What is the difference between laser eye correction and laser eye surgery?
None: they are two names for the same treatments. Lens-based treatments (implantable lenses and lens replacement) are surgery without a laser.
Am I suitable for laser eye correction?
Usually yes if you are over 18, your prescription has been stable for a year or more and your eyes are healthy. Use the check above, then a full assessment decides.
Which treatment is right for me?
LASIK, LASEK or SMILE for most everyday prescriptions; an implantable lens for high prescriptions or thin corneas; lens replacement from about 50.
How much does laser eye correction cost in Ireland?
Laser treatment costs €800 to €2,600 per eye. Implantable lenses and lens replacement cost €2,900 to €3,900 per eye. Tax relief at 20% applies to all of them.
Does it hurt?
Numbing drops mean you feel pressure rather than pain during treatment. Surface treatment (LASEK and PRK) is sore for a few days afterwards; LASIK and SMILE much less.
Will I need glasses again?
About 1 in 10 people need a top-up. And everyone's close-up focus fades from the mid-40s, so reading glasses usually arrive then even after laser.
Who contacts me if I send the form?
One Irish eye clinic, not five. They contact you to arrange an assessment. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
Is LASIK painful?
Numbing drops mean you feel pressure, not pain, during the treatment. Afterwards the eyes are usually sore and watery for a few hours, then settle.
How long does LASIK last?
The reshaping is permanent. Your eyes can still change with age, and reading glasses usually arrive in your forties either way.
What is the difference between LASEK and PRK?
Both treat the surface. In LASEK the surface layer is loosened and moved aside; in PRK it is removed and regrows. The recovery is much the same.
Why would a surgeon choose PRK over LASIK?
Usually because the cornea is thin, the surface is irregular, or your sport or job carries a risk of a blow to the eye.
Is SMILE better than LASIK?
It avoids a flap, which matters in contact sports and may help dry eyes. LASIK treats more prescriptions, including long sight, and more clinics offer it.
Can SMILE correct long sight?
No. It treats short sight and astigmatism. Long-sighted eyes are treated with LASIK, LASEK or, later in life, lens replacement.
Is an implantable contact lens permanent?
It is designed to stay in for good, but it can be removed, for example if you need cataract surgery later in life.
Will I feel the lens?
No. It sits inside the eye behind the iris. You can't see or feel it and it needs no care.
Is lens replacement the same as cataract surgery?
Yes, it is the same operation. It is called refractive lens exchange when it is done to reduce the need for glasses rather than to remove a cataract.
Will I still need reading glasses?
With a monofocal lens, usually yes. Multifocal lenses and blended vision reduce the need, with some trade-offs at night.
Can you have laser eye surgery with astigmatism?
Yes. Most everyday astigmatism is treated in the same session as the short or long sight.
What is the most astigmatism laser can treat?
It depends on the cornea. SMILE is approved up to 3 in the United States; LASIK and LASEK often go higher; toric implantable lenses go to about 4.5.
Am I too old for laser eye surgery?
There is no fixed upper age. Over 45, the question is less your age than the state of your natural lens, which the assessment checks.
Will laser get rid of my reading glasses?
Only with blended vision or monovision. Standard laser for distance leaves you needing reading glasses once presbyopia arrives.
Can laser eye surgery make you blind?
Blindness from laser eye surgery is extremely rare. Serious, permanent loss of some sight is rare, and choosing a specialist surgeon and an honest assessment lowers the risk further.
What is the most common problem after laser?
Dry-feeling eyes and glare around lights at night. Both usually improve over three to six months.
When can I look at my phone after laser eye surgery?
Briefly the same evening if your eyes are comfortable, more from the next day. Take breaks, because screens make dryness worse.
When can I fly after laser eye surgery?
Ask your surgeon. The bigger question is fitting your check-ups around the trip, especially the next-day and one-week visits.
Can I have laser eye surgery with dry eyes?
Often, yes, once the dryness is treated and measured. Severe dry eye may rule laser out, and an implantable lens may be offered instead.
Does SMILE cause less dry eye than LASIK?
SMILE and surface treatment cut fewer corneal nerves than a LASIK flap, which is why surgeons often suggest them for drier eyes.
What prescription is too high for laser eye surgery?
There is no single number. Beyond about -10, or less if the cornea is thin, an implantable lens is usually the safer route.
Can long-sighted people have laser eye surgery?
Yes, for lower amounts, with LASIK or LASEK. SMILE doesn't treat long sight, and from about 50 lens replacement is often suggested.
Is laser eye surgery in Turkey safe?
Many clinics there use the same lasers as Irish clinics. The risk is less the operation than the aftercare: a problem in week two is harder to deal with from home.
Can I claim tax relief on laser eye surgery in Turkey?
On the treatment itself, if the surgeon is registered there. Not on flights or hotels, because the treatment is available in Ireland.