Answers to common Questions

It’s normal to be anxious. We are all sensitive about our eyes and take our vision very seriously. That is why we are the only clinic in Adelaide to specialise only in laser vision correction. Most of our staff have received laser vision correction themselves, including Dr Fraenkel, so they know how you feel and how to help you. The 5 mg valium helps you feel more comfortable, the eye numbing drops work really well, and Dr Fraenkel is talking to you the whole time, telling you what you will experience every step of the way, so there are no nasty surprises. At the end, most patients are very surprised how quick and comfortable vision correction is, if a little weird.

Most people are nervous about flying, but put up with it for hours for a temporary holiday. This is just 10 minutes in exchange for better vision for life!

No, we use anaesthetic eye drops to numb the eye before the treatment.

No, it is pain-free, because you’ll undergo the procedure under local anaesthetic, making the eyes feel numb the entire time.

No, the procedure itself is performed under anaesthetic so you won’t feel anything.

No one has gone blind with modern laser vision correction. So instead we talk about the risk of being only able to see 2 lines higher on the letter chart even with optical aids. The risk of this is said to be one in one thousand.

It is almost impossible for your vision without glasses or contacts to be worse after laser vision correction.

LASIK for hyperopia has been shown to be extremely successful at around 90-95%, with high patient satisfaction.

Success rates for laser vision correction surgery are very high at over 90-95%.

Depending on your vision and natural ageing of your eyes, you can maintain excellent vision for decades following your procedure.

Laser eye surgery for long and short-sighted vision is a commonly used procedure with a high success rate.

Yes, it’s possible to correct multiple refractive errors all at once with advanced laser eye surgery long and short sighted techniques.

At Laser Vision SA we offer all three generations of vision correction. 1st generation PRK/ also known as surface laser, 2^nd generation Lasik and 3^rd generation SMILE: the most advanced in Laser vision technology.

Yes, the results of LASIK are designed to be long-lasting and irreversible.

Yes, short sighted vision correction is designed to help you do away with glasses and contact lenses for good. The procedure is not reversible.

Yes, this is the preferred method of Presbyond surgery, because it relies on both eyes working together to allow for better vision.

No! All of our vision correction procedures — including cataract surgery — are performed using strong anaesthetic eye drops. This makes your eyes completely numb, so the procedure doesn’t hurt.

Avoiding needle injections has several benefits:

• Less risk of complications like bleeding or injury from needle penetration

• Reduced patient anxiety

• Faster visual recovery with no eye patch required afterward

This approach is particularly important for patients with limited vision in their other eye.

Absolutely. Eye recognition technology relies on the unique patterns of tissue and blood vessels in the iris and the retina at the back of your eye. These structures are not affected by any form of vision correction.

So whether it’s for smartphones, security systems, or other identification devices, your eye scans will continue to work just as they did before your procedure — much like a fingerprint.

Most certainly! Dr Graham Fraenkel underwent successful bilateral SMILE laser vision correction for his high myopic astigmatism on December 18, 2014. He has also performed LASIK and SMILE Pro procedures for the majority of his staff, all without complication.

Knowing this helps patients feel confident in the procedures, because at Laser Vision SA, we truly understand what you feel before, during, and after your vision correction procedure. Many other laser vision surgeons worldwide have also chosen laser vision correction themselves for the freedom from glasses or contact lenses.

The 10 year studies following 1000s of patients show that for the vast majority modern laser vision correction does NOT wear off. This idea relates to the very early days of laser vision correction more than 20 years ago.

No. Drops numb your eye. They work better than you can imagine. You may feel a little water or gentle pressure around your eye but pain is rare. Most patients say laser vision correction was more weird but more quick and comfortable than they imagined.

For patients under 45 years of age this is very rare. If there are any unusual features of your examination making this more possible, you would be fully informed.

For patients over 45 years of age, due to presbyopia (loss of near vision without glasses), whilst most far and close tasks are done without glasses, extremely far or close vision might occasionally need glasses, like driving at night in the rain or threading a needle.

Yes. Astigmatism may be corrected by all methods of vision correction including laser vision correction or lens implants.

Laser Vision Correction refocuses your eye for clear vision by altering the shape of the clear front of your eye, the cornea. The laser does this by removing a very fine layer from the centre or periphery of your cornea.

Yes, with monovision when one eye is in focus far away and the other in focus for close work. It sounds strange, but for most people, after a few weeks practice, the brain blends both together together well. An alternative is clear lens extraction, similar to cataract surgery, with trifocal lens implants.

Laser vision correction can be performed where appropriate on patients from age 18 to 80.

Depending on availability and after a consultation with Dr Fraenkel, patients can usually have the procedure done within 1-3 weeks after their consult.

Costing varies depending on the type of procedure that is recommended. You can expect to pay between $2,500 per eye - $3,400 per eye.

Patients spend approximately 10 minutes in the laser suite, most of that time is getting patients comfortable on the laser bed.

While none of our reception staff have had laser vision correction, Dr Fraenkel and the practice manager have both had Vision Correction.

Dr Fraenkel had the 3rd Generation SMILE procedure.

Your vision should be at around 90% of its optimal result the next day, but it can take up to 6 months to fully adapt to the changes.

You will experience 90% clear vision the day after your surgery, but it can take up to 6 months to fully adapt to the changes.

Yes, you may take up to 3-6 months to adapt to the changes in your vision following treatment.

For SMILE and LASIK you can usually go back to screen work the next day. However for many people it can take 5 days or so for their brain to adjust to their new distance vision.

During those 5-7 days it can be more challenging to read your computer and phone. Then your brain gets with the program for reading

Yes Dr Fraenkel will almost always see you at your first day 1 consultation less than 24 hours after your laser vision correction. He may then delegate some of your aftercare to another clinically qualified member of LVSA staff, but will always be next door if there are any concerns. In addition Dr Fraenkel is available during office hours through Laser Vision SA, and after hours via an emergency after hours care number you will be provided with in your post laser instructions.

Patients are required to follow some post op after care. These include a series of eye drops. Patients are provided all eye drops and instructions when they come out of the laser suite. One of our staff members will also go through these instructions with them. You will also find the sheet is colour coded for ease.

The vast majority of patients can return to normal daily duties the following day. If you have had Lasik or SMILE, legally you can drive 24 hours after their procedure has been performed. If you have had PRK, just waiting a couple days longer till you can drive.

No you can not drive home after your surgery, as initially your vision will be hazy and may still feel the effects of you pre surgery Valium. We suggest you arrange for someone to drop you off and pick you up. Alternatively, a Taxi or an Uber.