lazer eye treatment.

[aize]

Anyone had it done? Know anyone who has? Givin it some serious thought as a friend of mine has an he's now got better than 20/20 vision an is very happy with the results. I've been blind as fuck since I was about 10 an i'm more than a little tired of looking for my glasses in the morning. For some reason they're always in a different place, especially after a heavy one.

[Double Drop]

[aize]

Actually I think he had his done by Optimax, not Jesus. Also, fairly sure he's still got hair, which is clearly a plus.

[champion puffa]

[bleepers bird]

Iv had it done.

Hmmmm....

Iv know quite a few people who have had it down and all of them rave about it. So, I sold my flat last year and seeing as i was blind as a bat (-6.50 in my left & -5.50 in my right) I thought id get it done. I went to Optical Express (who I cannot fault) for the consultation and I was quoted around £3400!!! OK I thought. They bigged it up (of course) and told me how wonderful it would be and seeing as my friends all had good experiences I thought what the heck lets do it.

I went for my surgery on 6Feb this year. I originally was due to have LASIK surgery. this is where they cut around the cornea, flap it back, do the laser thing then flap the cornea back which then heals and hey-presto ... you have 20/20 vision and you can return to normal activities 24hours later. When I met the surgeon on the day and he did some more tests he told me that I couldnt have the LASIK as my corneas were a funny shape. So, if I still wanted to go ahead they could do the LASEK procedure (he did pat my knee and warn me it was going to be extremely uncomfortable afterwards). This was £800 cheaper and they would send me a cheque. Fine. Let me just explain this type of surgery (which if I remember wasnt explained fully). Basically, they put a small instrument (like an egg poacher but smaller obviously)over the cornea of the eye and fill this with alcohol solution which then makes the cornea mushy which enables the surgeon to then scrap the cornea away. he then zaps you with the laser. they put bandage contacts in your eyes and off you go.

By the time I struggled home on the tube (with mum for safety reasons) I was in agony. they gave me the eye drops they use for the anaesthetic and was told only to use these if it got unbearable. I cant even describe what it was like. It was a pain but it was more like someone was rubbing onions and jabbing my constantly in the eyes at the same time. It was so bad. My eye lids were swollen and I felt so awful i could just about bring myself to eat. Everytime I dared open my eyes they sprouted tears and wouldnt stop watering. I had to wear sunglasses for three days solid. Sleeping was a nightmare. I had to go back to the surgery (on the tube) the next day and then three days later (to have the lenses out). I had to take three days off work but should have taken a whole week but I was temping so wouldnt get paid.

Let me just say, if you have this type of surgery give it serious thought. Here I am in August. My day vision is pretty much perfect (sometimes I think its amazing, like when I could see ants crawling on the driveway at home - i was sitting on the sofa in the lounge) but im still get soreness, dryness (this for the first few months is an issue) and to top it all i have night glare. the only way I can describe this is when I go outside at night, all the lights look like sparklers. I shouldnt really drive as I cant tell in the distance what side of the road a car is on. Its well weird.

Iv been having regular checks back at the surgery and they are very good but they've now told me theres no point in going back to them again and I must see the surgeon again in september. My options will be to either have my surgery or to have special eye drops and glasses for the evening.

To be honest, I really do not think I can go through all that pain again. It really was horrendous. So, it looks like i'll be back to glasses in the evening. Oh and my left eye is worse than my right.

Sometimes im pleased I had it done (like when i go swimming and when I went to Glasto this year, saves all that fuss with contacts) but other times (like when iv poked myself in the eye which is SO painful and the whole night glare thing) i wish id stuck with my glasses. Its a lot of money and it also wont last forever. They make it sound so amazing but they dont really tell you the bad side of it. Only thing is - every person is different - its the chance you take.

Hope that helps and good luck :-)

[aize]

Thankyou. I really appreciate hearing about your experience. I'm still a little in two minds, mainly because i'm an electrician and do a really dusty job, which i'm sure wouldn't be good for my eyes. However, like you i've been blind as for fuckin ages. Think i'm about 5.5 in one and 6.5 in the other. I was thinking of going with accuvision because they use a lazer to do the initial incission (lasic) and they apparently have a curved lazer and an eye mapping (wave front technology?) which basically means they can figure out exactly what shape your eye is and do a very precise job, which should prevent any halos at night etc. Would be wonderful not to have to wear glasses anymore though. I know i'd have to have them later in life, but i'm only 27 so hopefully the procedure would last a while.

[bleepers bird]

Go and have the consultation and see what they say. The dust thing could be a problem for you. I work in an office where the atmosphere is dry and often hot and it makes my eyes dry and sore (like today). I wasn't working for 3 months and they were so much better then.

hey-ho its just one of those things

[lien]

My boss had his done years ago. Paid a small fortune too, but he swears by it.

[meatpie48]

Iv had it done.

Hmmmm....

Iv know quite a few people who have had it down and all of them rave about it. So, I sold my flat last year and seeing as i was blind as a bat (-6.50 in my left & -5.50 in my right) I thought id get it done. I went to Optical Express (who I cannot fault) for the consultation and I was quoted around £3400!!! OK I thought. They bigged it up (of course) and told me how wonderful it would be and seeing as my friends all had good experiences I thought what the heck lets do it.

I went for my surgery on 6Feb this year. I originally was due to have LASIK surgery. this is where they cut around the cornea, flap it back, do the laser thing then flap the cornea back which then heals and hey-presto ... you have 20/20 vision and you can return to normal activities 24hours later. When I met the surgeon on the day and he did some more tests he told me that I couldnt have the LASIK as my corneas were a funny shape. So, if I still wanted to go ahead they could do the LASEK procedure (he did pat my knee and warn me it was going to be extremely uncomfortable afterwards). This was £800 cheaper and they would send me a cheque. Fine. Let me just explain this type of surgery (which if I remember wasnt explained fully). Basically, they put a small instrument (like an egg poacher but smaller obviously)over the cornea of the eye and fill this with alcohol solution which then makes the cornea mushy which enables the surgeon to then scrap the cornea away. he then zaps you with the laser. they put bandage contacts in your eyes and off you go.

By the time I struggled home on the tube (with mum for safety reasons) I was in agony. they gave me the eye drops they use for the anaesthetic and was told only to use these if it got unbearable. I cant even describe what it was like. It was a pain but it was more like someone was rubbing onions and jabbing my constantly in the eyes at the same time. It was so bad. My eye lids were swollen and I felt so awful i could just about bring myself to eat. Everytime I dared open my eyes they sprouted tears and wouldnt stop watering. I had to wear sunglasses for three days solid. Sleeping was a nightmare. I had to go back to the surgery (on the tube) the next day and then three days later (to have the lenses out). I had to take three days off work but should have taken a whole week but I was temping so wouldnt get paid.

Let me just say, if you have this type of surgery give it serious thought. Here I am in August. My day vision is pretty much perfect (sometimes I think its amazing, like when I could see ants crawling on the driveway at home - i was sitting on the sofa in the lounge) but im still get soreness, dryness (this for the first few months is an issue) and to top it all i have night glare. the only way I can describe this is when I go outside at night, all the lights look like sparklers. I shouldnt really drive as I cant tell in the distance what side of the road a car is on. Its well weird.

Iv been having regular checks back at the surgery and they are very good but they've now told me theres no point in going back to them again and I must see the surgeon again in september. My options will be to either have my surgery or to have special eye drops and glasses for the evening.

To be honest, I really do not think I can go through all that pain again. It really was horrendous. So, it looks like i'll be back to glasses in the evening. Oh and my left eye is worse than my right.

Sometimes im pleased I had it done (like when i go swimming and when I went to Glasto this year, saves all that fuss with contacts) but other times (like when iv poked myself in the eye which is SO painful and the whole night glare thing) i wish id stuck with my glasses. Its a lot of money and it also wont last forever. They make it sound so amazing but they dont really tell you the bad side of it. Only thing is - every person is different - its the chance you take.

Hope that helps and good luck :-)

I WOULD SERIOUSLY GO TO AN OPTHAMOLOGIST IF YOUR EYES ARE STILL THAT FUCKED!!!!!!

I've had a different kind of surgery, not for sorting out vision but for for bleeding at the back of the eye. In the last 2 & a half years I've had around about 4000 burns on my left & right retina's. Last bout, and hopefully the last was the most painful thing in the world. YOu can actually hear the capilleries in the back of the eye popping when burnt & its like having hot needles stuck in your eye. I stupidly drove home after the last one & drove straight into a fence in the carpark because I couldn't see it due to sun glare lol!

My vision has deteriorated badly over the last 4 years but I have good days where I can see clearly 20/20 style (the rating not the drink lol) but I'm virtually blind at night.

[Nits]

I considered having this done, and looked into it a few years back. I wouldn't have it myself... although it works for most, some come away with even worse vision, and the various "artifacts" bother me. Once it's done there's no going back.

I'd wait another decade or so, till it's been around a while and the technology is a bit better.

If you do do it, make sure you research the eye surgeon, and check his/her success rate.