Can laser eye surgery be repeated | Dr Frikkie Hartog

Can laser eye surgery be repeated

In short, yes!

The ideal candidate for laser eye surgery is a young myopic (nearsighted) patient. Laser eye surgery is a permanent procedure aiming at ridding a patient from the dependency on spectacles or contact lenses. The aim is to do this permanently despite the small risk of regression. Regression is when the patient becomes nearsighted again in future after the surgery. The first step in preventing this is to only do surgery when the patients’ spectacle error is stable over time with only a small change in the spectacle error between spectacle testing. Another way to prevent the patient from becoming dependent on spectacles again in future, is to overcorrect the patient.

People who are mildly farsighted does not wear spectacles because they can focus their eyes (this is called accommodation) and hide the farsightedness. If you therefore overcorrect a nearsighted person to be mildly farsighted after laser surgery they will be independent of spectacles for the distant future, because if they do regress, their spectacle error will still be zero. If the spectacle error was zero after surgery, regression will lead to nearsightedness and therefore spectacle dependence.

It is sometimes necessary to repeat laser eye surgery, mainly due to changes in the eye and the lens inside the eye as we get older. The major change will be presbyopia; after the age of 45 the lens inside the eye becomes hard and less pliable, and this causes problems with near vision. At some stage in life all of us will need reading glasses for near vision correction.

The procedure of laser eye surgery can be repeated in one of two ways. The LASIK flap can be lifted and the laser treatment repeated under the flap. The other option is to perform the laser treatment on the surface of the eye, on the surface of the previously cut flap.

Dr. Frikkie Hartog

Dr. Frikkie Hartog is an ophthalmic surgeon specializing in cataract and laser refractive surgery. The aim of all types of refractive surgery is to rid a patient of his spectacle or contact lens dependence. Dr Frikkie Hartog has a special interest in affording his patients the best possible results using the latest and safest technology. It is also essential to balance the increasing cost of these technologies with the financial expectation of your patients. Dr.Frikkie Hartog studied at the University of Stellenbosch and acquired his MMed Opth as well as FC Ophth degree in 2004. He has been performing cataract surgery since 2000 and laser surgery since 2005, and he has an excellent safety and success record. Frequent attendance of not only local but also overseas specialist congresses forms part of a continued learning interest. Dr. Frikkie Hartog is an avid cyclist and loves reading and spending time with his family.