Laser eye surgery

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using aibu for traffic. Concede im unreasonable on that point alone. My question is for anyone who has had laser eye surgery. Basically what was your prescription strength, how much were you for it and how long ago? Really tempted as heading for 40 and sick to death of contacts. Seen an ad for laser eye surgery from £19 a month which is less than I am for contacts, but wondered what the realistic price is rather than the headline price.

I do myopia research and know a lot of ophthalmologists, although I am not one myself. But here is what I know.

1. You're going to need reading glasses in your late 40s to early 50s (it's called presbyopia). Laser surgery cannot help this problem. So if you're doing it so you don't have to wear glasses, it's a waste of time. If they tell you the surgery can help with presbyopia (I've seen this) IT IS A LIE. The reasons for myopia and presbyopia are completely different. So consider the cost vs how long you will get the benefit.

1. Contact wearers - you may not be able to wear contacts after surgery so if the surgery is not 100% effective, you won't escape, you'll need a lower prescription and be stuck with glasses again. And you'll still need reading glasses later.

1. Not a single ophthalmologist I know has had Lasik.

1. You may lose your ability to drive at night because of light distortions.

1. If your myopia is progressive, your Lasik will only have partly mitigated your vision problem.

Nothing to do with Lasik, but I noticed someone mention 30-day wear contacts - these are not recommended. Your risk of eye infections is much higher and they can be blinding. Daily disposables are the only ones my friends recommend. They are expensive but if you can afford them, consider switching.

I'm happy to answer questions anyone has.

15 years ago I was -10 and -9. My prescription has gone back to -1 and -0.75 but it changed my life.

Getting it done in a couple of weeks at Moorfields.
Costing 5k.

-1.25 in each eye.

@BritishSleeperAgent

I do myopia research and know a lot of ophthalmologists, although I am not one myself. But here is what I know.

1. You're going to need reading glasses in your late 40s to early 50s (it's called presbyopia). Laser surgery cannot help this problem. So if you're doing it so you don't have to wear glasses, it's a waste of time. If they tell you the surgery can help with presbyopia (I've seen this) IT IS A LIE. The reasons for myopia and presbyopia are completely different. So consider the cost vs how long you will get the benefit.

1. Contact wearers - you may not be able to wear contacts after surgery so if the surgery is not 100% effective, you won't escape, you'll need a lower prescription and be stuck with glasses again. And you'll still need reading glasses later.

1. Not a single ophthalmologist I know has had Lasik.

1. You may lose your ability to drive at night because of light distortions.

1. If your myopia is progressive, your Lasik will only have partly mitigated your vision problem.

Nothing to do with Lasik, but I noticed someone mention 30-day wear contacts - these are not recommended. Your risk of eye infections is much higher and they can be blinding. Daily disposables are the only ones my friends recommend. They are expensive but if you can afford them, consider switching.

I'm happy to answer questions anyone has.

I would be interested to know why no one you know has had lasik?

that's what I'm getting done so slightly concerned!

I had laser surgery many years ago, I can’t remember the cost exactly I went for the best option available, worth every penny IMHO. I was very short sighted, my only regret is not having the surgery earlier. If you can afford it do it. Good luck OP.

There is a good reason why, if you asked an Ophthalmologist for a recomendation for a good clinic, they wont reccomend any.

Because they won't be able to sell you any more pairs of spectacles?

@Gindrinker43

There is a good reason why, if you asked an Ophthalmologist for a recomendation for a good clinic, they wont reccomend any. Dont do it, there can be future comsequences for your vision.

Please, expand on this

With evidence, of course.

I had it about 16 years ago and it was brilliant. I was -.25 so a small prescription but enough to need lenses. I still have perfect vision now.

The downside is that once you have it you can’t have it done again if your vision deteriorates over time & you can’t wear contacts again so you would have to wear glasses.

My eyes were sensitive to light for about 15 hours but after that it was easy!

I was -10 and - 13. I was considered too short sighted for laser surgery so 6 years ago I had intraocular lens surgery. It’s similar to cataract surgery and I had permanent varifocal lenses Inserted in my eyes. They were custom made for me and give me perfect vision, both distance and close up as well as correcting my astigmatisms and it will not deteriorate or alter over time as laser corrected eyes will.

As you can imagine going from a prescription like that to perfect vision was like a miracle. It cost £6000 and was worth every penny and it’s paid for itself in the savings I have made on glasses and contact lenses.

@Mascaramademehappy I was told it could be repeated if you had a thick enough cornea? Hopefully won't need to find out though!

Mine was -5 in one eye and -6 in the other. It’s honestly the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I went in had the surgery went home, had to go straight to bed as they tell you to do. The next day I was fine. Eyes a bit sore and gritty etc but the drops they give you work well.

I could see instantly was utterly the best thing I’ve done. I would give yourself a long weekend to recover etc but apart from that it’s a very quick recovery. Your not allowed to rub your eyes for a while but apart from that.

Oh it cost me 5k but Best money I’ve ever spent! Hands down.

Oh I had a stigmatism and I did optical express on Harley street.

was roughly -8.5 and -6. Had it done about six weeks ago with ultralase. They do a one price for all (regardless of prescription) which I believe is £1799 per eye although I did manage to get a bit more off by being cheeky!

I could send you my referral details which I believe will give you £50 off if you wanted, but tbh you could probably get a discount yourself with a bit of charm! They offer interest free payment which is working out at £109p/m for the next two years after taking the deposit off.

I went for an appointment with vision express too who quoted me about £5k (although you could tell they were very willing to bargain too!) so £19 per month does seem very low! Although I suppose if you investigated it would probably be something like £1000 deposit then £19 per eye for five years, which would be pretty similar to ultralase. I went with ultralase because I didn't like the 'hard sell' of vision express.

I would only say if you are going to do it, do it asap as your eyes start changing again as you get older so you'd want to get as long as possible out of it.

I was nervous before but am so so so glad I've done it now. I love going swimming and being able to just jump into the pool/sea without taking contacts/goggles/blundering around blindly without being able to recognise my own mother is amazing!

Happy to answer any more questions if you have any!

@jimmyhill Ophthalmologists don't sell spectacles. That's optometrists (opticians).

@ScarMatty Here's a good paper focusing on one of the most common side effect - chronic dry eye. It is free online. (There were others but paywalled). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26796443/

Now you might look at those incidence rates and think eh, they're not so bad. But imagine if you're a surgeon. Do you want to take the risk of damaging or losing your sight? Even chronic dry eye could be a big problem - management of the condition contraindicates some of the exposures common in the operating theater.

That's been my philosophy too. I can manage fine with glasses or contacts. I'm not willing to take the risk of complications - my career depends on me being able to see and I spend time in countries where parasites that attack the eye are endemic. I don't know if LASIK would increase the risk of infection but given how the procedure works, it wouldn't surprise me if it did.

You might say that some people have specific reasons (like me and my ophthalmologist friends) not to do it, and the general population is fine. That's OK.

My point is this: It's important to be properly informed before giving consent to an operation. I have concerns that many patients aren't prepared for postoperative complications. I'm not telling you what to do. I just want you to make sure you have been informed by your surgeon what you are agreeing too and what the risks are, however small.

I went to david Gartry at moorfields which was more

So did I, but it was 20 years ago, so prices are probably irrelevant. Well worth every penny.

It's important to be properly informed before giving consent to an operation.

This. I did a lot of research before deciding to go ahead, and it's why I went to Moorfields. I knew what risks I was taking. I did all the post-operative stuff as I was told to (apparently doing as you're told isn't that common, going by my GP's reaction to something more recently, when he was surprised someone had actually done as he'd advised.)

Other people, other prescriptions, other risks. It has worked out well for me, but you need to find out what the risks are for you and what you're prepared to risk. I don't get haloing at night, but I know a couple of people who had it done at a similar time to me, and they did have that.

DH had it with Ultralase in Birmingham. He is once again wearing glasses, and as a brucey bonus, has zero night vision and cannot drive in the dark. £2000+ to lose his glasses for a couple of years and not be able to see ANYTHING in low light.

I had it at Advanced Vision Care on Harley St. It was LASEK rather than LASIK which is more common. The outcome was pretty good in terms of vision (minor distortion round lights at night but manageable). But I do now get dry eyes at night which means I need to use two different types of eye drops, and sometimes when I wake up my eyelids are stuck and I have to apply eye drops before I can open my eyes.

@jimmyhill

There is a good reason why, if you asked an Ophthalmologist for a recomendation for a good clinic, they wont reccomend any.

Because they won't be able to sell you any more pairs of spectacles?

Ophthalmologists don’t sell spectacles. They are doctors who specialise in eye diseases and conditions.

Mine was just under 4k, 5 years ago. I was around -3.50

I had chronic dry eye before surgery, so much so I couldn't tolerate contact lenses anymore (had worn them for 20 years up to that point). My dry eye was HORRENDOUS for a year afterwards, I was using drops 10+ times per day and getting no relief. It then settled and is now better than pre-surgery, I need drops maybe twice a day.

My vision is still perfect but I will need reading glasses in the next couple of years which I'm fine with

I had mine done with optical express 12 years ago when I was 24. My left eye was £1100 and my right eye was £1800. Best thing I ever did

Had mine done 20 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did! I was -4 in both eyes. I'm almost 45 now and still have perfect vision. At the time I think I paid 1.5k per eye. When I think of what I would have spent on specs and contacts on the last 20 years I think it was a good investment 😄

I refused to do it after my MIL’s surgery, resulted in dry eye and distorted night vision that she can’t drive at night now. She also has to wear glasses now as the myopia was not complete taken away.
But above all, I find her constant eye drops disheartening. Can’t even wear decent make up as it smudges.
I’m a -3 myopia in both eyes and have astigmatism and there’s no way in hell, I’d let anyone burn the inside of my eye, at least for me, for vanity reasons. I got a selection of nice glasses from Tom Ford to eccentric ones and I’m rocking them or wear the occasional daily ones.
No way, I’m playing Russian roulette with my eyes.

@BritishSleeperAgent is right. Ophthalmologists won't recommend laser eye surgery - not because they 'win' in any way (far from it) but because of the problems that have been flagged up here.

I see one of the UK's top ophthalmologists every 6 months because I had a cold sore ulcer in my eye many years ago, and it nearly robbed me of the sight in that eye. As I result, I can't wear a contact lens in that eye (but luckily it wasn't my 'bad' eye) but I do like the option of wearing a lens in my other eye, so he is responsible for my check-ups and prescriptions for that.

Over the course of being his patient I've heard so many awful stories from him of people who had laser eye surgery (all kinds of it) and the problems he's had to put right once the only option left to people is to be referred to someone like him. He wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. He's horrified the UK still allows ads for laser eye surgery, and that 'high street opticians' can promote it as if it's as easy as buying an expensive pair of jeans. In many countries ads for laser eye surgery are banned because of the issues patients have had with it.

If you want an honest appraisal, talk to a highly-qualified ophthalmologist who puts right (or at least works hard to mitigate the worst of) what can go wrong. And yes, you might be one of the lucky ones who gets years of trouble-free sight. And you might not. And there's no going back. No repair possible for the night vision issues or the dry eyes, just the rest of your life having to deal with the consequences.

You only get one pair of eyes. When you've been where I have, you don't mess about opening yourself up to a procedure that might take that away from you - and that you've paid a lot of money for too!