Assessment process

Medownick’s no-obligation consultation policy

If you suffer from myopia, long-sightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia or cataracts and are sick of wearing glasses or contact lenses, we encourage you to book in for a no-obligation consultation at Medownick’s ultramodern new clinic at the Epworth in Melbourne. A simple phone call or email, and you could be on your way to a new life.

One of the questions we get asked often is whether there is any fee for the initial consultation. The simple answer is no. Only you can make the decision to have laser eye surgery – and our goal at the initial screening is to give you as much information as required to make an informed decision about laser eye surgery and your eyes.

It’s also why there is also no obligation to go through with laser eye surgery. In fact, we have made it our policy to decline to perform surgery on those people we feel are not ready for treatment, even after finding them medically suitable for laser eye surgery.

What to expect during your eye assessment

Our Patient Care team will be the first people you meet at your assessment. They are responsible for gathering as much information from you as possible, including your history, your priorities, and also your life and work style, as these all have an impact on your laser eye surgery.

A qualified orthoptist or optometrist will then perform a series of tests to measure, examine and assess your eyes. This includes a computer topography test, which is the precise mapping of the surface of each eye with the most accurate corneal scanner in the world. We then dilate your pupils to examine the back of your eyes and further determine their true state of health.

You will also view a clinical video in which Dr Mark Medownick explain the laser eye surgery or vision correction procedure to you. You will be encouraged to ask as many questions as you need to throughout the assessment process, as we want to ensure you understand your surgery in detail.

Medownick eye tests

At Medownick, the sheer quality, quantity and detail of our testing process is what sets us apart. We perform one of the most thorough and rigorous screenings for laser eye surgery anywhere in the world. Our assessment process can involve up to 21 tests, and also a detailed discussion on your history, health and lifestyle. Here are some of the things we cover:

1. Measuring your uncorrected vision (that is with no visual aids), and your corrected vision due to prescription glasses or contact lenses.
2. Measuring the size of visual error in each of your eyes in order to determine the amount of correction required.
3. Measuring your pupil size with certainty in dim and normal room light. Night vision will also be discussed with you.
4. Analysing your eyes with a wavefront aberrometer, where relevant.
5. Imaging your corneal topography and thickness using the most advanced methods. Along with front and back surface topography, this is considered one of the most important safety factors in laser eye surgery. We obtain two parameters to optimise the safety of your surgery: a. the thickness at the thinnest point in the cornea, and b. the shape of the 3D thickness profile of the cornea. We obtain multiple measurements of the central corneal zone, and record the thinnest measurement.
6. Determining the thickness profile of the cornea is normal, through a Pentacam, a piece of equipment which provides a thickness map of the cornea.
7. Measuring your eyes with the Intraocular Lens (IOL) Master, where relevant.
8. Measuring the ability of your muscles to align your eyes.
9. Examining your eyelids and associated membranes to see if they interfere with your cornea, and whether or not they properly regulate tear flow.
10. Measuring your tear flow to find out whether your eyes have enough tears.
11. Measuring intraocular pressure.
12. Testing how you may benefit from laser corrected vision. If you are over 40, our optometrist will perform a laser monovision simulation in order to provide you with this option as a potential treatment plan.
13. Dilating your eyes to optimise treatment – manifest and cycloplegic measurements are used to base calculations for treatment. We obtain both these measurements for each eye for optimal treatment planning.
14. Examining the lenses in your eyes to check for clouding (cataracts), and other abnormalities.
15. Examining the back of your eye, including the retina, optic nerve and blood vessels, in order to check for any eye or systemic disorders.

We want to know everything we can about your eyes in order to provide you with a realistic expectation of your potential to achieve 20/20 vision.

What happens after an assessment

Once we have thoroughly reviewed your circumstances and results, one of our expert team will explain the results of your eye tests andthe most suitable treatment for your eyes, given their unique condition and state of health. We want to ensure you leave your assessment with a realistic expectation of your potential to achieve 20/20 or better vision.

We will provide you with a recommended course of action and next steps, as well as a copy of our DVD and a folder of detailed patient notes for you to discuss with your family or doctor.

Dr Mark Medownick makes the final decision in all cases. This is important, because no two eyes are alike and each one must be carefully and individually diagnosed. Dr Medownick’s extensive knowledge, vast experience and exclusive specialisation in laser eye surgery combine to produce our highly accurate results.

Approximately 70 per cent of the people we assess are suitable for laser eye surgery. If you are not suitable, we will explain why; however, it is usually because we deem the risk too high to achieve success. This does not mean you will not be a suitable candidate in the future.