Not everyone is suitable for this specialised procedure and because of this it is very important to have a comprehensive ophthalmic workup to assess suitability and discuss expected outcomes.

For some people glasses and contact lenses are a satisfactory means of achieving good vision, but for many they can be inconvenient or uncomfortable, and vision without them poor enough to be a major handicap.

If you wear glasses for driving or feel your distance vision is not as good as it could be, then you may be suitable for laser refractive surgery.

For those people who have been following the progress of laser refractive surgery an initial consultation at Hunter Laser Vision would provide them with an explanation of laser vision correction; it's benefits, alternative and possible consequences. It also includes a comprehensive ophthalmic eye examination to determine ocular status and suitability for laser vision correction.

NORMAL EYE - In the normal eye light from distant objects is focused by the cornea and lens to form a clear image on the retina. With accommodation the shape of the lens changes to bring near objects into clear focus.

In MYOPIA or shortsightedness, the image of distant objects falls in front of the retina although near objects may be seen clearly with little effort.

In HYPEROPIA or longsightedness, the image of distant objects falls behind the retina although accommodation may enable them to be seen. Extra effort is needed to see near objects clearly.

ASTIGMATISM may accompany short or longsightedness and occurs where the refractive power of the eye differs in different axis usually because the cornea is not quite spherical.

PRESBYOPIA is the term given to the progressive reduction in near vision ability with increasing age even if distant objects are seen clearly. It occurs because the lens becomes stiffer and changes shape less easily and is usually first noticed in the 40's. Presbyopia is not directly treatable with refractive surgery and in fact may become more troublesome to people who were shortsighted before treatment.