My LASIK surgery was scheduled the very next morning after my pre-LASIK evaluation! I opted for the Trans-epiLASIK under Dr. Tony Ho from Clearvision. The reason why I wanted to do it as soon as possible was due to the fact I’m no longer suitable for contact lenses.
For those who clearly know that LASIK is what you want, I suggest you have the surgery on the same day (provided your pre-LASIK evaluation is early in the morning and also do check with Clearvision on the doctor’s availability.)
Also for contact lens users, it also saves you the trouble of abstaining from contact lenses again (2 days for soft lens and 10 days for hard lens).
If somebody that is driving is gonna accompany you down, I would recommend parking at Lucky Plaza (which is the cheapest and nearest). The other 2 nearby choices would be Paragon and Mount Elizabeth Hospital. However, I don’t recommend the latter because: 1) It’s always packed, even before 9am on weekdays (tried and tested ?), 2) It’s freaking expensive (even their valet costs $12 SGD if I didn’t remember wrongly ? ).
Do remember not to wear any eye make-up or deodorant. Your eyes must be absolutely clean for the procedure! I got to admit I had my eyelashes extension done by Belle on but because it’s a strand-by-strand extension, it doesn’t clump up dirt (can be cleansed easily) and most importantly, it’s extremely soft and comfy. So you have to make sure that your extensions are clean and comfy enough, or else I would recommend you to simply remove them before the LASIK surgery.
… Also do not apply perfumes or lotions as this can interfere with sterile machines and equipment!
You will be given some forms to read through before signing. Basically some consent forms and also important points to take note. ?
Running through some final checks before the surgery.
My appointment was at 10am – the signing of forms and checks was pretty fast – about 30mins or less? After that, you would be ushered to another room where the nurse will explain the post-Trans-epiLASIK care.
Some of you might ask – why not after the surgery? ? (Bear with me for those that know…) Even though you’re able to see immediately after your surgery, most people might feel some discomfort to certain extents, especially when your eyes are still numb.
In other words, settle everything before your surgery to save you from the agony of remembering and dealing with it later.
The nurse will explain the different medicated eyedrops and also there will also be a timetable for you to keep track of your application. It’s also important to keep a 15 minutes interval between the eyedrops to allow the medication to be fully absorbed by your eyes. ??
When it’s done, I’m ushered to a small corner outside the surgery room to dress-up and prepare for my Trans-epiLASIK surgery…
.. and suddenly the nervousness kicks in!
“What if my face is itchy and I need scratch?” ?
“What if I accidentally blink?!” ?
“What if I involuntarily shake or move my head/eyes away?!” ?
After waiting for about 10minutes or so, I was lead into the surgery room. While waiting for Dr. Tony Ho to start, he reassured me about my worries.
What if I accidentally blink?!
There is no way you can blink even your muscle involuntarily does it because there will be an “eye clamp” to “clamp” your eyes open. It’s a similar feeling to when you’re polishing/scaling your teeth and the dentist uses a plastic mouth piece to keep your mouth open. Just that this is for your eyes instead of mouth.
Sounds scary, but it’s not – because your eyes will be numb by then for you to feel anything.
What if I involuntarily shake or move my head/eyes away?!
The Schwind Amaris 1050RS machine used for my Trans-epiLASIK (btw, this is also the fastest and safest machine available on the market) is smart enough to stop firing once your eyes move out of place.
… And also Dr. Tony will hold your head throughout when the LASIK is “firing”. So you kinda have double assurance!
What if my face is itchy and I need scratch?
To be honest, the whole LASIK procedure will be over before you could even decide what you wanted to have for lunch (or dinner, if you’re doing in the afternoon).
I was in and out of the surgery room in 15 minutes or less? During the entire process, Dr. Tony was SUPER DUPER ASSURING! He actively let me know what’s going on (how many percent left, etc) and also counting down (letting me know how long more, etc).
I swear I was super grateful for that especially when I was quite afraid of silent moments and the feeling of having no idea what’s going on! ? I mean, its a short surgery (less than 10 minutes?) but Dr Tony took the effort of telling his patient what’s going on every few seconds.
During the Tran-epiLASIK surgery, the only thing you need is to focus and fixate well on the green blinking light (laser). Similar to some eye test, just that this time round you’re lying down and the machine is to correct your eyesight. It takes only 20 – 50 seconds per eye, depending on your eye power.
There’s also some burning smell which didn’t scare me because I was told beforehand, and also you wouldn’t feel anything at all due to your eyes being numbed for LASIK. In-fact, it smells similar to facial laser. LOL! ?
Towards the end, Dr. Tony will put on a special oxygen-permeable contact lens over the cornea to act as an artificial “cornea flap” to protect the eye for 3 – 5 days during healing. Looks like a big clear contact lenses and also your eyes will be rinsed with cold water (Omg! It’s damn shiok aka feels good like a spa for eyes. ?).
After my Trans-epiLASIK surgery, I spent another 45minutes in Clearvision where the nurse will drip a total of 3 different eyedrops (the one that was given to you) with a interval of 15 minutes in between so that your eyes could fully absorb each medication.
In total, I spent about 3 hours or less (10am to 1pm) in the clinic and I’m good to head home and rest! Clearvision’s Trans-epiLASIK (both eyes) costs $3625.16 SGD (inclusive of GST). Their comprehensive pre-LASIK evaluation (Payment to be made on the day of evaluation ) costs $25.16 SGD.
| Lasik | Trans-epiLASIK |
|---|---|
| The pressure from the suction ring placed on the eye causes you to black-out momentarily | No suction ring is used in Trans-epiLASIK as the cornea is not cut. |
| The cutting of the corneal flap in LASIK may cause permanent dry eyes | Requires no cutting of cornea flap and hence, no dry eyes! |
| Risk of flap-related complications | Zero risk of flap complications |
| More invasive compared to Trans-epiLASIK | Less invasive compared to LASIK |
| Corneal flap is cut, requiring about 150 microns of corneal tissue. Approximately three times that of Trans-epiLASIK. Thus, those with thin corneas are often rejected from LASIK | Outermost layer of fast-growing epithelium cells ablated using a laser. Layer of cells only 50 microns thick and will heal and grow back. Helps to preserve precious cornea tissue for future corrections, such as presbyopia (lao hua) correction. |
Here is the chart for easy references on the top 5 difference between LASIK and the new Trans-epiLASIK (which I did with Dr. Tony Ho). For more details you can check out Clearvision’s Facebook or website.
Oh, and of course, you can quote my name “Vanessa Tan” at the counter for a whopping $120 SGD off your Trans-epiLASIK package. That said, the fee for evaluation will be waived off on the day of the LASIK surgery when you’re making payment. ?
To find out if you’re suitable for Trans-epiLASIK, you can book an appointment by calling the LASIK hotline at +65 6100 2020 (20/20 perfect eyesight, get it? ??) or email [email protected].
Read my related posts:
Can’t wear contact lenses anymore?!
Flapless & Bladeless Trans-epiLASIK [Pre-LASIK Evaluation]
Clearvision Eye Clinic & LASIK Centre
6 Nutmeg Road
Singapore 228337
(5 min walk from Orchard MRT
Next to Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre)