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Original poster

Laser eye surgery

53 replies

TeaandLemonDrizzle · 20/05/2023 15:51

Hello,
Has anyone had laser eye surgery to correct their vision? If so, how much was it and was it ok?
I am 51 and have worn glasses/contact lenses since I was 20 but my eyes have deteriorated again and I’m not struggling to see close up stuff (with glasses) but everything is blurry if I don’t wear anything. I have to wear reading glasses on top of my contacts when working on the PC now. It has cost me a fortune over the years. I’m wondering about laser eye surgery!! Would it fix this?

OP posts:
Xrays · 27/05/2023 19:18

My Mum had it done and she still needed reading glasses as it just corrected the short sightedness.

I am very short sighted (-9.50 both eyes) and have varifocal glasses as I can’t wear contact lenses (sjogrens syndrome) and find them really good as I just keep them on all the time.

underneaththeash · 27/05/2023 22:26

Ispywithmycynicaleye · 26/05/2023 11:34

@TeaandLemonDrizzle Sounds like your contact lenses are possible causing your eye muscles to strain too much when focusing on something close up rather than age related long sightedness. Have you discussed this with your optician?

You’ve misunderstood her. When you’re short-sighted you can see things close up with out XL glasses. When you have contacts in to correct myopia you’re no longer short sighted and therefore past a certain age you’ll find close up things blurred. It’s the same for everyone past a certain age.
min and it’s not muscular.

Allsizes8to14 · 27/05/2023 22:36

I think the best approach is to go into it with sensible expectations. Your short sightedness will be corrected so no need to reach for glasses as soon as you wake and no glasses the majority of the time. Reading glasses are almost always needed afterwards if you’re 45+ as the need for reading glasses is an age related muscular change that laser doesn’t correct. So as long as you’re happy with that then worth exploring. Common side effects are dry eyes and issues with glare when driving at night so again it’s weighing up whether having the better distance vision is worth these possible issues.
To be completely glasses free, dryness free and glare free would be highly unlikely (tho not impossible!) and surgery does carry risk of serious complications (tho rare) so it’s weighing this up against the freedom of not needing glasses full time. Only you can really say if the risks are worth it for your particular situation 😊

Katrinawaves · 27/05/2023 22:50

It’s not correct any longer that laser surgery can’t correct reading prescription. I had blended surgery about 5 years ago with one eye corrected for long distance and one for reading and so far I have no issues with either. I was told I might need a further tweak after 10 years in the reading eye which would be done free of charge. I had dry eyes before the surgery and they put a small plug in my tear duct at the same time as they corrected my vision and that has solved the problem.

I’ve had no side effect and have perfect vision now. It want cheap at around £7k but as I had a complicated high strength varifocal prescription I was spending about £2k for glasses every couple of years plus extra on disposable contact lenses every month so it has I’m sure paid for itself by now or nearly so

LimeMango · 27/05/2023 22:53

Presbyopia is a lens issue as well as a muscle issue. The lens hardens as we age and can’t flex like it once used to.

Original poster
TeaandLemonDrizzle · 28/05/2023 20:29

I’m -2.25 in my right eye and -3.00 in my left. Not sure what it means.

OP posts:
Original poster
TeaandLemonDrizzle · 28/05/2023 20:36

Interesting reading, thanks all. I think, if both short sightedness and age related presbyopia can’t be corrected at the same time then I’d be happy just to have the short sightedness corrected and wear reading glasses for close up. It is definitely the distance vision (or lack of) that I find most distressing as faces and everything are just a blur! I’d love to be able to see the world with clear vision.

For those of you who have had it done, did you feel anything during the procedure and how long did it take?

OP posts:
Katrinawaves · 28/05/2023 20:55

I don’t remember feeling anything during the procedure. It only took a few minutes and they put anaesthetic drops in my eye before they started. They recommend that you take painkillers for the first day if you need it - from memory that was just OTC paracetamol and you need to use eye drops several times a day for the first few days and wear goggles at night so you don’t rub your eyes in your sleep

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 28/05/2023 21:02

Don't set your heart on it until you've looked into it. I'd saved for it, and was gutted last summer when I went to see the surgeon who told me there was nothing suitable for me - not laser, not lens replacement, no implantable contacts. It's not even my prescription that's the problem.

I now wear varifocal contacts.

Fourcandlesx · 28/05/2023 21:51

Have you thought about Ortho k lenses? You wear them overnight and they reshape your cornea so you have perfect vision the next day and don't need to wear glasses or lenses? I really want to try them and my prescription is similar to yours. They sound too good to be true but I haven't found anyone who has every tried it so I guess there must be some reason for that.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 28/05/2023 22:37

TeaandLemonDrizzle · 28/05/2023 20:36

Interesting reading, thanks all. I think, if both short sightedness and age related presbyopia can’t be corrected at the same time then I’d be happy just to have the short sightedness corrected and wear reading glasses for close up. It is definitely the distance vision (or lack of) that I find most distressing as faces and everything are just a blur! I’d love to be able to see the world with clear vision.

For those of you who have had it done, did you feel anything during the procedure and how long did it take?

As per mine and @Katrinawaves posts, short sightedness and presbyopia can both be treated. We are proof! Grin
My surgery took 10 minutes and was absolutely painless. I was well prepared with what to expect though.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 28/05/2023 22:43

If you fancy watching it, here is a link to the you tube video of my surgeon performing the same surgery I had

LimeMango · 28/05/2023 23:18

Fourcandlesx · 28/05/2023 21:51

Have you thought about Ortho k lenses? You wear them overnight and they reshape your cornea so you have perfect vision the next day and don't need to wear glasses or lenses? I really want to try them and my prescription is similar to yours. They sound too good to be true but I haven't found anyone who has every tried it so I guess there must be some reason for that.

It’s only suitable for lower-level prescriptions, it’s not suitable for everyone, that’s one reason it’s not more widespread.

I know my prescription is way too high for it to work for me, but I don’t know what the limit is. One of my ophthalmologists had a relative (daughter?) who did it, and apparently it worked really well for her. He was the one who made me promise to never have laser eye correction because I was too high a risk for complications too, fwiw.

Bluelightbaby · 28/05/2023 23:24

I had laser eye surgery around 14yrs ago and it cost £500 at vision express

absolutely the best thing I ever did !

bassclef · 29/05/2023 07:49

Fourcandlesx · 28/05/2023 21:51

Have you thought about Ortho k lenses? You wear them overnight and they reshape your cornea so you have perfect vision the next day and don't need to wear glasses or lenses? I really want to try them and my prescription is similar to yours. They sound too good to be true but I haven't found anyone who has every tried it so I guess there must be some reason for that.

I have ortho K lenses, fourcandlesx, and have been wearing them for about 8.5 years. I love them! Happy to answer any questions offlist so we don't derail the thread. I'm actually lurking on this thread as my son wants laser eye surgery when he's a bit older (finished growing), so thanks to all those that have shared their experiences,

Ispywithmycynicaleye · 29/05/2023 08:45

@LimeMango He was the one who made me promise to never have laser eye correction because I was too high a risk for complications too, fwiw My opthomologist said the same thing to me, told me it was a fad, never works, bad fof my eyes and woild make my prescription worse. Turns out he just didn't want to lose me as a customer! (He was a small independant optician). Extensive tests I had done with the large chain opticians who were doing the surgery at the time showed I was a perfect candidate for it and I had and still have perfect eye sight now with not a single complication.

LimeMango · 29/05/2023 09:57

Ispywithmycynicaleye · 29/05/2023 08:45

@LimeMango He was the one who made me promise to never have laser eye correction because I was too high a risk for complications too, fwiw My opthomologist said the same thing to me, told me it was a fad, never works, bad fof my eyes and woild make my prescription worse. Turns out he just didn't want to lose me as a customer! (He was a small independant optician). Extensive tests I had done with the large chain opticians who were doing the surgery at the time showed I was a perfect candidate for it and I had and still have perfect eye sight now with not a single complication.

It was my ophthalmologist (hospital consultant) not my optometrist (opticians). Whilst I was seeing the ophthalmologist privately, it was for a one-off procedure and he wouldn’t have benefited in any way by my continued wearing of glasses/contact lenses.

Ispywithmycynicaleye · 29/05/2023 10:37

Ah I see. Apologies, I'm rubbish with the official titles. Still annoys me what my optometrist did tho. He also told me my DS needed glasses when he had perfect eyesight which we found out by chance at a different opticians after our regular one was closed.

Ispywithmycynicaleye · 29/05/2023 10:37

Sorry... rant over Grin

Sunnytomorrow · 22/07/2023 15:25

Has anyone had the Relex SMILE surgery? I have dry eyes and have been told Smile may be suitable but would love to hear from anyone who has actually done it.

Katrinawaves · 22/07/2023 17:43

I had to look up my records but yes my surgery at the London Vision Clinic was Relex Smile and I was suffering from dry eyes before I had it. I had blended surgery with one eye being treated for distance and the other for reading. This was about 4 years ago now.

In my case the surgery was a complete success. I have perfect long and reading vision now and no longer have issues with dry eyes. When I had the surgery they placed a small plug in the tear duct to address the dry eye issue

Loveys · 22/07/2023 21:19

I had lens replacement 4 weeks ago and it's been absolutely brilliant! I'm 51

JasonOsCubanHeels · 22/07/2023 21:26

I had lasek and was back in glasses full time within 4 years. I feel like the company lied to me - all they said was I might need reading glasses in the future. No mention of the fact my eyesight would continue to deteriorate

Grainne23 · 08/03/2024 11:33

Hi I am getting laser eye surgery done soon and I am looking for a referral if anyone has one?

Grainne23 · 08/03/2024 11:33

Hi I am getting laser eye surgery soon and am wondering if anyone has a referral code?