Laser eye surgery - anyone had it done ?

[Binker]

I am curious about this - am very shortsighted and have worn contact lenses since I was 18- no real problems with them at all,it's just that buying the solutions gets very expensive and it would be nice to be able to see clearly without them or wearing glasses - can anyone enlighten me ? Did it hurt ??! do you have to keep really still - am very squeamish and wriggly.

A good friend who had shockingly poor eyesight had it done and said it was a huge success and completely painless.
The idea freaks me out a bit, but my eyesight is not too bad. I might consider it if I could not manage to see without glasses or contacts.

Hi Binker, yes I've had both eyes done. Had it done at Moorfields, decided I wanted to be in the safest place if anything went wrong. Had the first one done about 5 years ago and the other one six months later, it cost £500 per eye.

The machine is apparently v. expensive to use so there are about 10 people waiting all at the same time and you go in one after the other, the procedure takes about 10 minutes altogether including the eyedrops for anaesthetic. The actual laser takes about 1 minute at the most, you are told to look at a red spot, there is a funny smell which reminded me of hot Weetabix!

When you are finished you are given an eye patch and drops to put in and you have to go back to the hospital a couple of days later. You need to rest in a dark room for 24 hours and keep the affected eye still as it feels like you have grit in your eye if you move it around. After 24 hours I had perfect vision.

A friend spent more money and had both her eyes done at the same time but her recovery time was longer than mine (it's a new way of doing it, can't remember what it's called).

It is the best decision I ever made, it has made a world of difference to my life and sadly I take it for granted now. My prescription was -2.75 in each eye (apparenlty averagely shortsighted).

Go for it, but try to be at Moorfields if you can. R

I dream of having this done. Someone once said that with my level of shortsightedness (-5 and -2.75) I might not get a perfect result, that is the only thing that is putting me off. After all, 1,000 pounds for life is cheaper than contact lenses!!

just checked the moorfields web site and it costs 1500 per eye now!

An old neighbour had his eyes done and ended up having worse eyesight than before he went, yet someone else had his done and no problems. I was told you had to wait until yours eyes had stopped changing otherwise you could end up wearing glasses again. I did see a tv programme or bit of one and a man had totally ruined his eyesight. I dont know, I have thought about it but I can cope with my eyesight now and put up with glasses or lenses but couldnt do without it altogether if anything was to go wrong.

This is an interesting thread for me - Rhiannon, I think you are very lucky! (To have done it so cheaply and with such a good result.)
My prescription is -10.50 in both eyes so I would never have been an ideal candidate, and in any case I would have been concerned about possible side effects. (I had contact lenses for over 30 years.)
But I have developed colossal astigmatism (about -8.00) in the lens of one eye, somewhat less in the other, and am about to have actual surgery to replace the lenses. It's the same procedure as for cataracts but because the end result will give me more or less perfect sight the consultant (at Manchester Eye Hospital) says it's unlikely the NHS would pay for it, and even if they would the waiting time would be at least 12 months, which I'm not prepared to do anyway as the restrictions on my life are so great.
This costs about £2000 an eye, which made us flinch a bit, but having heard that it's £1500 for the laser surgery I don't feel so bad about it!
He said he could probably do one eye in May/June and the second 4 - 6 weeks later. On June 10th we are hosting a child from Chernobyl for 4 weeks and on August 12th we are going on holiday for 2 weeks. The logistics will be interesting! I'll let you know how it goes...

Enid, the £1500 is for Lasik, that's what my friend had done and she had both eyes done at the same time. I didn't have Lasik as far as I know and what I had is cheaper as you have to return to the hospital to have the other eye done (I was far happier not to have them done at the same time though). It would be worth calling the hospital for a quote. R

Found it, just been on the website for Moorfields, I had the Excimer Laser treatment. R

Me again, the surgeon is Mr J Stevens and the contact no is 020 7251 4835. I'm pretty sure I recognise the name but if he's been there 5 years, then I'm sure it's the same guy. R

Hi there
I'm a clinic manager at a company called Ultralase and there are clinic in many UK towns/cities. I would have LASIK done in a flash - I think its the most amazing treatment - do ring if you'd like more details - our prices are £895 per eye and worth every penny

I rang up the Boots clinic regarding this last wee. The cost is £2500 but I am long sighted so not sure how effective the outcome is likely to be.

I had lasik 4 weeks ago and it is fantastic. I went the The Eye Clinic in Reading and they do interest free credit overt 2yrs. The operation was quick but uncomfortable but 2 days later I was driving and 4 days later the discomfort had gone completely.

What sort of conditions can be cured by the surgery? I've had to start using reading glasses now I'm in my forties. Does the surgery last forever or might you need a follow up in, say, 20 yrs time?

Thanks everyone for all the info - will think about it seriously !

I've just had it done after a lot of research into it. There are 2 types of surgery PRK - based on the old method which has been around for at least 10 years and the new one Lasik which hasn't been around that long. Everyone in the States is having the new one done which involves having both eyes done at the same time and some people are going blind. After all my research, and consulting my GP, I decided that I wanted LASEK which is based on the old PRK but a bit different. Like Rhiannon, I wanted it done at Moorfields but was amazed when they said they only did the LASIK. I therefore had it done by a wonderful man, Mr O'Brart, at St Thomas' Hospital. He is a renowned Ophthalmic Surgeon and his wife deals with all his appointments (Tel: 01702 476376). It cost £750 per eye and £100 for the initial consultation. He will only do one eye at the time, 12 weeks apart. The surgery is painless but the uncomfortableness is within the next 24/48 hours. It's like having a gritty contact lense in your eye all the time. I was asked to complete a "Pain" questionaire after the first eye and at no time did I tick the "worst pain imaginable" box (to me that was labour!). I now have perfect eyesight and it is the best thing I have ever done.
In terms of keeping still, I was very nervous the second time (knew what was coming!) and my eye didn't stop wriggling around. However, my second eye is better than my first!!
There is a website "astele.co.uk" which shows various experiences with laser-eye treatment at the different shops (eg. Boots) and hospitals. However, I couldn't seem to get to the "comments" area this morning, so there might be a problem with it.

I was all set on having LASIK done but was told you can't have the treatment within six months of breastfeeding/pregnancy because of the fluid levels in the body as a result of hormones. Ho-hum. The way things are going here with 'family planning' it'll be a few years before I stop breastfeeding.

To answer SueDonim and Maryz's question, everyone's eyes are different and, with age, they do deteriorate. I think for basic short-sightedness and long-sightedness, the treatment is good. BUT you should always have a consultation and the risks should always be explained to you. For example, I have heard of people having a consultation, with one of the High Street outlets, and being told that their particular condition can be treated with no problems. Having had the treatment, their eyesight is worse than before and, upon complaining, they were told that the risks should have been explained at their consultation.

My consultant explained to me that my particular risks were: 1% that the treatment wouldn't work (short sighted -4.0 and -3.75); 15% that I would have to wear glasses after the treatment. He also explained that in about 15 years time I may have to wear glasses again for reading. What you have to think about is that most old people wear glasses. My consultant also told me that I would have a problem with night-vision (due to large pupils) but I only have this problem with one eye.

The final point that my consultant made is one which I think you should all consider when contemplating surgery:

"It is something that you WANT to have done and something that does not need to be done".

Also, in respect of LASEK and breastfeeding, I had to wait until four months after stopping this before I could have the treatement.

As I said before, I carried out extensive research before having the treatment and if anyone needs any further information, please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address.

Thanks 21stcenturygirl, that's useful info. Treatment isn't something I'm considering at the moment as I'm moving abroad but it's handy to know about these things.

To anybody who is considering having laser surgery, and who is a good candidate, and who can afford to have it done at the best possible place, I would say GO!

I have had specs/contacts all my life, considered them a nuisance, but at my age (51 now) and my precription (-10/11 before astigmatism caused extra problems) didn't think laser treatment was worth considering.

Last week I had lens replacement surgery (what they do for cataracts) on my first eye; I now have perfect vision from about 5' to infinity and it is a revelation. I do need reading specs for arm's length work, because the lens is the bit that does the focusing and once you have a plastic one in there it doesn't do the job any more! But at my age I would have needed reading specs on top of contacts - or else very complicated varifocals - anyway. But now I can see every leaf on every tree, planes so high they are pinpricks, peoples' faces streets away, the difference is unbelievable.

I do miss the total loss of close-up vision - I used to be able to examine things like photographs minutely - but the gain in distance vision more than compensates.

I know the person from Ultralase was soundly ignored but they have a very useful and informative website. (www.ultralase.co.uk/) Even if you don't go to them it's worth visiting as it explains what's possible and what isn't for short sight, long sight and corneal astigmatism, and the different types of treatment available. (It also goes into the implications of age-related long sight.)

My surgery was done at a private clinic attached to an NHS eye hospital and I think if that option is available to you it's the best one to go for, even if it does cost a bit more. My daughters are both fairly short sighted and until now I have been a bit dismissive of laser correction but I am now thinking of giving it to them as a 21st present!

Janh, I'm glad your operation was so successful. Thanks for passing on the good news. As a forty-something contact lens wearer, this has really set me thinking.

My optician says I can't wear contacts indefinitely, so in a few years I'll be in specs. Sugery may well be a viable alternative. I know it's expensive, but when you add up the yearly cost of contact lens solutions etc, the difference in cost between contacts and surgery is less than imagined. I'll look on the website you mention. Thanks!

Thanks, tigermoth!

Good luck with your investigations...it is truly amazing to wake up in the morning and SEE!

Update on this please - treatment and popularity has changed so much in the last year or so. Am thinking of going with optimax for the lasik treatment. Have also been reading some of the scare stories about long-term effects. Anyone have any direct experience, either recently or longer-term? It's such a big decision because eyes are so precious aren't they? But I can't wear contacts (too sensitive) and my glasses are getting on my nerves. I'm shortsighted, BTW: -1.75 and -2.00

Only just come across this thread - I had prk laser surgery 3 years ago costing £450.00 per eye and its the best money I have ever spent. Amazed at how good I can see. I went to Optimax in Birmingham and left it 3 months between having each eye done. My original sight was -3.00 in my left eye and -2.75 in my right eye, the results are now -0.05 in both eyes. I can see just as clear now as when I used to wear contact lenses. It was not painful just v.uncomfortable, basically had a few days off work and slept on and off for the first day. The only down side to the surgery is that you will need reading glasses when you get to 45/50 years of age. This I was not concerned about as my mum and dad both need reading glasses. Sorry this is a bit long its just that I know how much I needed to know when I was looking for info before i had the surgery.