Frequently Asked Questions

About Laser Eye Surgery

Am I a suitable candidate for Laser Eye Surgery?

The best way to determine your suitability is with a thorough eye examination (an assessment) at Queensland Laser Vision. Appropriate candidates must be 18-45 years of age, have good general eye health and have stable vision for at least 12 months. Laser vision correction can treat a very broad range of short-sightedness and astigmatism.

During your assessment (which takes approx. 1 hour) your consultant will confirm if you are a good candidate, explain the procedure and answer all questions you may have so that you are able to make an informed decision.

There are a number of factors that might make you a good or poor candidate for LASIK. These include: your prescription, the health of your eyes, the thickness of your corneas, the size of your pupils, the quality of your tear film and most importantly the specific lifestyle needs you wish to fulfil through the elimination of, or decreasing your dependence on, glasses or contacts. Please note you are not a suitable candidate if you are: pregnant or breastfeeding, have keratoconus or have cataracts.

The consultant will also explain what results are reasonable to expect by performing customised measurements of your eyes and conducting a full eye health examination. In fact, many people choose Queensland Laser Vision based upon our reputation for providing excellence in patient care matched by state of the art technology equalled to the worlds’ best.

How much is the procedure?

 The current price for LASIK/PRK is $2,750** per eye

 This price includes:

• Pre – operative consultations (including consultation with surgeon)
• Treatment using the safest and most advanced equipment
• Post-operative consultations
• Enhancement procedure if required at a later date
• After surgery care pack consisting of medicated and lubricating eye drops, clear shields and full post-operative instructions and information
• Access to 24hr contact numbers for peace of mind

 
** From the 1st July 2016 the LASIK / PRK price will be $2,750 per eye
 

 Is there a payment plan?

Yes, there is a payment plan option available, the plan is prepared at the Centre and provided by an independent institution - HealthCare Payment Solutions

How the payment plan works

• On the day of surgery a minimum payment of $2,910 (50% of the surgery fees + the administration fee*) is required.
• The remainder is then paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
• Repayments can be made via nominated bank account, credit or debit card**
• See Payment Plan Page for full details
• No penalties for early or lump sum payments

** Please note: A service fee of $160 is charged by Queensland Laser Vision to cover bank and administration costs. The $160 fee is included in the up front payment. ** An additional service fee of $39 is charged by Healthcare Payment Solutions. The $39 fee is debited on your first payment.

**Payment Plan repayments are made through HealthCare Payments Solutions 1.95% fee for MasterCard & Visa transactions, 3.25% fee for Amex transactions, $0.88 fee for bank account transactions.
 

Can I claim my LASIK procedure against my health fund?

The LASIK procedure is not covered by Medicare or most private health funds. To our knowledge, only Defence Health, BUPA Ultimate cover, AHM and Queensland Teachers contribute towards the procedure. Contact your individual private health fund to determine if they will contribute towards elective LASIK Eye Surgery.                                      
 

Can I claim my LASIK procedure on my 2012-13 tax return?

Yes you can. Please see below an extract from the Australian tax office website.

On 8 May 2012, the government announced it will income test the net medical expenses tax offset from 1 July 2012.

Taxpayers with an adjusted taxable income above $84,000 for singles or $168,000 for a couple or family in 2012-13 will be affected. The family threshold will increase by $1,500 for each dependent child after the first. These taxpayers will only be able to claim a reimbursement of 10% for eligible out of pocket expenses incurred in excess of $5,000 (indexed annually).

Taxpayers with an adjusted taxable income below these thresholds will be unaffected. These taxpayers will continue to be able to claim a reimbursement of 20% for net medical expenses over $2,120 (CPI indexed for 2012-13) when they lodge their tax return.

Link to ATO extract  https://www.ato.gov.au/General/New-legislation/In-detail/Direct-taxes/Income-tax-for-individuals/Net-medical-expenses-tax-offset-income-test/

You can only claim medical expenses for those of your dependants who were Australian residents for tax purposes.

Claimable Medical Expenses. You can claim expenses relating to an illness or operation paid to legally qualified doctors, nurses or chemists and public or private hospitals. Medical expenses which qualify for the tax offset also include laser eye surgery.

Conditions apply please check ATO for full details - www.ato.gov.au

Can I claim my LASIK procedure on my 2013 – 14 tax return?

On 14 May 2013, the government announced in the 2013-14 Budget that it will phase out the net medical expenses tax offset.

From 1 July 2013, those taxpayers who receive the offset in their 2012-2013 income tax assessment will continue to be eligible for the offset for the 2013-14 income year if they have eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses above the relevant claim threshold. Similarly, those who receive the tax offset in their 2013-14 income tax assessment will continue to be eligible for the offset in 2014-15.

The changes mentioned above will not apply to all taxpayers – the offset will continue to be available for taxpayers with out-of-pocket medical expenses relating to disability aids, attendant care or aged care expenses until 1 July 2019.

Link to the ATO extract for the 2013 - 14 changes: https://www.ato.gov.au/General/New-legislation/In-detail/Direct-taxes/Income-tax-for-individuals/Net-medical-expenses-tax-offset-phase-out/

Further details we recommend that you contact your tax accountant or visit the Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au

How soon am I able to drive after my procedure?

Do not resume driving until you have been cleared by your surgeon/optometrist at the first post-operative appointment.

You may then drive when you feel confident that your vision and comfort allows you to drive in a safe and competent manner.

What are the risks?

There are risks associated with the laser vision correction procedure. However, the chance of having a vision reducing complication has been documented in a number of clinical studies to be minimal.

Some potential complications include conditions such as dryness, complications in making the surgical flap, night glare, under or over correction, and loss of best corrected vision.

At Queensland Laser Vision your consultant will discuss these and other risks of the surgery on the day of your assessment. We will only perform the surgery (if any) that is right for you.

What is LASIK?

For a large majority of patients, Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is the best way to achieve natural vision.

Queensland Laser Vision (formerly the Excimer Laser Vision Centre) was the first established centre in QLD founded in 1991 and pioneered the LASIK procedure in 1995.

The LASIK procedure commences by placing drops on the eye to numb the surface. The surgeon utilises a precise, specialised instrument, (Amadeus Microkeratome) to create a very fine layer through the surface of the cornea. This layer forms a flap of clear tissue on the central area of the front surface of the eye.

Once the flap is created the surgeon folds the flap back, exposing the underlying corneal tissue. The Excimer laser is then utilised to alter the curvature of the cornea to achieve the desired optical correction for your eyes. After the correction of short-sightedness and/or astigmatism has been delivered the flap is then gently laid back to its original position over the treated corneal tissue.

Following the procedure you will be provided with the necessary eye medications. A protective eye shield is supplied to protect the eye from accidental bumping or rubbing. During the first 24 – 48 hours, you may experience a mild gritty sensation however you will be provided with lubricating, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops to assist during this time.  

What is customised LASIK?

A custom treatment is a wavefront-guided procedure. However, every procedure we perform is a “customised” procedure as your examination is a highly detailed, personalised evaluation. 

We carefully assess your eyes with our wavefront technology, which is the NIDEK OPD III Scan, and then adjust and customise your treatment depending on your pupil size, refraction, corneal topography and all other test results.

The ability to adjust the NIDEK Quest Excimer Laser optical zone allows for a truly customised treatment, the adjustability of the laser is one of the most important factors in providing a customised treatment for each individual patient.

Why do you use a blade?

We use the Amadeus™ II Keratome the world’s best Microkeratome.

It is a highly advanced, completely computer controlled, tried and tested piece of equipment. Our surgeons have assessed the ‘bladeless’ Intralase system and see no benefit to the patient or surgeon at the present time. The Intralase procedure takes longer to perform, recovery is longer and the technique is no more accurate but is significantly more expensive.

We recommend you visit http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/blade-vs-bladeless.htm for more information.

What will my recovery be like and how long will I be unable to work?

Although most patients usually see quite well the day following their procedure and may be able to continue with activities of daily living the following recovery times are recommended:

Recommended Time Off following – Lasik

We recommend you have the afternoon of surgery and the day following surgery off work as a minimum, ideally 2-3 days rest before returning to work. If you work in a dusty environment you may need to have a week off before returning to work. 

Vision will still be hazy the day following surgery and you will be using drops regularly.

Recommended Time off following – PRK

You will need to have the day of surgery and the following week off work

The speed of visual recovery depends on personal healing patterns and age. However, most patients tend to notice dramatic visual results within the first few days following the procedure. Patients with higher prescriptions may recover more slowly.

Will I need reading glasses after the treatment?

Generally patients under the age of 40 years of age tend to read quite well following the procedure however patients over the age of 40 will need assistance when reading up-close fine print.

In our early to mid-forties there is a natural loss of the focusing ability, called presbyopia.

The LASIK procedure does not correct or prevent presbyopia occurring however an option that may be suitable to you is called Monovision.

What is Monovision?

Myopic and astigmatic people who are suitable for laser surgery, may be suitable for monovision correction.

With monovision, one eye is corrected for distance and the other eye is corrected for near, providing clear vision for both distance and near vision.

This kind of correction is usually done for people around 40 years of age to reduce the need for reading glasses.

Will the procedure hurt?

Some patients find the procedure to be slightly uncomfortable. One good way to learn more about how it might feel is to talk to someone who has had the procedure, such as a friend, relative or a staff member at Queensland Laser Vision.

For most patients, the feeling of anxiety and fear of the unknown is worse than the actual procedure. Anaesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just before surgery commences and you will also be given a mild sedative.

After the procedure, you may experience a gritty-like sensation in your eyes however it is suggested that you rest with your eyes closed for 4-6 hours and administer lubricating drops every hour while awake.

Can I have Laser Eye Surgery if I am Pregnant or Breastfeeding?

The LASIK / PRK procedure is not performed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Hormonal changes can lead to temporary changes in your vision and affect the accuracy of our measurements.

Medications that would normally be used before and after surgery may be risky for your baby, whether unborn or nursing.

Assessment and surgery should be done 2-3 months after pregnancy / ceasing breastfeeding.

Why might PRK be better for my eyes?

During the assessment, our consultant will measure the shape and thickness of your corneas. In some cases these measurements can reveal mild structural abnormalities, which for most patients would never present any practical problems.

However, performing LASIK surgery on these irregular corneas can cause them to further weaken and possibly become quite distorted, blurring vision. The incidence of this occurring is in the order of 1 in 2000 cases.

PRK is a variation of the laser procedure that has a very low risk of causing any further distortion to these irregular corneas. If your cornea appears to be structurally irregular you will be advised to have PRK instead of LASIK.

Advanced technology & personalized treatment results in first class refractive eye care

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Contact Queensland Laser Vision Today - Book Your Assessment

1800 66 2020 or 07 3831 8299

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