We aim to provide you with the best information to make an informed decision about your vision from your suitability to the treatment options available.
Conditions we treat
Short-Sightedness/ Myopia
Tired of reaching for glasses first thing in the morning, or dealing with dry eyes from your contact lenses? Experience clearer vision, permanently, with advanced, minimally invasive laser vision correction for short sightedness at Laser Vision SA.
Laser Eye Surgery Options for Myopia
Not seeing clearly without glasses or contacts can be stressful, frustrating and debilitating. You never know when you might need to have clear vision at a moment’s notice. Glasses and contacts themselves can be lost, broken, cumbersome, uncomfortable or just plain dirty. Many activities are more difficult to do or enjoy if you need glasses or contacts. Fortunately we have great permanent solutions so you can see clearly without reaching for your glasses or contacts from the moment you wake up!
These include SMILE Pro, LASIK, PRK, and lens implants.
With 16.3 million procedures performed worldwide and a 95.4% patient satisfaction rate, LASIK is amongst the world's most successful elective procedures
[Solomon KD, Fernández de Castro LE, Sandoval HP, Biber JM, Groat B, Neff KD, Ying MS, French JW, Donnenfeld ED, Lindstrom RL; Joint LASIK Study Task Force. LASIK world literature review: quality of life and patient satisfaction. Ophthalmology. 2009 Apr;116(4):691–701. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19344821].
Best of all? 97% of people depending on glasses or contacts for clear vision are suitable for laser vision correction.
How Does Laser Eye Surgery Correct Short-Sightedness?
Being short-sighted, or myopic, means your vision is clearer at shorter distances, but blurrier far away. Perhaps you easily read without glasses but cannot see clearly enough to see faces across a room or to drive safely.
Laser vision correction gently reshapes the clear front surface of your eye (your cornea). Think of it like putting your spectacle or contact lens prescription on your eye so you don’t need to wear them. Laser vision correction is quick (10-15 seconds usually) and painless, and you can’t see the invisible laser. The next day, 9 out of 10 patients are already driving without their glasses or contacts.
For shortsightedness (myopia) the invisible painless laser gently reduces the curve of your cornea, reducing the focusing strength of your eye. With less focusing strength, your natural resting focus moves from closer to distance so you can now see clearly far away. If you are less than 45 years old you will still see clearly up close without glasses because of the second focusing lens in your eye located behind your pupil.
Short-sighted Procedures
LASIK (Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis) involves creating a thin flap in the cornea, reshaping the underlying corneal tissue with a laser to correct the refractive error, and then repositioning the flap.
All laser (FS) LASIK is quick and painless. After a 5mg valium tablet to help you feel more relaxed and comfortable, we make your eyes completely numb with eye drops. This means you don’t feel the laser and we can gently keep your eyes open for you. You don’t need to worry about blinking at the wrong time. The first laser creates a very thin (80µm) layer (flap) on the front of your eye. The second laser refocuses your eye under this layer. Each laser takes about 10-15 seconds and you don’t see or feel it. Your total time in our specialised laser suite is usually just under 10 minutes. There are drops to put in your eyes, you head straight home, and most can drive the next day without their old glasses or contacts!
Studies have shown that LASIK is safe, predictable and stable for correction of compound myopic astigmatism², and that treating myopia and astigmatism simultaneously with LASIK is safe and effective³.
²Humayun S., Ishaq M., Fawad A., Arzoo S. (2024). Refractive outcome of femtosecond assisted laser in situ keratomileusis in 1564 cases of myopia and compound myopic astigmatism. Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, 34(1):42–47. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38185959/
³Wang X., McCulley J.P., Bowman W., Cavanagh H.D. (2002). Results of combined myopic astigmatic LASIK treatment and retreatments. CLAO Journal, 28(1):55–60. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11838992/
SMILE Pro is an exciting new refractive laser treatment that does not require a corneal flap removal, and therefore causes minimal disruption to the corneal surface and sensitivity - making SMILE Pro an excellent option for patients with dry eyes, as well as those who prefer a flapless procedure. It's also been shown to be highly effective in patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism
[Chen KY, Chan HC, Chan CM. How effective is keratorefractive lenticule extraction surgery (KLEx) in reducing dry eye outcomes compared to LASIK? A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Refract Surg. 2025 Aug;41(8):e839–e854. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40778870/ ]
[Varman A, Varman NVA, Adaikalam K. Three-month visual and refractive outcomes of keratorefractive lenticule extraction (KLEx) for myopia and myopic astigmatism using the VISUMAX 800 in 1611 eyes. Ophthalmol Ther. 2026 May;15(5):1705–1720. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41882278].
SMILE Pro, like all laser LASIK, is quick and painless. The differences with SMILE Pro are SMILE Pro is one laser only, you don’t hear or smell the laser, and there is no flap created on the front of your eye as is needed for LASIK. SMILE Pro is therefore thought of as “minimally” invasive, which along with no flap is an attractive option for many people to correct their vision so they do not need to rely on glasses or contacts. Again, you are usually in our laser suite for less than 10 minutes, and the laser itself lasts only 10 seconds. It's that fast! Again, most patients can drive the next day without their old glasses or contacts.
At Laser Vision SA, Dr Fraenkel uses OcuLign in his approach to simultaneous myopic astigmatism treatment.
OcuLign overlays a computerised digital image of your eye taken in your initial assessment to ensure the SMILE Pro astigmatism correction is placed as exactly on your eye as possible. Laser Vision SA is one of the first eye clinics in the world to be appointed by ZEISS to offer OcuLign treatments for patients for the most accurate correction of astigmatism for the clearest vision without glasses or contacts after. This is very helpful as most patients wishing to see clearly without glasses or contacts do have some degree of astigmatism. So with Oculign we can correct your short-sightedness and astigmatism at the same time.
How Do the Procedures Compare?
| SMILE Pro | LASIK | |
| Invasiveness | Less invasive - 2 mm edge | More invasive - 18 mm edge |
| Corneal flap needed? | No | Yes |
| Recovery time needed | Up to 2 days | Up to 7 days |
| Risk of dry eye | Minimal | Slightly Higher |
Am I Suitable for Laser Eye Surgery for Short-Sightedness?
Almost certainly yes! 97% of patients who are short-sighted (myopic), with or without astigmatism, are suitable for laser vision correction. So whilst many patients interested in clear vision without glasses or contacts worry whether they are suitable for laser vision correction, you can take your first steps towards clearer vision with confidence knowing it is highly likely you will be suitable. After all, there are not many things in life you can be 97% sure about!
Eligibility Criteria (Age, Prescription Strength, Corneal Thickness, Health Conditions)
To be even more confident about your suitability you may wish to know a few of the suitability criteria.
- Age: you do need to be over 18 years of age.
- You do need a spectacle or contact lens prescription that ideally has not changed more than 0.25 D over the previous 12 months.
- A wish to see clearly without glasses or contact lenses
- A wish to save money “buying” vision instead of “renting” vision with the ongoing costs of glasses and contacts
- All other criteria are assessed thoroughly at your appointment on our state of the art diagnostic devices and software
When Lens Replacement May Be More Suitable
The rare patient who is not suitable for laser vision correction, or patients who need reading glasses and would prefer trifocal vision, may be better with lens implants rather than laser vision correction. Lens implants are placed in your eye behind your coloured iris and dark circular pupil in the middle of your eye. You do not see them or feel them. The procedure to place implants is performed under sedation and anaesthetic drops at a day surgery hospital and takes only 10 minutes per eye and is generally very safe.
Success Rates of Laser Eye Surgery for Myopia
Laser eye surgery has an excellent track record for correcting short-sightedness (myopia), backed by clinical evidence. Here is what the research shows:
A 2026 study of over 1600 eyes treated with SMILE Pro (using the Zeiss VISUMAX 800 laser) found that 99% of patients achieved 20/20 vision or better without glasses after their procedure
[Varman A, Varman NVA, Adaikalam K. Three-Month Visual and Refractive Outcomes of Keratorefractive Lenticule Extraction (KLEx) for Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism Using the VISUMAX 800 in 1611 Eyes. Ophthalmol Ther. 2026 May;15(5):1705–1720. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41882278].
A separate 6 month, multi-centre study of SMILE Pro post-procedure outcomes in 2025 found that 93.2% of patients achieved 20/20 vision without glasses post-procedure, and 98.3% achieved 20/25 or better, which closely matched how well they could see with their glasses before the procedure
[Sekundo W, Chang JSM, Ganesh S, Hjortdal J, Wiltfang R. Keratorefractive Lenticule Extraction for Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism With the VISUMAX 800: 6-Month Outcomes of a Prospective Multi-centre Post-market Clinical Follow-up Study. J Refract Surg. 2025 Mar;41(3):e264–e271. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40067668].
A 2025 comparative study of post-procedure satisfaction and quality of vision found that patients reported comparable or improved outcomes six months after LASIK, PRK, and SMILE. All three approaches yielded strong outcomes with minimal visual symptoms, which allowed patients to perform everyday tasks with less difficulty than before
[Ryan DS, Sia RK, Beydoun H, Earls KE, Rodgers SB, Skurski ZP, Rivers BA. Quality of Vision and Patient Satisfaction After Refractive Surgery: A Comparative Analysis of LASIK, SMILE, and PRK. J Spec Oper Med. 2025 Apr 30;24(4):86–92. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39641610].
The vast majority of people who have laser eye surgery for short-sightedness achieve sharp, clear vision without glasses, often from the day after their procedure. Results vary by individual and depend on factors including your prescription, corneal health, and the procedure your surgeon recommends. The best way to understand what's realistic for your eyes is to book a comprehensive assessment.
The Procedure and Recovery Process
Laser Vision Correction is performed in our special laser suite at our rooms at 169 Pirie St in the Adelaide CBD on Thursdays. Your total time at Laser Vision SA is 40 minutes, but time in the laser suite is usually just under 10 minutes.
Everybody is sensitive about their eyes, so it is normal to be anxious on arrival the day of your laser vision correction. All patients are given 5mg of valium (diazepam) on arrival. This means by the time you come to our laser suite, you will be feeling relaxed and comfortable, but not sleepy. In our laser suite the very first thing is strong numbing drops are placed in your eyes. This means the laser will not hurt, and we can keep your eyes open for you. You do not need to worry about blinking at the wrong time.
The laser itself is usually only 10–15 seconds and you do not see or feel it.
Almost all patients are quite surprised how quick and comfortable laser vision correction actually is.
For LASIK and SMILE Pro, immediately your laser vision correction is finished you will be able to see but vision will be quite foggy. So someone should get you to where you are staying overnight. We suggest a short nap. You will be able to watch television that evening, though still a little blurry. Next morning, vision will not be perfect, and may still be a little foggy, but 9 out of 10 patients are good to drive there and then without glasses or contacts. You may wish to work 3-4 hours on your computer from home. Hospitality workers can work from the Saturday i.e. 2 days later, and office workers back to work on the Monday. We are happy to provide the necessary medical certificates. Your vision will continue to improve even a little more over the next 4-6 weeks.
PRK takes a little longer to recover and you might not wish to work or drive for a week after. Your vision will likely continue to improve even more over 3 months.
After SMILE Pro, you can undertake every task 24 hours later with no restrictions.
After LASIK we suggest no swimming for a week and no contact sports for two weeks.
After PRK, we suggest no swimming for a week.
We can also provide the required forms to remove the indication on your drivers licence that you should wear glasses or contacts.
Overall, laser vision correction is as safe as long term contact lens wear, so very safe. As with all procedures however, there are risks.
- With modern laser vision correction, no one has lost an eye, gone blind, or lost a lot of vision. Otherwise we would not do this at all. The risk of losing a little sharpness of vision is 1/1,000 patients. A “little” means after vision correction you can only read 2 lines on the vision chart larger than before you had vision correction when you were wearing your best glasses or contacts. You would be able to see the two lower lines still, but they would be too blurry to read the letters. This would still be legal for driving and almost all activities. “Losing” means we could not get you reading those two smaller lines of letters again with more treatment or even glasses. Dr Fraenkel would demonstrate this to you prior to any procedure.
- Dry eye: Everyone has short term dry eye for 4-6 weeks after a vision correction procedure managed with eye drops. With the modern vision laser vision correction methods we use, such as thin (80µm) flap, all laser LASIK, and SMILE Pro, the risk of dry eye is less than it used to be. In the rare event long term dry eye does occur this can be managed with a combination of different eye drops, temporary tear duct occlusion, eye lid treatments and occasionally oral tablets until your eye heals and dry eye is no longer a problem.
- Approximately 2% of patients need a “topup” laser to fine tune their vision as all people heal differently. This is usually at no charge.
- Some eyes react in an unpredictable fashion to laser treatment and develop a thinning that can lead to distorted vision in a process called ectasia. The risk of ectasia is greatly reduced by the many technologies and measurements we use to determine whether your eyes have any risk factors for ectasia. However ectasia can still happen very rarely even when no risk factors were found. Ectasia is treated with corneal cross linking and PRK in the rare event it happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only 2% of patients need a small “top up”. Risk factors for this are being under 25 years of age or a prescription more than 5.0 D of myopia.
Yes, laser vision correction can correct short and long-sightedness, astigmatism, and even reading glasses.
Most patients are driving the next day. Hospitality workers are usually back to work the Saturday after the Thursday procedure, and office workers the Monday after.
No, not at all. This is a very common concern. The numbing drops we use for your eyes are the same ones we use for cataract surgery, which is a much bigger procedure, so you can be confident they make sure it is not painful. You will know they have worked, because your eyes will be numb and comfortable for the first parts of the vision correction, before we actually start the laser.
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 5mg 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!
Book a Free Consultation
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