How will I know if I am suitable for zyoptix?

You may be a good candidate if you:

• 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 been told that your pupils are too big, or your corneas too thin, for standard treatment
• Need vision correction and have a prescription range of up to – 12.00 dioptres sphere and– 7.00 cylinder
• 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

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, after-care and commitment

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 is more expensive than standard LASIK – please ask the refractive coordinator at Centre For Sight for exact details.Only your surgeon can determine if you are a suitable candidate for Zyoptix, based on appropriate diagnostic tests and your medical history.

Medical factors to consider

You will probably be told you are unsuitable for Zyoptix if you have contraindicated eye or health problems:

• 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. Be sure to tell your surgeon about any current or past health problems

What prescription range can Zyoptix correct?

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 people with mild-to-moderate prescriptions undergo LASIK.

But because Zyoptix removes less tissue than Bausch&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:

• Up to –12.00 dioptres of near-sight
• The range for astigmatism is up to –7.00 dioptres (with near-sight)

Just how successful is Zyoptix?

In the world’s largest evaluation of patient data comparing Zyoptix treatment with standard LASIK, the results show that:

• Zyoptix patients had significantly better quality of vision than patients treated with standard LASIK
• Significantly more Zyoptix patients had better quality of vision with night driving than patients treated with standard LASIK Patients’ own assessment of their vision during night driving at their 1-month check-up

Does it hurt?

Zyoptix is a virtually painless treatment. 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.

What will you experience right after Zyoptix treatment?

After the treatment, you may experience some after-effects of the treatment. 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

Is it permanent?

Yes, Zyoptix is permanent. One treatment is all that most people need, however, just under 2% of patients at Centre for Sight need some additional fine-tuning (re-treatment) to get the desired vision correction.

How quickly will my eyes recover?

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 vision 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.