Surgery

The Day of Surgery

It is important you arrive at the surgery fully prepared for your operation. As such we ask that you:

Organise for someone to drive you home after your surgery is completed. You will have been given a light sedative, and should not drive yourself. If difficult to organise, then please let us know and we will arrange transport for you.
Do not wear eye make-up to the clinic on the day of your procedure.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
Bring warm clothing, but nothing made of wool or small fibres. This ensures the treatment environment remains particle free.
Don't wear perfume on the day as the strong vapour from the perfume can affect the laser power.

Upon arrival at the clinic, you will sign the consent form that was given to you after your 2nd consultation. A surgical assistant will explain this to you and answer any additional questions you may have.

Surgery is then ready to begin.

You will be given a light sedative to help you relax while remaining alert.
The laser will be calibrated and tested for accuracy. Your vision correction profile will have been entered into the laser computer from the CRS-Master (WASCA).
You will enter the operating room and be asked to lie on the surgical bed.
Anaesthetic eye drops will be placed into your eyes.
One of your eyelids will be covered while a lid speculum is used to gently hold the other open. You may a feel slight pressure from this and will now be unable to blink or close this eye.

Surgery itself usually takes approximately 20 minutes:

The surgeon will instruct you to look at a green flashing light directly ahead of you. You will see a red light and the green light.
You will feel a faint breeze of air then hear a buzzing noise indicating that the laser is activated.
The light will get blurry as the surgery progresses. This is all normal.
Actual Laser treatment with the Carl Zeiss Meditec MEL-80 is very brief, around 5 to 20 seconds. When the laser has done its job, the epithelial flap is repositioned and protected with a clear contact lens that stays in place for approximately four days. This contact lens has no power and purely acts as a protective mechanism.

If you are clinically suitable we will treat both eyes on the same day, in which case the procedure above will be repeated.