Laser eye surgery

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Anyone had it recently? I've been for the consultation and am ok to go ahead.
I'm nervous about a couple of things

1. Having to use reading glasses. The guy said after 45 your short sight deteriorates so would have to use reading glasses. So I'm a bit, what's the point? Although I know wearing them for that would be much less. I can currently still read with glasses on (-3.75 both eyes) but better without
2. Dry eyes. I can't wear contacts for long as eyes get so gritty but guy also tested for dry eyes and they are ok. I've tried daily acuvue and oasis and can only tolerate for couple hours. Anything else I could try to be able to wear contacts longer? Flaxseed oil? Drops?
3. Actual procedure. I fainted during the consultation when they dilate your eyes so the op doesn't bode well!! Ha ha. He did say you lie down so that might help and I did recover so I guess I can live with fainting again.

Hi OP I had Lasik a few years ago.

I pretty much accepted that I'll probably need reading glasses when I'm older. The surgery can correct poor eyesight but can't correct macular degeneration (ie: getting old). Even then- I will only need reading glasses rather than the multitude of different lenses for my prescription.

I don't have particularly dry or drier eyes. I am a bit more sensitive to bright light but it's not been a big deal. Why are you worrying about contacts if you're getting laser eye surgery?

The actual procedure is pretty horrible. There's no getting around that. I lay there thinking 'WTF am I doing!?!?'
But I came home, went to bed and woke up the next day with perfect eyesight.

No more foggy glasses, extortionate frames, tension headaches from squinting, all the sunglasses that I ever dreamed of and no fear of big earrings.

It's given me about 8 years so far of just not even thinking about my vision- which was at -5.75 and -6.25 - so pretty bad. Even if my eyesight were to worsen- it's starting from the beginning again rather than the poor eyesight that I had.

Thank you. I think it would be good to hear some experiences. I'm 90% sure I'm going to do it though dreading procedure. Especially given my reaction to just the consultation! 😂

I guess the contacts question was in case anyone had had any luck with contacts if they had had years of gritty eyes with them! Before I take plunge with eye surgery.

I had mine 2 years ago in March. I had the ReLEX SMILE procedure in Sheffield. My prescription was -3/75, -4.0

1. Having to use reading glasses.

I'm 45y now. Had the procedure at 43. At present my eye sight is perfect, flowing surgery. I was warned, as is everyone, that what the surgery can't do is prevent natural ageing of your eye sight, so you may still require reading glasses eventually. I used to have to wear contact lenses all the time, though could read without, which i often did at night. However, even if my eye sight does deteriorate naturally, it will only be reading glasses I will need for the times when I was reading - which chances are I'd have needed naturally too, if so, and then I'd be messing about with bifocals.

2. Dry eyes.

Dry eyes is sometimes a complication for laser surgery but not always, My eyes are fine. There are drops you can use though, both with and without lenses.

3. Actual procedure.

Surgery was laid down and very quick. Within an hour I had arrived, had the initial check and paperwork done, had surgery, received the information at the end and was getting ready to leave. I was shocked at how quick it all was.

I was laid down for the whole procedure. There is no pain. It's an odd sensation, but not painful or uncomfortable.

i had it over 10 years ago best thing i did, wish i had it done sooner, i had already used reading glasses, the procedure was scary but not painful, i remember waking up in the morning and thinking o i can see the time on the clock without haveing to put my glasses on, going swiming on holiday not worrying about contacts falling out, ten years on i still have great vision.

Ok I'm going to do it 😬😃

I had very dry eyes afterwards. Procedure done 5 years ago. Good result but I would be very unhappy working in an air-conditioned environment. I still use gel at night.

I had it done six years ago, no problems, I'm now mid 40s and eyes are just starting to deteriorate a little.

DH had his done eight years ago. He has scarring which has worsened over the years and now means he has very poor vision in one eye and is having to have further surgery to correct it. He's had all sorts of problems including a grittiness feeling.

Colleague at work's husband went practically blind in one eye.

Only problem is sometimes if i've had a few too many on a night out I'll come home and try and take my contact lenses out - forgetting that I no longer wear contact lenses.

Bit of an ouch. But luckily no harm done.

I had a bit of a breakdown during the procedure. Told the Dr he was a horrible, horrible man. I did apologise the following day...!

I had it done in my late 30's and I'm early fifties now. Mine was -6 in both eyes and astigmatism in one eye.
I started having to wear reading glasses (off the shelf) in my late 40's. More recently, I've noticed that my vision is worse in the twilight hours when driving. I live rurally so no street lights and no cats eyes on narrow roads at night and I can still read road signs etc. but it's definitely not as sharp as during the daylight. I'm due an eye test soon.
I still think it was the best 3k I've ever spent.

I had mine done 8 years ago and I wish I'd done it years before. It has been amazing. I never liked contacts due to dry eyes but I've never had dry eyes after the procedure. My vision is amazing. The procedure itself is not great but it's not actually painful, just weird feeling. It is also very quick. The prep part of taping back your eyelids and cleaning the area takes a bit of time but the actual laser part is very quick. The surgeon was like 5...4....3...all done! They had a room where you could lie down for a bit afterwards and gather your wits. Do it OP!

The London Vision Clinic (and possibly other places) do something called laser blended vision where they make one eye mainly long sighted and a bit short sighted and the other eye mainly short sighted and a bit long sighted (I think) which can lessen the need for reading glasses for a time. Takes the brain a while to get used to it apparently

So quick and easy but my God, the smell!