1) |
Can I use Medisave to pay for the surgery? |
No. Refractive surgery is not Medisave deductible. The only exception to the rule is when there is a difference of more than 3 diopters (or 300 degrees) of refractive errors between your eyes and in the presence of spectacle and contact lens intolerance.
2) |
What is the range of refractive error that can be treated by LASIK? |
In general, LASIK is effective for the treatment of myopia from 100 to 1500 degrees and astigmatism of up to 600 degrees. It can also treat hyperopia of up to 500 degrees. The exact amount of refractive error which can be corrected will also depend on the individual’s cornea thickness.
3) |
How long is the surgery process? |
The entire process from registration to discharge on the surgery day will take approximately 2 hours. However, the actual procedure only takes 10 minutes for each eye. It is performed as a clinic surgery procedure without the need for hospital admission.
4) |
Will hospitalisation leave or medical leave be given? How many days of medical leave will be given? |
Approximately 3 to 5 days of outpatient medical leave will be given.
5) |
If I am below 21 years old, am I suitable for LASIK? |
Younger patients between 18 and 21 years of age may undergo LASIK but must seek parental consent for the procedure.
In additional, their myopia must be stable before LASIK can be considered. When there is uncertainty with regards to the stability of the refractive power of the eye, it is advisable to wait for a few years until the power has stabilised.
6) |
Are National Servicemen eligible for LASIK? |
Full-time National Servicemen are not allowed to undergo refractive surgery. Exceptions can be made for medical indications but must be recommended by the SAF ophthalmologist at the Military Medicine Institute Refractive Surgery Clinic.
Servicemen who undergo refractive surgery will be temporarily downgraded for 3 months from the time of the surgery.
7) |
Can refractive surgery be done if I am pregnant? |
It is not advisable to have refractive surgery during pregnancy. This is because hormonal changes during pregnancy may affect the accuracy of treatment. The same applies to those who are breastfeeding or on hormonal therapy. It is recommended to wait at least 3 months after delivery and breastfeeding before undergoing LASIK.
8) |
When can I have my second eye done? Can I have both eyes operated on the same day? |
It is common to have both eyes operated on the same day. However, if one prefers, operation can be performed one eye at a time with an interval of one day.
9) |
What will happen if I blink or move my eye during the surgery? |
An eyelid device will be used to hold the eyelids to prevent blinking during surgery. In addition, our centre has an advanced multi-directional eyetracker on the laser machine that tracks and compensates for eye movements during the laser, so that the laser treatment is precisely aligned. Multi-directional eyetrackers may not be present on all laser machines.
10) |
Will there be over-correction and under-correction? |
Under-correction and over-correction may sometimes occur in less than 2 to 5% of cases. When vision is significantly affected, the residual power can be fine-tuned with an enhancement surgery.
There is minimal discomfort during the surgery as the eyes will be anaesthetised with numbling eyedrops. There may be mild ocular irritation and watering of the eyes for a few hours after treatment. With the prescribed eyedrops and some sleep, these sensation will usually resolve after a few hours.
12) |
How long will my eyes take to recover? |
Your vision will be hazy immediately after LASIK for a few hours, but you will still be able to see to move about.
You should avoid taking public transport home after LASIK and have someone fetch you or take a cab. Normal vision will normally be attained the next day.
13) |
What are the side effects? |
Common side effects include glare, halos, dry eyes and mild fluctuation of vision during the first few weeks. Most (if not all) of these will subside and resolve with time. Severe side effects like corneal flap complications and corneal infection are very rare.
14) |
What can I do after the procedure? |
Most people can return to work a few of days after the procedure. However, there are some activities that need to be carried out with care:
- You can SHOWER the next day with your eyes closed to prevent water from getting into your eyes
- You may start DRIVING when you are comfortable with your
new vision, and if it meets driving standards
- LIGHT EXERCISE may be resumed after 1 week
- VIGOROUS EXERCISE/CONTACT SPORTS may be resumed after 2 weeks
- SWIMMING/WATER SPORTS may be resumed after 1 month with goggles
- SCUBA DIVING can be safely done after 3 months
- Eyelid make-up may be applied after 1 week
15) |
Can the treatment be repeated? |
If under-correction or over-correction occur after the initial laser treatment, enhancement can be performed. Usually, this is considered only when the residual power is 1.00 diopter or more or the unaided vision is worse than 6/12. It is generally performed at least 3 months after the initial treatment. Your surgeon will evaluate the status of your eye and weigh the benefits, expectations and risks before deciding whether an enhancement is appropriate. Less than 1% of cases need to undergo enhancement at our centre.
16) |
Can I still use spectacles or contact lenses after LASIK if I don’t achieve full correction? |
Yes, one can always wear a thin pair of spectacles if there is still some residual power after LASIK and if enhancement is not a suitable choice. Contact lenses can also be worn in most cases but in some, a custom-made contact lens may have to be prescribed.
17) |
Are the effects of LASIK treatment permanent? |
Yes. After the eye heals, the correction will be largely permanent.
18) |
Will my vision change when I get older? |
After LASIK, the distance vision should remain stable even with age. After the age of 40 years, old-sightedness (presbyopia) will set in giving rise to problems with reading. This is because the ability of our eyes to focus on near objects is progressively lost and therefore reading glasses will be needed.
LASIK cannot prevent or effectively correct presbyopia. However, one way to overcome this is monovision, in which one eye is corrected to see distant objects and the other corrected to see near objects. There may be some imbalance in vision and not everybody can tolerate it.
