Top 5 questions about laser eye surgery answered

We’ve been in the business of vision correction since 1991 so you can be sure that we’ve heard nearly every question about laser eye surgery there is. We truly believe there’s no such thing as a silly question. We’re sharing 5 FAQs from Optimax patients about laser eye surgery, covering topics ranging from treatment day to recovery to finance.

1. How long does laser eye surgery take?

Laser eye surgery is a very quick procedure – you’ll be in the treatment room for around 10-15 minutes but the laser will only be on your eye for a matter of seconds. Most of the time in the surgery room will be spent prepping you for the procedure and checking the laser settings. The laser will be turned on and applied to your eye for anywhere from a few seconds up to around a minute, depending on your prescription. The stronger and more complex your prescription is, the longer the laser will be on your eye for. After your treatment, we advise that you go home to recover with a nap in a dark environment.

2. Does laser eye surgery hurt?

The actual laser eye surgery procedure doesn’t hurt. We administer numbing eye drops before your treatment so that you feel no discomfort during the surgery itself. Some patients report feeling a slight pressure during the procedure, but other patients tell us they feel nothing at all. After a few hours, the effects of these drops can begin to wear off and you may start to feel some discomfort. This might feel like a gritty sensation in your eyes, but with some sleep and soothing eye drops, it usually goes away after the first day or two. You shouldn’t feel any severe pain after your laser eye surgery; if you do, you must call your treating clinic immediately for advice.

3. How much does laser eye surgery cost?

The cost of laser eye surgery can vary between providers, but we’re very proud of our fixed, transparent pricing structure at Optimax. We have a fixed price of £1,995 per eye for laser eye surgery, regardless of your prescription. This price covers your entire Optimax journey including:

• Consultation (subject to a refundable £10-30 deposit to ensure attendance)
• Surgeon assessment
• Surgery day
• Initial supply of eye drops
• Aftercare appointments until discharge (usually 3 months but can be for longer if your optometrist deems it necessary)
• Lifetime Aftercare Guarantee

We also offer a range of payment plans to make the cost of treatment more affordable, spread over a number of months. Learn more about our payment plans.

4. Can I have laser eye surgery with astigmatism?

Yes. We can treat astigmatic prescriptions of up to +/- 6. We require you to have had a stable prescription for at least a year before we can recommend you for laser eye surgery, and this includes having a stable astigmatism. Based on your prescription and other factors relating to your eye health and lifestyle, the optometrist will put you forward for LASIK or LASEK. Astigmatic patients have previously been found suitable for both types of laser eye surgery that we offer at Optimax, so you can rest assured that this shouldn’t be a barrier to vision correction.

5. Is laser eye surgery safe?

Yes – over 98% of our patients achieve unaided driving standard vision following their laser eye surgery with us. Laser eye surgery is a treatment with decades of research behind it, and we’ve been performing it at Optimax for over 30 years. We’ve got over 720,000 vision correction procedures under our belt, which is a figure that grows by the week with thousands of treatments carried out in our nationwide clinics. Laser eye surgery is so safe that countless Optimax staff members have had it themselves, and they even recommend it to their friends and family. If you have questions about safety surrounding laser eye surgery, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 093 1110 to speak to a member of staff about their personal experience.

Got a question we haven’t covered?

If you’ve still got a question which we haven’t touched on in this blog post, you can check out our main FAQ page, or give us a call on 0800 093 1110. Our team can also be reached via email on enquiry@optimax.co.uk and will be more than happy to answer any queries you might have.