Ditch the glasses for this year’s Spring Racing Carnival

 

Very few people would have predicted Caulfield Cup winner Boom City coming in first this year.

In the first of the major Group 1 races on the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival calendar, the 101-1 rough shot stunned the field, claiming victory in the $3-million race at Caulfield.

But for some, watching this win make history was tougher than for others. In actual fact, World Health Organisation figures show that around 30 per cent of the population suffer from short-sightedness, while Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that almost 54 per cent of the population has one or more long-term eye conditions.

With the marquee Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate races still to come, there’s no doubt you want to make sure you can see the winners come home and look great in your spring dress or suit.

This article will show you how you can have your sight corrected safely and permanently using LASIK eye surgery, so you can ditch the glasses for good and enjoy the Spring  Racing Carnival with 20/20 vision.

The main causes of poor eyesight

There are three primary eye conditions that Australians suffer from which prevents them having perfect vision. They are:

Short sightedness (myopia): This is the condition where you can read the form guide perfectly, but struggle to see the numbers on the horses bibs on the track. It is a condition usually caused by the eyeball being too long or the cornea too steep. This means light will focus at the front of the retina, which will make objects in the distance appear blurry.

Long sightedness (hyperopia): If you could clearly see the No.9 come past the post first, but you placed your wager on the No.6 because the writing in the newspaper was blurry, you may be long-sighted. This is effectively the opposite of myopia, where light will focus behind the retina, making objects up close hard to focus on.

Astigmatism: If your overall sight is blurrier than a punter after a big day on the Pinot Gris, you mave have astigmatism. This is where the eyeball is misshaped on both the vertical and horizontal axis, causing the light to focus at multiple points. This causes blurry vision when looking at objects both near and far.

Thankfully, all three of these conditions can be cleared up by wearing glasses. But for a more permanent solution (and aesthetically pleasing option when it comes to racing fashion) LASIK eye surgery can clear all three of these conditions.

What is LASIK eye surgery?

Short for Laser-Assisted-In-Situ-Keratomileusis, this is a painless procedure that corrects these refractive errors and eliminates the need for glasses.

The eye is sculpted into the shape it needs to be and the healing process is totally natural. The entire process takes about 15 minutes and the results are instant.

It is the most common form of laser eye correction, accounting for over 80 per cent of procedures conducted worldwide. To date, over 35 million people have had their vision corrected using this process.

Can I get it done in time for the big races?

Absolutely. This procedure is painless and offers less discomfort and the fastest recovery time of all laser correction surgeries. You could have this procedure on a Thursday, and have excellent vision by Friday and cheering home a winner at the track on the Saturday. There is little to no pain after the procedure and the only recovery tool you will need is a pair of sunglasses .

How can I get started?

Book your appointment with NewVision Clinics for a full eye assessment from one of our leading optometrists to ensure you are a suitable candidate for laser eye correction surgery. A consultation with our leading surgeon, Dr Noel Alpins, will follow. This is a thorough process that takes about two hours and is at no cost to you, with no commitment required. Following this consultation, you can book your surgery and be ready to enjoy your day at the races with full confidence.

Contact NewVision Clinics on 1800 20 20 20.

BYLINE: Josh Alston

Josh Alston is a journalist, editor and copywriter who has worked for several daily, community and regional newspapers across the Queensland seaboard for 12 years. In this time he has covered news, sport and community issues and has been published in major daily newspapers and nationally online for breaking news. Josh presently works as a freelance reporter writing for clients including the Victorian Government, AGL Energy and a host of others.

Twitter: @alstonjoshua