Why Is Laser Eye Surgery Still So Popular?

Laser eye surgery is nothing new in the UK, having first been introduced in 1990. Since then, a mammoth 30 million procedures have been performed worldwide and it’s no surprise that this treatment has stood the test of time. Without the gift of sight, you wouldn’t be reading this blog and the ‘windows to the soul’ are precious no matter who you are or where you come from.

Saving you money

This may sound like an unusual thing to list as a ‘benefit’ of laser eye surgery. This type of surgery may not be cheap, but it’s an investment and can actually end up saving you money, especially when you consider how expensive a pair of glasses are in 2019. Not to mention, you won’t have to visit the optician nearly as often as you would have pre-treatment. Less appointments, less replacement glasses = more money in your pocket in the long-run.

High success rate

Laser eye surgery is a permanent solution and can correct a diversity of refractive complications. 80% of patients being treated for mild to moderate issues will have 20/20 vision afterwards. In the case of patients with more severe ailments, the success rate sits at 40%. Of course, the success rate in the case of more severe patients is very dependent on where they’re treated and how competent the surgeon is.

Recent innovation in laser eye surgery – SMILE tech

Possibly one of the most tricky acronyms to remember, SMILEtech AKA Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, is revolutionising laser eye surgery. This technology means surgery is less invasive and can be completed in no more than a few minutes. It has been dubbed ‘keyhole’ laser eye surgery, is less invasive than past methods and it can treat particularly extreme cases of short-sightedness. What’s more, the healing time is reduced.

Another big breakthrough in the world of laser eye surgery is the introduction of intracameral antibiotic injections (terminology in the world of eyes really doesn’t slide off the tongue!). In layman’s terms, this development means specialists can administer injective antibiotics to the eye to curb the possibility of infection.

If you’re considering laser eye surgery, make sure you do your research on the success rate and efficacy of the treatment you’re having. Your sight is precious, so make sure you don’t rush into anything.

               

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  • Shalini Kanthan says:

    This is interesting to read, I have been thinking of having Laser Eye Surgery because my eyesight is quite bad and this article is nicely written, it helps people that are interested and they can beware of any warnings.