Lasik: FAQ - Vista Malaysia & Singapore - Lasik IntraLASIK CK Cataract

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can everyone do LASIK?
No, it depends on the cornea thickness. And cornea thickness is in-born. With Vista stringent Patient Suitability Guidelines, we reject 1 out of 4 customers.

Is there a minimum or maximum power where a person cannot undergo LASIK?
There is no power limit, the only limit is the cornea thickness.

How do l know l am a suitable candidate?
1)You must be a healthy adult, 18 years of age with stable vision for at least 1 year
2)Not recommended for pregnant or nursing mums
3)Have sufficient corneal thickness therefore come in for an 1 hour eye examination. It is FREE
4) To be in good health and free of corneal & other eye diseases

What are the side effects? Will I go blind if it goes wrong?
Common side effects are dry eyes, light sensitivity, glare and halos during the first few weeks, most will subside over time. Blindness could occur if a serious complication such as infection or scarring occurs. However, this is very rare. Antibiotic eye drops are prescribed as a routine to prevent infection. VISTA Vision Specialist has been performing laser vision correction since 1999. Our surgeons and staff are all highly trained and experienced to provide a safe environment for your LASIK surgery.

Is it painful?
The procedure is performed using anesthetic eye drops so there is no pain during the procedure. However, you may experience some eye discomfort and tearing during the first 24 hours after the surgery. It will gradually resolve by the second or third day.

How long does it take to recover?
It will usually within 24 hours, most patients will experience better vision which will gradually improve over the next few days. Stability of the vision is usually attained in 1 to 3 months.

What are the restrictions after LASIK?
As with any vision treatment procedure where the cornea is altered, certain precautions should be taken. You should avoid getting contaminated water in the eyes for at least one month. This includes water from swimming pools, spas, lakes and the ocean. When showering or taking baths, keep the eyes closed in order to avoid getting soap and dirty water into the eyes. When exercising, sweat should be kept out of the eyes for at least a month after the procedure. Also, patients should avoid rubbing their eyes vigorously for a month following the procedure. Females should also avoid applying eye makeup for one month after the procedure.

Can I travel by airplane after the surgery?
It is not a problem to travel by airplane after the surgery.

How soon can I return to work?

You are advised to rest for 1 to 2 days after the procedure. Yes, medical leave can be given by the doctor if required.

How long will the correction last?
The distance vision correction is permanent following laser vision correction. However, there are some age related changes that will occur regardless of whether or not someone has LASIK.

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.

Are there any side effects after LASIK?
Temporary side effects which is usually associated with healing, improve from 1-2 months(Intralase) and 3-6 months(blade), 6-9 months(PRK)
1. Dry eyes which can be overcome by lubricating eye drops
2. Fluctuating vision will stabilize base on the recovery period of Blade Microkeratome and THE INTRALASE METHOD^TM
3. Night vision conditions such as glare and halos will improve over time.

Like any surgical procedure, LASIK has its risks, as minimal as they may be. Perfect results and healing are as individual as your eyes. Different people heal differently – some faster, some slower, some have temporary side effects; others may require a later enhancement to fine-tune their vision.

What to expect after the treatment?
After the procedure, when the anesthetic gradually wear off, the customer will experience some discomfort such as foreign body sensation, tearing, light sensitivity and soreness for the next 4 – 6 hours. Many people are able to drive and return to work the next day.

I’m over 40. Will LASIK work for me? Will I still need reading glasses?
YES! The LASIK procedure will be able to correct your shortsightedness or longsightedness with astigmatism. However, you will still need reading glasses to see clearly up close from 40 years of age onwards. Alternatively, some patients may prefer to have Monovision where LASIK can be performed under one eye so as to leave it slightly myopic, giving the patients the ability to use one eye for near vision while the other eye for distance vision . The NearVision^TM CK® (Conductive Keratoplasty

), the revolutionary surgical reversal of presbyopia is available in VISTA..

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.

Will my health insurance cover the cost of the LASIK procedure?
No. Because LASIK is considered elective surgery (cosmetic), most health insurance plans do not cover it.

Do l need to layoff contact lens before l come in for the 1st part free eye examination?
No, you don’t have to.

How many days do l have to layoff contact lens before the pre Lasik treatment or the comprehensive eye examination?
According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard,

Soft contact lenses, you should stop wearing them for 2 weeks before your initial evaluation.
Toric soft lenses or rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, you should stop wearing them for at least 3 weeks before your initial evaluation.
Hard lenses, you should stop wearing them for at least 4 weeks before your initial evaluation.

Is THE INTRALASE METHOD^TM safer and more accurate?
The Intralase^TM Merthod 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 as a result.

Compared to traditional Blade Microkeratome, LASIK using the THE INTRALASE METHOD^TM is safer and produces better results as follows:

	THE INTRALASE METHOD^TM	Blade Microkeratome
Practically Eliminate the Risk of Flap Complication	0%	0.3% - 2.2%1
Create Thinner Flap leaving behind more tissue	100 – 110 micron	160 – 180 micron
Better Results with 20/20 or better @ 1 month2	96%	88%
Better Predictability within 0.50D2	94%	80%
Better Predictability within 0.25D2	80%	59%
Overall better vision (clarity, crispness, sharpness etc.)2	78%	22%
Less Dry Eye Complaints	less than 15%	over 55%
Lower Suction Pressure during Flap Creation	30-35 mmhg	80-100 mmhg

Source: 1 Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, Sept 2003 Pg 38, www.crstoday.com

2 Ophthalmology Management, Jan 2004, Pg 18, www.ophthalmologymanagement.com

What are key successes of Vista?
The 3 key successes that ensure the best possible results for any medical procedure are as follows:
a. Expertise and Experience of the Surgeon (similar to a Pilot for flight journey)
b. Latest Equipment: THE INTRALASE METHOD^TM, VISX STAR S4 IR and Technolas® 217z100 Zyoptix® (Plane)
c. Standard and Professional centre (Airport)

What is Vista’s success rate in LASIK?
With the latest technology of THE INTRALASE METHODTM, VISX STAR S4 IR and Technolas® 217z100 Zyoptix® combined, the risk is brought down to 0.01%:

	Success Rate	Remarks
Safety: Procedure Success	Over 99%	Balance less than 1% experience slight delay in healing
Results: Freedom from glasses	99.99%	Balance of 0.01% needs only a thin pair of glasses

Source: Vista Research

Custom LASIK, what is it about?
A)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 help you see clearer and sharper than ever before.

What are the benefits of using VISX CustomVue STAR S4 IR?
The benefits are as follow:

Better Safety: SuperThin Ablation Depth especially with cylinder treatment (see attached).
Better Result: It has one of the best result in the FDA trial with its Wavefront technology including the FDA-approved Iris Registration technology.
Used by US Navy: The technology is used by many prominent leading LASIK surgeon worldwide including the US Navy. US Navy has compared VISX, Nidek, Alcon Ladarvision and Bausch & Lomb and VISX was chosen.
Done on Tiger Wood’s Eyes: Tiger Wood along with many important personalities has chosen VISX as their laser of choice.
World #1: VISX is currently US and World #1 Excimer Laser provider.

How is the machine VISX different compared to other machine?
There are 3 Wavefront Guided Excimer Laser presently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (‘FDA’). Summary of the laser clinical data are as follows: