AIBU to ask about eye laser surgery

Scrumbleton · 2021-09-06T14:25:27+00:00

I’m in my late 50s and have bad age related short sight. I’m due for my annual eye test and the prospect of spend in another £400 for varifocals that don’t really suit me. Has anyone had recent eye surgery ( I’m in London) how much did it cost and any thoughts on whether it’s effective for age related blindness

PirateMemoryGame · 06/09/2021 15:28

YABU to post this in AIBU.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/09/2021 15:30

What do you mean age-related short-sight?

Fulloffrolicsandfiddledeedees · 06/09/2021 15:33

You can pay privately for what is essentially cataract surgery, as they will out a new lense in your eye per your prescription.
The risk is that as you're still relatively young you may need it doing again in 5/10/20 years. The last I checked it was around £5k when I worked in eyes. That was around 7 years ago now.

toastofthetown · 06/09/2021 15:34

YABU

Sparklybanana · 06/09/2021 15:39

It depends on how stable your eyesight is. If its stable then at least investigate, if not then I wouldn't bother.
For what it's worth, I had mine done coming up for 20 years ago. No regrets. Still no need for glasses but I do have a lot of floaters which could be related to it.

Bambooshoot · 06/09/2021 15:39

Why so many rude responses? Surely the question is “does anyone have any experience of this working or AIBU to think it is effective for age related sight loss”? How is that not as valid as anything else on the board?

steelseries · 06/09/2021 15:41

I had laser eye surgery in March using the new SMILE technology. It's was £2.5k per eye. I was about -5 and had an astigmatism. The procedure itself was complete key painless and only took minutes. I recovered completely perfect vision within days (although I still have some residual dryness which makes driving at night a bit of a challenge until it resolves).

Katrinawaves · 06/09/2021 15:42

I’m 53 and needed a varifocal prescription for shortsightedness and trouble reading small print.

I had blended eye surgery done at the London Eye Clinic 18 months ago and am really pleased with the results. It cost £6,500 so not cheap however.

Parky04 · 06/09/2021 15:48

I had mine done around 20 years ago but I was only 30. It cost £2k and was the best thing I have ever done. Recently required glasses for reading but my long distance sight is perfect. I would certainly investigate whether or not it would be suitable to you.

ClumpingBambooIsALie · 06/09/2021 15:53

Bambooshoot I'm not asking out of rudeness, I'm asking because people talking about age-related vision deterioration would usually be talking about presbyopia, whereas people talking about short-sight would usually be referring to myopia. It's not clear whether OP just has presbyopia or is myopic too (or has other stuff going on), and how successful surgery can be depends a lot on what the surgery is actually being used to treat.

N0tfinished · 06/09/2021 16:16

I had mine done 13 years ago & still have 20/20 vision. I had an astigmatism so needed lasek, which was a longer recovery time. It's worth going for a consultation at least. I had mine done in a private hospital by a consultant surgeon. That felt like a safer option than having it done in a shopping center for eg.

Ozanj · 06/09/2021 16:20

My consultant told me to wait until I was older and needed varifocals because short sightedness can improve slightly as you get older. So you should just make an appointment.

Bluebell878275 · 06/09/2021 16:26

I had LASIK in April this year. I was -5 in one eye and -6 in the other. Because of my age, 39, they left one eye very slightly short-sighted (this is called mono-vision). Having my eyes like this means that I'm less likely to need reading glasses in the next 10 years. If I'd gone for 20/20 there was a much higher chance of deterioration in a shorter amount of time.

It cost £4900 and I have no regrets. Even though one eye is slightly short, my brain compensates for it and I really don't notice. I had terribly dry eyes which affected the vision, it's only been this week I've turned a corner and I can see so well! I went to Centre for Sight in East Grinstead, West Sussex.

viques · 06/09/2021 16:33

I had laser eye surgery about 12 years ago. I went to Moorfields privately, I think it was between £4000 and £5000. I had one eye for long sight and one for short so haven’t needed reading glasses. No regrets at all. Doesn’t hurt, but a couple of hours afterwards it will be a bit painful, they told us to put in the eye drops, put on the insect goggles and go to bed for a couple of hours. You need to use the goggles at night for a few days, and use the eye drops too.

I can’t tell you how amazing it was to wake up the next morning and look out of the window. My heart sang.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 06/09/2021 16:48

I have recently had blended vision lasik done at OCL vision in London, for myopia and presbyopia (short sightedness and age-related long-sightedness) plus astigmatism. I'm 48. It's absolutely fantastic.
I would really recommend NOT going to a chain like Optical Express or Ultralase. I did a LOT of research.

ablutiions · 06/09/2021 16:54

Got mine done 5 years ago in a place in Parsons Green that's been there for 20+ years. Brilliant service, good value for money and excellent expertise. One of the best things I've done.

But be warned that age related vision will worsen over time.

Muma1992 · 06/09/2021 17:03

Laser doesn't correct age related vision loss. It lasts about 10 years on average.
Due to your age, lens exchange might be better for you and more permanent too :)

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 06/09/2021 17:27

I would never have it done . A friend had it done at a reputable clinic, there was certainly no 'back at your desk the next day' for her and she needed a week off work.I went with her for appts and there was a whole waiting room of people grumbling that 'they don't tell you THIS on the adverts, do they?' all with dark glasses/ red and weeping eyes.

Apparently it's completely normal to have issues and to still be healing up to SIX months, friend took a good 2 months.

She regretted having it done and said it wasn't really worth the money as she needs glasses for age related prescription anyway. This was 10 years ago, I imagine things have changed since maybe and now they can correct it?

Shelddd · 06/09/2021 17:49

@Muma1992

Laser doesn't correct age related vision loss. It lasts about 10 years on average. Due to your age, lens exchange might be better for you and more permanent too :)

This is what I have read as well too.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 06/09/2021 18:48

@Muma1992

Laser doesn't correct age related vision loss. It lasts about 10 years on average. Due to your age, lens exchange might be better for you and more permanent too :)

Well, laser CAN correct age related vision loss. True, is is not AS permanent as laser for myopia, but, this is made clear, and in my case for example, I have gone from needing 3 pairs of glasses, distance, intermediate, and reading, to none. This will be the case for at least 5-10 years. After that I MAY need just reading glasses for very close work (which I won't mind), or I can opt for an enhancement laser procedure and have no glasses again. All this is made perfectly clear.

And is far preferable to the much more invasive,risky and pricier, refractive lens exchange, which is all you would be offered at Optical Express

And my eyes weren't even red after the procedure.

Muma1992 · 06/09/2021 19:35

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream this is my job, I don't want to sound like a know it all, so I didnt mention in my PP. It is not permanent. It lasts on average for 10 years.

Muma1992 · 06/09/2021 19:41

OP, have a Google of something called RLE. This might help :)
A good surgeon will discuss all your options. Don't rush to a laser clinic that offers a deal if you book in the first consultation. A good surgeon won't rush you. Good luck :)

Stretchandsnap · 06/09/2021 19:42

I had blended vision SMILE last November- I was -7 in both eyes with astigmatism and +1. It is the single greatest thing I’ve done - I will need reading glasses at some point in the future but for me not having to wear any glasses at the moment is wonderful.

I also had no side effects and my vison was amazing even the next day after the op. I went to the London Vision clinic and paid £6.5k - I would recommend them as the care was excellent.

viques · 06/09/2021 19:46

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

I would never have it done . A friend had it done at a reputable clinic, there was certainly no 'back at your desk the next day' for her and she needed a week off work.I went with her for appts and there was a whole waiting room of people grumbling that 'they don't tell you THIS on the adverts, do they?' all with dark glasses/ red and weeping eyes.

Apparently it's completely normal to have issues and to still be healing up to SIX months, friend took a good 2 months.

She regretted having it done and said it wasn't really worth the money as she needs glasses for age related prescription anyway. This was 10 years ago, I imagine things have changed since maybe and now they can correct it?

When I went to Moorfields for my next day follow up everyone in the waiting room was fully sighted, smiling and happy, we were all stuffing our old glasses into the recycling box that they send to third world countries.

maybemu · 06/09/2021 20:04

You will go, they will promise you the earth but in 5 years you will be back spending lots on your glasses. You will love the 5 years tho. Up to you how much it is worth spending on it