visioneyeinstitute.com.au
VISION EYE INSTITUTE - ST KILDA ROAD
VISION CORRECTION
PROCEDURES
WHO WE ARE
Vision Eye Institute St Kilda Road is
proud to have pioneering ophthalmic
surgeons in clinic. We offer a wide
range of services including laser
vision correction, cataract surgery,
and general ophthalmology services.
Located on the ground floor of a Melbourne office
building on St Kilda Road, we are easily reached
by train, tram or car. There is on-street parking
available nearby and there is a public car park in
Queens Lane, just behind our premises.
ISO 9001 Certified
Our practice has developed a quality management
system to achieve certification to meet the
requirements of both ISO 9001:2008 and National
Safety and Quality in Health Service Standards
(NSQHS).
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PROCEDURES
A vision correction procedure
tailored to your needs
Today there are a number of vision
correction procedures for people who
want to be less dependent on glasses
and contact lenses. Whether you are
short-sighted, long-sighted, have
astigmatism or only need glasses
for reading, Vision Eye Institute may
be able to tailor a solution for you.
Using the most advanced laser
technology in the country, Vision Eye
Institute’s highly experienced surgeons
typically carry out several thousand
vision correction procedures every year.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Our eyes
In many ways the eye is like a camera. For clear
vision to occur, the image of what you see needs
to be focused on the retina at the back of your
eye. The eye has two structures that allow you
to achieve this focus, much like the lenses of
a camera.
The first is the cornea, which is the clear, front
surface of your eye. While only half a millimetre
thick, your cornea is very effective in focusing the
image of what you see onto your retina. It is highly
curved, like a magnifying glass, and, in order to
see clearly, it needs to focus the image exactly on
your retina. If the curve of the cornea is too flat or
too steep relative to the length of the eye, then the
image on your retina will not be clearly in focus
and your vision will be blurred.
The second focusing structure is your natural
lens, which is hidden behind your pupil. This tiny
lens can change shape, allowing you to not only
see in the distance but also to read up close until
you reach your mid-forties. It is this lens that
can cloud up and require cataract surgery in
later years.
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Why do you need glasses?
You usually need glasses for one of the following
conditions:
Short-sightedness (myopia)
Vision is blurred in the distance. An advantage of
short-sightedness is the ability to see up close
without spectacles. Short-sightedness commonly
develops as you grow and typically is detected in
childhood or adolescence.
Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
It may progress into your twenties or, in extreme
cases, even later.
Long-sightedness (hyperopia)
Vision is blurred at close range. While your
natural lens can compensate for some degree
of long-sightedness when you are younger, longsightedness is the most common reason that
glasses are prescribed for full-time use in mid
to later life.
Astigmatism usually occurs in combination with
either short- sightedness or long-sightedness.
Here the cornea is usually more curved in one
contour than the other, resulting in vision that can
be blurred for both distance and close up.
It requires a more complex correction which
is usually not an issue for glasses but can be
a problem in obtaining satisfactory vision with
contact lenses. Astigmatism is usually well
suited for a surgical vision correction solution.
If you are long-sighted, short-sighted and/or
have astigmatism, you may be suitable for a
vision correction procedure to either eliminate
or greatly reduce your dependence on glasses
or contact lenses.
Whether you are suitable for vision correction
surgery depends on a number of factors – not
just your glasses prescription.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Vision correction surgery
for reading vision – for those
over 45 years of age
Even when you are clearly focused for distance
vision, the natural lens within your eye is
constantly working to fine-tune your focus from
distance to near – in much the same way as the
zoom lens on a camera. However, as you approach
your mid-forties your natural lens is no longer
able to work as hard and your near vision becomes
blurred. This is called presbyopia. Good lighting
can help for a while but it is not long before you
need the help of reading glasses to see small
print. If you are already wearing glasses or contact
lenses for distance then you will need to change
to multifocal or bifocal lenses so that you can see
both in the distance and close up. Short-sighted
people often just take off their glasses to read, as
they naturally may have good close vision.
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Your specialist will discuss the best vision
correction options for your unique circumstances.
Vision correction procedures are generally carried
out either on your cornea – the front surface of
your eye – or on your natural lens within your eye.
Vision correction procedures
involving your cornea
The most commonly performed vision correction
procedures are ASLA and LASIK. Both involve
reshaping the cornea or front surface of your eye
to the ideal shape to allow you to focus clearly
without glasses.
ASLA
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Can you have a vision correction
procedure to reduce your dependence
on reading glasses?
Whilst no treatment will completely eliminate
reading glasses for everyone, there are a number
of surgical options that work well for most
patients. Dependence on reading glasses can be
greatly reduced by inducing a degree of shortsightedness in one eye while the other focuses
for distance. This type of vision correction is called
blended vision. Most of us tolerate blended vision
very well and do not notice any shift between near
and distance viewing. However, some people may
have trouble adjusting. Your tolerance of blended
vision can be tested in advance by wearing thin,
comfortable contact lenses to simulate the effect
of blended vision. This test is often performed at
your initial appointment or a subsequent visit can
be made. Another option for reducing dependence
on reading glasses involves the placement of tiny
multifocal artificial lenses within your eyes, in the
place of your natural lenses. These can provide
good all-round vision without spectacles for the
right candidates.
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ASLA and LASIK
Advanced Surface Laser – or ASLA – was
first introduced to Australia in 1991 by Vision
Eye Institute’s specialist surgeons. It involves
reshaping the corneal surface with a cool, ultraviolet excimer laser. ASLA is still widely used and
is mainly recommended by surgeons for patients
who have thin corneas.
LASIK involves the creation of a microscopic flap
in the cornea to allow the reshaping to occur away
from the surface of the eye, resulting in less
discomfort during healing and rapid visual recovery.
LASIK
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
In both LASIK and ASLA the excimer laser,
in a matter of seconds, precisely removes a tiny
quantity of tissue from your cornea.
If you are short-sighted, the laser aims to flatten
your cornea by removing tissue from the centre
of your cornea. If you are long-sighted, the
laser aims to make your cornea more curved
by removing tissue from the periphery of your
cornea. If you have astigmatism, the laser
removes more tissue from some parts of the
cornea than others, thus smoothing out the
surface to a more regular shape.
The laser is carefully programmed with the
information it needs to treat your individual eye
and remains within the doctor’s control at all
times. Due to the tiny involuntary movements of
the eye, a special tracker ‘locks on’ to your eye and
follows it at incredible speed to ensure that the
treated areas are exactly where they need to be.
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Which
procedure will you
be having?
While the majority of people are suitable for
LASIK, ASLA may be the procedure of choice in
certain circumstances, e.g. if your cornea is too
thin for LASIK, has any unusual steepness or, in
the rare case where laser treatment may require
enhancing some years later, ASLA may
be recommended.
Vision correction procedures
involving your lens
Lens surgery – often called Clear Lens Exchange
(CLE) – is commonly used to correct shortsightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism and
reading vision problems, especially in people over
the age of 55. It is often a more suitable procedure
than LASIK or ASLA for this age group – especially
if you are very short-sighted or long-sighted.
In this procedure, the eye’s natural lens is gently
removed and replaced with an artificial lens, which
has been carefully selected for your individual
needs to minimise dependence on glasses.
A multi-focal or bi-focal option can be achieved
with an artificial lens, if desired. Alternatively, a
blended vision outcome can be performed.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
During lens surgery, your vision correction
surgeon creates a tiny opening in your eye less
than 3mm wide using laser technology.
A narrow instrument is inserted through this
tiny incision into your eye to gently break up the
lens into smaller pieces which allows them to be
removed easily.
Clear Lens Exchange
While the lens is removed, the elastic capsule
that surrounds it is left intact to allow for the
placement of the new artificial lens. This artificial
lens is inserted through the same incision and
stays in your eye permanently.
Lens surgery is very successful but it is also very
complex. Until recently, most aspects of lens
surgery, including the initial incision, opening the
lens capsule and the break-up of the eye’s natural
lens, were performed manually by the surgeon.
However, technology is constantly improving
and with the introduction of the latest laser lens
surgery technique, these steps can now be done
with a special high-precision femtosecond laser.
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Laser lens surgery was first performed in
Australia in April 2011 by Vision Eye Institute’s
specialist vision correction surgeons.
All eye surgery has the potential for complications
that may affect your vision. However, lens surgery
is one of the safest operations that can be
undertaken.
Your vision correction
procedure at
Vision Eye Institute
Your first appointment
Your initial consultation with one of our vision
correction specialists will take about 1 to 2 hours.
• Although not always necessary, it is strongly
advised that you bring a referral from your usual
optometrist (or GP) to your initial consultation
as it will inform our specialists of your eye and
general health history.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
• If you wear soft contact lenses it is
recommended to cease wearing them for
seven days prior to your first appointment.
Hard contact lenses shouldn’t be worn for
four weeks prior.
• In-depth diagnostic tests will be performed to
determine if you are suitable for a corneal or
lens vision correction procedure. Some vision
correction procedures may involve additional
tests which may require a return visit at a time
that is convenient for you.
• Your eyes will be thoroughly examined to detect
the presence of any eye disease that you may
have so that the vision correction specialist can
give you a realistic picture of what to expect
from your procedure.
• Your specialist will ask about medical
conditions you may have which may preclude
you from vision correction surgery at that time
(e.g. pregnancy or breast-feeding).
• Dilating drops may be used and if so, you are
advised not to drive after your consultation.
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• At the end of your consultation you will be told
what your particular vision correction plan will
cost and your vision correction surgery may be
scheduled. Laser vision correction procedures
can be scheduled as soon as you desire after
your initial consultation. If you are having lens
surgery on both eyes, they will typically be
scheduled about a week apart.
• You should leave your consultation with a
thorough understanding of the benefits, risks
and costs of vision correction surgery for your
particular situation.
Your LASIK or ASLA procedure
On the day of your procedure you need to allow
approximately 2 hours.
• LASIK and ASLA procedures are performed in
the dedicated laser suites of Vision Eye Institute.
• For LASIK and ASLA, topical anaesthetic drops
are used to numb the eye and a mild oral
sedative may also be offered beforehand to
minimise any anxiety you may be feeling.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
• A special eye lid prop (or speculum) is used to
hold your eyelids securely during the procedure
so you don’t need to worry about blinking or
closing your eye at the wrong time.
• During the LASIK procedure, the surgeon
creates a microscopic flap of corneal tissue on
the surface of your eye. This flap is created in 6
seconds using a highly accurate femtosecond
laser.
Creation of corneal flap in LASIK
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• You are then positioned so that your eye is under
the excimer laser which is programmed to
remove microscopic layers of tissue from your
cornea according to the prescription of your eye.
You will be asked to look at a target light while
the laser is operating.
• The ASLA procedure is very similar to
LASIK but there is no corneal flap created.
• The laser machine will make a steady clicking
sound as the laser reshapes your cornea.
• During this time the laser’s unique eye-tracker
system ensures that any movements of your eye
are detected and compensated for at the rate of
hundreds of times per second.
• After the procedure is finished, the surgeon
moves on to the second eye.
• While you should be comfortable during the
procedure please advise if you have a history
of claustrophobia. This may change the type of
procedure and sedation required.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
• After your surgery, your surgeon will ensure
that you are recovering normally.
• The eyes may be covered with protective eye
shields and then you can go home. You will
need someone to drive you home.
• If you have had the ASLA procedure you will
need to wear a special contact lens – called
a bandage lens – to protect your eye for the
first few days after your procedure and apply
anti-inflammatory eye drops for several weeks.
You will also be given some oral medication to
reduce any eye discomfort you may experience
during the first few days after ASLA.
• With ASLA there is no discomfort during the
laser procedure, but most people feel some
degree of discomfort in the following few days.
This discomfort varies considerably but is
usually well managed with a combination of the
bandage lens, the anti-inflammatory eye drops
and the oral discomfort relief medication.
• With LASIK, there may be some pressure
sensation during the laser procedure. The edge
of the flap heals quickly and your eye is usually
quite comfortable after a sleep.
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• Your eyes will be examined several times
during the first few weeks after surgery. You
may experience excellent vision as early as the
next day after your procedure or it may take a
little longer (typically days to weeks) to settle
during which time your vision may fluctuate.
• You will need to return to the Vision Eye Institute
centre for your first post-operative visit as
advised by your surgeon. On rare occasions,
the flap may require repositioning, so this
appointment is very important.
Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
• Once the surgeon is happy with your progress,
you can arrange to have the remaining followup appointments at the clinic.
• You will need to avoid rubbing your eye in the
first few weeks after your procedure.
• You will be advised to keep water away from
your eyes for the first few days but most normal
activities can be resumed within a day or two
after your procedure.
Your cataract or lens procedure
• Your lens procedure will take place in one
of our specialised day-surgery facilities or,
less commonly, a hospital which is fully
equipped for eye-care and meets the highest
accreditation standards.
• Modern lens surgery is performed under local
anaesthesia to numb your eye so there is no
need for a general anaesthetic or an overnight
hospital stay. You will be made very comfortable
for your procedure with a gentle sedative and
there is rarely any discomfort or pain during the
procedure.
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• After your procedure you will be provided with
refreshments and your eye may be gently
covered with an eye-shield (or eye-pad) to allow
safe healing overnight.
• You will return to our centre the next day to have
your vision assessed.
• You will be given special medicated eye drops
to use according to your surgeon’s instructions for
a few weeks after your procedure. These antibiotic
and anti-inflammatory eye drops protect the eye
during the important healing process.
• You will be advised to avoid strenuous activities
and water in your eyes for the first few days
after surgery. Most normal daily activities can be
resumed within a day or two and your surgeon
will instruct you on when you may resume
contact sports, etc.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Other vision correction
procedures
Implantable lenses
Implantable lenses can be used to correct
very high degrees of short-sightedness or
long-sightedness, especially in people under
40. Implantable lenses are sometimes used
when laser eye surgery is not an option due to
the thickness or shape of your cornea or if your
glasses prescription is outside the laser-safe
range. The implantable lens is a tiny artificial
lens designed to be placed permanently within
your eye. One type of implantable lens, the ICL,
is designed to be placed behind the iris but in
front of your natural lens. Your own natural lens
remains untouched within your eye, providing that
all-important ability to change focus between
distance and near vision without effort in younger
patients. Implantable lenses cannot be felt in the
eye, require no maintenance and can achieve a
good quality of vision. They can also be removed
if and when, for example, you require cataract
surgery in the future.
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Implantable lens
Once the lens is implanted you will need an
annual eye examination to make sure that your
intraocular pressure remains normal, the cells on
the back of the cornea are healthy and your natural
lens remains clear.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Corneal inlays
Corneal inlays are tiny structures designed to
be placed within the layers of the cornea itself.
They have been used for some time to improve
the strength of the cornea in certain eye diseases
and more recently they have been used to provide
vision correction for improved reading vision. Tiny
donut-shaped discs or micro-lenses, typically only
3 or 4mm in size, are designed to sit within your
cornea in a pocket created by the femtosecond
laser. The procedure is minimally invasive and
the inlays can be removed at a later date should
another inlay or lens replacement surgery be
required. Your vision correction specialist will
advise you if they are suitable for you.
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The future of
vision correction
Many people hold out on having a vision
correction procedure because they are waiting
for the next big leap in technology before going
ahead. Improvements in technology and surgical
techniques will always occur, sometimes slowly,
sometimes rapidly.
Laser vision and lens surgery are now at a
safety and accuracy level that is competitive with
glasses and contact lenses. What many people
don’t realise is that the more you understand the
technology the more likely you are to have vision
correction surgery, which explains why doctors
and ophthalmologists in particular are more
likely as a percentage to have these procedures
performed on their family members and
themselves than the rest of the population.
Both laser and lens surgery have seen dramatic
improvements in technology but is now at a level
where it is likely to remain for many years to come.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
Costs
At Vision Eye Institute we understand that the
decision to have a vision correction procedure is a
significant one. The financial cost of the procedure
needs careful consideration but it is important to
also consider the benefits. Many people find that
the freedom to enjoy outdoor pursuits and travel
simply cannot be achieved to the same degree
with glasses or contact lenses.
We offer a range of realistic and affordable
financing options including 12 months interestfree financing.
Vision Eye Institute and Medibank have negotiated
a special agreement to enable Medibank
members who have their LASIK or ASLA surgery
performed by a Vision Eye Institute surgeon to
receive a 15% reduction on their surgical fees*.
This offer is available to Medibank members on
selected extras and packaged covers (contact
Medibank on 132 331 to check if your cover is
a selected extras or packaged cover).
* For LASIK or Advanced Surface
Laser (ASLA) procedures, excludes
initial assessment fees.
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Our vision correction
surgeons
Vision Eye Institute prides itself on the expertise
and experience of its surgeons and when it
comes to vision correction surgery, they enjoy
international recognition. They have pioneered
many of the advancements in vision correction in
Australia including performing the first IntraLase
procedure in 2004 and the first laser lens
procedure in 2011, both involving the remarkable
femtosecond laser.
Perhaps the best endorsement of our vision
correction surgeons is that so many of our
staff members have chosen to have their vision
correction procedure at Vision Eye Institute and
many of our surgeons have had vision correction
surgery themselves.
If you have any queries regarding vision correction
procedures, the benefits, risks, likely outcomes or
complications, please contact our staff or visit our
informative website www.visioneyeinstitute.com.au/
laser-eye-surgery.
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Vision Eye Institute | Transforming lives. That’s our vision
ST KILDA RD SURGEONS
Dr Guy Olorenshaw
MBBS, FRANZCO, FRACS
Dr Guy Olorenshaw is a specialist
refractive surgeon who has been
performing refractive surgery in
Melbourne since 1996 and LASIK since
1998.He provides his specialist services
at Vision Eye Institute, St Kilda Road.
Dr Joseph Reich
MBBS, DO (Melb), FRACS, FRANZCO
Dr Joseph Reich is a specialist
cataract and refractive surgeon.
As well as regularly performing laser
refractive surgery, Dr Reich has a
particular interest in cataract surgery
and refractive lens exchange. He has
extensive clinical experience with the multifocal lens
implant and the toric lens correction of astigmatism.
Dr Abi Tenen
MBBS (Hons), FRANZCO, Adjunct Senior Lecturer
(Monash University)
Dr Abi Tenen specialises in refractive
and cataract surgery. She is expert
in laser eye surgery and was the first
Australian female surgeon to qualify
in the use of Intralase femtosecond
laser technology. Her areas of specialty
are LASIK, ASLA, implantable collamer lens surgery,
refractive lens exchange, keratoconus, collagen
cross-linking, intracorneal rings (Keraring), pterygium
surgery with conjunctival autografting and cataract
surgery with premium intraocular lens implants. Dr
Tenen is in private practice at the Vision Eye Institutes
Blackburn South, Camberwell and St Kilda Rd.
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OUR LOCATION
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R
ilda
St K
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Princ
>
Our clinic can be easily found on the ground floor of an
office building at 600 St Kilda Road. Conveniently located
on the corner of Lorne Street and St Kilda Road, we can
be reached by train, trams 6, 16, 67 or car. There is
on-street parking available nearby and there is a public
car park in Queens Lane, just behind our premises.
TO THE CITY
Lorne St
High St
24
600 St Kilda Rd
WE ARE
HERE
r
D
side
Lake
>
24
Raleigh St/St Kilda Rd
3
Raleigh
St
Vision Eye Institute St Kilda Road
Ground Floor, 600 St Kilda Road
Melbourne VIC 3004
T: (03) 9521 2175
F: (03) 9530 2445
skr@visioneyeinstitute.com.au
www.visioneyeinstitute.com.au
VIC-VEI-STK-314-15-09-22
VEI Services Pty Ltd ABN 94 097 821 906