At Doctify, we are on a mission to make healthcare more transparent and accessible for all. Partnering with many of the most eminent healthcare providers in the UK, we are proud to bring you the expertise of the surgeons and consultants delivering medical excellence and care every single day. For today’s conversation, we are with Mr Amir Hamid who is a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Optegra Eye Healthcare UK. Our topic is a popular one that raises a lot of questions and at times myths, it is laser eye surgery.
It is highly likely that you have heard a lot about this surgery and even have close relatives or friends who have undergone a laser eye surgery. While the resources are abundant to find out all about laser eye surgery, sadly you may have come across some conflicting and confusing information about laser eye surgery. “Too painful”, “risky“ and “not a permanent fix” may well be some of the false and wrongly articulated comments that you may have seen or heard. With this conversation, we hope to give you a well-rounded expert opinion to tackle all aspects of laser eye surgery.
To lay out the basics, Mr Hamid says the laser eye surgery is essentially to get rid of spectacles and to arrive at the decision of going ahead with one, a comprehensive assessment involving diagnostic imaging, refraction, clinical examination and lastly a detailed discussion is necessary with an Ophthalmologist. Regarding the methods, there are three options, namely the first generation LASEK, second generation LASIK and finally the latest generation SMILE(keyhole LASIK). Given the type of surgery and complications involved, laser eye surgeries are performed by qualified Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons with further qualifications in Refractive Surgery.
Those considering themselves as a good candidate may be wondering what the process is to determine that indeed they need a laser eye surgery. Mr Hamid highlights that the decision is made following a combination of detailed assessment whilst also factoring in lifestyle needs. An informed conversation as such is necessary to make sure that the patient feels not only well informed but also included in the decision-making process stressing the risks versus benefits of this surgery. As with any surgery, there are evidently potential complications to consider for the laser eye surgery. However, despite a common laser eye surgery “myth” claiming that laser eye surgery is a very new procedure, to the contrary, this surgery has been around since the 1980s and it is also one of the most studied surgeries having the highest safety profile. Mr Hamid underscores adamantly that the surgery involves very low risk and that serious complications remain uncommon.
Cost is another important element and concomitantly busting another myth claiming that “Laser eye surgery isn’t permanent ” go hand in hand. Whilst the price range for laser eye surgery is between £1495 to £2495 per eye, the changes made to your cornea during the course of laser eye surgery are permanent. It is important to note, however, that your vision may still change slightly as you age, as it would if you hadn’t had treatment. Hence, given that performed by an experienced surgeon with the right qualifications, laser eye surgery is a lasting investment into your health.
Last but not least, Mr Hamid strongly recommends patients to do their research thoroughly and most certainly to choose a reputable provider who has fully qualified consultants on the GMC Specialist Register with further qualifications in refractive surgery. At Optegra, did you know that 99% of patients achieve 20/20 vision following laser eye surgery? This comes to show that laser eye surgery is not only very safe at highly experienced hands, but also extremely efficient and certainly life-changing for those seeking to improve their vision.
If you are wondering what the best way is to find the best providers, honest and real patient reviews are an excellent guide to help you make this decision. You can search for your condition and find the most reputable in this area on Doctify and read verified patient reviews.
