The best way to determine your suitability is with a thorough eye examination (an assessment) at Queensland Laser Vision. Appropriate candidates have good general eye health and stable vision for at least 12 months. During your assessment (which takes approx. 1 hour) your consultant will confirm if you are a good candidate, explain the procedure and answer all questions you may have so that you are able to make an informed decision.

If you’ve never had laser eye surgery before, your initial assessment is free. However, if you’d had laser eye surgery at another clinic in Australia, or overseas, and you’re now experiencing visual change or need a check-up, these consultations are different and more involved than an initial assessment process, so a consultation fee is applicable.

No. There are no additional costs for your surgeon’s consultation.

You will need to have the day of surgery and the following 3-5 days off work.

You will be given in-depth information about your procedure and given eye drops and medications if necessary to take during your initial recovery period.

The speed of visual recovery depends on personal healing patterns and age. However, most patients tend to notice dramatic visual results within the first few days following the procedure. Patients with higher prescriptions may recover more slowly.

Do not resume driving until you have been cleared by your surgeon / optometrist at the first post-operative appointment.

The Laser procedure does not correct or prevent presbyopia occurring, this means reading glasses will be needed in your late 40’s.

For most patients, the feeling of anxiety and fear of the unknown is worse than the actual procedure. Anaesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just before surgery commences and you will also be given a mild sedative.

The actual procedure is quite quick, about 5-minutes per eye, but you can expect to be with us for around 2 hours. This allows us to thoroughly answer any questions and perform pre and post operative checks.  

All surgery has some degree of risk even if it is very minimal. At Queensland Laser Vision your consultant will discuss these and other risks of the surgery on the day of your assessment. We will only perform the surgery (if any) that is right for you.

Sometimes our eyes change over time, and you may feel your vision has declined. We provide check ups free of charge for life if you had Laser surgery with us and think your vision has changed. We will perform an enhancement, or re-treatment (if your eyes are stable and it is safe to do so) free of charge for life if this decline is due to regression, meaning that your eyes return to the state they were before the surgery.  

It is important to note that your eyes go through a natural ageing process called Presbyopia (whether you have Laser eye surgery or not) around the age of 40-50, and no retreatment will prevent this occurring, or being affected by other health conditions or injury.

The Laser Refractive procedure is not performed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Hormonal changes can lead to temporary changes in your vision and affect the accuracy of our measurements.

Medications that would normally be used before and after surgery may be risky for your baby, whether unborn or nursing.

Assessment and surgery should be done 2-3 months after pregnancy / ceasing breastfeeding.

The current price for Laser Refractive Surgery is $2,800** per eye

This price includes:

• Pre – operative consultations (including consultation with surgeon)
• Treatment using the safest and most advanced equipment
• Post-operative consultations
• Enhancement procedure if required at a later date
• After surgery care pack consisting of medicated and lubricating eye drops, clear shields and full post-operative instructions and information
• Access to 24hr contact numbers for peace of mind

** Price subject to change

Yes, there is a payment plan available for the laser surgery. The plan is prepared at the Centre and provided by an independent institution – DentiCare Payment Plan Solutions

How the payment plan works:

• On the day of surgery a minimum payment of $2,960 (50% of the surgery fees + the administration fee*) is required.
• The remainder is then paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
• Repayments can be made via nominated bank account, credit or debit card**
• There are no penalties for early or lump sum payments

*Please note: A service fee of $160 is charged by Queensland Laser Vision to cover bank and administration costs. The $160 fee is included in the up-front payment. An additional service fee of $39 is charged by Healthcare Payment Solutions. The $49 fee is debited on your first payment.

**Payment Plan repayments are made through HealthCare Payments Solutions 1.95% fee for MasterCard & Visa transactions, $1.10 fee for bank account transactions.

The Laser eye procedure is not covered by Medicare or most private health funds. To our knowledge, only certain levels of cover from BUPA, Medibank, AHM, Defence Health, Navy Health, Police Health, Peoplecare and TUH contribute towards the surgery. Contact your individual private health fund to determine if they will contribute towards Laser Refractive Surgery.                            

Myopia is a refractive error or vision condition in which close objects are seen clearly but objects further away appear blurred. This occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea has too much curvature. Light entering the eye does not focus on the retina but in front of it. Myopia is also known as shortsightedness or nearsightedness.

Astigmatism is a refractive error which causes vision to be blurred or distorted at all distances. This occurs when the cornea is irregularly shaped. Instead of having a symmetrically round shape (like a tennis ball), it is shaped more like a football. Astigmatism is very common condition affecting 1 in 3 people. Common symptoms are squinting, eye strain and headaches after prolonged visual tasks. Regular astigmatism can be corrected effectively by laser surgery.

Hyperopia is a refractive error in which near objects appear out of focus while distant objects are clear. This occurs when the eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat to focus light onto the retina. Incoming light is focused behind the retina. Laser surgery is not recommended for the treatment of hyperopia. Refractive Lens Exchange is a more permanent and effective alternative.

The ICL is a lens that is surgically inserted inside of the eye between the iris and the natural lens. The ICL does not affect the appearance or colour of the eyes. The procedure does not involve removing tissue from your cornea making it suitable for people with thin irregular corneas, dry eyes or high refractive errors.

Once implanted, the lens can remain indefinitely. If the vision changes over time, the lens can be replaced or removed. The two eyes are treated on separate days, usually about 2 weeks apart. Recovery is quick with minimal discomfort.

Downloadable PDF on ICL

In this procedure the natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. This technique is based on the same principle as cataract surgery. The refractive lensectomy procedure is a good option for people who are hyperopic or longsighted and for people who are presbyopic or just need glasses for reading.

The procedure is a 15 minute day surgery. The two eyes are treated on separate days, usually about a week apart.

Downloadable PDF on Refractive Lensectomy

Presbyopia is an age-related process which causes blurred near vision. The lens of the eye gradually becomes harder and less elastic, making it thicker and less flexible.

This gradual loss of focusing usually occurs between 40-50 years of age. People who require reading glasses only and who have good distance vision are not suitable candidates for laser surgery. Refractive Lens Exchange is a more permanent and effective alternative.

Myopic and astigmatic people, who are suitable for laser surgery, may be suitable for monovision correction. With monovision, one eye is corrected for distance and the other eye is corrected for near, providing clear vision for both distance and near vision.

This kind of correction is usually done for people around 40 years of age to reduce the need for reading glasses.