Wellington Eye Clinic in General Media

Since its introduction almost two decades ago, eye laser treatment has revolutionised many people’s lives, rendering the wearing of glasses or contact lenses unnecessary.
In line with demand for the treatment, the number of providers offering the service in Ireland has soared.

But what do you need to know about the procedure before you throw away your glasses?

Who is suitable for the treatment?

Laser eye surgery is aimed at improving the sight of those suffering from ailments such as short sightedness, long sightedness and astigmatism. However, not all people with these complaints will be suitable for surgery.
In general, Dr Arthur Cummings of the Wellington Eye Clinic in Dublin says that candidates should be over 18 years of age, with healthy eyes and a relatively stable prescription.

If you have problems such as dry eyes or cataracts, or have a systemic condition such as pregnancy or uncontrolled diabetes, then you may not be suitable.
Most clinics offer a free consultation to determine if you are a suitable candidate. According to Dr Cummings, about 10 per cent of people presenting to eye clinics are not suitable.

What is the difference between LASIK and LASEK?

There are two types of laser treatments. LASIK, which uses a cool beam of light from the excimer laser to gently reshape the front surface, or cornea, of the eye, and LASEK, which involves removing the top layer of the cornea as a flap-like sheet before re-sculpting the cornea with a laser.

In general, most of the surgeries carried out tend to be LASIK, as it is more convenient with a faster recovery time.

However, for patients with thin corneas, or who are involved in certain contact sports, LASEK can be more appropriate.

How long does it take?

The procedure takes about 10-15 minutes per eye, and patients are usually required to wait an additional 30 minutes or so in the clinic afterwards. In general, both eyes are treated on the same day, although Dr Cummings notes that 2 per cent of people prefer to have it done separately.

Another general rule is that, for patients under 40, usually only one eye is treated. Known as “monovision”, this is because people’s eyesight tends to deteriorate once they enter their late 40s. If both eyes were treated therefore, it would mean additional laser treatment would need to be carried out.

How long is the recovery period?

In general, recovery from LASIK treatment usually occurs within 24 hours, and you should be able to see without glasses or contact lenses within a day.
LASEK, however, is slower and more uncomfortable, and full recovery is not expected before about five days. It is not recommended that you drive home after surgery.
A check-up is usually carried out the day after the procedure, and then again after six weeks.

How do you find the right clinic?

At present, laser eye clinics are not regulated in Ireland, so consumers should do their own due diligence before selecting one.
Word of mouth recommendations from friends or family are often the best way of finding a suitable clinic.

Dr Cummings recommends that you select a clinic where you’re assessed by a consultant, and treated and followed up by the same doctor.
He also suggests that you look for a clinic where the surgeon is based in Ireland, in case there are any issues that need to be addressed afterwards.

Is it always successful?

Laser surgery is “always successful” in reducing dependency on glasses, says Dr Cummings, but adds that about 1.7 per cent of patients will require follow-up treatment.

What are the risks?

According to Dr Cummings, laser eye surgery is the “most successful treatment in medicine”, pointing out that as long as you are a good candidate, it is eight times safer than wearing contact lenses.

Nevertheless, like any type of surgery, there are risks associated with laser eye treatment, and potential problems include dry eyes, or more serious complications such as poor vision in low light and difficulty with night driving, flap problems and infections.

Something else to bear in mind is that LASIK is a relatively new surgery. As such, the long-term safety and effectiveness of the treatment is not yet known.

How much does it cost?

Price for surgery will depend on where you are in the country, and which clinic you attend.

At the Wellington Eye Clinic in Sandyford, Dublin, Wavefront optimized LASIK/LASEK costs €2,050-€2,200 per eye, and this covers you for up to one year for all your post-operative visits and any immediate enhancement surgery that may be needed after surgery. (There is a 15% discount for VHI, Quinn Healthcare and Aviva Healthcare members).

Ultralase, which has four clinics around Ireland, charges from €1,295 per eye to €2,495 per eye, depending on the treatment chosen, while costs at LaserVision range from €995 per eye to €2,550 for both.

As with all medical treatments, cost should not be your primary motivator. While some clinics may advertise very low prices, these may be suitable for only a small proportion of candidates, and the real cost may be considerably higher.

You should also check whether the fee includes the cost of follow-ups.
At Optical Express, which has clinics in Dublin, Newbridge and Cork, laser eye surgery starts from just €595 per eye, but the advanced Wavefront version costs from €1,150.

YOU AND YOUR MONEY

April 2010

Eye can see clearly now…

Laser eye surgery is becoming increasingly popular in Ireland. Niamh Lynch speaks to Ken Lanigan about his decision to undergo this life-changing procedure.

Have you ever dreamt of a life without glasses or contact lenses? Or wondered what it would be like to wake in the morning and see clearly straight away? For many, the time has come to leave bothersome glasses and uncomfortable contact lenses firmly on the bedside table and, in their place, look to laser eye surgery as the solution to clear and unhindered vision.

Laser eye surgery is an operation, which aims to perfect human eyesight using a computer-controlled precision laser. During the procedure, the laser reshapes the cornea of the eye in a predetermined manner to improve your vision. The two most common types of laser eye surgery performed are LASIK and LASEK, although there are several other types of refractive surgery that can improve your vision when laser surgery is not the most appropriate option. The type of laser eye surgery elected for a patient will depend on the type of refractive error that they may suffer from, which could include myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (long-sightedness), astigmatism, or presbyopia. The procedural duration for laser eye surgery is usually no longer than 10-15 minutes per eye with rapid healing times.

A life without lenses

For many people, their reason for choosing laser eye surgery varies. The significant lifestyle benefits of laser eye surgery are a major drawing factor – for example, no longer having to waste time looking for your glasses or inserting your contact lenses before running out the door, or finally being able to partake in all the activities that wearing glasses would have once prohibited you from doing.

For Ken Lanigan, laser eye surgery was something he had always thought about, but it was when his young son turned the boisterous age of 14 months and developed an avid love of pulling the glasses of daddy’s face that Ken really started to consider the surgery as a genuine option. “Being able to muck about with the kids without having to worry about glasses or contact lenses became a real priority,” says Ken.

Ed Toland of the Wellington Eye Clinic explained to You &Your Money that “in terms of sight-threatening complications, the fact is that laser eye surgery is eight times safer than wearing contact lenses.” No single point emphasizes the relative lower-risk of laser eye surgery better than this.

Is everyone eligible?

Although there is no maximum age limit for laser eye surgery, some people will be deemed ineligible for the procedure. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as if their prescription is too high or too low for refractive eye surgery, if their corneas are too thin or their eyes too dry, or if they have an underlying corneal condition that prevents them from having the procedure. It is also important to note that laser eye surgery is not recommended for persons under the age of 18 years. All of these things, and more, are assessed during the comprehensive two-hour consultation provided to all patients by the Wellington Eye Clinic.

Ken’s consultation

Having enquired with the Wellington Eye Clinic about the laser eye surgery, you will firstly be invited for a comprehensive two-hour consultation with one of their expert surgeons to assess your eligibility for the treatment and what procedure would best suit your needs.

Ken found the consultation to be extremely thorough. Having met with the optometrist who ran the various tests on his eyes and subsequently with the ophthalmic surgeon who discussed the procedures and options open to him, he was left with no doubt that laser eye surgery was for him. The meticulous care taken in testing his eyes for the surgery reassured him that he had chosen the right clinic, as it was clear that they were very selective in choosing their surgical candidates, in the best possible way.

During his consultation with his surgeon, Mr. Richard Corkin, Ken chose to proceed with a procedure known as monovision, which meant that he would have surgery on just his left eye. Ad Ken’s vision was of naturally poorer quality in his left eye, the surgery would correct this to 20/20 vision, and his right eye would be left alone. Ken was informed that over time his brain would compensate for his right eye, however if he were ultimately unhappy with the progress this was making, he would be booked straight back in for surgery on the second eye.

The Wellington Eye Clinic was also thoroughly mindful to explain to Ken that as with any surgery, there are risks. In Ken’s case, Mr. Corkin informed Ken that he had a 92 per cent chance of seeing 20/20 and 98 per cent likelihood that he would have driving sight standard or better.

Why choose Wellington Eye Clinic?

Firstly, for such an investment up for consideration, it gave Ken a great sense of comfort to know that the Wellington Eye Clinic’s service comes with a ‘Total Lifetime Warranty’. Ed Toland explains, “If in one, five, 15 or 50 years time after the surgery, your eyes become below driving standard, the Wellington Eye Clinic will provide any necessary follow up procedures free of charge, as these are covered by your initial payment and under our Total Lifetime Warranty.”

Wellington Eye Clinic, located at the Beacon Medical Campus in Sandyford, was established in 1980 and in its 30 years of operation, their highly qualified surgeons have performed over 27,000 surgical procedures. The Clinic was pioneering in its field and introduced laser refractive surgery into the country in 1990 – it was the first independent clinic in Europe to offer the procedure. The Clinic has since been awarded the status of Global Ambassador Clinic for the Wavelight Laser company in 2006, and it now plays host to surgeons from all over the world who attend the clinic to learn their advanced surgical techniques. Their expertise and experience in this area has made them a highly desirable and trusted choice for laser eye procedures.

Preparation for the procedure

In the time leading up to his surgery, Ken was not required to make any big preparations for his procedure. Although as a result of his consultation, he was instructed to take a course of flaxseed oil, to improve a slight case of dryness in his eyes. The eye-wetness assessment is an integral part of the initial consultation, as this can greatly impinge on the overall health of the eyes. Wellington Eye Clinic addressed the dry eye problem for Ken straight away, and got him set on the right course for his surgery.

In the next issue, we will take a look inside the laser eye clinic as seen through Ken’s eyes, who will guide us through the surgical procedure itself and also the subsequent benefits that the surgery has had on his life. We will also explore the financial aspect of laser eye surgery and why it is ultimately the most economical solution to better eyesight.

Laser eye surgery aims to perfect human eyesight using a computer-controlled precision laser. During the procedure, the laser reshapes the cornea of the eye in a predetermined manner to improve the patient’s vision.

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