Advanced Surface Treatments

AccuVision are at the forefront of developing the safest and most effective Laser Eye Surgery procedures. Over several decades we have helped refine and improve techniques and technologies to achieve the best possible vision for our patients. AccuVision were for example, the first clinic in the UK to introduce a true ‘all laser – no flap’ procedure called Trans-Epithelial Surface Treatment or Trans-Epi. This technique is essentially a ‘no touch’ procedure.

Although most patients are suitable for LASIK, some eyes will be better suited to a ‘no flap’ procedure. Many clinics still perform another version of this procedure termed LASEK. You may also read about PRK, Epi-LASIK and Trans-PRK. You can read about the differences below.

Step 1 : The excimer laser removes an area of epithelium from the front of the cornea exposing the stroma beneath.

Step 2 : The excimer laser then precisely reshapes the stromal layer of the cornea to correct your vision. Here we also incorporate any customisation of your treatment plan such as Wavefront or Topography guided profiles.

Step 3 : A clear bandage contact lens is placed on the cornea to protect the eye whilst it recovers and the epithelium regenerates.

As with all of our Laser Eye Surgery procedures, anaesthetic eye drops ensure that there is minimal discomfort during the procedure. Our experienced team of surgeons will guide you at every step of the way to ensure your safety and the effectiveness of the treatment. The treatment is very quick and takes just a few minutes for each eye.

Before you go home, you and whoever has accompanied you will be shown how to care for your eyes and safely apply your eye drops. We will monitor your progress at your follow up appointments and guide you on your individual aftercare.

Although visually functional before, on average patients require 5-7 days away from work before they are ready to return to their normal schedule. No two eyes are the same and individual healing can vary from person to person. Our clinical team will give you specific guidance at the time of your consultation, when you are preparing for surgery, and at your aftercare appointments.

• Unlike with LASEK, alcohol is not used to loosen the epithelium and manual removal of the epithelium is not necessary, reducing trauma to the eye during and after surgery.
• With Trans-Epi, the excimer laser is programmed to micron precision and performs both steps making it essentially a ‘no touch’ procedure.

• Since Trans-Epi is an almost completely a ‘no-touch’ procedure, the treatment experience is typically more comfortable than with LASIK.
• Unlike LASIK, there is no flap created on the cornea and this completely removes the risk of flap complications during or after treatment. This makes Trans-Epi the procedure of choice for patients in the police force, armed forces or those that play contact sports such as martial arts and rugby.
• Another advantage of not creating a flap is that more corneal tissue is preserved and this reduces the risk of long term biomechanical changes in the cornea. This makes Trans-Epi the procedure of choice for some patients with very thin or irregular corneas.

• Following Trans-Epi patients do experience some discomfort for a few days compared with LASIK.
• Visual recovery following Trans-Epi can take longer than with LASIK.
• There is a small risk of corneal haze but much less so than with other surface procedures like LASEK. Your compliance in adhering to the post operative instructions and drops will ensure the risks of any post-operative inflammation are minimised.