FAQ For Lasik

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I Suitable ?All potential patients must undergo a comprehensive eye examination to determine their suitability for the procedure. We practise a ZERO compromise policy when it comes to patient suitability. Your safety comes above all else.
General Guidelines• Healthy adult over 18 years of age• Free of corneal and other eye diseases• Sufficient corneal thickness• Not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers* As a guide, a nursing mother can choose to have LASIK after the end of breast feeding.If I have a lazy eye or if one of my eyes is blind, can I still have LASIK?LASIK is not a cure for blindness and is only done on normal, healthy eyes with refractive errors. If you have a lazy eye, we would need to have a comprehensive eye examination and assess you on a case-by-case basis. If you have only one functional eye, LASIK is not recommended for that eye.
Can I go blind?With over 10 million cases performed worldwide, there has not been any reported case of blindness as a result of the LASIK procedure. At VISTA, the incidence of blindness caused by LASIK is ZERO.
Is it painful? No, the procedure itself is performed under anesthetic eye drops and is painless. You will feel the presence of the eyelid holder to keep your eye open and a slight pressure when the flap is made - this lasts for less than a minute. What if there is a power failure? At VISTA, our laser equipment is equipped with online Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) - and is therefore unaffected by any power failure.
Can you guarantee vision 20/20? Like any surgical procedure, we cannot guarantee a certain result. Results depend on individual healing and prescription severity. Most of our patients achieve 20/20 vision after the procedure.
What is the success rate? Do I still need to wear glasses after LASIK?LASIK success rate varies between LASIK centers. At VISTA, over 99% of our patients do not need to wear any visual aids after LASIK. Less than 1% may need to wear a thin pair of glasses, specifically for night driving.
What if my eyes move during the LASIK procedure?VISTA's laser eye tracker locks on to your iris (with FDA approved Iris Registration technology) and compensates for even the slightest movement for complete accuracy (applicable for VISX Customvue and Bausch & Lomb Zyoptix with Iris Registration technology).
I am over 40, is LASIK for me? Will I still need reading glasses?
Yes, LASIK will be able to correct your distance vision. If you are above the age of 40 and have difficulty reading up close, the only FDA approved VISX Monovision CustomVue procedure is available at VISTA for correction of shortsightedness in a patient's dominant eye and part of the shortsightedness in the non-dominant eye. Please contact our friendly staff for further details.
l will never get Presbyopia if l have shortsightedness?No, in general, everyone will get Presbyopia after the age of 40. With minor shortsightedness, it delays the person's dependency on reading glasses.
Would you have LASIK yourself?Of course! The founders of VISTA are ex-LASIK patients. Most of VISTA's doctor, staff and family members have undergone LASIK with excellent results. VISTA has also treated many celebrities and professionals like doctors, lawyers, teachers and engineers just to name a few.Is LASIK permanent?Yes. In most cases, shortsightedness will become stable after the age of 18 and the modification of cornea shape with LASIK is permanent. In very rare cases where you are shortsighted again, VISTA's Lifetime Commitment Program offers free Retreatment for life.
When can I resume normal activities?Almost immediately. Most people return to work and drive 24 hours after the procedure. As a safety precaution, you should refrain from contact and water sports for a period of 1 month.
Can I travel by airplane after the surgery?It is not a problem to travel by airplane after the surgery.
Are there any side effects?Common temporary side effects are dry eyes, light sensitivity, glare and halos during the first few weeks - most of which will subside over time. Complete stability of the vision is usually attained 3 to 6 months after procedure.
ExpectationMany patients are no longer dependent on glasses and contact lenses and have experienced a major lifestyle change after LASIK.
While LASIK has proven to be overwhelmingly successful in reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses, the degree of improvement may vary from individual to individual. Results cannot always be predicted or guaranteed. Recovery ProcessVisual recovery is rapid after LASIK. Within 24 hours, most patients can see clear enough to drive. You will experience slight discomfort 4-6 hours after LASIK and vision generally stabilizes within 3-6 months. During this stabilization period, you may experience the following:• Slightly drier eyes which can be easily solved with eye lubricants• Seeing haloes around bright lights at night• Fluctuation of visionHowever, it is very rare for these side effects to interfere with your normal activities, they will diminish as the eye heals over the 3-6 months period.
RiskPatients who choose to undergo LASIK must understand that like any other surgical procedure, it carries risks as well. However, surgeons worldwide have regarded LASIK as one of the safest among surgical procedures.
5% Possibility of Retreatment: Over-Response or Under-ResponseOver 95% of our patients receive clear vision in just the first attempt procedure. LASIK is an extremely precise procedure, but the human response of each eye remains a variable factor. Some patients may heal faster or slower while one eye may recover better than the other. As a result an under-response or over-response may occur especially for patients who have high refractive errors. A second procedure, also known as Retreatment, is generally possible to 'fine-tune' the vision.
0.001% InfectionInfections are extremely rare and can be effectively treated with antibiotic eye drops.
0.1% InflammationRarely, some patients may show some interface inflammation as part of the healing process. This inflammation is usually self-limiting and can be treated with anti-inflammatory eye drops.
0.1% Slight Loss of Best Corrected VisionIn very rare cases, a small number of patients may experience a slight loss of visual sharpness following LASIK compared to when they were wearing glasses or contact lenses before the procedure. In many cases, the sharpness improves over a period of 3-12 months. In many instances, patients' vision is better than their pre-operative best-corrected vision.
Is the Intralase Method™ safer and more accurate?The Intralase Method™ makes LASIK safer by replacing the hand-held microkeratome or separator blade with the silent computer-guided precision of a laser, virtually eliminating severe sight-threatening blade-related LASIK complications.
Compared to traditional Blade Microkeratome, LASIK using the THE INTRALASE METHOD™ is safer and produces better results as follows: Source:
1. Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, Sept 2003 Pg 38, www.crstoday.com
2. Ophthalmology Management, Jan 2004, Pg 18, www.ophthalmologymanagement.com

Custom LASIK, what is it about?Custom Lasik is a procedure that involves the use of a wavefront analyzer and enables the surgeon to customize the conventional Lasik procedure to individual eyes. This customization can potentially help you see clearer and sharper than ever before.
What are the benefits of NASA iLASIK (Intralase® + VISX CustomVue™ )?- Used by NASA/ US Air Force/ Navy/ Army and Marine- FDA approved in 2005- 25x more precise measurement- Potentially better than glasses vision- Unique correction to each individual eye- Unique iris registration tracking- Additional tissue savings- Up to 2x faster treatment time How is the machine VISX different compared to other machine?

FDA Approval
VISX CustomVueSTAR S4 IR
Bausch & Lomb Technolas® 217z100 Zyoptix®
Alcon Ladarvision 4000
Vision 20/20 or better @ 6 months
98.6%
91.5%
79%
* Measure as Postoperative Uncorrected Visual Acuity (UCVA) compared to Preoperative Best Corrected Spectacle Visual Acuity (BSCVA)
Source: US FDA Data www.fda.gov/cdrh/LASIK/lasers.htm