Lens replacement surgery

[Bobbybobbins]

I am considering lens replacement surgery and wondered how people have found it in terms of pain, recovery time and average cost?

Like cataract surgery? Mine was NHS so no idea on cost. Very little pain - none at all during the procedure and a little puffiness around eye afterwards.
Recovery very quick
Just have to be careful with your eyes for a couple of weeks and use the eye drops as directed.

Thank you @Beamur I think it is the same process. Glad it was a success!

I would not have it done for sight correction, there are risks and I am now partially sighted in one eye because of them.

Mine were done for cataracts. The operations were easy, pain free.

My husband had cataract surgery on Tuesday; it cost £3700-ish. He isn't in any pain - and hasn't had any - and is using the drops as directed.

Not cheap (around £4k per eye) but worth every penny. Shortsighted since the age of seven, it’s been life-changing and I wish I’d had it done years ago. I only did it because I was told I had cataracts forming at age 63.

Going privately meant I could have multi-focal lenses and a toric lens in one eye to correct astigmatism. I now have 20/20 distance vision, I use glasses for reading but I can read a book or my phone without them, it’s just a bit easier to use them. Having been so shortsighted that I couldn’t read a newspaper without my glasses, it’s absolutely amazing.

The procedure is completely painless and fairly quick, the worst bit was all the hanging around before and after. The drops they put in to dilate your eyes take about 24 hours to wear off but you’ll be able to see straight away. I was driving again two days later, once I could read a number plate at the correct distance.

They will do each eye separately, and it’s a bit awkward in between the two. I had one lens taken out of my glasses so I could continue to wear them on the other eye, but it did make it difficult to focus.

You have to put drops in for about two weeks afterwards, I was fine doing this on my own but struggled to get the top off the bottles! I live alone, and I had absolutely no problem looking after myself.

I used savings for one op, and put the other one on an interest free credit card which I’m still paying off. Definitely worth it.

H had it done years ago when it was £2000 per eye.

Worth every penny - he's been free from glasses since.

All very straight forward - he recovered quickly and felt like he didn't need the checks afterwards (which he reluctantly attended).

The following day, after his first eye was done, he was amazed at the colour of everything and could see birds in the trees - something he didn't know he'd been missing. His eye colour also lightened considerably - must've have had cloudy lenses before.

He's been wondering why I don't have it done.

Oh yes - I put four pairs of glasses in the recycling box at my local church, and commented to a friend that that was probably about £2000 worth! I now buy £2 reading glasses from QD and have a pair in every room in the house. I won’t live long enough to recoup the cost of the operation in the saving on glasses, definitely should’ve had it done earlier.

No pain (genuinely). Mild ache in one eye occasionally for the following week easily dealt with with paracetamol.

Had it done on Thursday, was driving by Saturday evening. Completely settled within 4 weeks. Just had my 3 month check and everything is perfect.

£8000 for both eyes in the South East (the most painful bit!). But if you want it done DM me and I can do a referral for you that will get us both some £.

How old are you guys who have had it done please ? Did you not think if laser eye surgery?

i had laser surgery back in 90’s mainly for distance . So one eye for distance one for near lens
but now I’m older 68 my near vision is worse (can’t really see very small writing say in cans, and tv) if dark definitely have to wear glasses now for driving .

I hate wearing glasses forever cleaning them
plus don’t like the feel in my nose

Thanks everyone this is super helpful. I have -10 vision now having worn glasses since early childhood (46 now) and it was my optician who suggested looking in to it. My dad has recently had one eye done for cataracts and is very happy with the results which has also promoted me to look into it. Have recently had an unexpected inheritance so considering using some of it.

@Mancity08apparently as my prescription is high and complicated by astigmatism I am not a good candidate for laser.

the procedure its self is very very odd but also very quick, I had both eyes done on the same day I know some places do them on consecutive days. When they remove your old lens it's like looking through a kaleidoscope very very weird but zero pain at all. I remember coming out and everything being so blury and i though"what have i done" I went home - slept woke up and could see it was honestly like a miracle. I drove the next day, recovery was great - alot of drops to use and i had a slight tweak with some laser a couple of months afterwards.
You can get "halos" and starbursts around lights especially from car headlights but in time your brain adjusts to this and shuts them out. It is the best thing i have ever done, so much so that i now don't even give it a thought I can just see!

I was 52 when I had my lenses replaced. I was fed up of reading glasses on off on off on off ad infintium or however the saying goes

i love it I can see the teeeniest writing now no bother. The only thing I don't like as much is that my long sight is not quite as good as it was (was always long sighted) but. I'll take it.

recovery fine

Just had mine done. Both eyes.Local anaesthetic. Very easy and pain free. The thought of it was worse than the actuality.
The after care drops do sting a bit.

I was -5 prescription, now perfect for distance and wear reading glasses for books, but with my electronic devices, I can alter the size so I can read without.

I did have the beginnings of cataracts, but had to do this privately, as they were not bad enough for the NHS. About £8000 for both eyes.

( Previously I was spending £600 per year on contacts , plus around £600 per pair for varifocals and sunglasses. So if I live long enough , I will recoup the cost)

Wish I had talked to the optician about it years ago. Life changing.

I was at high risk of angle closure glaucoma and was recommended RLE to prevent the possibility of going blind. I’d work glasses since I was 3. Now I don’t need them at all. The procedure was fine around £4000 in 2022. Had a multifocal and a toric lens as I’d previously had squint surgery and that eye wouldn’t have worked well with multifocal. I would have been too scared to have it done if I didn’t have to but it’s been fine. My eyes get a bit dry and I use lubricating eye drops. I had to go back and have a minor laser treatment due to post capsule opacification - a common but minor complication. This was done on the NHS. It’s wonderful being able to read and drive without glasses!

£4800 both eyes 7 years ago best money ever spent - probably saved that on silly glasses - no pain no fuss drove myself home!

I'm needing the laser treatment for the capsule too - quite a common after effect and very easily treated.
My prescription was around -10 and getting significantly worse in one eye (more than -20) and then cataracts as well.
The difference is amazing. First time in my life I've experienced what it's like to have good vision. I need glasses to read small print but otherwise it's pretty life changing.
If you can afford it, it's great. I understand it's a more permanent fix than laser treatment as that can need doing again after a few years and isn't suitable for everyone.