Laser eye surgery - problem. Anyone advise/reassure?

[Londono]

I had laser eye surgery to fix my shortsightedness three weeks ago. It did so but has made me longsighted instead and now I can't read a book, look at my plate of food (it would be blurry) or send a text without reading glasses.

I was warned that natural decline in eyesight would happen over 40 as usual but I was NOT warned that it could happen instantly. So now I feel like I've swapped one set of eye issues for another.

The place I had it done is just advising me to be patient in case it corrects itself over the next couple of months and to use reading glasses in the meantime.

Has this happened to anyone else? And did it resolve itself. I'm very glum and clutching at straws.

Bump for you, OP, as I’ve been thinking of having it done too.

Morning all, a hopeful bump from me in case anyone has any advice.

Can I ask how old you are?

Did you have both eyes done? DP had his done late 40s. He was told because of his age if they do both, he'll need glasses for reading and computer. He had the one eye done and his brain is tricked into thinking both been done. My son had his done early 20s and now has perfect vision.

How old are you? When I enquired about laser eye surgery in my early 40s a few years back, I was advised NOT to do it as in a few years, I will need glasses anyway as my eyes deteriorated with age and long sightedness. The advice was to wait till I was both long and short sighted and that my long sightedness has stabilised to do the corrective surgery that will correct both as you can only have the laser eye surgery once? That was the information I was given a few years back anyway. Am 45 now and definitely struggling to read the very small print…

I am 39 and did not need them for reading before, I wasn't struggling remotely. They were clear that I would still need reading glasses IN TIME but they did not say I would immediately swap to needing them. It is also my mid vision, eg I can't see the numbers on the dashboard clearly either.

It sounds like they may have overcorrected your shortsightedness. This happened to a friend, she was -5 and they overcorrected her to +1 instead of 0.

I'd give it some time to settle, you can use some low power ready readers if you're really struggling, but ultimately you might need further surgery for a small correction

My cousin is wondering about having this, aged 62. Is it feasible at such an age, anyone know?

@princesspenny That's interesting. I will ask if this is what has happened as it certainly isn't improving. I am using off the shelf reading glasses now as there's no way I could send a message without them.

Did your friend go back for more surgery?

@Taoneusa I don't know, sorry. And without sounding like a salesperson, I think it varies very much from individual to individual.

I had mine done I my early 30s and didn't experience this. All fine until developing long sightedness in my late 40s and now slight short sightedness at 50..(Very slight. Only need specs for night driving)

It sounds like you are pretty shortsighted if you wouldn't be able to message on your phone. I need specs for reading packets and fine details but can message and mumsnet

Sorry I mean long sighted

Did you have LASEK or LASIK?

I had iDesign iLasik @Horriblewoman.

And yes @TopsieGreenwood, I could have comfortably done both of those things before the surgery.

Have you finished the course of drops yet? I found they made my vision blurry.

My mum had hers done in her late 40's and they told her she would need reading glasses afterwards and they could do one eye for distance and one for reading, but when they tested it out with contacts she hated it.

I had mine done in my early twenties and they told me that I'd probably need reading glasses after 10
years or so, but it's almost 20 years and touch wood I'm fine.

What was your prescription before OP and did you previous take your glasses off to read? (Or not put them on).
Are you due to be seen in a week for a 1 month check?

My prescription before was -4.75 and I didn’t generally take my glasses off to read but if I had I would have been able to comfortably. Yes I’m due to have a check up soon and I’ve finished the drops as well. Feel glum about it.

Don’t panic yet!
It may be that you are slightly over corrected (in which case they can give you a top up when it’s settled. It may be that it’s still settling down. Sometimes if you get a little bit of swelling in the cornea, that can make you more long-sighted.

Can I just check that your eyes look and feel okay and your vision for distance is okay?

Hi - where did you have it done? I was very short-sighted and had mine done at Moorfields in my early 40s. Great results (perfect and minus1). Now mid-fifties and minimal age issues relative to friends. Which is probably down to luck, but...

I had mine done in my late 40s. I'd had hilarious amounts of short-sightedness and astigmatism, and long-sightedness was starting to come into play. I remember sometimes having to close one eye when I was reading.

Post surgery, my short-sightedness is completely gone (10 years on now) and I am, yes, long-sighted. But that was happening anyway. Like many, that's inevitable after a certain age.

Except, now instead of needing expensive varifocals, I get my reading glasses from Poundland. In the grand scheme of things, I'd call that a win.

I had it done at a high street store. My eyes aren’t in pain, they sometimes ache like I’ve spent a long way wearing glasses. I did look at Moorfields today which said they could potentially correct previous laser surgery but as this has gone on a credit card I would prefer to avoid that!

Vision for distance is excellent