Laser Eye Surgery

[ChimpMaster]

Was around -6.0 in both eyes, due to growing up a keen Commodore64 fan

Wore thick glasses all through high school. Wore contacts at Uni and for a few years after.

Used Ultralase to have LASIK surgery 15 years ago. And it IS surgery; it's not a 'procedure'.

Still pretty much 20/20 now.

No doubt there are risks, and you only have one set of eyes. So don't risk your vision by going to the cheaper or less proven surgeries.

[Paddy]

OK, I'm officially an

Not only do I need varifocals for day to day stuff, I now also need a separate pair glasses for working with a display screen and for reading. On top of that I need a spare pair to use while my current pair are being re-glazed and will need to get prescription inserts for my cycling glasses as well.

So, rather than having (and having to pay for) at least four pairs of specs it;s time to look for an alternative.

Contacts are a no go, I've tried them and really didn't get on with them at all.

Has anyone had Laser Surgery, who did you use, where you happy with them?

Laser eye treatment will not cure all aspects 100% in particular it won’t cure the near sight issues in old age. The near sight correction on varifocals is to correct weakness in the eye muscles that stretch with old age. As you get older, the muscles will stretch even more and you will still need to wear spectacles but with less corrections if you have the operation. I would suggest getting it done in Prague because they are tops for eye surgery. You can also get a cheap shag while you are there.

[stek]

I knew someone that had it - he can see rainbows in the corner of eyes....

Plus if you're 'of an age' you'll no doubt need it again after a few years as your eyes get even worse..

I like things blurred personally....

[jamesbrown]

OK, I'm officially an

Not only do I need varifocals for day to day stuff, I now also need a separate pair glasses for working with a display screen and for reading. On top of that I need a spare pair to use while my current pair are being re-glazed and will need to get prescription inserts for my cycling glasses as well.

So, rather than having (and having to pay for) at least four pairs of specs it;s time to look for an alternative.

Contacts are a no go, I've tried them and really didn't get on with them at all.

Has anyone had Laser Surgery, who did you use, where you happy with them?

Yes. At the time, I rode motorcycles a lot, and glasses/contacts were a pain. I had it done in the US with the best surgeon I could find. It's worth finding a surgeon based on equipment and reputation. The equipment/method is important, of course, but the skill of the surgeon is also important, both in reducing complications and knowing how to mitigate them when they arise during the procedure. There are various potential side-effects, mostly temporary, but you'll need a consultation to determine whether you're a good candidate and, if so, what procedure might work best. You don't want someone that's simply trying to sell you something. There are certain minimum requirements for certain procedures (which have likely changed now), such as the amount of material available to cut.

I had it done about 5 years ago and I still have around ~20/15 vision now (i.e. better than 20/20). Obviously, it can't stop deterioration over time, including presbyopia, although you can have a differential treatment for long/short-sightedness (not something I'd consider). The main side-effects for me were dry eyes (for around 6 months) and artifacts in my night vision, like halos (for around 1-2 years IIRC). All fine now, and I'd definitely recommend it. However, if you're the sort of person that's likely to get punched in the face, you probably shouldn't have it done.

[CompulsiveArsonist]

My wife had it done with Optimax, cost £2100 for both eyes (short sighted, and astigmatism)
No complains from her, she is happy with the outcome. It was a quick process and she recovered well enough within 24 hours.

The one thing to be wary of is Optimax sales technique, you will go for a consultation and the salesperson will say price is £xxx (usually over £3,500) but we have a special offer / cancellation so if you pay a deposit now you can have it for £2,500 saving £1000 (or some variation of this theme) making you think you are getting a bargain and pressuring you to take advantage of the offer.

If you say you need to think about it, within a few days you will be getting follow up calls offering you even bigger discounts.

[NotAllThere]

Short-term or long-term?...

Long term. It was fine for the first couple of years and deteriorated over the next six. Initially she was glasses free - now she has to wear glasses for driving.

Her sister (whose prescription was much weaker) has the same problem.

[VillageContractor]

Had Lasek with Wavefront done at Moorefields about 8 yrs ago - £3500 if I remember correctly.

Worked perfectly, better than 20/20 vision. It hurt for the first week and took about a month for my sight to settle down.

Would recommend it.

[Bee]

I have a friend whith miopia who did it without side effects. The only thing that was not corrected was the astigmatism. It was about 15 years ago, probably now it's possible to correct both.

[DallasDad]

I knew someone that had it - he can see rainbows in the corner of eyes....
Plus if you're 'of an age' you'll no doubt need it again after a few years as your eyes get even worse..

That is what concerns me can it be done twice thrice if necessary ?
I think now though my eyesight is gradually deteriorating so would any op ever be a permanent fix?
I made it til 50+ then realised I could not read road signs properly anymore, it had crept up so gradually I hadn't really noticed how bad my vision had become.

I went to the opticians and what a revelation!

At the moment I think I will stick with glasses.

[xoggoth]

So, rather than having (and having to pay for) at least four pairs of specs

4? I must have at least 20. Mind you, I can never find more than 3 at any one time and all but the one proper pair I never use are from The Pound Shop.