Laser Eye Surgery

Laser Eye Surgery Brisbane

 Laser & Refractive Eye Surgery in Brisbane

One of our main services at Southside Eye Centre is laser eye surgery, otherwise known as Lasik or refractive eye surgery.

In short, laser eye surgery reduces one's dependence on glasses or contact lenses. 

It is a highly effective treatment for correcting refractive errors such as myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism.

Laser eye surgery is a very common form of eye surgery.

It is performed to correct focusing (refractive) errors of the eye. When the eye does not focus light correctly, a refractive error occurs.

The eye needs to focus the light travelling through it to achieve clear vision without glasses or contact lenses. With myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, light is poorly focused by the eye which results in blurred vision.

Our laser eye surgeons perform laser eye surgery to correct these refractive errors is a permanent, minimally invasive treatment and is done while patients are awake and reclining.

If you would like a permanent solution to improve your vision without the need for glasses and contact lenses then consider laser eye surgery performed by the Eye Surgeons at Southside Eye Centre.

What Eye Conditions Can Laser or Refractive Eye Surgery Correct?

  • Hyperopia (long-sightedness).
  • Myopia (shortsightedness).
  • Corneal Scarring.
  • Astigmatism.
  • Recurrent Corneal Erosion Syndrome.

What are the Types of Laser Eye Surgery Procedures?

There are several types of laser eye surgery that can be performed by the Ophthalmologists at Southside Eye Centre. These include:


  1. LASIK
  2. Surface LASIK (Photorefractive Keratectomy - PRK)
  3. PTK (Phototherapeutic Keratectomy)


1. LASIK Eye Surgery Treatment

LASIK is a type of laser eye surgery used to treat refractive errors such as myopia (short- sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism. 


The result of LASIK acts in a similar way to glasses or contact lenses however LASIK is a permanent treatment.


In LASIK, a flap is created in the cornea (clear window at the front of the eye), the flap is lifted and the laser is applied to the deep layers of the cornea.


The laser changes the shape of the cornea and alters the way it focuses light resulting in much clearer vision.


2. Surface LASIK Eye Surgery

Like LASIK, Surface LASIK  is another type of laser eye surgery that uses laser to change the shape of the cornea.


In surface LASIK, the laser is applied to the surface of the cornea, not the deeper layers. 


 LASIK and surface LASIK have been shown to produce excellent long term outcomes in correcting blurred vision.

How Much Does Laser Eye Surgery Cost?

Laser eye surgery is one of the best investments you can make. Although it may seem like a large initial fee, laser eye surgery will give you the freedom to enjoy an active life without the inconvenience and ongoing costs of glasses or contact lenses. 


Please see below the costs for these common laser eye procedures. Prices include the hospital, surgeon and procedure fees and include GST.

Lasik

  • $3350 per eye.

Surface LASIK (PRK)

  • $2750 per eye.

PTK

  • $3350 per eye.

Is Laser Eye Surgery Covered By Medicare or Private Health?

No but please contact your fund to see if you are eligible for a rebate. While not covered by medicare or private health, some private health providers may offer a partial rebate for these procedures.

Which is better? LASIK or Surface LASIK?

In a recent large review of international literature comparing PRK and LASIK as laser eye surgery treatments was performed by the Cochrane Library, considered to provide the highest quality of scientific evidence.


This study showed that there was no significant difference in the final vision and accuracy between LASIK and PRK.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of LASIK?

Advantages


The advantages of LASIK laser eye surgery include the procedure having less pain immediately after and that vision improves rapidly.

 

Disadvantages


The disadvantages of LASIK are that the eye will always have some structural weakness because a flap of tissue is created in the cornea.


This means that the flap can dislodge if there is future trauma to the eye and there is a small chance the shape of the cornea can become irregular with time (post-LASIK ectasia). Both can result in the deterioration of vision.


What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Surface LASIK (PRK)?

Advantages


The benefits of surface LASIK include that the cornea is stronger structurally as there is no flap created. This means that no flap can be dislodged if there is ever trauma to the eye and that there is essentially no risk of the cornea becoming irregular in the future. 


Disadvantages


The disadvantages include that there is some pain after the eye surgery (controlled with pain-killers) and that the vision takes a few weeks to become clear.

3. Phototherapeutic Keratectomy (PTK)

PTK is used primarily for removing opacities of the cornea such as scars. It can also be used to make the surface of the cornea more regular, for example in eyes with Keratoconus.

What should you Expect During Laser Eye Surgery?

  • No pain is felt during laser eye surgery. 
  • Drops are placed in your eyes to numb them and you can also request a very mild sedative to calm your nerves before treatment begins. 
  • The laser eye surgery treatment then starts and only lasts a minute or two. 
  • During the surgery, your eye is held open so that you don’t blink during the operation.

Am I Eligible for Laser Eye Surgery?

It's important to understand that not everyone is eligible for this surgery. Prior to having any laser eye surgery performed, your Eye Surgeon will ensure that the surgery is safe for your eyes.


Laser eye surgery is a highly effective procedure provided by the Brisbane-based Ophthalmologists at Southside Eye Centre that can improve your sight.


If you're interested in laser eye surgery on Brisbane’s Southside and would like to learn more about this treatment, contact Southside Eye Centre today to schedule an appointment.

Non-Laser Surgery Options

Refractive Lens Exchange

In a refractive lens exchange, the lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial lens that is permanently implanted to correct focusing errors. 


Refractive lens exchange is most commonly performed for presbyopia. This condition occurs when the eye loses its ability to focus on near objects and increases with age, occurring typically around the mid-40s. The onset can be initially noticeable as needing to hold objects further away until they become clear. 


Those with presbyopia eventually lose their ability to read and require reading glasses or laser eye surgery.

There are 3 ways in which the need for glasses or contact lenses can be reduced in refractive lens exchange.


The cost for refractive lens exchange is $3500 per eye.


Option 1: Multifocal Artificial Lens Implant - Both Eyes

Multifocal intraocular lenses provide excellent vision for objects at all distances. They provide excellent distance vision (driving, watching TV), intermediate vision (eg working with computers) and near vision (eg reading tablets, phones, books). They are the lens type which are most likely to result in spectacle independence. 


In some people multifocal lenses can result in halos around lights which are most commonly noticed when driving at night. Usually these are very mild. However, in around 1 in 200 cases, haloes can be very troubling to the point where these lenses need to be removed.

Option 2: Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Lens Implant

EDOF lenses provide not only excellent distance vision without glasses (eg driving, watching TV), they also provide excellent intermediate distance vision (eg working with computers).


EDOF lenses also provide some degree of near vision (e.g. reading tablets, phones, books), although glasses are still required to read small print, particularly under low light conditions. Although the near vision provided by EDOF lenses is not quite as good as that provided by multifocal lenses, it is very rare for haloes to be noticed by patients.

Option 3: 'Blended Vision' or 'Monovision'

In blended vision, artificial lens implants are inserted which result in one eye being focused for distance and the other eye being focused for near.


Blended vision significantly reduces the need to wear glasses after cataract surgery. It usually allows people to be glasses-free for most daily activities.


Patients may still require glasses for reading very fine print and/or for driving at night. Because one eye is focused for distance and the other for near, it can take the brain a few months to fully adapt to blended vision.


Implantable Collimer Lens (ICL)

The ICL is an artificial lens implant that is inserted into the eye and placed in front of the natural lens, inside the eye. It is akin to a permanent contact lens. Each ICL is custom made for the individual eye.



ICLs have traditionally been used in eyes with varying degrees of refractive error where PRK and LASIK may be less likely to have an excellent outcome. With recent advances in the designs of these lenses and increased safety, the ICL is being increasingly used in eyes with lower refractive errors as an alternative to PRK and LASIK.


What are the the  benefits of ICL?

There are many benefits of the ICL. These include the fact the procedure is reversible (in the very unlikely event of an unsatisfactory outcome, the ICL is simple to remove), whereas PRK and LASIK are not.


Also, an ICL doesn’t change the shape of the cornea like PRK and LASIK do. In the future, most people will require cataract surgery, where the natural lens that has become clouded (ie a cataract) is removed.


In eyes that have had prior PRK or LASIK, determining the correct strength of lens to implant into the eye at the time of cataract surgery can be very challenging. There is increased risk of the focus not being correct in the eye.


In an eye with a prior ICL, this is not an issue and cataract surgery can be performed with confidence that the lens implant that will be inserted into the eye will be correct.


Other benefits include the fact that there are none of the possible complications that can occur in LASIK due to the presence of a corneal flap, such as dislocation from trauma, dry eye and changing corneal shape with time (post-LASIK ectasia).

Laser Eye Surgery on Brisbane's Southside

If you are looking for an eye clinic in Brisbane for your vision correction procedure to get freedom from glasses and contact lenses, Southside Eye Centre offers expert treatment from our Upper Mount Gravatt location. Visit our contact page to book an assessment today.

About the Southside Eye Centre Team

Our Doctors are all highly trained Eye Surgeons and use the most up to date technology to ensure excellent outcomes for our patients. Our Eye Doctors are committed to ensuring our patients receive care of the highest standard. 

southside eye centre team

Location

Our staff will inform you where your procedure will take place
Some procedures can be performed at our practice, however others will need to be performed at the nearby Eye Tech location.  
Call us for a consultation
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