Is Laser Eye really the best thing you ever did?

[charliebear78]

I have been wearing contacts for over 15 years and never had any problems-however these last few months I am finding the lense very uncomfortable in my left eye only!
I have been back and forth-trying different lenses and having my eyes checked-The Optician couldn't see any problems and now have basically said they can't offer any more lenses to try and I feel like they have washed their hands of me.
I am still in discomfort on and off with my eye
I HATE wearing my glasses.
Anyway because of this and the fact I do have the money I am seriously considering Laser Eye Surgery.
I am a little concerned-I have read the horror stories!
I watched a short video also and the procedure however quick looks barbaric.
So! Please reassure me it really is the best thing you ever did!
Thanks

Another one here who had them done when it was still in it's infancy, I had mine done 23 years ago, as did DH.

Neither of us have any regrets and both of us are so glad we did it. It really changes your life.

We both need reading glasses now due to age but we always knew that would be an issue (me mid 40s, him mid 50s).

Needing reading glasses later on is normal, unless you have a slightly different type of surgery done (although it is one that doesn’t give you very clear vision straight away). No surgery can stop you needing glasses later on if your prescription hasn’t stopped changing yet.

Hidden the lens implants do NOT yet work well. You do not get as good vision as you would get in your glasses and the surgery is considerably more invasive, to the risk of complications is far, far higher. I would have lasik at the drop of a hat, but wouldn’t consider IOL replacement until I had a cataract.

Some of the high street providers are fine, optegra is okay, it depends on the surgeon doing it. They will check your eyes, but I would be a little worried if they too were unable to find the probe, s with your eye.

I had mine done at Moorfields, on the grounds that if anything did go wrong, I'd already be with one of the top eye hospitals in the world, and they are properly trained surgeons. I don't know if things have changed, but you didn't have to be a trained surgeon to do the procedure. Also, there's a correlation between the number of treatments a surgeon has done and the likelihood of issues. Basically, you want to get the most experienced person you can.

OP, have you been referred to a consultant for an opinion on the discomfort?

Cost me £900 12 or so years ago one of my best ever investments. I had it done the week before Christmas in a buy one get one free offer a woman at the gym asked a step class I was in if anyone wanted to do the BOGOF with her so might be worth checking if Optimax still have that offer

Best thing ever. Had the non cut version at the Eye Hospital about 10 years ago. Wonderful. So worth it.

underthelash were would you suggest to get it done if possible?
I have done lots of research and Optegra seemed to come up one of the best in my area.
My eye without contacts is fine-and indeed only gets uncomfortable every now and again, but it is ongoing(since August) and my Optician seems to just throw different contacts at me and does not really have any reason for the discomfort or solution it is almost like they think I am making it up!
Can anyone suggest what I can do?
Laser Eye seems to be the solution and having my eyes checked over first is a good way to rule out any problems.

footle how do I go about doing that? I have had my eyes checked over by the optician but that's it and no offer of anything else.
He just said he cannot understand why my eye is becoming sore apart from the lense may be rubbing on my eyelid when I blink!
Well then surely I need different lenses to prevent this?!?!

David Gartry at Moorfields is good (however, I did have one friend who found the aftercare rather lacking and he is VERY expensive, I'm not sure you need to spend that amount of money on something so straightforward).
I also suggest taking a look at London Vision Clinic. I don't know any particular surgeons at Optegra, but you need to get in writing beforehand how many procedures they have done.

It sound like you may just have a dryness issue, but you need to get that sorted before you have surgery. I've just googled and Optegra do free consults, it may be worth getting an opinion on your eye with them and see if they can get to the bottom of it.

I really would not have the surgery until someone can tell you the reason for the discomfort in that eye.

Thank you for that underthelash
I agree re the consult, I would feel happy that they had a good look and could then advise if need be.

I was told my corneas were too thin to do it for my prescription (-10) but that was ten years ago. If there had been any issues they couldn’t laser them again. And at -10 I would probably end up being -1 or -2 and still need glasses.
Has technology improved any? I’d love to get it done.

Does it work with astigmatism?

Yes I believe that things have advanced, it definitely works on astigmatism-I have this also.

Thanks, Charlie. That is good to know

I had astigmatism which was corrected at the same time. This was about 10 years ago now. I'm so pleased with the result.

You can now have the lens replaced - like in a cataract op- with a multi-focal lens that will treat short abd lng sightedness and at the same time have lasrer treatment for an astigmatism. So it counteracts old age issues as well.

blue - yes it does up to a certain point (around -4DC) and they can't do it if its irregular, so its not suitable for people who have keratoconus.

Lulu - you can, but the lenses do not work anywhere near as well as your eye for either distance or near, so whilst its good if already need reading glasses for old age, if you're under 45 you will have less good corrected vision that you did before. Satisfaction rates are not particularly high for under 45 year olds.
There are also far more surgical complications than with laser and a small but significant proportion of patients have a swelling at the macula post-operatively.

Salvadore - unless you're having contact lens problems, I would wait until you are over 45 (the technology may have improved further as well by then).

Your input is helpful underthelash thanks
I have researched and think I would like to go for the latest SMILE procedure which is available with Optegra-Has anyone had this done? There is no cutting so less chance of dry eyes afterwards..
I am a little scared of the whole procedure if I am honest-simply because it IS my eyes! It looks rather freaky, however from the majority of responses on here leads me to believe it is nothing to be worried about and will be something I won't regret.
Thank you to everyone

SMILE is good, it takes a little bit longer to get clear vision that a standard laser ablation, but its pretty painless and you should get a great result..

underneath My MIL who is in her 60s is thinking about it. She wore contacts for years but as she got older and needed reading glasses as well they were useless. Then she had varifocal glasses but she does not like wearing them. She has been investigating going to a surgeon at Moorfields- but privately in Harley St- who is an expert in this. It is expensive - I think she said. almost £5000 per eye. She has been really keen.Are you suggesting it isn’t likely to produce very good results?

How does the lens replacement work ? Is it like wearing bi focal glasses (tried bi focal contacts and just couldn’t get on with them)

Lulu - it may well be fine for her as she already needs reading glasses and as she's in her 60's she is also likely to get cataracts at some stage.

The satisfaction level isn't great for people who DON'T need reading glasses/bifocals/varifocals yet, or for people who don't need glasses for distance.

not - yes sort of, although because you have a lens in your eye, you get slightly less aberrations (the sort of ghosty images that some people get in bifocal contacts). Have you tried having one normal contact lens and one bifocal lens? That can work, alternatively there are different types of bifocal lenses and just trying a different brand can produce good results as they all work very slightly differently.

Yes.
But I made sure I went to a top surgeon in a hospital. I'm not in Uk.

I am optically challenged and have used CLs or specs for years. I am quite happy to keep using them though i can understand why people feel drawn toward surgery of this kind.

Can i share something with you? Eye surgery is not like a bob job,a nose job, resetting a broken bone or anything like that.

Having an eye operation to preserve or save your sight is a terrifying experience. It feels like they are operating on your very soul, your very being.

Technology has improved massively but i would say, dont go high street,dont be lured by offers,prices or vouchers or cut price finance.

Go to specialist NHS private centres such as Moorfields or Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

This is way way way too serious and important to do frivolously.

If it goes wrong, believe me, it will be life changing.

I'm 57 and have severe short sight of -12 and -13. Then last year got some sort of fast growing cataracts so had to have a lens implant. I already wore contact lens that fixed reading and distance i.e.. the left lens is left slightly short sighted. The lens implants followed suit and I am now glasses and lens free for the first time since I was 7.
It is a miracle. I can see in the shower. I can see my clock at night.