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Original poster

LASIK laser eye surgery

119 replies

GreenAE · 16/09/2024 11:53

Hi all!

Looking into lasik laser eye surgery, all the people I know are all raving about it but they’ve all had it done quite recently.

would like some feedback from those that have had it 5+ or 10+ or 20+ years ago to see how’s it’s been.
Would you recommend it, how old were you when you had it and what was your original prescription.

Thank you!

OP posts:
KingsArmy · 30/09/2024 15:54

Had mine done 20+ years ago at Ultralase. Was a -8 prescription, it started regressing after 3 ish years whereby I had one eye reoperated on but no noticeable improvement. I've worn glasses ever since. It's also left me with dry eyes so I cannot wear contact lenses. Don't think I'd of had it done with hindsight but I realise my eyes were very bad to start with.

N0tfinished · 30/09/2024 16:38

I had it done 16 years ago and I'm still 20/20. No reading glasses or anything.
I do have dry eyes but that's a menopause symptom as well so who knows. Definitely zero regrets

Original poster
GreenAE · 30/09/2024 16:48

N0tfinished · 30/09/2024 16:38

I had it done 16 years ago and I'm still 20/20. No reading glasses or anything.
I do have dry eyes but that's a menopause symptom as well so who knows. Definitely zero regrets

Can I ask if you did it in your 30s or 40s please?

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Original poster
GreenAE · 30/09/2024 19:11

….

OP posts:
User1836484645R · 30/09/2024 19:17

I had it done 17 years ago when I was 33. I was pleased. The only bad thing I noticed was that my night vision seemed slightly worse.

It gave me 15 years of not needing to wear glasses/contacts.

Spectre8 · 30/09/2024 19:17

I've been considering it but at 42 I am wondering if it's worth it.

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 19:46

I had it d

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 19:47

I had it done 21 years ago when I was 27 & still have 20/20 vision at the age of 48. Recently had an eye test & still all good. Had expected I'd need glasses by now but so far so good!

Tinytigertail · 30/09/2024 19:59

I had mine done 16yrs ago and it remains one of the very best things I've done. Obviously, it doesn't prevent the aging process, so I now use reading glasses, but my distance vision is still great. I would recommend it to anyone.

Original poster
GreenAE · 30/09/2024 20:44

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 19:47

I had it done 21 years ago when I was 27 & still have 20/20 vision at the age of 48. Recently had an eye test & still all good. Had expected I'd need glasses by now but so far so good!

Great- did you get any dry eye in the beginning?

OP posts:
artfuldodgerjack · 30/09/2024 20:45

I had mine done about 18 years ago. All still good, but driving at night can be difficult, especially with the new led headlights.

MontyDonsBlueScarf · 30/09/2024 21:12

I had mine about 25 years ago. Before that I was -20 in both eyes and I wore contact lenses. When I started to need reading glasses I couldn't find a workable solution so I decided to have Lasik..

My vision now is -4/-3.5 which is a huge improvement and gives me a much wider choice of specs. I now wear varifocals and am happy with them. However my corneas are now a VERY peculiar shape and I have some astigmatism, which I didn't have before. I don't particularly suffer from dry eyes or halos though initially I did. I do find that driving at night isn't my favourite but it's OK.

I don't regret having it done, but these days I think lens replacement is definitely a much better option for severe short sight, and possibly even for moderate short sight. Whatever your prescription I would fully investigate lens replacement as an alternative. It doesn't destroy tissue the way that Lasik does, and the basic operation has been around for ever in the form of cataract surgery. At the end of the day you might need cataract surgery anyway, and if you've already had Lasik at that point, the results of lens replacement surgery aren't so predictable. If you do decide to have Lasik make sure you get and keep a copy of your pre operated notes as the consultant I spoke to said.that that makes it easier to replace cataracts successfully.

theeyeofdoe · 30/09/2024 21:20

What prescription are you OP?
It’s usually great. Most people’s eyes feel dry afterwards for a few months.,
remember though, it’s like wearing your glasses all the time, so if you currently take them off to read, you’ll no longer be able to do that,

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 21:40

@GreenAE I don't remember any dry eye but it was a long time ago (but if I did get it, then it obviously wasn't severe enough to remember!)

My prescription was -5 & -4.5

It's been the best thing I ever did.

Original poster
GreenAE · 30/09/2024 22:04

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 21:40

@GreenAE I don't remember any dry eye but it was a long time ago (but if I did get it, then it obviously wasn't severe enough to remember!)

My prescription was -5 & -4.5

It's been the best thing I ever did.

That’s good to hear!

OP posts:
EBearhug · 30/09/2024 23:48

I was in my late 20s. Now 52. I didn't have any issues.

EBearhug · 01/10/2024 00:00

You need to think about why you want it done. I didn't mind wearing glasses for things like reading, but at the time, I cycled all the time (no car) and had a choice in the rain of blotchy and steamed up, or blurry. I definitely wouldn't have tried things like white water rafting with glasses. I am much more comfortable swimming in open water and being able to see my bag on the beach. So for me, it was all the active stuff. I looked into what risks and side effects there were, and paid a bit more to have it at Moorfields, because for me, I thought they would have less risk of things going wrong, and if anything did, it's the primary eye hospital in the country, so best shot at fixing it.

Your cost/benefit analysis and risk assessment could work out differently- and if I'd suffered holding or other night vision problems, I would probably have had quite a different life after (I've done a fair bit of night driving over the years.) I think if that had been the case, then I would have seen I as maybe not worth every penny. I knew it was a risk, but for me it didn't come to pass. Not everyone can say the same - how much of an issue would it be if you suffered side effects? Only you can decide that for yourself.

Original poster
GreenAE · 01/10/2024 10:16

Thanks for the detailed reply. It’s just nice hearing feedback from everyone and how it’s been for them.

OP posts:
Original poster
GreenAE · 01/10/2024 13:33

Thanks for the detailed reply. It’s just nice hearing feedback from everyone and how it’s been for them.

OP posts:
Lionshare1 · 02/10/2024 21:14

MrsPeterHarris · 30/09/2024 19:47

I had it done 21 years ago when I was 27 & still have 20/20 vision at the age of 48. Recently had an eye test & still all good. Had expected I'd need glasses by now but so far so good!

May I also ask a question?
I am also considering this.

Have you had any issues with removing eye makeup long term following lasik?
They say you shouldn't rub your eyes afterwards.

Lionshare1 · 02/10/2024 21:16

User1836484645R · 30/09/2024 19:17

I had it done 17 years ago when I was 33. I was pleased. The only bad thing I noticed was that my night vision seemed slightly worse.

It gave me 15 years of not needing to wear glasses/contacts.

Are you using reading glasses now?

EBearhug · 02/10/2024 21:22

I don't wear make up, so can't answer thst. But I did have a bad attack of hayfever some months after, and rubbed my eyes hard enough that I got a sort of blister on the white of my eye. Rang my surgeon's office; he called back and basically told me not to worry, but to stop rubbing it (I already knew that. I stopped when I was conscious of it, but I did it without thinking.) Anyway, it was okay, but it did cause me stress st the time.

MrsPeterHarris · 02/10/2024 22:53

@Lionshare1 I don't wear a lot of make up but do wear it when I go into the office & nights out & just remove it with wipes (which is how I removed it before too!)

I'd not heard about not rubbing your eyes so haven't paid attention to that but never had any issues.

JantoDec · 08/10/2024 07:54

I'm having mine done today! I'm 42, -4.5 and -5, I'm having Lasik.
Feeling a bit nervous so came here to look for some real life stories and happy to see that most are positive.
I've had glasses/contact lenses since I was 11 so can't really imagine life without them.
I'll report back later....

MrsPeterHarris · 08/10/2024 08:45

All the best @JantoDec - it honestly feels like a miracle when you wake up the following day & can see around your bedroom clearly!!

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