My iLASIK Experience with Dr David Goh at Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Eye Centre

I underwent my iLASIK surgery on August 30 this year. I can say my post-LASIK vision is even better when I compared to the vision that I had previously when I am wearing my spectacles/ contact lenses. Definitely, going for my iLASIK surgery is one of the best decisions that I had made in my life.

*My Spectacles & Contact  Lenses*

BEFORE

The reason why I have decided to go for LASIK is because I love to travel during my leisure time. I find it a burden to bring my spectacles and daily-disposable contact lenses every time I travelled. More often than not, I find my eyes getting drier and drier after wearing my contact lens during the day. Times passes really quickly, by the time I removed my contact lenses at 10pm, I have usually had my contact lenses on for more than 12 hours in a day, especially when I am working. 

I have to admit that I am a super scaredy cat because I am very paranoid about anything that has got to do with knives. I spent a lot of time doing my research about LASIK procedures, its advantages, the eye clinics and doctor’s profiles that do LASIK surgery in Singapore. I decided to go for a pre-LASIK assessment with Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Centre after reading the online reviews and hearing from my friends and relatives’ experiences.

Pre-LASIK Assessment

The pre-LASIK assessment start off with a comprehensive eye examination, which includes checking my corneal thickness, my degrees and my eyes’ health. After completing my eye examination with the optometrists, I move on to have a consultation with the doctors. There are 2 doctors in the clinic. I had my consultation with the medical director, Dr. David Goh, and co-director, Dr. Natasha Lim.

During my consultation with the doctors, they explained to me the differences between various refractive surgeries (e.g. LASIK, LASEK, SMILE & Implantable Contact Lenses ICL). After my consultation with both Dr. Goh and Dr. Lim, I had decided to opt for the iDesign iLASIK as my procedure. LASEK or epiLASIK, as it is also known as,  is associated with pains and prolonged visual recovery, SMILE is only FDA approved for a small range of treatment -2.00 to -8.00 D and not yet approved for astigmatism or presbyopia correction, ICL is an invasive surgery……..

Being under the care of 2 doctors gave me lots of confidence to proceed with my iLASIK surgery. (Two heads are better than one, right?)    

iLasik Poster no.1

What is iDesign iLASIK?

It is a truly customized treatment that offers improved and excellent night vision after one’s LASIK surgery. Other clinics offer only wavefront-optimize treatment but this type of Lasik is not customized.

Just like everyone has a unique fingerprint, everyone’s iris pattern and iris features are also unique to them. iDesign machine photographed my iris and labeled unique iris features of mine and these were used to actively track my eyes during the whole laser process. Dr. David said that even if I moved my eyes excessively, it wouldn’t matter because of the iris registration and active eye tracking system. iDesign created a personalized Wavefront-Guided map containing information of my eye’s night symptoms such as glare and starbursts, so that during my Lasik surgery, I not only corrected my myopia and astigmatism, I also corrected my troublesome night glare and starburst issues!

The whole Lasik procedure is 100% Bladeless and also tailor-made to individual eye. If anyone wants to know more about iDesign iLASIK, you can go to the following page to have a better understanding. http://www.drdavidgoh.com.sg/lasik-lasek-prk/

When NASA astronauts do their Lasik, they use the same iDesign iLASIK machines that Dr. Goh used for my Lasik.

Other refractive surgery methods cater for people that have thin cornea or high prescription. However, iDesign iLasik is good at eliminating short sightedness, long sightedness and astigmatism for anyone as long as the person has sufficient corneal thickness for his/her prescription.

Before my iLASIK treatment, I was short-sighted. My degree in both eyes is around -3.00, coming along with -0.75 of astigmatism.

 

Actual Lasik Treatment

iLASIK Procedure

There are 2 parts to the whole procedure.

1.    Creating a Lasik flap

-       In Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Centre, the LASIK flap is made by just using cold air bubble laser. Which means no blade involvement at all. (Most suitable for me!!)

2.    Laser treatment for myopia and astigmatism

-       It will be the firing of the laser onto the cornea to correct my myopia and astigmatism. The firing of the laser only lasted less than a minute for both eyes. Zero pains throughout.

In-house Lasik Operating Theatre

I actually did my iLasik treatment inside the clinic itself. The eye centre itself actually owns 3 MOH-accredited operating theatre inside. Not only do they provide in-house Lasik treatment services, they also offered the service of doing bladeless laser cataract surgery inside their own clinic. It is so convenient for patients like our parents because they won’t have to travel between floors inside a big and frightening hospital or worse still, meet in another building somewhere else for their cataract surgery. I remained calm throughout. 

After my consultation, I waited with tea and biscuits in the sitting room and then proceeded into the operating theatre to have my Lasik. You see, they do not give you cold feet to turn back on your decision.

This is the Lasik operating theatre
(Photo was taken with permission)

Back to talk about my Lasik procedure, the whole procedure is quick, painless, and relaxing for me.Dr. Goh and Dr. Lim definitely have their own ways of making me feel assured and distracted – distracted from any fears but focused on the lights that my eyes should be looking at.  Believe it or not, I was actually surprised at how easy the whole procedure was. I can actually walk out of the operating theatre by myself. After my treatment, I went back home on my own.

Post-Lasik Review

The moment I opened my eyes the next morning, I was overjoyed! I can say the results are amazing!! I can see my surroundings so clearly without the help of any glasses or contact lenses.

When I went back for a review with Dr. David, 1 day after my iLASIK treatment, I can see the letters in 6/4.5 line crystal clear and sharp. I am most delighted and very satisfied with my vision. It had never come to my mind that I can ever have such excellent vision without my spectacles/contact lenses. I even went back to work after my review session. At that very instant, I felt that going to Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery and Eye Specialist Centre for iDesign iLASIK was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

The maintenance that is required after the procedure, is effortless. It just needs me to apply anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye-drops 4 times a day. It is definitely the easiest things to do and remember, especially for people that are absent-minded (ME!)

A week later, I went back to the clinic for my review and I was told that my eyesight is perfect! Both eyes were 0 degrees.

At the end, I will like to express my gratitude to Dr. David Goh, who had given me ultimate patience and advice during my whole iLASIK surgery. At the same time, I will also like to show appreciation to the staffs and nurses in Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Centre. Thank You for all the help and assistance that I received throughout the procedure starting from my pre-LASIK assessment all the way to my post-LASIK review. I really feel the NASA power vision in my eyes right now. In short, I feel like an astronaut that has perfect vision to cope with details in the deep, dark SPACE.

P.S. Time for me to enjoy seeing the world perfectly without the burden of wearing contact lenses and glasses! :) If you ask for my opinion, I definitely will recommend everyone that is interested in correcting their vision, to have their Lasik surgery done at Novena Bladeless Cataract Surgery & Eye Specialist Centre.