The AVC Treatment Process

We strongly believe that no other clinic meets our exacting demands for excellence. Our clinical team will provide bespoke treatments tailored to meet your individual needs, overseen at all times by lead surgeon and Medical Director Mr. C.T. Pillai. The AVC Treatment Process follows four steps:

Step 1: Get in Touch With Us

If you’re considering having laser eye surgery or any other procedure we perform here at AVC, we’d encourage you to get in touch with us for some advice. Call our team on 020 7935 7497 or send us an email at: enquiries@advancedvisioncare.co.uk. You can also pay a visit to our Ask Mr. Pillai section to send a question directly to our Medical Director.

Step 2: The Consultation

AVC prides itself on its bespoke patient solutions. We do not believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach, and instead always take into account a patient’s needs, their individual lifestyle and the practicalities of eye surgery. We will never charge a consultation fee for laser consultations.

AVC is also the only clinic where patients can meet and talk to their surgeon during their first Consultation at the clinic. What’s more, every single Consultation and bespoke treatment plan is overseen by the clinic’s Medical Director and lead surgeon, Mr. Pillai. As founder and chairman of the Refractive Surgeons Association, Mr. Pillai has pioneered ground-breaking procedures and treatment techniques, as well as helping to establish laser industry regulations in the UK alongside the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

During the AVC’s comprehensive two hour Consultation, the clinical team will fully assess your eyes through a series of diagnostic tests before devising a treatment plan bespoke to your personal needs. The team will also take time to discuss your general health to ensure that you have no exisiting conditions that will prevent you from having treatment. At AVC we can deal with even the most complex prescriptions, if you are unsuitable for laser, our team of experts will be able to provide alternative solutions.

During the Consultation, the optometrist will use anaesthetic drops to minimise discomfort while the surface of your eye is measured. Dilating drops will also be used; these may feel a little strange inititally (and blur your vision temporarily), but this will wear off within a couple of hours. During this step in the AVC Treatment Process you will undergo the following tests:

  • Autorefraction – To objectively measure your prescription
  • Cycloplegic Refraction – Drops will be used to relax your eye muscles and ensure that your prescription is not affected by muscle spasm
  • Detailed History and Lifestyle Assessment – To ensure the most suitable treatment for your needs
  • Eye Dominance – To determine which is the dominant eye; this indicates which eye should be treated if monovision or blended vision has been recommended to you
  • Focimetry – Measurement of your current glasses to confirm the strength of the prescription you have been using
  • Iris Recognition – A picture is taken to enable the iris recognition system and advanced iris tracker to recognise your eye. This highly sophisticated feature ensures that treatment is not affected by any eye movement
  • Orbscan – A highly sophisticated and detailed corneal mapping scan which gathers information from 9,000 points across your cornea, assessing corneal health, curvature and thickness
  • Pachymetry – Measures your corneal thickness to establish that there is enough tissue for treatment
  • Pupillometry – Pupil size is measured in order to help choose the correct laser setting and to assess the risk of you developing glare following treatment
  • Refraction – Subjective verification of your prescription
  • Retinal Exam – Dilating drops will be used to carry out a retinal check and ensure they are healthy
  • Slit Lamp Exam – The anterior structures of your eyes (cornea, conjunctiva, lens, lids and iris) are examined using a microscope and narrow beam of light
  • Tonometry – Your internal eye pressure (IOP) is tested to ensure that you are not suffering from raised internal eye pressure which causes glaucoma
  • Visual Acuity Testing – This measures your eyes’ ability to see sharpness of detail with and without glasses at both near and far distances
  • Zeiss IOL Master – A series of four individual measurements to enable us to map your entire eye (the length, curvature, chamber depth and horizontal iris measurements)
  • Zyoptix Wavefront Analyser – To measure individual optical characteristics to check the function of the eye and assess the need for Wavefront treatment

Following your AVC Consultation, there is no hurry to proceed with treatment. At no time will you feel rushed into making a decision  – we are here to provide honest and open advice to help you make an informed choice. Our experts are always on-hand and you will be encouraged to get in touch with us to discuss any concerns. No query is too trivial – we always have time for your call.

Step 3: Treatment

Even though you will now be familiar with AVC’s surroundings and the medical team will have taken the time to explain to you your treatment in fine detail, it’s completely normal to be a little anxious on the day of treatment. Don’t worry; our experts are on hand to put you at ease and Mr. Pillai will talk you through the procedure as it’s happening to ensure you remain calm and relaxed.

AVC is also the only clinic where your companion can watch your laser treatment through our clear glass theatre. Many of our patients and their companions find this a reassuring and highly interesting experience and at AVC we are pleased to be able to demonstrate our complete confidence in this unique way.

Most people are surprised that laser treatment is such a simple procedure; both eyes can be treated within 25 minutes, and the most you are likely to feel is slight discomfort for a few seconds. The treatment is performedwhile you are lying down comfortably, and the most you will see is a flashing light. We are sometimes asked whether it’s a problem if a patient moves or blinks during treatment. Be rest assured that this will not impact the treatment or results.

Following treatment, our patients are encouraged to take their time, rest and relax. As always, our team will be on-hand to answer any questions you may have before you decide you’re ready to head home.

Step 4: Aftercare

Recovery begins as soon as you sit up in the operating theatre. And although vision can initially be a little hazy, most patients are astounded by the clarity of their vision, even at this early post-operative stage. Depending on the treatment you have undergone, you will be provided with protective shields to wear at night (as your eyes recover) and with eye drops that encourage healing, reduce discomfort and prevent infection. All patients are provided with a 24-hour emergency line direct to their surgeon.

Following treatment, we recommend that you avoid driving home as your vision will be slightly blurred. After just 24 hours sight continues to improve. You will need to avoid rubbing your eyes and wearing makeup for one week, stay out of the swimming pool for three weeks and steer clear of dusty, smoking environments.

Within days of treatment your restored vision means that the everyday is transformed, and most patients can drive and return to work just two days after their procedure. One of the most common symptoms during the recovery period is a slight dryness of the eyes. This is completely normal and our clinical team will provide you with some lubricating drops to help reduce this feeling and assist the healing process.

We believe our aftercare is unrivalled in the UK, and we are the only clinic to offer genuine Lifetime Care and Commitment and we actively encourage our patients to get in touch five, 10 or 20 years after treatment to discuss any changes to their eyesight.