Jump to content

Laser eye surgery


ferguson_tom
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Tom,

I had lasik surgery performed by Ultralase based in Leeds in 2000. I had a prescription of -6.5 and -5.5 with astigmatism in both eyes.

 

I travelled from Bucks to the Leeds clinic as a surgeon there at the time was recommended to me by a shooting friend who'd had the same treatment, I was 49 at the time.

 

It has transformed my life and I think it was the best £2k I've spent. I'm wearing varifocal glasses now as age has caught up with me trying to read at less than arm's length. The other part of the lense which is .75 of a dioptre is purely to sharpen up distance work. My optician says my uncorrected vision is better than 20/20.

 

The procedures and laser equipment have moved on dramatically since I had it done. I'd be inclined to scour the internet on various companies who do the procedure and disregard any of the hard sell ones or cheap, they're cheap for a reason and you've only got one set of eyes. Read the reviews carefully but remember like forums you hear a lot from dissatisfied customers but no so much from those who are totally happy.

 

Boots the Chemist got out of doing the laser surgery some years ago due to litigation and flogged off their gear to another company whose name escapes me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had lasik at Nuffield hospital the same day as a friend had lasek at a supermarket type place.

Both of us were ok but mine was a "nicer" experience, his being more like a conveyer belt and waiting in groups.

However, his was half the price of mine.

 

I'd say my eyes are now more sensitive to irritation and I still get some starring round lights at night (like a scratched visor if you've ever ridden a bike).

Had chose to have it because I've always needed glasses but when I started needing reading glasses as well, I couldn't cope with varifocals or two pairs of glasses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ask yourself one question, why do commercial airline pilots get glasses rather than laser eye surgery?

 

Not worth the risk if it goes wrong, after all you only get one set of eyes! A wrong pair of glasses maybe a pain but at least you can easily get those lenses changed!

Was true many years ago but under the Authority and EASA ops it's allowed.

Thinking about it myself due to the reasons SpringDon mentions

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my wife had hers done in 2008 cost around the £3000 mark with a well known leading vision high street retailer, back to the optometrist last month and has glasses again and the prescription was what she had the corrective laser surgery. she mentioned to the optometrist that what about the never need glasses again thing which was advertised at the time, optometrist remarked that nothing is guaranteed and clever marketing comes to mind, however do remember reading in the very small print that with all guarantees nothing is guaranteed. that said optometrist said the corrective laser surgery had slowed the condition and sight still good, also surgery for everyone is different and for a multitude of conditions. registered practices are still ethically bound and the best advice and assessment is from them. i well remember when me wife went for the consultation that one lady came out and said to her husband that she was not suitable for treatment and had a bit of a huff on in the shop.

 

atb 7diaw

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had mine done years ago, one of the best things I have ever done.

I had Lasik by Optical Express, my eyes weren't that bad but I was sick and tired of contacts as I had worn them for over 20 years.

It's a massive decision, talk to as many people who have been living with it for years after as you can, that is what I did before taking the plunge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice everyone, I am 99.9% sure I am going to go for it so now just need to find a company I am happy with. Will try the two big ones ultra lase and optimax and see what the quotes come back like.

It's one thing where price shouldn't be a big factor. I wasn't at all happy with the optimax consultation so I went to Nuffield. No reason to presume the outcome would be different but they didn't make me comfortable to trust them with my eyes.

 

Edit. And Nuffield were the ones that convinced me to have lasek (the none flappy one) because of contact sports.

Edited by SpringDon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tried contacts but could not get used to them and then thought of laser treatment but I thought the "from £250 per eye" was a not a bad price but when given the actual quote at £1950 I said no.

I now have two sets of glasses a set for distance correction of a stigmatism and one for close work & reading, Its a bit of a pain as I also cant get to grips with bi focals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's wrong with varifocal lenses?

 

I used to use contact lenses for my very short sight until I needed reading glasses as I became older, switched to varifocals and now wouldn't go back to contacts, or ever consider laser surgery.

 

That said, our younger daughter had her eyes lasered about 5 years ago with complete success

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've had it done, cost £4k and I would whole heartily recommend it with the following caveats:

I had lasek and don't believe the sales folk when they tell you it doesn't hurt and you'll be back to work the next day. I was in agony for 2-3 days.

It may not work first time! I've had to go through it twice, first time was a noticeable improvement however they were by no means perfect so they repeated the procedure a second time and now I couldn't be happier.

Go for it, just be aware its not a pain free experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Contact lenses. Best of both worlds. No risk of eye damage,

 

There is plenty of risk of eye damage with lenses, you are putting something into/out of your eyes every day (with daily's)

Your eyes can easily get scratched, even though they have improved over the years but the lenses themselves aren't always perfect either.

These reasons and inconvenience of carrying a chemistry set with me every time I went away were enough for me to give up on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wore contact lenses for 34 years (I did take them out occasionally 😃) and often considered laser but always had an excuse. Then I developed cataracts so had that op. So although obviously not the same procedure the effect is the same. Don't need glasses for distance although I do for close up. Also was covered on private health insurance so didn't cost but laser would 👍

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moorfields eye hospital in London I understand now also do laser surgery so they should be worth including in your list.

 

My dad (79) had laser corrective surgery and minor cataract removal at Moorfields last December.

 

It was 1974 when he started wearing glasses, and he's still really enjoying not needing them !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ask yourself one question, why do commercial airline pilots get glasses rather than laser eye surgery?

 

Not worth the risk if it goes wrong, after all you only get one set of eyes! A wrong pair of glasses maybe a pain but at least you can easily get those lenses changed!

 

Completely different reasons TBH. I had a colleague who had laser surgery go wrong and he developed problems with his vision at night. Halo effect around lights etc. He lost his class 1 medical and his career.

 

My AME strongly advises against eye surgery for commercial pilots. I agree, I wouldn't for one nano second risk my career over something as stupid as a dislike for wearing glasses. There are additional considerations for pilots that do not generally apply to the general population as well.

 

You will end up wearing glasses whatever you do...its called getting old :sad1:

 

Atb

Edited by achosenman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny you should post about it, I've been humming and areing about it for a couple of years but today I booked a conciliation at Optimax,

 

I went to Optimax in Manchester, just after they opened there, in the 90's. I can honestly say that it transformed my life and I never looked back (sorry). As you can see it only improved my eyesight and not my humour. I have recently suffered a detached retina in my left eye, but the Surgeon assured me that it had nothing to do with the laser surgery. I have never spoken to anyone who, having had laser surgery, has suffered any ill effects. Of course I have heard all of the stories about a friend of the next door neighbours cat, who grew a pair of boobs after laser surgery, so think carefully !

 

P.S.

 

You will need reading glasses and I have several pairs of the cheapo's for fishing etc. as well as prescription reading glasses, I just try not to read in the rain.

Edited by Westley
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

My dad (79) had laser corrective surgery and minor cataract removal at Moorfields last December.

 

It was 1974 when he started wearing glasses, and he's still really enjoying not needing them !

 

My Mother was 92 when she had the same op. She had worn glasses since childhood and could not accept that she no longer needed them. We had the local Optician fit clear lenses into her old frames................Job Done ! She was 105 when she died, and was still wearing those glasses !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...