Frequently Asked Questions
Click on any of the questions below to find out more about the most common eye surgery questions.
Initial Consultation
What happens during my initial assessment?
You will have a consultation with Prof. William Power who will make sure your eyes are healthy and discuss your suitability for surgery and any risks with you. You will have a number of tests such as prescription testing, corneal topography, pachymetry, testing for dry eye and wavefront analysis by our ophthalmic technician.
Do I need to stop wearing my contact lenses before my assessment?
If you wear contact lenses, you will need to refrain from wearing them for one full week before your assessment.
Am I old enough / too old for treatment?
Candidates need only to be 21 years or older to undergo treatment. There is no upper age limit and in the past we have treated patients aged 21 – 70 years.
I have a really strong prescription – can eye laser surgery help me?
You will only know this after being assessed but with modern laser machines, many high prescriptions can be treated nowadays. If you are not suitable for laser, you may be a candidate for phakic implants (where an implant is placed in front of the pupil) or clear lens extraction with insertion of an artificial lens behind the pupil.
When and how long will the consultation take?
Our consultations are done every Monday Afternoon & every Wednesday Morning. We also do one Saturday morning per month. Please allow for up to 1.5 hr for this appointment.
The Surgery
How safe is the treatment?
The vast majority of patients achieve an excellent result. Permanent reduction in vision is extremely rare. During your assessment Prof. William Power will discuss all risks in detail with you and will be the first to tell you if you are not a suitable candidate.
Is a blade used to create the flap?
No. The flap is created with a laser (the femtosecond laser), and the cornea is also reshaped with a laser (the excimer laser), making it an all-laser procedure.
Does Laser Eye Surgery treatment hurt?
Most patients feel no pain during the procedure but merely a pressure sensation around the eye.
How much time do I need to take off work?
Most patients go back to work one or two days after surgery, but reading vision can remain difficult for 1-2 weeks. That being said most patients can function on a computer within a few days
After Laser Eye Surgery
After laser can my vision still get worse over the years?
Due to the natural process of ageing, many people eventually become presbyopic (need reading glasses) and this process still occurs even if they had laser surgery. In some patients we under treat one eye (monovision) and in this case the under treated eye continues to read for life.
Will my vision after Laser eye surgery be as good as “with Glasses” or contact lenses?
The final vision outcome is very dependent on the individual healing process, and may result in under or over correction of refractive errors, and consequently you may still require glasses, contact lenses or need further laser surgery (called enhancement / re-treatment) in order to obtain the best vision possible. Recent evidence has shown that some higher prescriptions may slip many years after initial successful laser surgery. An Enhancement may be possible at that time.
Could the laser procedure affect my night vision?
Many patients find their night vision is improved after the wavefront CustomVue procedure. In fact, in the FDA clinical study, four times as many participants were very satisfied with their night vision after the procedure as compared to their night vision before with glasses or contacts.
Will my eye look different?
No, only your eye doctor will be able to tell, and then, only by looking at your eye through a high power microscope.
When can I resume exercise?
It is okay to jog and return to the gym a couple of days after surgery, and resume swimming with goggles after 3 weeks. Contact sports should be deferred for three months.
How soon can I drive after my operation?
Most people find that their vision is good enough to drive on the day after surgery. We recommend wearing sunglasses for the first few days for daytime driving.
Finance & Cost
Is the a fee or charge for the consultation?
Prof. Power’s Consultation fee for new patients – €100
Scans in the Eye Department – €95 ( Please note that if you require further tests or scans, hospital charges may apply )
What are my finance options for Laser Eye surgery?
There are no financial options available. The full cost of surgery is payable in full on the day of surgery itself.
Are laser eye surgery costs tax deductable?
These costs are tax deductible @ 20%.
Is laser eye surgery covered by health insurance companies?
There is no code for refractive lens surgery as it is not covered by health Insurance.