40 years of eye surgery experience. Flexible Payment Plans for 12 Months Starting $31/week . Rebates to some Private Health Insurance.

Eye Laser Specialists

Explore options beyong glasses and contacts with laser eye surgery in Melbourne

Are you considering alternatives to glasses or contact lenses? If so, laser eye surgery may be the solution you've been looking for.

Take Our 2 Minute Self Test

with this quick quiz, you will…

  • Get an initial indication of whether laser eye surgery options may be suitable for you, subject to clinical assessment.

  • Discover different laser eye surgery options discussed during a clinical consultation.

  • Take the next step in learning about laser eye surgery options discussed during consultation.

Laser eye qualified professionals in Melbourne

Dr Anton van Heerden

Dr Anton van Heerden

Dr Anton Van Heerden (MBCHB; FRANZCO) is a cataract and vision correction (refractive) surgeon. Formerly Head of Department, Surgical Ophthalmology Services at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Dr Anton is now a Director of Eye Laser Specialists, Armadale Eye Clinic and Mornington Peninsula Clinic.

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Dr Anton completed his medical degree at Stellenbosch University, South Africa and began his junior medical career in rural KwaZulu-Natal. During this time, he gained valuable experience managing cataract-related vision loss within a challenging healthcare environment. These early clinical experiences contributed to his decision to pursue ophthalmology and shaped his interest in vision correction and cataract care.

Since then, he has remained dedicated to the field, focusing on careful clinical practice and ongoing professional development.

Dr Anton went on to become a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in London, UK, where he furthered his surgical skills. He completed his post-graduate training at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, before moving to Melbourne, where he completed his fellowship training in medical retina and inflammatory eye disease at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.

Dr Edward Roufail

Dr Edward Roufail

Dr Edward has performed thousands of cataract, retinal and macular surgeries, including multifocal intraocular lens (MFIOL) and implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgeries. His areas of clinical speciality include cataract surgery, vitreoretinal surgery, medical retina and cataract, and refractive surgery.

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Dr Edward completed his surgical training in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery at Melbourne’s Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, as well as in New Zealand and the UK. He trained in laser vision correction at The London Eye Clinic. He has contributed to over 17 peer-reviewed publications and teaches new retinal surgical fellows and ophthalmology registrars at Melbourne’s Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.

Take the next step in learning about laser eye surgery options

The right way to find out if LASIK or SMILE laser eye surgery is right for you is to have a free initial appointment. You’ll get a clear answer from us on your suitability and treatment options

What to expect after Laser Eye Surgery

Every aspect of daily routines may feel different when vision changes, depending on individual needs and visual goals.

Explore vision options without glasses or contact lenses

Every aspect of daily routines may feel different when vision changes, depending on individual needs and visual goals.

Discover personal vision changes

Vision changes after laser eye surgery vary between individuals. Daily activities, exercise, and routines may feel different depending on personal habits, eye health, and outcomes discussed during consultation.

Vision and activity considerations

Participation in activities after laser eye surgery varies between individuals. Visual needs, eye health, and personal circumstances influence how people adapt to different activities following assessment and consultation.

Life considerations after laser eye surgery treatment

You may change how you use glasses or contact lenses after laser eye surgery, depending on vision needs, eye health, lifestyle preferences, and discussions during consultation.

Note: Every patient journey is different, and healing responses and results may vary. In some cases, over- or under-correction may occur, and a top-up procedure called an ‘enhancement’ may be required. All surgery carries risk and potential side effects, and these will be carefully explained before any decisions are made.

Interested in learning more about laser eye surgery?

Learn more about the assessment and treatment process.

Reach out

Book a free appointment or give us a call on 03 9070 5788 and we’ll help guide you towards a free appointment.

We'll meet

We’ll ensure you’re a good candidate before treating you at our refractive eye specialist clinic close to Melbourne CBD.

Your care begins

We’ll supervise your aftercare as you begin follow-up care following treatment, with vision needs reviewed and discussed as part of recovery.

LASIK explained

Everything you need to know about LASIK laser eye surgery

LASIK suitability criteria

As a general rule of thumb, LASIK may correct prescriptions of:

◉ Myopia up to -10.00 dioptres

◉ Hyperopia up to +5.00 dioptres

◉ Astigmatism up to -5.00 dioptres

For patients who fall outside of these ranges, other refractive surgery options may still be available such as PRK, SMILE®, or ICL procedures.

Despite having a prescription within the treatable range of LASIK, some patients will still not be suitable for refractive surgery. These are usually patients with eye conditions, such as keratoconus or corneal scarring, that may be exacerbated during the surgical procedures. Other patients who may be advised to avoid LASIK are those whose poor vision is due to an underlying eye disease rather than refractive error. Such diseases include eye cataract, macular degeneration, and lazy eye.

How LASIK works

We use a variation of LASIK surgery chosen according to individual eye measurements, technology suitability, and clinical assessment.

LASIK eye surgery is a two-step procedure. At Eye Laser Specialists, both steps are laser assisted. This has improved accuracy and reliability compared to another variation of LASIK, which uses a manual bladed instrument for the first stage.

You will not require a general anaesthetic for this procedure; however, we will anaesthetise your eye with topical eye drops. We can also offer you a mild sedative for additional comfort.

We use a femtosecond laser to create a thin flap of corneal tissue in just 15 seconds. We then lift the flap to allow access to the underlying tissue before applying the second laser to the cornea. This is a process known as photoablation. This is where the laser removes selected areas of tissue to reshape the cornea so that light refracting through this tissue will focus perfectly on the retina and form a clear image. Once the excimer laser step is complete, we reposition the flap. The entire process takes about 10 minutes for both eyes.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

◉ Laser-guided technology supporting individualised treatment planning

◉ Designed to support procedural comfort, with experiences varying

◉ Many people resume routine activities within a short period

◉ Visual outcomes vary and are discussed during consultation

◉ Can treat myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and mixed astigmatism

◉ Additional enhancement procedures may be considered in some cases

Disadvantages

◉ Creates a flap which has potential complications such as flap dislodgement, infection and epithelial ingrowth

LASIK risks

As with any surgery, there are certain risks.

Some major, but uncommon risks include:

◉ Loss of optimal-corrected vision

◉ Corneal ectasia

◉ Corneal infection

Minor risks include:

◉ Dry eye

◉ Dysphotopsia (night vision difficulties including glare and halos)

◉ Regression (The need for glasses or further laser correction in the future)

Options and alternatives

LASIK is a commonly used laser eye surgery technique, with suitability assessed on an individual basis.

However, for those who aren’t suitable, alternative laser vision correction procedures include PRK, SMILE for myopia, and PRK for hyperopia (not recommended).

Alternative lens-based procedures such as ICL and refractive lens exchange are not suitable for corneal laser corrective surgery.

LASIK steps

Step 1: Creating the flap

We create a flap using a femtosecond laser.

Step 2: Relocating the patient

We then move you over to the MEL90 excimer laser.

Step 3: Folding back the flap

We then gently fold the flap back, exposing the inner corneal tissue to be treated.

Step 4: Correcting the error

The MEL90 excimer laser reshapes the corneal tissue correcting the refractive error.

Step 5: Repositioning the flap

The flap is returned to its original position, protecting the eye like a natural bandage.

LASIK results

LASIK surgery using the Zeiss MEL90 laser has been evaluated in clinical studies, with visual outcomes varying between individuals based on eye health, refractive error, and suitability assessed during consultation.

◉ 100% within 1 D of planned surgery

◉ 99% vision 20/25 or better ¹

LASIK has a very low complication rate:

◉ Loss of 1 line best corrected visual acuity 2.4%(1:50)

◉ Loss of 2 lines best corrected visual acuity 0.1% (1:1000) ²

For further clinical evidence, see:

Clinical Outcomes of SMILE and FS-LASIK Used to Treat Myopia: A Meta-analysis | Journal of Refractive Surgery

Outcomes for Myopic LASIK With the MEL 90 Excimer Laser | Journal of Refractive Surgery

Outcomes for Hyperopic LASIK With the MEL 90® Excimer Laser | Journal of Refractive Surgery

Outcomes for Mixed Cylinder LASIK With the MEL 90® Excimer Laser

Disclaimer: Not everyone is suitable for LASIK surgery. Your suitability, experience and results will depend on your eyes, your health, and how you heal. All medical and surgical procedures carry potential risks and side effects, and we’ll discuss these before any decisions are made. The information on this page is general in nature, and you should consult your ophthalmologist for specific medical advice.

Take this short questionnaire to see whether laser eye surgery may be suitable for you.

Not everyone is suitable for laser eye treatment – your options change depending on your eyes and age. Find out which type of treatment is right for you by taking this quick 2 min quiz:

About Eye Laser Specialists

Our eye doctors bring a combined 40 years of eye surgery experience to Armadale, Melbourne and East Melbourne.

We focus on ensuring you feel informed and supported throughout the consultation and treatment process.

Dr van Heerden is supported by skilled clinicians, all of which have optometry and orthoptics training and will play an important role in discussing your visual needs, answering any questions you may have, and offering clinical guidance. They will also be supporting your visual recovery following surgery.

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.