LASIK Eye Surgery – Price, Blade vs Laser, Side Effects

People who suffer from eye disease usually use glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision. But some patients are looking for a more permanent solution to correct their vision. That involves some sort of surgery – and one of the most popular surgeries to correct it is called LASIK. More and more turn to LASIK to do so. In this article we’re going to talk about LASIK in Singapore – what to expect, what’s the cost, and how effective is it. There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing an eye clinic or a doctor in Singapore but of course, you need to stay as informed as possible. That’s why we hope this article about LASIK in Singapore is helpful!

What is the LASIK surgery procedure?

The term LASIK actually stands for the long and complicated term laser in-situ keratomileusis. It sounds complicated but it has become one of the most performed surgeries worldwide. We can also define it as laser surgery to correct eye vision. LASIK has become one of the most popular eye surgeries. The surgery itself uses a laser that makes changes to the cornea which results in better focusing power of the eye.

With LASIK, patients can treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Patients usually complain of blurred vision with these conditions. They are not dangerous in themselves but can cause some disturbances in our daily lifestyle. This where LASIK comes into play and corrects vision so that patients won’t need glasses or contacts.

Another term for the surgeries that improve the focusing power of the eye is refractive surgery.

How Lasik Works?

With normal vision, the images focus on the retina at the back of the eye. When you have visual impairments, however, the images are concentrated somewhere else which is why you have blurred vision. The surgery itself can lasts only a few seconds but the preparation takes around 30 minutes. Usually, the whole surgery takes around 40 minutes.

LASIK lasers are used for such visual defects. They change the cornea to the extent that light is focused on the retina as it should. Corneal change is achieved with the help of a laser. A valve is created in the cornea in which the laser focuses on the eye.

LASIK lasers come into play for these visual defects. They change the cornea to the point that light focuses on the retina as it should when it is healthy. Corneal change is achieved with the help of a laser. A valve is created in the cornea, in which the laser focuses on the eye.

Blade Vs Laser LASIK

Some surgeons also perform surgery with a blade. The only difference between both is the type of methods used to create the cornea flap. The blade method uses a surgical instrument to create it, while with the laser method – a high-energy laser is used. There is no right answer to the question of which one is better. They both come with pros and cons. You should discuss your options with your doctor.

Can anyone get LASIK?

Woman checks her eyes in clinic

If you’re interested in getting LASIK, maybe you’re asking yourself whether or not LASIK is suitable for you. To answer that we can give you some important factors for LASIK surgery. The most important factor about the surgery is that your eyes need to be otherwise healthy. That means that besides vision problems and refractive errors your eyes are healthy. Before you go into the surgery, you’ll have a consultation with your doctor who will determine the state of your eyes. They will look for any sign of eye disease that could be the cause of potential deterioration of your vision or other eye problems, infections of the eye, injuries to the eye, dry eyes (that’s important because LASIK can make dry eyes worse), large pupils (LASIK maybe not be suitable for people with large pupils because it may cause more problems), glaucoma and cataracts. You may need cataract surgery for that.

Another important thing doctors will ask you about is your overall health. If you have health conditions affecting your immune system or perhaps if you take medications that may suppress your immune system (such as steroids) the LASIK surgery may not be suitable for you. You’d also want to rethink having LASIK if you have diabetes or chronic pain conditions (such as migraines).

And finally, you must be above 18 to get LASIK done. That’s because your vision may change with time (and especially during your teenage years). Some hormonal changes and medications can also affect your vision too. In such a case it’s best to wait a few years before deciding on getting LASIK. A lot of people ask “Can presbyopia be corrected with LASIK?” We have to say that LASIK may not be the most suitable procedure for age-related vision problems or presbyopia because LASIK is suitable for farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism. LASIK can only correct vision at one distance and patients having age-related vision problems may have both or have other causes to their problems.

How safe is LASIK?

Preparing patient for lasik eye surgery

A lot of people ask themselves “Is LASIK dangerous?” We can say with certainty that LASIK is a very safe surgery. That’s because there’s little to no risk of complications from the surgery and the high success rate. The success rate for LASIK stands for the admirable 96% in patient satisfaction. When it comes to correcting vision it stands at around 99-90%. Also, if you’re asking the question “Are you asleep during LASIK” – the answer is yes. While you’ll be awake, you won’t feel any pain because of the anaesthetic eye drops you’ll be given.

Researchers and practitioners all over the world dedicate their time to analyzing the results from LASIK surgery and measure out all risks from the surgery. Research suggests that more than 95% of patients are happy with their results and don’t experience any complications.

Are there any side effects from LASIK?

While LASIK is a safe and effective way to correct your vision with next to risk, there are some potential side effects you might experience. Just like any other surgery, the LASIK surgery comes with its potential risks. What’s important to know is that the complications associated with LASIK are rare and some of them resolve on their own without the need for medical attention. The most common LASIK side effects include:

  • Dry Eyes: This is one of the common side effects of LASIK eye surgery. That’s because the procedure might cause a decrease in tear production temporarily. That lasts for around 6 months following the surgery. You can relieve your symptoms with eye drops. If you have persistent dry eyes ask your doctor for advice.
  • Changes in vision: Some patients note that they experience changes in their vision such as glare or halo. Don’t worry about this, it will go away on its own after a few days following the surgery. If you keep having problems with your vision, ask your doctor. Some people also note double vision after LASIK surgery.
  • Poor correction: In some cases, the laser might remove too much or too little tissue from your eye which can result in unsatisfactory results. You might need additional surgery after that.
  • Infection: Like most surgeries, the LASIK one also holds the risk of infections.

If you have eye floaters and you’re looking about how to get rid of floaters after LASIK, you should contact your eye doctor for advice. You should talk to your eye specialist about other potential complications and evaluate the pros and cons of the surgery.

Will I be able to see after the surgery?

Usually, the vision is close to what it was before the procedure. Keep in mind that laser vision correction aims to free you from your addiction to glasses, not to increase your visual acuity. However, patients often report that they see better than before. If you saw 100% before the correction, it means that after it it is possible to see even better (100% means the visual acuity that is expected from the average person for the respective age. some patients see better of the perceived 100% visual acuity). Your eyesight will go back to normal in around a month following the surgery.

What happens after surgery? How does the recovery look like?

Here are some of the things you might expect after a LASIK surgery. Patients might get dryness in your eyes and the doctor will prescribe eye drops to deal with the dryness and prevent inflammation. While your eyes will recover rather quickly it’s still important to follow the guidelines your doctor told you after the surgery. You must follow your doctor’s orders because of that one of the keys to successful recovery and results of laser correction. Here are some of them:

  • Avoid your hair when showering on the first day after the surgery. The following day you can wash your hair but you have to be careful not to wet your eyes. We would advise that someone helps you with that. The same rule goes for washing your face – you can do it but be careful not to wet your eyes.
  • You can go back to watching TV, work on the computer or read the following day after LASIK but not for a very long time. These activities can be tiring for the eyes.
  • You can play light sports after 1 week and more intensive sports (such as swimming or football) after a month.
  • You can go back to driving in 3 days but it’s best to avoid it for at least a week.
  • You can apply makeup again after 2 weeks.

Woman applies eye makeup

You can go back to work as soon as the next day with LASIK. But it’s still important to take some time off and rest until you’ve fully recovered. Also, be careful if you work long hours in front of the computer – that can be damaging for your eyes. And if you work somewhere with a lot of dust, for example, it’s best to have a longer recovery period. If you’re concerned about flying after LASIK – then don’t worry about it. Most patients can travel the very next day. That’s because the eye themselves are not affected by altitude pressure while flying.

Also, after the procedure, your doctor will give you dark shades to protect your eyes from the sun. In some cases, you might get prescribed a sleeping pill to help you sleep directly after the surgery.

How do I prepare for LASIK?

Before committing to any sort of surgery it’s important to know what you can do to make the process easier for you. Here are some of our tips.

  • Ask a friend to drive you home: You can’t drive immediately after the surgery so you have to have someone get you home safely. That’s because after the surgery you’re still under the effects of the medicine given to you, and your vision is going to be blurry.
  • Don’t use makeup before the surgery: That’s important because your eyes need to be clean before the surgery to be sure that there’s no risk of infection.

Would I need glasses following LASIK?

If you get LASIK it’s highly unlikely that you’ll need to wear glasses or contacts again – after all LASIK is a surgery performed to stop that need. There are some cases where patients need to be prescribed glasses but only for reading or driving, for example.

Most of our patients can read easily without glasses too. But for patients over the age of 45, they might need reading glasses due to natural vision weakening. Some patients over 65 might get intraocular lenses implanted if they want to avoid wearing glasses entirely.

Can I get additional procedures while receiving LASIK?

The short answer is yes you can. Singapore is a great place for medical innovation and that doesn’t exclude eye surgery and LASIK. A lot of surgeons in Singapore offer a procedure called collagen cross-linking as an additional procedure during LASIK. Collagen cross-linking is a procedure in which vitamin B2 drops are applied to the eye – this will promote collagen to cross-link and thus strengthen your corneas.

The procedure is done to reduce the risk of the cornea losing its shape (corneal ectasia) and to reduce the risk of spectacle power.

You should ask your eye specialist for details.

What’s the cost of LASIK in Singapore?

You might expect that the LASIK cost in Singapore may vary depending on several important factors. In a lot of cases, you’d have to pay for your consultation as well. During your consultation at an eye clinic or maybe an eye specialist centre the doctor will determine the health of your eyes and whether you’re a suitable candidate for the procedure. As the consultation involves an eye exam, most of the eye clinic in Singapore offer paid consultation that can go up to 100$. Furthermore, the cost will also depend largely on the type of laser machine that the eye clinic uses. Some machines and techniques cost more, which will make the final price more expensive. The doctor’s fee is also one of the contributing factors to the final cost. That being said, the cost for LASIK in Singapore can be anywhere between 3500-6000$. Of course, you can look for a more serious LASIK cost comparison online that would compare different machines and services to their cost.

Be sure to ask your doctor about everything that would be included in the final cost so you’re prepared.

How to find the right doctor for your LASIK?

Singapore is a place with a lot of great doctors so you have a lot of options to choose from. It’s best to go to an eye surgeon who has specialized in laser procedures. Choose doctors with long years of experience and positive reviews. You can ask your friends for suggestions of doctors or a LASIK eye clinic in Singapore to help you with the decision. It’s important to find an experienced doctor because that’s one of the determinant factors for a successful surgery.

Final Thoughts

You have lots of options when it comes to LASIK procedures and eye vision corrections in Singapore. If you’re looking for a laser vision correction Singapore is a great place to look in. A place with one of the best doctors and eye clinics in the world, there’s a lot you can choose from. But having that many options might seem difficult to navigate into. That’s why in this article we presented a lot of the information you need to know about LASIK in Singapore – from what to expect before, during, and after the surgery to the cost and how to find the right doctor for you. What’s important to remember is to always find the time to research as much as you can before any kind of surgery and know all of your facts about it. We hope this article helped you do just that!