Laser Eye Surgery & Presbyond
A routine eye examination with one of our Optometrists includes a free laser eye surgery screening - and if you're suitable, we formally refer you to Mr David Anderson, Consultant Ophthalmologist, for a surgical consultation.
What laser eye surgery treats
Short & long-sightedness
Myopia and hyperopia - laser reshapes the cornea so light focuses correctly, often removing the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Astigmatism
An irregularly curved cornea can be reshaped at the same time as short or long-sightedness, for clearer, less distorted vision.
Presbyopia
The age-related loss of close-up focus that affects almost everyone from their 40s onward - addressed with Presbyond Laser Blended Vision, covered in detail below.
Choosing your technique
The right technique depends on your prescription, your corneas and what you want from the result - we'll talk it through at your consultation.
LASIK
The benchmark laser procedure - a protective corneal flap is created in under 10 seconds, with the whole treatment taking around 5-10 minutes per eye.
ReLEx SMILE®
A flapless, ‘keyhole’ technique - a small lenticule of tissue is removed through a tiny opening in around 25 seconds, without creating a flap at all.
LASEK / surface ablation
Used when the cornea is a little too thin for LASIK or SMILE - the surface layer is treated directly rather than via a flap, with a longer initial recovery.
Presbyond® Laser Blended Vision
A dedicated technique for presbyopia and reading vision, blending focus between your two eyes - see the full explanation below.
Presbyond® Laser Blended Vision
Developed by Zeiss specifically to treat presbyopia - the gradual loss of close-up focus that comes with age.
From our 40s onward, almost everyone needs reading glasses eventually, as the eye’s natural lens gradually loses flexibility. Traditional “monovision” corrects one eye fully for distance and the other fully for near - which works, but can feel unbalanced. Presbyond instead fine-tunes the focus of both eyes together, creating a gentle “blend zone” between them so your brain combines the two images into one smooth range of vision, from distance through to close-up - rather than switching between two very different eyes.
A blend, not a switch
Each eye is corrected by a different, carefully calculated amount - enough to create an overlapping range of clear vision between them, so both eyes keep working together naturally instead of competing.
Good candidates
Over-40s with presbyopia who want less dependence on reading glasses or bifocals/multifocals, with otherwise healthy eyes.
Not suitable for everyone
Including those with autoimmune disease, uncontrolled diabetes, severe dry eye, or who find it hard to adapt to blended vision - assessed carefully at consultation.
The treatment itself uses the same Zeiss laser technology as our other techniques - typically delivered via LASIK, taking around 5-10 minutes per eye - and can correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism at the same time as presbyopia, within certain limits. Most people notice their vision improving within 24-48 hours, can resume exercise and swimming within a week, and are back at work within two days; results are intended to be permanent, though your eyes will still age naturally afterwards.
What happens during treatment
The same core process applies across LASIK, SMILE and Presbyond.
Numbing drops, no needles
Anaesthetic eye drops and a gentle lid support to prevent blinking - you're comfortable and awake throughout.
Tracked over 1,000 times a second
An active eye tracker follows your eye's exact position throughout, so the laser stays precisely on target even with tiny natural movements.
The cornea is reshaped
A femtosecond and excimer laser combination reshapes the cornea to correct your prescription - the laser automatically pauses if your eye moves out of position.
Minutes per eye
Treatment itself takes around 5-10 minutes per eye, and most people are back home the same day.
Suitability at a glance
Generally suitable
- Age 18 or over, with a stable prescription (no more than 0.5D change in the last two years)
- Short-sightedness up to around -14D, long-sightedness up to around +8D, astigmatism up to around 6D
- Corneas of adequate thickness for the chosen technique
Needs closer assessment
- Active keratoconus or other corneal irregularities
- Uncontrolled glaucoma
- Severe, unmanaged dry eye
A general guide only - your personal suitability is properly assessed at your screening and consultation.
Recovery, step by step
First 24-48 hours
A gritty sensation and some light sensitivity are common after LASIK or SMILE (typically 3-5 days after LASEK) - lubricating drops help, and vision keeps improving.
First few days
Avoid driving until your first post-treatment review, and give your eyes a break from screens where you can.
1 week
Eye makeup can usually resume, and most people are comfortable returning to work (LASEK can mean a week off, rather than days).
1 month
Vision settles and stabilises, with a follow-up appointment to confirm your result.
Safety, honestly
Laser eye surgery is among the most frequently performed and safest elective surgical procedures in the world. Published outcome studies report that around 99% of patients achieve driving-standard vision or better, and the vast majority reach 20/20 vision; fewer than 3% develop new, severe dry eye, the risk of ending up with poorer vision than before surgery is around 2 in 1,000, and the risk of a corneal infection is roughly 1 in 10,000. As with any surgery there are risks, and we’ll talk through how they apply to you personally before you decide to go ahead.
From screening to surgery
Book an eye examination
Start with a routine eye examination with one of our Optometrists - it includes a free laser eye surgery screening, checking your prescription, corneas and general suitability.
A formal referral
If you’re a good candidate, your Optometrist formally refers you to Mr Anderson, Consultant Ophthalmologist.
Consultation with Mr Anderson
Mr Anderson’s own secretary is in touch directly to arrange your surgical consultation here in Jersey - we don’t hold his appointment book ourselves, so this step happens outside our online booking.
Surgery in Southampton, aftercare at home
If you decide to go ahead, surgery takes place at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital, Southampton, with follow-up appointments arranged back here in Jersey.