, six-months and one-year after your treatment. Your aftercare appointments allow us to track the progress of your eyes and to ensure they are healing properly. These are of course, free for life. |
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What does your Lifetime Care Guarantee include? |
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| At Optilase, we are proud to offer a Lifetime Care Guarantee to all of our patients. In the unlikely event that your eyesight should regress (your old prescription starts to return), we offer a corrective treatment, known as an enhancement, for free. This comes as standard with all of our treatments. You can be assured of comlete peace of mind, with Optilase. |
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Will I need reading glasses? |
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| Most adults develop the need for reading glasses as they grow older. This is known as presbyopia and it is due to the hardening of the lens in the eye and this is a possibility of this after surgery. Your Surgeon will guide you through at your Pre-Op. |
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How long do I need to take off work? |
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| It is important that you rest your eyes properly after laser vision correction. It really depends upon your treatment and we will walk you through this at your Free Assessment. |
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Is KAMRA right for me? |
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| People suitable for the KAMRA procedure are usually over 40 years old and are found to need reading glasses to view newspapers, mobile phone displays and similar items which would otherwise appear blurred. In other words, anyone suffering from the age related condition of presbyopia, either with or without a distance prescription. |
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What is the recovery period? |
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| We recommend that you normally rest the day following Treatment, though normally you will be able to resume most activities within a few hours. |
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How much does it cost? |
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| The cost for the Treatment is £4295. Of course, this is covered by the Optilase Lifetime Aftercare Guarantee for your complete peace of mind. |
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| Catherine Quinn |
| Choosing to get Laser Eye Surgery was the best decision I have ever made! |
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| Majella Moran |
| This was a fantastic experience... |
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