Frequently Asked Questions

Laser Eye Surgery

Before your treatment

Your journey with Optilase begins when you attend your initial assessment. One of our Laser Optometrists will meet with you and spend the next hour thoroughly examining and testing your eyes. You will find out if you are a suitable candidate for laser vision correction, what treatment will be best for your eyes, and how much exactly it will cost. You will not be able to drive after your assessment for at least 6-8 hours.
For a full breakdown of our costs, please visit our pricing page
We are open 7 days per week and late night Monday to Thursday so we are able to fit in around your busy schedule. We also perform surgery every week which means you don’t have to join a lengthy waiting list for your life-changing treatment.
There are a number of factors that may make you unsuitable for laser vision correction. These include prescriptions stronger than -10 or +5. Having a squint or a lazy eye can also rule you out (Note that laser vision correction can be carried out on some patients with a lazy eye, depending on its severity). For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is necessary to wait until 6 months after finishing. You also need to be over the age of 18.
No, there is no permanent change in the appearance of your eyes. The day after LASIK surgery your eyes should be white and clear. The healing process can take 4-5 days with LASEK and during this time the eye may appear slightly red.

Your treatment

Meeting with your Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon allows him the proper time to review your assessment file and determine the specific treatment most suitable for your eyes. This is laid down in the guidelines from the Royal College of Ophthalmology in the UK, which Optilase voluntarily adheres to. It also allows you to ask any more detailed questions regarding your treatment and your surgeon will give final approval for your laser treatment.
Due to advancements in Laser Eye Surgery, it is perfectly safe to treat both eyes on the same day. In total, it takes approximately 10-15 minutes to have both eyes treated. If for any reason you would prefer to have your eyes treated separately, we can arrange this for you at no extra charge.
There are risks involved in laser vision correction and you will be made aware of these risks during your initial free assessment as well as your pre-operative consultation. The most common side affects of laser vision correction include dry-eye, night-time glare, halo effect and regression.
The laser vision correction itself takes around 7 minutes per eye. Between preparation, treatment and aftercare, you should expect to stay in the clinic for up to 2 hours on the day of your procedure.
Yes, long term follow up studies indicate that after the healing process is complete, eyesight remains stable. Some patients may develop the need for reading glasses as they age but this happens to most adults regardless of whether they get laser vision correction.
The laser vision correction process itself is painless as we use anaesthetic drops to numb your eyes. Depending on your treatment type. there can be some discomfort in the days following treatment, but this is generally temporary.
At Optilase, your safety is our No. 1 priority. We use the most advanced and safest laser technology and all of our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeons, Laser Optometrists, Laser Technicians and surgery nurses are highly experienced and fully accredited.

After your treatment

For most of our patients, it takes one or two days for their improved vision to settle. However, we do advise that patients rest their eyes properly for the month following their surgery.
We strongly advise our patients to attend all of their aftercare appointments. Your aftercare appointments allow us to track the progress of your eyes and to ensure they are healing properly.
At Optilase, we are proud to offer a Lifetime Care Guarantee to all of our patients. In the unlikely event that your eyesight should regress (your old prescription starts to return), we offer the corrective treatment, known as an enhancement, for free. This comes as standard with all of our treatments.
Lens replacement surgery is a treatment option for those with reading glasses.
It is important that you rest your eyes properly after laser vision correction. For LASIK patients, it is recommended to take 1-2 days off work, while LASEK patients are advised to take 5-7 days off work.
The laser vision correction itself takes around 7 minutes per eye. Between preparation, treatment and aftercare, you should expect to stay in the clinic for up to 2 hours on the day of your procedure.

Book a Free Consultation Today!

At your consultation we will answer all your questions, discuss finance options, and assess whether you are a suitable candidate for one of our life-changing, treatments. Consultations with our expert Optometrists are free and take approximately 1 hour at one of our nationwide clinics.
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Patient Reviews

Roisin Mitchell
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Roisin Mitchell
April 7, 2026

I had a great experience and Optilase getting laser eye surgery, it was without a doubt the best money I ever spent and wish I did it years ago! I rave about it to anyone who'll listen. From my initial consultation to the surgery itself in Dublin and the aftercare in Galway I couldn't rate it highly enough. The staff were so professional, informative, friendly and attentative throughout the whole process. Extremely happy customer!

amnnau
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amnnau
April 3, 2026

Got my PRK surgery with optilase couldnt be happier! I was cared for in each step even post surgery, give me a call or message if you need referral

Amy Phelan
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Amy Phelan
April 2, 2026

Had such an amazing experience with Optilase in Cork. Such a brilliant team, they all made me feel so relaxed and explained everything so well. They reassured me so much on the day of my surgery, and I never felt rushed with any questions. I would highly recommend Optilase to anyone even considering laser eye surgery. I am the most nervous and skeptical person and it’s truly the best thing I ever did, there is honestly nothing to be worried about!! I had zero pain whatsoever and my vision was clear by that evening and 100% perfect the next morning, it’s truly amazing! Wish I got it done years ago. I have so much freedom now without contact lenses or glasses, it’s so hard to believe my vision is fixed!!

Helen Sanfey
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Helen Sanfey
April 2, 2026

My experience has been amazing. Everything was super professional and I was handled with complete care. My vision is perfect now and has changed everything for me.

Chloe Kearney
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Chloe Kearney
March 5, 2026

Had a consultation done today couldn’t fault the team at optilase the were very informative answer all the questions I had very quick and professional would definitely recommend

Barry Neville
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Barry Neville
March 3, 2026

Very professional, and very customer focused

Timmy Kelleher
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Timmy Kelleher
February 18, 2026

I got the refractive lens surgery in December and from my first appointment to the last post op appointment I was looked after with great care, and I would recommend this company to anyone

Sinéad Elizabeth Delaney
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Sinéad Elizabeth Delaney
February 5, 2026

My glasses has always made me feel self conscious to the point of not wearing them. I had my free consultation for eligibility with Rachel who was helpful and really put me at ease about the entire procedure. Elizabeth in reception was friendly and welcoming throughout each visit helping me set up all my upcoming appointments and fit me in for my surgery to meet my schedule. The day of surgery I was brought upstairs for re-scans. Paul did these and he was extremely kind. He answered all my questions making me feel at ease. After I was then called by Fiona who was assisting Dr. Tom in my surgery. I met Dr. Tom who ran over the procedure and answered questions I had. Fiona then went through the things to be mindful of after surgery showing me the three different eye drops to be taken and then helped me prep for surgery. The surgery itself was so quick. I first laid down on the chair and they dosed my eyes in eye drops which were to stop infections and aesthetic to keep my eyes open. Dr. Tom and the team began. It was such a quick painless procedure I couldn’t believe it was finished so quick. Already getting up I felt I could see better although a little fuzzy. Fiona guided me to the dark area of the reception while I waited to go home. The girls in reception had already called my dad and he was on the way. Sitting there I could already read the signs on the wall (I couldn’t when I had come in). Paul and Fiona came and sat with me for a second in reception asking me how I was and how I got on which was so nice of them. My dad collected me and I put my sunglasses on. It was a sunny day and I’m going to be honest the car ride home for me was the hardest part. Fiona told me my eyes would become heavy when the eye drops wore off. I felt the light from the sun in the car ride home was harsh on my eyes and my eyes stung. This was instantly relieved when I got home and went to my room which was in complete darkness. The first two hours my eyes were a little sore and stingy. Then this all faded very quick. No stinging. No pain. Nothing. All great. My eyes improving more and more as the day went on. I was nervous about the eye drops but set them up on my table with an alarm and it’s so easy to just pop them in. My eyes were quite red with two red dots on each side. I rested up for the evening and I wore my dark glasses they provided for a lot of the evening to really rest my eyes and by that night my vision was very sharp it was amazing. I slept very well with my eye mask and not once did I have to take painkillers. My follow up appointment was with Michaela who was lovely and stated I have 20/20 vision and my eyes look good. She also said the redness is 100% normal and is just bruising of the eye from the suction. My experience has been amazing. I honestly can’t thank the staff enough. Each and every one of them were so nice and welcoming and the liking to answer all my questions. If you have any doubts at all; I wouldn’t. Get it done if you can. I wish I got it done sooner. Any questions or using a refer a friend find me on fb or instagram with the name above 😊

Laurence Lee
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Laurence Lee
November 25, 2025

It was the best decision I ever made,I can see better now than I ever did.

Teddy Sheehan
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Teddy Sheehan
November 20, 2025

Finished LASIK eye surgery yesterday. Unbelievable how crystal clear next day was. Bit nervous on day, but staff put me right at ease. Very professional, Clean, fast. Definitely should got it done years ago..

Lazer
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Lazer
November 19, 2025

I recently had my LASIK eye surgery done at Optilase and I couldn’t be happier with the entire experience. From the moment I walked in, the team made me feel completely at ease. A special mention goes to Optometrist Dan, who was incredibly professional, patient, and reassuring throughout the whole process. Dan explained every step clearly, answered all my questions, and made sure I felt confident before and after the procedure. The surgery itself was quick and comfortable, and my vision improvement has been amazing. I highly recommend Optilase and especially Dan for anyone considering LASIK. Excellent service, fantastic results, and a team you can truly trust.

manon Clairbaux
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manon Clairbaux
November 18, 2025

Nice and helpful team !

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