INXS rock star has LASIK
May 2006

After eight years of deteriorating eyesight, headaches, and increasingly stronger prescription glasses, laser vision correction has given INXS rocker Garry Gary Beers a quality of life he hasn’t experienced for almost 15 years.

Friends had encouraged Garry to have laser eye surgery, and he consulted The Eye Institute's Dr Patrick Versace, who performed the LASIK procedure. This revolutionary procedure took just 20 minutes to change Garry's life.

Like thousands of Australians, Garry had significant hyperopia, or far-sightedness, which forced him to wear glasses for most of his work and home life. Having to constantly wear glasses when working at his computer, or writing and playing music, or helping his kids with their homework was very difficult for Garry. When his long distance vision also began to deteriorate, Garry decided it was time to do something about it.

After the surgery Garry realised just how much his bad eyesight had been affecting his day-to-day life prior to surgery. “I never even knew my eight-year-old daughter’s freckles were so dark until I saw her clearly for the first time after surgery,” said Garry.

“It was a sudden and noticeable difference when my eyes began to heal – it was amazing. It’s hard now to remember what bad vision was like, but I do remember the frustration and depression I felt".

“Also, the cost of the surgery was nothing compared to the cost of constantly losing prescription glasses. One day I lashed out and bought some Gucci glasses, but then I accidentally ran over them in the car the next day!” said Garry. “Searching for my glasses was a daily hindrance; I was so dependant on them. Having the surgery really has changed my life in so many ways, large and small”.

Dr Versace said he feels privileged to be in a position to make a difference to so many people’s lives. "Vision is something we take for granted, until we lose it, and it is wonderful to be able to give such a fundamental function back to people”, said Dr Versace.

LASIK vision correction is much more advanced than it was even a couple of years ago. Today’s technology has eliminated almost all risk and it allows surgeons to offer an extremely refined and personalised approach to improving people’s vision. Treatment is tailored to each patient’s visual needs by using the new technology to map the unique eye landscape and to target even the subtle optical imperfections that are present in the eye.