The New Year is approaching, and you may be looking back on all the things you have achieved or even still want to do in 2022! New Year’s resolutions are a chance for us to make positive changes or try new things we wouldn’t normally do. Perhaps travel more, take up a new hobby or do something that can enhance the quality of your life, like having laser eye surgery.
What is laser eye surgery?
Laser eye surgery is a safe and effective way to help remove the prescription you require from your glasses or contact lenses. Optical Express offers two different types of laser eye surgery, LASIK and LASEK. Both procedures are quick and painless, with most patients achieving clear vision the next day.
LASIK
laser eye surgery is our most popular type of treatment. After anaesthetic drops are applied to numb the eye, the surgeon uses a femtosecond laser to create a thin protective flap on the surface of the eye which is then gently lifted to reveal the cornea. The surgeon then uses a second laser which gently pulses light to reshape the cornea’s imperfections correcting the eyes prescription. The protected flap is then placed back over the cornea and will start to naturally heal over the following hours and days.
LASEK
is an alternative form of laser eye surgery which is suitable for patients who are not eligible for LASIK surgery. During LASEK surgery the surgeon places an ultra-thin sheet on the eye. A diluted alcohol solution is then used to loosen the flap and is then gently moved to one side to reveal the layer of cornea to be treated. The laser then works on the cornea to reshape any imperfections before the outer layer of the cornea is placed back into position. A protective contact lens is then applied on top to help the healing process.
During your consultation, your optometrist will discuss and recommend what treatment option is best for you. Both options can be enhanced by our revolutionary iDesign technology. iDesign is a state of the art technology used to create a 3D map of the eye as unique as a fingerprint and can customise your treatment 25 times more accurately than a standard prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
What are the benefits of getting laser eye surgery?
One of the key benefits of laser eye surgery is the life-changing visual freedom it can provide. No more glasses and no more contact lenses.
For many patients one of the biggest inconveniences of their glasses and contact lenses is that they often get in the way of their day to day activities. For example, many patients tell us of their love of sports and find wearing glasses and contact lenses while participating in their favourite leisure activities, like running, football and taekwondo, nearly impossible and often have to suffer through, relying on blurred vision. We receive a lot of feedback from patients after surgery and one thing we hear all the time is how much patients look forward to going swimming at their local pool or in the sea on holiday without having to worry about their eyesight and dealing with the struggle of contact lenses.
The risks of contact lenses over laser eye surgery
Although contact lenses can seem, for some, like a better alternative than glasses for vision correction, many people are not aware of the serious threat they pose to their eye health. Not only can contact lenses cause dry, irritated eyes, every time a contact lens is put in the eye the wearer is exposed to bacteria and risk of infection. For some patients unfortunately, eye infections caused by contact lenses can be so serious that they require hospital level care. Laser eye surgery is a safer vision correction solution to regular contact lens wear.
The cost of laser eye surgery in comparison to the lifelong spend on glasses and contacts.
In some cases, a patient’s prescription will require more than one pair of glasses, or perhaps they require both glasses and contact lenses. Over time the cost soon starts to add up and over a patient’s lifetime the total spend on their eye care can be vast. Laser eye surgery can be an affordable solution for many in comparison to this lifetime spend on glasses and contact lenses. The cost of laser eye surgery at Optical Express starts from only £595 per eye.1 Plus we offer a range of finance options which make it an affordable solution.
The environmental impact of glasses and contact lenses.
At Optical Express, we believe that looking after the environment is a priority and we try our best to inform our patients of what we can do collectively to help look after our planet.
Did you know it can take up to 500 years for plastic to decompose?2 Many people are unaware that contact lenses are made up of different types of plastic, so they should be recycled with care. If even one tiny bit of plastic ends up in our waterways, it can make the water a million times more toxic. These plastic particles are also a serious health risk to bottom feeders who live at the foot of oceans, rivers and lakes. These types of fish are essential for the environment as they help keep carbon dioxide from getting into the atmosphere.3
Did you also know that glasses can be just as harmful to our planet? The frame manufacturing industry has become very wasteful. This is because off-cuts and faulty frames are not easily re-worked back into production, and they end up making their way to landfill sites worldwide.4 Landfills are massive rubbish sites filled with household and commercial wastage that takes a long time to break down, causing pollution.5
Collectively we must all do more to help stop the plastic pollution that is causing this serious harm to our planet. Laser eye surgery is a more sustainable form of vision correction and by opting for treatment and ditching single-use plastic contact lenses and glasses this an effective change that patients can make to help our environment.
Why choose Optical Express?
Optical Express has over 100 locations across the UK, Ireland and Europe. We have invested over £500 million in our clinics and technology to ensure our patients receive the highest quality level of care. At Optical Express our patients and their journey with us is our top priority. We want to make sure they receive the best possible care and are provided with all the information that they need to make the best choice for their vision correction and their lives.
Our patient reviews really do speak for themselves!
Rachel, a mum of two, had laser eye surgery with Optical Express last year. She felt that one of the main frustrations of wearing glasses was being unable to participate in activities with her children. She loved to take them swimming, but because she couldn't wear contact lenses, she couldn't see clearly in the pool, taking away her enjoyment. Choosing to have laser eye surgery has positively impacted Rachel's life. “I would highly recommend it; the benefits are huge. I’m so pleased I’ve done it. I would recommend Optical Express, I think the service has been excellent, people have been really friendly, highly professional. The treatment itself, the results speak for themselves, so yes I would highly recommend Optical Express.”
When it comes to laser eye surgery, the most common response from our patients after treatment is that they wished they’d done it sooner! So, why not make laser eye surgery one of your new year’s resolutions? Book a free consultation today at your local Optical Express clinic and start your journey to clear vision now!
1Price dependent on prescription and treatment type.
2https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/the-lifecycle-of-plastics
3https://emagazine.com/eco-friendly-ophthalmology-how-can-we-green-the-vision-and-eyewear-industry/
4https://www.healthawareness.co.uk/eye-health/how-to-reduce-waste-when-making-glasses-frames/
5https://www.unisanuk.com/what-is-a-landfill-why-are-landfills-bad-for-the-environment/