You may be a good candidate if you:
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Feel that spectacles/contact lenses are a nuisance in your job, sporting activities or personal life
- Suffer from the effect of scattered light (aberrations)
- Have had stable vision for the past 2 years
- Have healthy eyes, good general health and are not taking medication that affects the healing process
Personal factors to consider
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Career : People in certain occupations - e.g. the Armed Forces or the Police -– may be prohibited from undergoing laser treatment. Always ask your employer for advice.
- Age Your surgeon might think it wise to postpone treatment if you are under 21.
- TIme The treatment itself only takes a few minutes, but all the tests and aftercare visits over a 3-month period will require your time and commitment . You might also need check-ups at 6 and 12 months.
- Money Zyoptix may be more expensive than standard LASIK.
Medical factors to consider
You will probably be told you are unsuitable for Zyoptix if you have contraindicated eye or health problems.
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Ocular (eye) health : Your surgeon will examine you for severe dry eye conditions, infections, allergies, any corneal abnormalities or eye disease (either existing or within your family) that could affect the healing process.
- General health : Your surgeon will check with you that you do not suffer from diseases that prevent you from having laser treatment and may well contact your GP. You will have to postpone your treatment if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
- Medication : Certain medicines might interact with the drops you will be given. Some examples are - medication for migraines (triptans), hormone replacement therapy (HRT) antihistamines and others. Your surgeon will advise you if and how your medication effects laser treatment. Be sure to tell your surgeon about any current or past health problems.
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People may not realise how suitable they are for laser treatment, because they wrongly believe that their eyes are not weak enough. In fact, many patients with mild to moderate prescriptions undergo LASIK. But because Zyoptix removes less tissue than Bausch and Lomb standard LASIK, it can be performed on people previously unsuitable for laser eye treatments - such as those with higher prescriptions.
The limit of what can be corrected varies from person to person, from surgeon to surgeon and from machine to machine. As a general guide, the Zyoptix system can correct:
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To about -12.00 dioptres of near-sight.
- The range for astigmatism is up to - 7.00 dioptres (with near-sight)
Zyoptix is a virtually painless operation. During the procedure, your vision will become blurred and you may be aware of a slight movement on your eye and a sensation of pressure. After the treatment, your eyes may feel slightly gritty and watery for a few hours, but you should not experience any significant pain.
After the treatment, you may experience some after-effects of the surgery. Most of these are quite normal and will disappear quickly. They could include: dry eyes and a gritty feeling after long periods of sleep or in very dry environments. You will be given drops for this. hazy, unstable vision and glare with night vision; possibly an overall tenderness of the cornea.
Yes, Zyoptix is permanent. One treatment is all that most people need, however,5 - 10% of patients need some additional fine-tuning (re-treatment) to get the best desired possible vision correction.
You should be able to see better 1 – 2 hours after the treatment has been completed, but you’ll notice the really dramatic difference when you wake up the next day. Even though your sight will be reasonably good soon after Zyoptix, your eyesight will not have recovered sufficiently to allow you to drive. You should be able to drive after your first check-up – but do not drive until your surgeon says it is safe to do so.
Most people soon get back to their normal routine – even going back to work the next day. However, this will depend on your type of work – you should take 2-3 days’ rest if you use a computer, for example. Avoid contact sports and swimming for 2-3 weeks.
What are the alternatives if you are not suitable for Zyoptix?
Most people who want Zyoptix are able to have it, but if not, your surgeon will be happy to discuss alternatives with you. For example, PRK or prescription implanted intraocular lenses may be good alternatives.
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