LP: LASIK2020-05-06T13:19:16+00:00

LASIK eye surgery

30,000,000 lives changed for the better
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Use this time wisely. Start your journey towards self-reliant vision today

LASIK eye surgery enables you to be free from the limitations and risks associated with glasses and contact lenses
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Who can LASIK help?

Can you see yourself below?

YOU’RE 20 TO 39

You’re frustrated with blurred or double vision, haziness, glare, halos around bright lights, squinting, headaches, or eye strain. You find glasses a hassle or worry about contact lens dangers. If that describes you, I can help you see better without the need for glasses and contact lenses.

YOU’RE 40 TO 49

You have been frustrated with your glasses or contact lenses all your life. Or, you have just begun to become annoyed with your new need for reading glasses. If that’s you, I can help you see clearly without either.

Live a richer life without glasses or contact lenses

LASIK is an ideal solution if you want a safe and effective treatment for short-sightedness, long-sightedness or astigmatism

GAIN CRYSTAL CLEAR VISION AT BOTH DISTANCE AND NEAR

Imagine seeing the world without the need for glasses or contact lenses. You’ll have a freedom that some patients call “life-changing”.

FEEL MORE CONFIDENCE AND CONVENIENCE

Most patients say they wish they’d done it sooner. You may feel more confident and will certainly experience more convenience.

IMAGINE AN AVERAGE DAY WITHOUT GLASSES AND CONTACT LENSES

Awaken ready to face the world free from spectacles. Take a shower without the blurriness. Work and exercise without glasses or the dryness of contact lenses. Avoid the everyday chance of contact lens infection. Fall asleep, without worrying about leaving your lenses in.

BE FREE OF THE BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND OTHERS

Whether we like it or not, other people rate people based on appearances. Glasses can be a appendage that needlessly divides us. Ditch their limiting nature and live glasses-free.

DON’T ACCEPT LIMITATIONS

Glasses have been the tired solution for vision problems since the 1200s. Vision correction options today have evolved significantly, yet many people are confused by the jargon or unclear explanations about what you can do. Leave the past behind and allow me to guide you on the journey towards a life free from the hassle of spectacles and contacts.

Vision correction enables you to experience a richer life without spectacles or contacts

Take one of the first steps and find out if you are suitable
TAKE A FAST SUITABILITY QUIZ
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Supplementary information about LASIK eye surgery

In my expert hands, you certainly don’t need to know all of the information I’ve included in the toggles below. If you’d like to know how it all works, however, open them and learn more.

LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is the most popular and well-known type of laser eye surgery. It can be used to treat myopia (short sight), hyperopia (long sight), astigmatism. It is also the type of laser treatment which is used to perform PRESBYOND™ Laser Blended Vision Treatment.

LASIK is a fast, painless and completely blade-free procedure that corrects your glasses prescription by altering the eye’s focusing power, producing clearer, sharper vision. This treatment can be carried out within a mere 15 minutes, although this does differ from patient to patient. You can expect results in as little as 24 hours.

LASIK was developed to overcome many of the drawbacks of LASEK, the previous generation of laser eye surgery. The procedure itself involves using a femtosecond laser to create a thin flap on the surface of the cornea which is peeled open and then a second excimer laser is used to reshape the deeper layers of the cornea to correct the focus of the eye so that light is focused on the surface of the retina without any need for glasses or contact lenses. The flap is then replaced and heals rapidly, usually being fully healed within 5 days of surgery.

  • A proven vision correction method – research indicates that 96 per cent of patients achieve their desired vision after LASIK treatment
  • Quick procedure
  • Rapid results – most patients no longer need glasses or contact lenses
  • Painless treatment
  • No stitches required
  • If necessary, further adjustments can be made years down the line to correct vision.

LASIK (laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is the most popular and well-known type of laser eye surgery, and can be used to treat myopia (short sight), hyperopia (long sight) and astigmatism. LASIK can correct from -0.50 units of short sightedness all the way up to -10 units and from +0.50 units of long sightedness all the way up to +4.00 units. It can simultaneously correct up to 4 units of astigmatism in the same treatment.

When we are assessing someone for laser eye surgery, we need to make sure that they have a stable prescription, a healthy eye and they have a cornea that is the correct shape and strength to withstand the effects of surgery.

So, the types of conditions that stop people from having laser eye surgery are divided up into eye conditions where people have either severe dry eye or any other abnormality of the shape of the cornea such as keratoconus.

Typically, we also avoid doing laser eye surgery on patients who are on certain systemic medicines, that is tablets or injections which could include a substance that could be deposited in the cornea or which could prevent the healing of the cornea.

The last group of reasons that we have for not wanting to do laser eye surgery on patients is systemic conditions, including bodily diseases such as diabetes or conditions where the collagen in the body is abnormal, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome.

We assess the suitability of someone for laser eye surgery in three steps.

The first step is to have a series of very sophisticated scans which examine the health of the eye but in particular focus on the cornea to see whether the cornea is sufficiently thick, is a suitable shape and sufficiently strong to withstand the effects of laser eye surgery.

The second step is then for you to see one of our Optometrists, who is a specialist in prescribing glasses. We will check your glasses prescription, ensure that the glasses you are wearing or the contact lenses you are wearing are at the correct prescription and that there has been no change that could affect the outcome of laser eye surgery.

The third step is for you to see me, your Consultant Ophthalmologist, who ultimately is responsible for your care and for performing the surgery on you. I will discuss with you your scans, ensure that it is safe for you to have laser eye surgery and help you decide which form of laser eye surgery is the correct one for you.

In some cases, laser eye surgery will not be suitable for you, and in that case, we have other alternatives, such as lens implant surgery, which I will discuss with you.

During a LASIK procedure, the outer layers of the cornea, which is the transparent tissue layer that sits over the eye, are lifted back, revealing the deeper cornea tissue. For the outer layer to be gently lifted, the femtosecond laser is used to send microscopic laser pulses onto the cornea, which causes bubbles to form underneath. This results in a flap, which the surgeon can lift and lay back easily and painlessly. I then reshape the cornea using an Excimer laser, correcting the eye’s refractive error. The flap is then replaced, and is smoothed back and the healing process begins.

According to Optegra outcomes data analysing 1926 patients from January 2013 to 30 September 2017:

  • 100% achieved driving standard or better without glasses
  • 98.2% achieved 20/20 or better without glasses.

According to Optegra patient satisfaction data analysing 452 respondents to post-treatment questionnaires during December 2017:

  • 99% said their treatment was successful
  • 92% said their treatment was comfortable
  • 99% said they were satisfied with the results
  • 99% said they would recommend the treatment to family and friends.

Take the first step

Find out if your eyes are suitable for vision correction

Book a free screening now or get us to give you a call back to answer questions
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How it works

Enjoy a life free from glasses and contact lenses in 3 easy steps

STEP 1 – BOOK

STEP 2 – MEET

STEP 3 – ENJOY

Talk to us

TALK TO US

Book an appointment or give us a call on 020 3808 7758 and we’ll help guide you towards a free screening.

MEET YOUR SURGEON

I’ll see you before treatment to ensure you’re a good candidate and treat you at one of my Harley Street London facilities.

ENJOY A RICHER LIFE

I’ll supervise your aftercare as you begin to experience a life free of glasses and contact lenses.

Even more information about the LASIK eye surgery

I frequently write articles and publish videos to answer people’s most common questions and keep them updated on the latest developments in vision correction. Find out more below…

Can I get laser eye surgery?

If you dislike your glasses and contact lenses, you might be wondering "can I get laser eye surgery?" To find out whether you may qualify for this life-changing procedure, read on.

A clear look into the types of laser eye surgery in London

All laser eye surgery has the same general idea - a surgeon uses a laser to reshape your cornea, improving your vision. There are multiple ways a surgeon can do this, though. You need to know if you’re getting the right type of surgery. Take a look at these top types of laser eye surgery in London.

You don’t choose eye surgery from a menu

Some patients worry they will have to do a whole heap of work to choose the best eye surgery. Not on my watch. Below are some alternatives that you might have heard about, however, I believe it is my duty to choose which eye treatment is best for you after conducting a thorough examination

ReLEx® SMILE

SMILE works similarly to LASIK but is a less-invasive, keyhole treatment. If you’re suitable for LASIK and SMILE, I’ll most likely recommend the latter because it has faster visual recovery and less incidence of post-operative dry eye.

PRESBYOND ®

PRESBYOND, also known as “laser blended vision” is a laser vision correction treatment aimed at treating presbyopia and other refractive errors. If you’re unsuitable for LASIK, then you’re also unlikely suitable for PRESBYOND.

LASEK

LASEK is a type of laser eye surgery, often used as an alternative treatment for those who are not suitable for LASIK eye surgery.

Implantable Contact lenses (ICL)

If you are one of the rare patients for whom laser eye surgery is not suitable, ICL lens implants offer a safe and extremely accurate option to free you from needing glasses.

This option is particularly suitable for you if the shape/thickness of cornea makes you ineligible for laser eye surgery; or, if you are so short- or long-sighted that you are out of the treatable prescription range with laser eye surgery.

Lens Replacement (RLE)

Lens replacement or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) is an advanced form of vision correction surgery which we use to treat patients over 50 years of age who need glasses for both distance and for reading.

Refractive cataract surgery

If you have a cataract, removing that cataract and replacing your natural lens with a multifocal artificial lens will negate the need to have an LASIK.

Complex cataract surgery

If you have a cataract and another complicating eye condition, removing that cataract and replacing your natural lens with an artificial lens will negate the need to have an LASIK.

Affiliations and memberships

I am proud to be associated with these organisations as a member or consultant

About the author

Mr Alex J. Shortt | Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

MB BCh MSc PhD FRCOphth PGDipCatRef

I’m Alex Shortt, a highly trained academic researcher and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based in London’s famous Harley Street medical district. I trained and worked as a consultant for 14 years at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. I specialise in advanced technologies for correcting vision, including cataract surgery, implantable contact lenses and laser vision correction.

Learn more about me
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