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Original poster

Laser eye surgery - should I?

43 replies

Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 20:20

Maybe I'm having a bit of a mid life crisis 😂 I'm 39, feel a bit mumsy and frumpy (working on losing some weight) and I'd love to ditch my glasses. I'm short sighted, around -5.5 in each eye, and blind as a bat without my glasses, should I??
I know I'm the only one who can answer this but I'd love to know from people who have done it I'd it's worth it. Especially at my age.

TIA

OP posts:
IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble · 19/03/2023 20:42

Best thing I ever did. Make sure you go somewhere reputable - good eye surgery is not cheap and cheap eye surgery is not good.

Original poster
Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 20:44

@IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble do you mind if I asked you how much yours cost? Would it be about 3.5k for both eyes?

OP posts:
Aftjbtibg · 19/03/2023 20:45

I had it done at 32 and I’m so glad I did; I love being glasses free and it’s so worth the money

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CatNamedBob · 19/03/2023 20:46

Best money I ever spent. Definitely do it, it's so worth it.

EastAngle · 19/03/2023 20:47

I was thinking about this, but I’m 5 years older than you and will likely need reading glasses in a couple of years. So not sure it’s worth it once you’re 40+.

Parky04 · 19/03/2023 20:48

I had it done 20 years ago. Best money I ever spent! Long distance vision still perfect!

Shunkleisshiny · 19/03/2023 20:52

I had it done last year and I'm in my mid sixties, my only regret I didn't do it earlier. The bliss of not wearing glasses is wonderful!

pinkiesel · 19/03/2023 20:58

I haven't had it done but know several people who have and they all say it's really good.

Original poster
Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 20:59

I know I'll probably end up needing reading glasses at some point but it's not the same, just want to wake up in the morning and see, and go to the pool, and go out hiking with steaming up for raindrops on glasses.
I can't do contacts anymore they make me want to rip my eyes out!!

OP posts:
QueenMabs · 19/03/2023 21:14

I had done at 32 (11 years ago) agree beat money I have spent. I had it down a optical express in a shopping centre!! No fancy eye hospital here!! No problems highly experienced surgeons who all work for the nhs day to day and to this as private work.

Best money spent and a saved the money I would have spent on glasses and contact lenses over and over again. I paid extra as there were two
Levels when I had it done (wavefront back then).

I'd do it again any age. I also thought i'd only have it done under say 35 but this is rubbish- Any age is liberating.

I did have dry after for a few years after but that is now gone.

Original poster
Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 21:17

@QueenMabs I'm used to dry eyes, which is why I cannot stand contact lenses

OP posts:
Eatentoomanyroses · 19/03/2023 21:26

I had it done when I was about 25. 38 now. I decided to have it done after losing both contacts when I was out one day and having to ring my mum to help me home as I was so blind and feeling very vulnerable. I’m the only person I know that had some problems with it. It only worked in one eye so I had to have that eye done again using a different procedure. It left me with very dry eyes and for years I got regular corneal abrasions ( very painful) and used to end up in a&e a few times a year. That being said I’d still do it again as my eyesight is pretty great and it is amazing if you’re used to living in a blurry fog.

IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble · 19/03/2023 22:18

Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 20:44

@IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble do you mind if I asked you how much yours cost? Would it be about 3.5k for both eyes?

I think it was £4k. It was about 6 years ago, with Optegra.

utterflapdoodle · 19/03/2023 22:24

I was exactly your age when I had Lasik. I was happy with the result but it did give me uncomfortably dry eyes for a while and I still need to use eye drops at night. Well worth it though for the freedom from glasses and contact lenses. I didn't regret it at all.

I started to need reading glasses at about 44 which is the normal age for that I suppose. From the age of about 50 my vision started to worsen and eventually I needed glasses for all distances. I would gladly have had laser treatment again but it cannot correct presbyopia.

Now I'm 55 and I had surgical lens replacement with trifocal lenses a year ago. I'm really happy with the result. I can see well at all distances and the bonus is that I will never get cataracts.

latetothefisting · 19/03/2023 22:26

Mine was 3.5k 3 years ago, my friend just went to the same place and they quoted her 4k

Most places do a free consultation so it's definitely worth going to that and seeing what you think. I went both optical express and ultralase, optical express give you the hard sell , offer discounts if you book TODAY etc and price differently depending on how bad your eyesight is whereas ultralase is one set price.and a bit more laid back

I only wish I'd had mine done earlier. My eyesight was a lot worse than yours though. Being able to go swimming and actually see what was going on/swim in the sea and be able to find my family when I came out rather than wandering blindly around the beach Grin was amazing

Bobshhh · 19/03/2023 22:27

I had it a year ago and agree that it’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought.

I went to moorfields and it was about £5k

bellamountain · 19/03/2023 22:35

Yes, best thing I ever did. I had my first eye test in over 10 years since the surgery recently and my vision hasn't regressed so I was very happy. Definitely worth it.

MaraScottie · 19/03/2023 22:36

Chipshopflipshop · 19/03/2023 21:17

@QueenMabs I'm used to dry eyes, which is why I cannot stand contact lenses

Be careful if you have dry eyes. I went for 2 consultations - one was willing to book me in that weekend, the other was a consultant and he was more cautious and said I was at risk of developing even drier eyes - he sent me away with a plan to improve my tear quality, taking omega oils and using hot compresses. He said there would be a long term risk of chronic dry eye. So just be careful. I didn't go ahead in the end as I felt it was a risk considering the contacts were working well for me.

If you are having problems with contacts, have you tried extended wear ones? They're made of a different material and are a LOT more comfortable than dailys. I put mine in at the start of the month, sleep with them in, and take them out at the end - it's a game changer. So that could be something worth trying - just an option. These are the ones I use: www.visiondirect.ie/biofinity

dottypencilcase · 20/03/2023 00:02

I was -7.5 in both eyes literally blind as a bat without glasses. I had laser eye surgery in 2008 and it was life changing for me. I had to have it twice since I was still left with a prescription once my eyes healed. It hurts like hell afterwards (I have low pain threshold) but I followed the medicine and aftercare protocol to the T and all these years later and I don't regret a second. I'm 39 now and am beginning to think I may need glasses and sometimes things seem a bit blurry but I always knew and was told that I'd have weaker vision past 40 (I'm currently 39!).

dottypencilcase · 20/03/2023 00:04

Ps. Mine cost £3500 all those years ago. Also, ask your surgeon all the questions you can think of. I'm left with the 'halo effect at night but I don't drive so it doesn't bother me.

dottypencilcase · 20/03/2023 00:05

Pps. I do suffer from dry eyes but it's nothing eye drops don't sort out.

Schmutter · 20/03/2023 00:07

My husband had the same prescription as you OP. Laser eye surgery was life-changing for him.

QueenMabs · 20/03/2023 11:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

QueenMabs · 20/03/2023 11:51

Oh dear wrong thread asked @mnhq for a deletion!

QueenMabs · 20/03/2023 11:53

@Chipshopflipshop I too got to the point with contacts sort of peeling them if my eye Confused
It's totally fine now. Just needed drops on and off for three years or so.