Led by your personally assigned doctor, our clinical team will perform a thorough evaluation of your corneal condition. This will include a comprehensive eye examination which includes corneal topography, endothelial cell count and intraocular pressure.

Detailed analysis of your cornea will allow your doctor to assess whether you can undergo the procedure safely, and evaluate which areas of your cornea require treatment.

Our focus with a PTK is to achieve complete satisfaction. All our patients are treated until discharge as part of the inclusive care plan. This includes 2 years of follow up and retreatments after your initial treatment. Although you may be discharged, all our patients remain under our care, and we positively encourage patients to get in touch should any issues arise.

Our success has been dependent on personalised patient care and we believe this is paramount. All patients will see their surgeon at each visit as they are personally responsible for your care, giving you reassurance that you are receiving the best possible standard of care.

PTK surgery at LaserVision is usually completed in 10 minutes or less.

During the procedure, you lie on your back in a reclining chair. You may be given medicine to help you relax.

After numbing drops are placed in your eye, an instrument is gently positioned to hold your eyelids open.

A special well is placed on your eye which holds a small quantity of alcohol-based solution for no more than 30 seconds.

The solution separates the surface epithelial cells from the stroma and allows access to the cornea.

With each pulse of the laser beam, a tiny amount of corneal tissue is removed.

Your consultant will examine your eyes via the attached microscope at intervals throughout the procedure to ensure that only the minimum amount of required tissue is treated.

After reshaping the cornea, the surface cells are gently positioned back into place. A bandage contact lens is then placed on the eye to protect the surface during the healing phase. 

The PTK surgical procedure is painless and quick.

As PTK surgery involves treating the surface of the eye, the eye may feel uncomfortable for the first 24 – 48 hours. This is entirely normal and any discomfort can be managed with numbing drops and oral analgesia. 

Patients undergoing PTK procedures will often find that their vision takes a period of weeks to settle. However, you will be frequently reviewed during this period by your doctor to ensure you are healing normally.

You will be given a set of eye drops that vastly reduce the risk of infection or inflammation. These generally last for the first 4 weeks, but some patients may require lubrication drops for a few months.

It may be a few weeks before you can apply eye make-up, and you may need to wait several weeks before resuming strenuous exercise, contact sports or swimming.

Although complications are uncommon, you should note that laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure that does not come without some degree of risk. Laser Vision takes every step to ensure the safety and well-being of all patients.

PTK eye surgery is considered to be one of the safest procedures available. Comprehensive screening of our patients means that surgery can only be performed on patients who are deemed suitable.

The experience of our clinical team helps to minimise the small risks of laser surgery, which include: dry eyes, haloes, glare and under or over correction.

Your doctor will ensure you are fully informed of all potential risks prior to treatment. Our team of consultant ophthalmologists are dual-trained in corneal and refractive surgery to ensure you receive the very best of care.