Z-LASIK laser eye surgery has arrived!
Dave Allamby | Jan 19, 2008 | Comments 39
Z-LASIK laser eye treatment has arrived in London. The first procedure happened at FOCUS Laser Vision on Thursday January 17th 2008. Yours truly was the surgeon behind the wheel. I did 12 Z-LASIK treatments and by the next day every patient could see better than 20/20! It’s a pretty amazing technology.Bella Roberts was the first patient to see the difference (pun fully intended!). Bella is 33 and a mother of three. She was quite badly short sighted and has used glasses for most of her life. She had been pretty nervous about laser eye surgery, whether PRK or LASIK, but was convinced by the new Swiss technology and put herself forward as the first ever patient to get Z-LASIK in the UK.You can see Bella talking about her vision and how she feels, just 20 minutes before she gets the op!Z-LASIK uses a new laser to create the flap in the first part of the LASIK procedure, instead of a blade as in traditional LASIK. Getting rid of the blade eliminates many of the main risks from LASIK, when formerly the flap was cut with a fine blade.Treatments start from £595 per eye for all-laser blade free Z-LASIK.
[tags] femtosecond, Ziemer, Intralase, astigmatism, LASEK, laser eye surgery, LASIK, long sight, PRK, short sight [/tags]
Filed Under: LASIK • Prices • Technology
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What if one has cold sores on the lips. Can they spread to the eyes ? 
I forgot to add my vision. It's -6.50 on both eyes. 
Hi Dr. Allamby,
I have just had intralase lasik with wavefront (4 days ago) and am slightly concerned that the day ...
Thank you! 
Hi,
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hi Dave.
i have done lasik 2 months before
my pre-lasik prescription for right eye was -8.00D cyl:-1.50*13,Left eye -7.75D cyl:-1.25*159 but after cutomvue wavefront guided lasik with microketome i got -1.25D cyl:0.25 in left eye
i wann to know why there is a still number??is this because of flap has not healed completely??
hi Abhijeet, At 2 months post-op, you have an under-correction, and will likely need to get an enhancement. It is not related to flap healing.
Best regards, Dave
Sir,
I’m 24 years old. Before 15 days I went through Z lasik.I had a prescription of :
Right Sphere -7.00 cyl 0.00
Left Sphere -7.50 cyl 0.00
But Now I’m not able to see properly clear, It seems i have still a prescription of 1.00 or 1.5.Sargon told me that sometimes it happens , gradually your vision will be OK ( Within one month). Is it right?? I’m afraid.
Please reply
Thanks in advance
hi Anu, Thank you for your email. I think no reason to be afraid. It is pretty unusual to be 1 or 1.5D over (? or under) target for a -7.00 correction, but it is possible. Sometimes topical steroid drops can help, but not always. It is best to wait until around 12 weeks after your procedure to see where the vision has settled to. If still not on target at that time, your surgeon will want to enhance by lifting the corneal flap and adding a small amount of excimer laser correction. Usually will take only 5 minutes to redo each eye, if needed. Ask you clinic for some temporary glasses to help if necessary while the eyes settle.
Best regards, Dave
Hi, I am a 50 yrs old man who would like to get eye laser surgery done for many reasons. I have read lots of different articles on line which confused me a bit, so I am not sure whether it is a good idea. First of all, bear in mind that I am very short sighted, in fact I am -8 in one eye and -8ish in the other. Do you think it is doable ? I am thinking about booking an appointment in Leeds, there is a Clinic.
hi John, sorry for the delay to reply, missed your comment! Yes, should be very doable, assuming your corneas are not too thin. I would recommend James Ball at St James Hospital, on 01132066856.
With regards, Dave
Dear Dr. Allamby,
i have -2.00 spherical prescription for both eyes since 7 years.im 21 yrs old.can i have z lasik.cost?some doctors advised me it is not necessary for this priscription.please advice me regarding this.im from india.
Dear Pavan
Certainly -2.00 is bad enough to have laser eye surgery, and is a very common prescription that we treat. You are old enough at 21 and your prescription is stable. Cost is around £1,500 per eye for Z-LASIK with Focus.
With best regards, Dave
Just wanted to say that on Tuesday of this week I had the Z-Lasik treatment with Focus in London and I am amazed, I didn’t like the idea of a blade being used and much prefered the laser, 20 mins after the treatment I had 20/20 vision and the next morning at my follow up appointment I had better than 20/20 vision, I can honestly say that the treatment itself was not painful at all, just a little uncomfortable but that only lasts for about 30 seconds per eye.
All of the staff were great and I would definatley recommend Focus and Z-Lasik to anyone. I was back at work the next afternoon, thank you
Hi Dave
Thanks for that. Have you done many procedures where the patient has had dry eye syndrome but you have considered this not to be a problem?
I have looked at Focus and The London Vision Clinic, (given the comments in this blog I have discounted the others). Am I correct in thinking you have at least comparable or better equipment and safety record compare with The London Vision Clinic – but at a more affordable price!
With regards
Mike
Hi Mike
I have done many cases where the patient has come along with mild dry eyes, we managed it properly and done LASIK without any problems at all, so that is certainly doable.
I think both Focus and London Vision Clinic are first rate centres for technology, surgeons and safety. I do prefer our technology combination of Ziemer and WaveLight, which are very impressive systems. My goal at Focus has been exactly that, to give first rate laser eye surgery at a more affordable price, especially during this recession.
Best regards
Dave
Hi again Dave,
Sorry to keep bombarding you with questions, but I am trying to get my head round all of this and really do appreciate all your answers/advice.
With Ultralase, does this mean that their ‘normal’ intralase wavefront known as Ultra Plus uses old equipment (as it does not give the aspheric profile) or is it more that they are trying to get people to pay more for something they would get anyway?
I must add that they did not push me towards the more expensive option, just made me aware of it.
Cheers once again
Jo
Hi,
The guy at Ultralase said something along the lines of the normal wavefront procedure flattens the cornea, but the Ultra Elite used a technique that followed the natural shape of the eye. He also said that normal wavefront removes the natural imperfections but in the process may create some new ones (didn’t use the word imperfections but can’t remember what word he did use) the Ultra Elite also removes these to give a better chance of getting the sharpest vision. Someone else likened it to upgrading to HD rather than just LCD TV. Don’t know if this helps?
I would really like to have laser eye surgery, but finding out that the majority of providers see to be less than totally honest (whether that is about their lifetime aftercare or newest technology) is starting to put me off!
Cheers
Jo
Hi again Dave,
Thanks very much for your replies. I haven’t been able to get any straight answers from OE so am highly likely to cancel with them. I have now also been to Ultralase for a consultation and they don’t seem to see a problem, though have mentioned that I have a borderline flat cornea and want a surgeon to check all the tests before confirming suitability for treatment. They did mention though that they have a more advanced Wavefront technique, their Ultra Elite – do you know anything about this and if it is indeed better than what is available from the majority of clinics at the moment?
Cheers for you help, I will almost certainly be ringing Paula to book a consultation!
Thanks
Jo
Hi Dave
I am 51 and hate wearing glasses. I have tried varifocals without success and would like to have laser treatment.
My prescription in april this year was
Distant – Right: sphere +2.00 cylinder -0.50 axis 50
Distant – Left: sphere +1.75 DS
and +1.75 on both eyes for Near
I currently suffer from dry eye syndrome and wondered if this would impact on laser treatment. Also is it likely that further laser treatment would be necessary at some time in the future?
Best regards
Mike
Hi Mike
Thanks for your comment. Your prescription is certainly in the range of our blended vision corrections. We would need to assess the degree of dryness as it may exclude you from treatment if marked. As you are still young presbyopically, and your reading glasses will still need to get stronger until age 60-65, you will likely need a top-up treatment to one eye to enhance reading to keep up with any ageing change in the next 10-15 years.
Best regards
Dave
Hi again,
I should probably also add that I am 38 and my prescription has been stable for over a year.
Could you also give me an estimate of how much it would cost for your clinic to do the surgery and how long I would be likely to have to wait between consultation and treatment?
Cheers!
Hi again Jo
Your age and prescription are fine. We can often accommodate treatment between 1-2 weeks after consultation, so not much of a wait, but we do like breather time for the patient to not feel pressured between seeing you and doing the procedure.
The approx cost per eye for the advanced blade-free wavefront LASIK would be £1,597. You can call Paula on 0845 5000 500 if you would like to come along to see us.
Best regards
Dave
Hi Dave,
I would appreciate some advice from you if you could please?
I have worn RGP lenses for approx 23 years, I have a prescription of :
Right Sphere -7.75 cyl 0.00
Left Sphere -7.50 cyl 0.00
I went for a consultation with Optical Express on the 11th July having had my lenses out for a week, I would need to have my lenses out for 4 weeks before surgery but could have another refraction test and all being well surgery on the same day, 6th August. I got a phone call on the 5th August saying the surgeon had reviewed my file and decided I needed to leave my lenses out for another 4 weeks before surgery. I still went for the refraction test and the optician said there had been no changes to be concerned about and then scheduled surgery for 3rd September with another refraction test on the 27th August. I went for that refraction test and again was told that there were no changes and all should be well for surgery on the 3rd September. But I received another phone call yesterday saying the surgeon had now decided that I still needed to leave my lenses out longer, even though he had not seen all the test results and again they cancelled my surgery and he is now talking about waiting another one to two months.
While I appreciate that you cannot give me a definite answer as you haven’t seen the tests, but do you think that I really need to have had my lenses out for 4 months before surgery, especially as the optician has not seen any problems?
Also, I contacted Optimax (as I was slightly miffed with optical express due to the short notice cancellations) and they have said they would be happy to do the consultation and treatment on the 22nd September. Should I a) believe that and b) have the treatment done when they will only have seen me that day? (I have now not worn by lenses at all since 4th July).
Sorry for the long email and I really would appreciate any reply.
many thanks
Jo
Hi Jo
Normally RGP lenses need to be out for 4 weeks for every decade of full-time use, so 9-10 weeks for you. No, you should not accept any clinic that will see you and treat you on the same day, never having seen you before. It goes against all best practice and Royal College guidance.
With best regards
Dave
Hi again Dave,
I am still thinking of blended vision surgery as i am 48 and short sighted and need reading glasses.You have my details on file as I came for an exam earlier this year.
I still want blended vision/pac/multi focus treatment but honestly cannot afford UK prices.
I am looking at having just my short sight corrcted in Istanbul or possibly Pac tratment in Malaysia (Optimax).
If there is any facility for Pac treatment that you could genuinely recommend then I would be extremely grateful; as Independent advice for Multi Focus Treatment (Pac) is very hard to get unlike info on just treating me for my short-sightedness.
I don’t want to do you out of any business but any thoughts you could freely provide would be gratefully looked into; eg any places abroad you would go to if in my (poor) position and knowing what you know.
Thank you Dave Tim.
Hello Tim
You can check with TRSC in Bangkok – visit www.lasikthai.com/. I have met them and they have a professional set-up.
Regards
Dave
I should probably add that I am told that my corneas are of a good thickness and was quoted for the Intralase Wavefront Lasik. Although I was given a 25% corporate discount at Optimax, so I expect that your price will be much higher. I’m willing to save up the pennies if I can be convinced that there is a greater likelihood of a successful outcome with yourself.
Flap related complications and my Father’s own success with PRK surgery 13 years ago have me leaning towards epi-lasek, so your thoughts and quotes would be appreciated as I live quite a distance from London.
Thanks again.
Hello Dr. Allamby,
I am currently booked for a treatment with Optimax in the next few weeks, and after doing further research I am concerned with their quality of aftercare and success rates. Success rates do not seem to be based on quality of vision and I am very close to cancelling (my confidence in my surgeon is the only thing that is stopping me).
Given the severity of my prescription I was impressed with the Wavelight laser and its track-record with higher prescriptions compared to the Nidek. I note that 50% of patients have considerable problems with their night time vision and this has been attributed to the Nidek laser.
Reports of permanent chronic dry eye around their forums are enormously concerning to me, although they seem to be less common in establishments such as Moorfields and London Vision Clinic. Is this because patients are less vocal and lower in volume? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts and whether there is experience of this amongst your patients.
I would appreciate a quote from you. I am 21 and have been considered a candidate following consulations with Ultralase, Optical Express and Optimax.
Right: SPHERE: -6.75, CYL: +0.75, AXIS: 57.5
Left: SPHERE: -8.00 CYL: +0.75, AXIS: 140
(BUD 12mm….. whatever that means)
This is my prescription as of a month ago.
My optometrist said there had been a “one step change” in the past 2 years and considered my sight to be stable.
I also have very large pupils even in broad daylight.
Do have a high success rate (visual acuity) with similar prescriptions?
Apologies for the length of this post and thank you for your time.
Hello Charlotte
Do you know your pupil size measurements in daylight and in the dark, from you previous consultations? Your prescription is stable as you mention only 0.25D change over two years.
For larger prescriptions, the choice of laser does become more important.
For dry eye symptoms, the effect of creating a corneal flap and hence interrupting corneal nerves will be the same for each clinic, assuming each clinic is performing the most most modern thin-flap LASIK, or alternatively LASEK/PRK.
We does make the difference for high level clinics such as Focus and others is in pre-op assessment and diagnosis or dry eye and related disorders, actively treating pre-existing problems and managing well post-operatively. We have very little trouble with dry eye at Focus because we are serious about dealing with it.
You might be better with surface laser (PRK/LASEK – these are basically the same procedure) but we can assess at a consultation in more detail. Call on 0845 5000 500 if you would like to come along.
For PRK, the total cost for wavefront treatment would be £2,290 (£2,190 before Oct), or £2,990 for blade-free wavefront LASIK.
WIth best regards
Dave
Dr. Allamby
I’m 19 years old and I live in the US. I was curious as to if or when Z LASIK would be available in the states. The thought of blades makes me a little nervous and after watching your video on youtube, your all laser procedure made me feel much more comfortable with the idea of correcting my vision. I am nearsighted with a prescription of -6.50 in both eyes. Do you have an estimate of what you think it would cost in US dollars to have the procedure done?
Kendra
Hello Kendra
Z-LASIK is available in some cities in the US now, and here is a list of some of the users. You can contact Ziemer directly via this site to find out if there is someone close to you. Costs will vary I am sure, and you will need to ask the clinics/doctors directly.
www.ziemergroup.ch/products/ldv/referrals/referrals-usa.html
With regards
Dave
Sir,I’m 26 I’ve been using contact lens for 12 yr’s now.Many year’s ago I pulled out my len’s after being worn for over 14 hour’s.Afetr that my vision was not very clear.My vision is blur even when wearing contact len’s.I see light or a bulb I see it in different form’s not the shape of the bulb.What could have happened to my eye? Can I go for the new Z LASIK treatment? Thank you so much!
Dear pakki
You will need to see a local ophthalmologist to determine the health of the cornea, as a first step, so please get a referral through your GP to the eye dept in your area.
With thanks
Dave
Hi Dave
I had LASIK eye surgery 8 weeks ago at a London clinic and I was just wondering how long it takes for the fluctuations in the vision to settle down. The reason I ask is because in my right eye, for the first 3/4 weeks the vision was pin sharp, however over the last couple of weeks it has dropped off ever so slightly (but noticeable) and is less sharp than the left. Will this improve or at the 8 week stage has the vision settled to pretty much how it will be over the long term?
Kind regards
Alex
Hi Alex
Will continue to change to about 3 months of short-sighted pre-op or longer if long-sighted.
Regards
Dave
Dear Dr. Allamby
im 17 years old and i think that
its just amazing how the Z-LASIK sugery works! but
i have terrible vision, i mean i can see perfectly up close, like i can read and everithing, but from far. well i see blury and i cant read road signs or see the letters of a chalkboard from 10 feet away, i have problems seeing from far away i mean everithing is blurry, so i use contact lenses, and i wanted to know if i can fix that with the Z-lasik surgery??, and what will be the cost(in u.s dollars)??
thank you for reading and hoping your response
sincerely omar…
take care
Hi Omar
You have short sight, but are currently too young to have laser eye surgery. The youngest age is 18, and patients are often 20+. However, if your prescription is shown to be stable between two eye checks, one now and another when you are 18, (one year apart) then you might be suitable. The cost will depend on your prescription.
Best regards
Dave
Hello Dr Allamby.
My name is Saeed. I am 19 years old.I have got astigmatism and I see horizontal lines blurred . It started back a year ago .So I have to wear glasses while reading books and looking at TV /Monitor. My sight is nt that bad ,that is 0.5 for my left eye and 0.25 for my right eye but I think that is increasing Maybe it gets 0.75 next year .
I was thinking of Z lasik surgery .Will it stop my increasing astigmatism . And can my eyes be corrected from 0.5 to 0 that is normal. And finally what will be the cost Z lasik for my both eyes .
Thank you .Hope you reply soon
Dear Muhammad
The LASIK will not stop any increase in astigmatism so we will need to wait for that to settle down. You are still young and it can increase for a year or two still. I would suggest waiting and having your eyes retested in another year so we can know about any worsening and advise better.
With best regards
Dave
Dear Dr. Allamby,
I was wondering the kind of price it would be for my near sighted eyes. I have had horrible vision my whole life and I am 20 years old. I have a -8.50 in my left eye and -8 in my right. I am curious about Lasik and I am very interested in the new procedure that you are involved in. Could you give me an idea of the price range I would be looking at? Thank you.
Hi Marry
Thank you for your question. It’s a terribly high prescription that you have to live with. The main thing first of all to make sure your prescription is stable, which means no more than a 0.5 dioptre increase over the past 12 months. Do you know if your prescription has increased in the last year, and if so by how much please? The price is at the higher end because of the strength of your glasses – blade free (Z-LASIK) wavefront LASIK would be £1645 per eye. If you would like me to do the surgery personally, just let my team know when you call in (0845 5000 500)
WIth best regards
Dave
Dear Dr Allamby
My husband has recently booked me a consultation at your clinic and I would like to take this opportunity to ask a few questions about cost and best treatment.
I am 43 yrs old and my prescription is as follows…
R/-2.50/-1.50/180 L/-3.25/-0.75/180
I am interested in Z Lasik due to the blade free technology but would obviously take advice on what is most suitable.
Thank you
Regards
Sarah
Hi Sarah
I look forward to seeing you at the clinic, thanks for booking in. You are quite right to want the blade free technology, as it is all round better than using a blade. So Z-LASIK is the way to go.
In view of your age, we should look at fully correcting one eye although leaving some small myopia in the other eye to help you to read over the coming years, what we call mini blended vision. If we fully correct both eyes for distance you will need reading glasses fairly soon.
For price you are approx £1245 for your right eye and £1145 for your left, to be confirmed when we measure your prescription, again both for wavefront Z-LASIK. If you were a few years older and were using bi/varifocal glasses to help you read, I would suggest full blended vision but you are a little young for that. Plus it is more expensive at £1995 per eye.
Hope that helps somewhat. If you have any other questions pls let me know.
Dave