Glasses / contact lenses obviously work for most people, but if the level of correction is beyond the limits, even though your sight may correct to 6/6, you won't acheive class 1.
This is potentially where the value of laser treatment lies: It is possible to correct your underlying vision and therefore meet acuity standard, without the levels of correction which previously prevented your eyes meeting the standards.
The CAA currently accepts certain methods for laser treatments, but on the proviso that if they're to give you a class 1, the pre-operative correction must've been within limits. This makes laser treatment useless for acheiving class 1 if you couldn't do so before your operation.
With any luck, NICE's acceptance of laser treatment as an effective and safe alternative to spectacles and contact lenses should put pressure on the CAA to lobby for removal of the pre-operative limit requirement. If there are no long term adverse effects of treatment, it's difficult to justify holding your previous correction levels against you.
Having said that, the grounding for one year is pretty onerous and could deter those that are already flying; I suppose it depends whether your career is at risk due to deteriorating sight.
waterpau