Healthcare Special: Jia Yue: holidays ideal time for vision correction

With this year's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day around the corner, the golden holiday season is an ideal opportunity for vision correction, according to Jia Yue Eye Surgery Center in Beijing.

To have a laser refractive eye surgery, more commonly known as LASIK, the best age range is 18 to 55, the center's surgeons said.

For the young myopic group that have missed treatment in summer vacation, the autumn holidays turn out to be a better option, as they won't have to face the busy season for operations.

And the weeklong National Day holiday will ensure adequate rest after LASIK, not to mention that postoperative discomfort will be eased as the weather becomes cooler.

Patients eligible for the surgery should have a stable vision, without any other eye diseases. LASIK is effective for myopia up to 1,500 degrees, astigmatism below 600 degrees and hyperopia within 600 degrees, said Xiong Ning, medical director of the institute.

While it takes just 15 minutes to complete the operation, a series of thorough preoperative examinations require two to three hours to determine whether patients are eligible for LASIK.

Xiong reminded candidates for surgery that soft contact lenses should be taken off three days ahead of the examinations, and in the case of hard lenses, it needs 14 days ahead of schedule.

Speaking about concerns over pain, Xiong said that the 15-minute outpatient operation is "painless and effective".

Adequate communication with surgeons before the operation also helps overcome concerns, she added.

The recovery is quick, yet the patient needs to do their post-operative reviews on the following day and in a week, a month and three months respectively, she noted.

Hair washing is not allowed for two days after the operation, but Jia Yue patients can enjoy a free shampooing service at the center.

Xiong advised patients not to take an air flight three to five days after operation. She suggested using eye makeup after a week and water sports or contact sports after a month.

A modern eye specialist center affiliated with and managed by Singapore Medical Group, Jia Yue has established a reputation in the industry for its specialized iLASIK expertise.

The iLASIK is the laser vision correction used by the US Department of Defense and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

It uses the femtosecond laser and wavefront-guided technology to provide tailor-made treatment, said Xiong .

Due to its advantages in safety and postoperative effect, iLASIK enjoys higher popularity among the high-degree myopic and thin-cornea population, she added.

Jia Yue has imported an iFS150-kHz femtosecond laser machine, the first and most modern of its kind in Beijing, further reinforcing the foundation for the surgery professionalism and accuracy, according to the center's management.

To celebrate the two upcoming holidays, Jia Yue now offers a 30 percent discount on LASIK, hoping to help more people improve vision, Xiong said.