Anything that puts your peepers and the word ‘laser’ in the same sentence is bound to leave some people a little squirmish, but if your vision is far from 20:20, then this is a surgery that could transform your life. Celebs aplenty have lined up to ditch the glasses and legends, and every day Irish men and women across the country make the same decision.

So, we thought it was time to take a close look at laser eye surgery; how it works, what the down time is, how much it costs, and whether or not you’ll feel any pain. We paired up with the experts at Optilase to tackle the myth and present the facts…

Firstly to what it’s all about, and how it works. Your cornea, at the front of your eye, holds the greatest focusing ability of the eye. In people who require glasses or contact lenses, the cornea can be reshaped to improve its focusing ability and remove the need for corrective eyewear. Laser eye surgery uses a cool beam “Excimer” laser to gently reshape the cornea, with the entire procedure taking only a matter of minutes to complete. Then, the only glasses you’ll need will be sunnies, or the fashion statement kind.

But what if you’re terrified of pain? We've got some good news on that front - the over-riding response from patients is awe at how painless the procedure actually is. It takes just a few moments per eye and the experts at Optilase use only the most advanced, ‘blade-free’ IntraLase technology, so there really is nothing to be frightened of. Depending on the treatment type, there can be some discomfort in the days following treatment but this is temporary, and the effects are well worth it to most!

The word ‘surgery’ might also have some people worrying about the time it takes, but believe it or not the actual procedure takes about 10 minutes per eye. Patients are usually required to rest for half an hour or so in the clinic afterwards and then go home to sleep for a few hours… not a bad requirement. If you insist! On waking eyesight is immediately sharper, and improves with each day.

If you’re thinking of opting for laser eye surgery, you’re far from alone.

A whopping 30 million people plus worldwide have had laser eye surgery. This number includes a certain Brad Pitt, amongst many other famous names. Even some well-known personalities on these shores have spoken about their positive experiences with laser eye surgery, including All Blacks and Munster rugby hero Doug Howlett.

So, no pain, no fuss, and nothing to be scared of. Now you see it clearer, what are you waiting for?

 

For more information visit www.optilase.com