SIDE EFFECTS OF LASER EYE SURGERY?

[frenziednester]

I am mulling over having this done as I am so fed up with contact lenses, but I am worried about the long term side effects - has anyone out there heard of any or had any? Also, what actually happens in the op? Is it really grim?

Aren't you ever afraid you are going to rub your eyes in your sleep? I'm a very restless sleeper!

Ortho K is the only thing I would go for .... does it help night time driving or affect night time driving at all? I do find headlight glare a pain with GP at the moment.

Thanks for the help BTW

No, never rub my eyes in my sleep (or if I do it doesn't matter!).

Night glare can be a problem with Ortho-k, but my eyes are fine.

I shall seriously think about it...

It would be wonderful to be able to see without any lenses in during the day and to be able to put my head under water when I swim without stupid goggles on!

Thanks

If you've been wearing gas permeables for a while, you'll have to leave your lenses out for a month to get a true reading of your eyesight and the shape of your eye, because the GP lenses do alter it, subtly. I found it really weird wearing glasses for a month after wearing lenses for about 16 years!

wow this thread has been busy. So, hunker, if you even miss one night, is that you back to square one? And do you have to wear them for a certain number of hours in the night? Gingerbear, ROFL, but that would be a serious con, not pro for me - I hate my DH's 'sex face' and always try NOT to see what is going on

Not back to square one, but not crisp vision, no. Some people get away with wearing them every other night though - my corneas are too malleable though, I think. It is NO hardship to wear them at night though.

how much are they? How long does each pair last? Are they a faff to clean etc?

I pay £45 a month, because one is a toric lens. I get two new pairs a year, they're exactly the same as gas permeable lenses. For that price, I also get all my solutions, the comfort drops you put in in the morning before you remove the lenses, and all my eye check-ups and contact lens checks. Also, should I lose or break a lens, I get it replaced FOC.

Just to add my bit. I had my moderately short sighted eyes zapped about 5 years ago. Never had a problem and still have perfect vision. I expect techniques have been refined since then and I definately recommend it to my friends.

i am -4.5 and -4.75. i have some fantastic new prada glasses and also daily contacts. i'm pretty sure i'd never have it done. what if it went wrong? i'd regret it forever. my vision is so easily corrected with lenses. thats good enough for me. if i get 'greedy' am want perfect sight without lenses, i could end up far worse off. also, my optician would NEVER get it done, although she's a perfect candidate. seen too many side effects.

am a bit if you've had it done, and its all fine, but dont want to risk it myself

Noonar, talk to your optician about Ortho-k (I honestly don't get commission for this product!).

noonar - what side effects does she refer to?

hunker, excuse me being a bit dim, if the answer is obvious, but...what's the benefit of wearing lenses at night? if you wear them 12hrs a day, what diff does it make if its day or night?

frenzi- just generally damaged vision, eg starry vision/ vision like looking through frosted glass etc.

Wearing lenses at night means I can go swimming, have a shower, spend all day in an air-conditioned office looking at a PC screen, get a bit of grit or an eyelash in my eye and not have to worry about my lenses.

I never get that gritty tired eye feeling I did with my daytime lenses - my eyes feel healthier than they ever have.

Plus I have 24/7 20/20 vision - the lenses mean I can see clearly when I wake up with DS2 at night and during the day.

I don't have to worry about prescription sunglasses for the beach either. I used to hate having to carry glasses with me everywhere on holiday for when I wanted to swim but also go inside places and still be able to see.

Plus loads of other things I've probably forgotten.

aah, very interesting, hunker. will look into it