has anyone had laser vision correction?

[Roskva]

where did you have it done? did it hurt? was it expensive?

I'm fed up with dd pulling my specs off!

I bought mine on ebay, can't remember company name, but a big company and was good service. Got it done in Glasgow. It didn't so much hurt, its more a sort of really bad stinging but its one of the best things I ever did.
My DS pulling specs off was my main reason for getting it done, and the bonus was that I'm so much more confident now, without glasses.
Any q's feel free to ask away.

Yes - had PRK , cost £500 per eye but that was in 2002 and the costs have come down now. Got it done at Optimax who pretty much pioneered the surgery in the UK. It didn't hurt per se. just unnerving a bit. There is a smell like hair burning and when you realise this is your eye you think "eeek" but I had no probs and would recommend it to anyone, wish I'd got it done years ago. Eyes can be a bit dry afterwards but I wasn't bothered by this. My DH also got it done and he wore soft contact lenses. I'd always worn hard lenses so my theory is that my eyes were less sensitive than his and I'd toughened them up a bit over the years. Did wear sunglasses for the week afterwards as didn't like the glare and to this day I still tend to wear shades on bright days but that ain't no bad thing.

Optimax was in Glasgow so perhaps same place as Flier

ultralase too
difficult first few days but SO worth it in the long run
also one of the best things I've ever done

not great if you are squesmish though

or squeamish

Had it done a few years ago at the Boots clinic in Leeds - think it's owned by someone else now. Was £1000 per eye back then (but got advantage card points!). Didn't find it painful, just weird and a bit uncomfortable. Very glad I had it done.

I get really squeamish at the idea of someone doing things to my eyes, but it sounds like it's not that bad. I read on ultralase's website that you shouldn't rub your eyes for several weeks - how did you manage that?

I had mine done at Boots (they don't do it anymore). Can't remember how much, both at once. Went from +4.75 and +3.5 to perfect 20/20 vision.

I found the whole fishhooking of eyelids thing horrid as well as the 'now don't move a muscle otherwise you could be blinded' a bit irksome.

But could see immediately afterwards, just felt a bit scratchy and dry for a month - no worse than contact lenses.

That was a decade ago. Still fine.

Had mine done in South Africa (on personal recommendation) 4 years ago - best bloody money ever spent....quite unnerving eye clamped open cornea flipped back suddenly blind burning smell buzzing sensation and then blurred but perfect vision imediately - wonderful!

Ooooh, good post. I want mine done, but am way to squeamish. How do they anaesthetise your eye?

too

Had mine done 14 months ago and now have better than 20/20 vision. Had it done at Optical Express. Had Lasik and wavefront cost £2200. Worth every single penny!

They use eye drops to anaethetise your eyes. Whole process of cutting flap to laser doing its stuff is about 1 minute. Totally painless. Eyes felt a bit gritty for a couple of hours after but took paracetamol and went to sleep.

Thoroughly recommend it!!

yeah, volupta, it was optimax, thanks

here is the optimax site www.optimax.co.uk

here is the ebay link as well, it is genuine, I promise, and both me and my friend did it this way.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Laser-Eye-Surgery-Treatment-from-395-or-12-pm-x36mths_W0QQitemZ110164296270QQihZ001QQ categoryZ75084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They put anaesthetic drops in and then draw on your eyes with pens (well you did ask!)

Actually, I think I envisaged something worse than that...

The idea still makes me very squeamish, but I am still seriously thinking about it.

I did alot of research on the internet before I did it.

I had it done 4 years ago. Very happy with it.

I had mine done in the US, and it cost $4000.

It didn't hurt - they put anaesthetic in your eyes

Best money I've ever spent. It cost £500 an eye about 10 years ago. I had it done at Moorfields eye hospital. I decided I wanted to be in the best place if anything went wrong.

I think there are now two different procedures you can have. I had the one where you have to keep your eye closed for 24 hours. It was fine the only pain was gritty like an eyelash in your eye.

I remember the burning smell being a bit like hot Weetabix!

i had it when i was 19. i'm now 25, perfect vision, worth every penny.

Do the long term consequences worry you guys?
ie The flap never adheres perfectly and flexes at a different rate to the rest of the eye.
Worries about glaucoma....
Long term dry and itchy eyes?

Good point. And what happens if your vision continues to deteriorate: my prescription for specs has gradually been getting stronger over the years.

I haven't had it done myself, but my sister has, about 12 years ago. Can't remember where or the cost, but she said it didn't hurt at all, and was very quick. She says her vision is far better than it ever was with glasses/contacts. She had it done because one eye developed some sort of problem which meant she could no longer wear a contact lens in it. However, she only had the one eye done, because of being unsure of long term effects etc. (she wears contact lensin the other eye). So far, no adverse effects after 12 years .

Roskva,

The place I went to only did the procedure on patients who had had the same prescription for over three years.

Benitez,

I thought the risks were worth taking, especially considering that anything remotely serious has only really happened on those starting out with extremely bad eyesite, who would not generally be considered candidates for Lasik.

I never had a problem with dryness beyond the first week or two (even then, it wasn't a problem - used the eyedrops and they worked).