What is Advanced Surface Ablation?

Advanced surface ablation (ASA), a variant of LASEK, can eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses by correcting short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hypermetropia) and astigmatism.

The visual recovery following ASA is slightly slower than with LASIK or SMILE;  it is therefore carried out when LASIK or SMILE are not indicated, such as in thin corneas or corneas with a medical condition such as keratoconus and prior scarring.

What are the benefits of Advanced Surface Ablation?

  • An active lifestyle without the hassle of glasses or contact lenses

  • Spectacle independence

  • No contact lens risks

  • It can be applied to the correction of complex and irregular refractive prescriptions

  • It can be combined with collagen cross-linking if you have keratoconus

Advanced Surface Ablation FAQs

Is laser vision correction painful?

A slight pressure feeling may be noticed during the procedure but no pain. Your eyes will be slightly gritty and sensitive to light for the first day or two.

Can laser vision correction cause blindness?

Permanent serious loss of vision following laser vision correction is extremely rare, as the procedure is not carried out inside the eye but on the outside.

Poor vision may be caused if an infection were to develop following the procedure; the risk of this occurring is approximately 1 in 10000. In the worst likely scenario, a form of corneal transplantation may be required to replace a damaged block of tissue in the cornea, restoring vision usually to driving standards. Problems that can lead to the need for transplantation include scarring after infection or an abnormal healing response, and an unstable corneal shape, also called corneal ectasia. These problems occur infrequently, and can often be corrected without transplant surgery.

Does laser vision correction cause dry eye?

For patients with a healthy eye surface prior to the procedure, lasting dry eye symptoms are unusual. Dry eye symptoms and intermittent blurring (variable vision) can be caused by reduced stability of the tear film between blinks.

Tear film stability and dry eye symptoms improve over the first two to three months after the procedure. During this period, most patients require the use of frequent tear supplements. Contact lens wearers usually experience an improvement in dry eye symptoms compared to before the procedure!

SMILE has a faster recovery compared to other laser vision correction procedures.

Is laser vision correction permanent?

The effects of laser vision correction on the cornea and your vision are permanent. However, in your fifth decade of life and later the natural lens inside your eye undergoes changes that may change your prescription and need for reading glasses.

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For more information visit

www.laservisioneyecentre.co.uk