Soldato
If you really want it, you should try somewhere like the London Vision Clinic. State of the art and I very much doubt they'd say no to those kinds of corrections.
My Experience With Laser Eye Surgery
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If you really want it, you should try somewhere like the London Vision Clinic. State of the art and I very much doubt they'd say no to those kinds of corrections.
I was - 2.5 in both eyes and got LASEK. My work can be very physical and sometimes confrontational so I couldn't take the risks with the LASIK flap and traumatic injury to it. It never fully heals.
Initial night after was fine although wearing the anti scratch goggles thingy was uncomfortable whilst taped to your face. Day 2 is when the pain train started chugging. Some of the worst, untouchable pain I've ever experienced in my life. Having an allergic reaction to the codeine based pain killer didn't help either.
In the first week I really doubted what I'd done. I had really bad double / triple vision on high contrast things like black text on a white background. My vision was blurry and much worse than my corrected contact lense sight.
I had to have a healing contact lense change at home due to severe discomfort and pain. It took about a month before my vision had stabilised to the same as my corrected vision was. I had persistent dry eyes at night when sleeping for over a year. I'd wake up with dried out eyes and open my eyelids without thinking causing immense pain.
Only now, many years later have my dry eyes subsided and I only ever get it whilst sleeping on the odd occasion. My night vision isn't as good as the day vision but its fine. I get some slight halos on very bright lighting sources but it's a non issue.
I'd don't regret doing it. Being glasses and contact free is great. Contacts were fine for me but after about 7 years I became intolerant to them.
Make sure you do your research is all I'll say and consider the downsides of LASIK even if the recovery time is much faster.
Initial night after was fine although wearing the anti scratch goggles thingy was uncomfortable whilst taped to your face. Day 2 is when the pain train started chugging. Some of the worst, untouchable pain I've ever experienced in my life. Having an allergic reaction to the codeine based pain killer didn't help either.
In the first week I really doubted what I'd done. I had really bad double / triple vision on high contrast things like black text on a white background. My vision was blurry and much worse than my corrected contact lense sight.
I had to have a healing contact lense change at home due to severe discomfort and pain. It took about a month before my vision had stabilised to the same as my corrected vision was. I had persistent dry eyes at night when sleeping for over a year. I'd wake up with dried out eyes and open my eyelids without thinking causing immense pain.
Only now, many years later have my dry eyes subsided and I only ever get it whilst sleeping on the odd occasion. My night vision isn't as good as the day vision but its fine. I get some slight halos on very bright lighting sources but it's a non issue.
I'd don't regret doing it. Being glasses and contact free is great. Contacts were fine for me but after about 7 years I became intolerant to them.
Make sure you do your research is all I'll say and consider the downsides of LASIK even if the recovery time is much faster.
Why is it as soon as you mentioned to literally anyone about laser eye surgery - everyone thinks they're an expert and proudly proclaims "it's not permanent though is it" like you're some sort of mug for doing it. Your body continues to age, your eyes continue to age. If they could stop the ageing process then well we'd all have something better to talk about. What laser eye surgery does is continue the ageing process from a much better position. So if you didn't have it done you might need glasses/reading glasses by your 40s, but after having it done you might not need those reading glasses until you're 55. That in my view is well worth it.
Personally, I had it done 4.5yrs ago at the LVC on Harley Street. I used to have to wear glasses 24/7. I still maintain it's the best £4.5k I've ever spent and would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone.
Soldato
I'm not an expect at all, i was just responding to a question posted.
By all accounts my wife is glad she had it done and regularly tries to convince me to have it done too.
Who said they were an expert?
Each person judges their own level of acceptable risk.
If anybody were to say, "There is no risk", then that person would be wrong.
I don't doubt it can improve quality of life. There are also, however, possible side-effects that people should be aware of.
I considered it myself. However for me the prospect of wearing glasses for the rest of my life isn't so horrid that I'm prepared to take the risk of being one of the poor sods who gets chronic dry eyes, or impaired night-vision, or...
No-one, but your original reply was written more-than like you thought yourself one. I was commenting more on the day-to-day conversations I've had with people about the procedure. I'd say half of those conversations follow a similar route ("oh it's not permanent though is it"). It takes a 5min chat with an actual expert to explain why it's not permanent (due to ageing).
Mate of mine had his eyes lasered about 30 years ago when we were teenagers. It was uncommon then. I've known him since I was 4 and he'd always worn thick glasses or contacts as we got older. He still has good eyesight and doesn't wear specs at 45/46.
My posts just said I'd read up on it and there was a risk of side-effects (not common, but not exactly rare either. Chronic dry eyes being one of them, necessitating the use of eye drops for the rest of your life...)
What's your object to that, btw? Question: did the people doing your operation tell you about the possible side-effects? I'm sure they would have done. I imagine the are required by law to do just that.
So why is that information coming from me a bad thing again?
It seems you've taken offence to my pointing out that some people have had complications/side effects. I genuinely can't figure out why.
Soldato
Not entirely true either, though. You may actually need reading glasses *earlier* because minor myopia can counteract the effects of presbyopia to a degree (decrease in reading power negated by the increased reading power that myopia gives you).
Readers > bifocals though, always.
I will say though, spend the money on your eyes and get it properly done at a place like the LVC. Most of the stories of side effects come from high street places. Treat it like the surgery that it is and only let the best of the best go near your eyeballs.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2007
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If you get laser surgery your retina is still stretched if your myopic and detachment risk is increased with surgery.
Because you hijacked a thread on someone's personal experience with laser eye surgery with conjecture. I'm aware the OP is years old but I only saw it for the first time when it was bumped and was quite taken aback (especially in these times with fake news etc.) by how arrogant your response came across. If you can't see that, well...
Conjecture is not balance to someone's personal experience. Someone's personal experience with the experts by the way, not people on the internet like yours. And by the way, balance to this argument would be your own negative personal experience, not a layman's opinion based on "research".
Vague enough? People? How many people? You're writing as if 99% of people have issues. Why?
I'm not offended by any of this, I'm just bored with people writing stuff on the internet after 5mins of "research" and spouting it as fact. Whether it's laser eye surgery, taxes, bylaws.. whatever. Especially when you're arguing against somebody's personal experience (and others like myself that have chimed in with positive experiences)
@Scam you are being frankly ridiculous.
There are documented and well-known side effects which can, do and have presented in a small number of people having the surgery. This is not conjecture.
I'm afraid that being able to point to posters in this thread who have not suffered side effects does not make the risk of such side-effects conjecture, or lies, or whatever you want to call it.
Also having surgery undertaken upon you by an expert doesn't make you an expert. That is fairly obvious.
I never claimed to be a surgeon or a medical professional. But for Pete's sake man, Google will tell you that side effects of these surgeries are possible.
That is why I chose not to undertake the surgery myself. There is a risk. It is a small risk. But I don't consider wearing glasses to be that big of a deal.
Acceptable risk is about judging what you are prepared to accept as an outcome. Some of the side effects I would not want to live with. So I stuck with glasses.
Now if you really want to dredge through my posting history you might find that there are genuine experts in my family. And they also chose not to have the surgery for themselves (poor eyesight runs in our family). Serveral times I discussed it with experts, but not ones who were trying to sell me anything.
You seem awfully keen to dismiss the potential for complications in these surgeries. It makes me highly suspicious.
Anyone with 5 minutes to spare can Google for potential side effects. Do you think I'm asking people to believe me and something I've just made up on the spot? Lol, no. Anybody can find this info in 2-3 minutes.
I'll ask you one more time since you dodged the question:
When you had your consultation, did they explain the potential side effects to you? Legally they should have. So you should be aware of the possibility of complications, just as much as I am.
It's great that (seemingly) nobody in this thread had problems. I don't wish problems on anyone. But to say that there is no risk as you are doing... it is flying in the face of scientific fact and it is ill advised.
Lastly, your assertion that raising the potential side effects is something only a person who had suffered complication can do with any validity... that is a position devoid of any logic whatsoever.
It's like saying you shouldn't warn people about the danger of driving off a cliff until you've driven off a cliff yourself. It's a very strange position to have taken.
There are documented and well-known side effects which can, do and have presented in a small number of people having the surgery. This is not conjecture.
I'm afraid that being able to point to posters in this thread who have not suffered side effects does not make the risk of such side-effects conjecture, or lies, or whatever you want to call it.
Also having surgery undertaken upon you by an expert doesn't make you an expert. That is fairly obvious.
I never claimed to be a surgeon or a medical professional. But for Pete's sake man, Google will tell you that side effects of these surgeries are possible.
That is why I chose not to undertake the surgery myself. There is a risk. It is a small risk. But I don't consider wearing glasses to be that big of a deal.
Acceptable risk is about judging what you are prepared to accept as an outcome. Some of the side effects I would not want to live with. So I stuck with glasses.
Now if you really want to dredge through my posting history you might find that there are genuine experts in my family. And they also chose not to have the surgery for themselves (poor eyesight runs in our family). Serveral times I discussed it with experts, but not ones who were trying to sell me anything.
You seem awfully keen to dismiss the potential for complications in these surgeries. It makes me highly suspicious.
Anyone with 5 minutes to spare can Google for potential side effects. Do you think I'm asking people to believe me and something I've just made up on the spot? Lol, no. Anybody can find this info in 2-3 minutes.
I'll ask you one more time since you dodged the question:
When you had your consultation, did they explain the potential side effects to you? Legally they should have. So you should be aware of the possibility of complications, just as much as I am.
It's great that (seemingly) nobody in this thread had problems. I don't wish problems on anyone. But to say that there is no risk as you are doing... it is flying in the face of scientific fact and it is ill advised.
Lastly, your assertion that raising the potential side effects is something only a person who had suffered complication can do with any validity... that is a position devoid of any logic whatsoever.
It's like saying you shouldn't warn people about the danger of driving off a cliff until you've driven off a cliff yourself. It's a very strange position to have taken.
Associate
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- 22 May 2019
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- 4
Would stay away dont want to mess with nature
Holy thread bump, saw this on the front page and was confused for a second. Was like I don't recall posting in this thread!
For me yes it has been worth it. I had dry eyes before my surgery and I'd say they have got worse after I had the surgery. Night time can be a problem, when I wake up eyes feel so dry so have to keep eye drops by my side. Night time driving can sometimes be hard but that's usually more down to my eyes getting dry as I get more tired towards the evening.
I had LASEK not LASIK, crazy recovery time though. Took like 6-8 weeks for my eyes to get up to a reasonable level.
You'll need to do your own research about now but when I had mine done Julian Stevens at Moorfields & Professor Dan Reinstein at London Vision Clinic were seen as two of the best. I remember reading at the time if other places messed up they'd usually send people to them. So you might want to read up on them and maybe go for an appointment and see what they say.
For me yes it has been worth it. I had dry eyes before my surgery and I'd say they have got worse after I had the surgery. Night time can be a problem, when I wake up eyes feel so dry so have to keep eye drops by my side. Night time driving can sometimes be hard but that's usually more down to my eyes getting dry as I get more tired towards the evening.
I had LASEK not LASIK, crazy recovery time though. Took like 6-8 weeks for my eyes to get up to a reasonable level.
You'll need to do your own research about now but when I had mine done Julian Stevens at Moorfields & Professor Dan Reinstein at London Vision Clinic were seen as two of the best. I remember reading at the time if other places messed up they'd usually send people to them. So you might want to read up on them and maybe go for an appointment and see what they say.
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If anyone is interested in my experience and the 15 years since.
I had Lasik with Optical Express in 2004, I was shortsighted about -5.00 in each eye with some astigmatism.
In terms of results I achieved perfect sight in one eye and the other was slightly over corrected to +0.50 and this provided me with great vision and no need for glasses.
From what I remember about the surgery, it was quick and painless apart from the clamping of the eyes which I found uncomfortable.
I never suffered any pain post operatively but I had the worst dry eye ever to the point of needing to apply eye drops and gels every few minutes and it made me regret it initially. I found aftercare to be awful at OE and they didn’t offer any help other than telling me to buy eye gel from the pharmacy (but this was 15 yrs ago so not sure if this has improved since)
After about two weeks my eyes suddenly started watering one morning and the dry eye resolved with no further dry eye issues.
My eyesight was good from the second day. For a few weeks after I did find lights to be very bright but this resolved.
Timeline following surgery
2006: I didn’t notice any night driving issues until about two years after when it became a struggle. Lots of glare, starbursts and poor low light vision. Despite my prescription not deteriorating at sight tests I did suddenly struggle with night driving and still do to this day.
2010: Started struggling with vision, eye test found left eye had got worse and was now +1.00 and right eye remained Plano (perfect vision).
2012: By this point left eye is +1.50 and right is -0.75 so one eye long sighted and the other short sighted. I had also developed astigmatism in both eyes. I got fitted with contact lenses at that point, that was fun and games because my altered corneas just couldn’t fit contacts and most opticians I visited had no idea how to fit contacts in post Lasik eyes . Eventually they found some that worked ok but vision variable in these.
2019: vision still the same as 2012 so not deteriorated any further, well apart from the fact I know have a reading prescription of +0.75 on top of the prescriptions above.
I still have varying vision with my contact lenses due to my altered corneas from the surgery. Better in glasses and frustrating i only got about 6 years unaided vision.
Despite that I am considering doing it again but from research I will likely need Lasek and will still need reading glasses. If I’m suitable I might just try one eye at a time to see how it goes. I’m only 39 so young to have the reading addition already but everything I read says Lasik don’t accelerate presbyopia...
I had Lasik with Optical Express in 2004, I was shortsighted about -5.00 in each eye with some astigmatism.
In terms of results I achieved perfect sight in one eye and the other was slightly over corrected to +0.50 and this provided me with great vision and no need for glasses.
From what I remember about the surgery, it was quick and painless apart from the clamping of the eyes which I found uncomfortable.
I never suffered any pain post operatively but I had the worst dry eye ever to the point of needing to apply eye drops and gels every few minutes and it made me regret it initially. I found aftercare to be awful at OE and they didn’t offer any help other than telling me to buy eye gel from the pharmacy (but this was 15 yrs ago so not sure if this has improved since)
After about two weeks my eyes suddenly started watering one morning and the dry eye resolved with no further dry eye issues.
My eyesight was good from the second day. For a few weeks after I did find lights to be very bright but this resolved.
Timeline following surgery
2006: I didn’t notice any night driving issues until about two years after when it became a struggle. Lots of glare, starbursts and poor low light vision. Despite my prescription not deteriorating at sight tests I did suddenly struggle with night driving and still do to this day.
2010: Started struggling with vision, eye test found left eye had got worse and was now +1.00 and right eye remained Plano (perfect vision).
2012: By this point left eye is +1.50 and right is -0.75 so one eye long sighted and the other short sighted. I had also developed astigmatism in both eyes. I got fitted with contact lenses at that point, that was fun and games because my altered corneas just couldn’t fit contacts and most opticians I visited had no idea how to fit contacts in post Lasik eyes . Eventually they found some that worked ok but vision variable in these.
2019: vision still the same as 2012 so not deteriorated any further, well apart from the fact I know have a reading prescription of +0.75 on top of the prescriptions above.
I still have varying vision with my contact lenses due to my altered corneas from the surgery. Better in glasses and frustrating i only got about 6 years unaided vision.
Despite that I am considering doing it again but from research I will likely need Lasek and will still need reading glasses. If I’m suitable I might just try one eye at a time to see how it goes. I’m only 39 so young to have the reading addition already but everything I read says Lasik don’t accelerate presbyopia...
Soldato
It won't accelerate it but it kind of 'will'. Natural myopes can stave off presbyopia for a few years to a few decades due to the strengthened reading power they have. Resetting your eyes to 20/20 will mean you will need glasses around mid 40s like the rest of them, when before you could have waited until 50s.
Soldato
I'll be looking into getting mine done in a few years time. I think they've almost settled at how bad they're going to get; at -6.00 in each eye. It's a lot of money, but to be able to wake up and just see sounds incredible; i've been wearing contacts since i was 11 (now 27) and it's just become a way of life.
Glad it went so well for you
Glad it went so well for you
Soldato
Just seen my own post from 2012! Got my eyes lasered in April 2017. Best money I have ever spent my an absolute mile. I really do mean that
.I paid £3600 - iirc one eye was -5.0 and one was -4.0 (-4.0 and -3.0 in contacts).
Soldato
I had bilateral LASEK at Optimax, Finchley Road, London in December 2003. My myopia wasn't severe - right eye: -3.25 with -1.0 astigmatism and left eye: -3.75 with -1.50 astigmatism. The op was a hell - couldn't open my eyes for first 3 days, for 10 days post op I couldn't see properly neither near nor far, had to take leave from work, even a month later I was still on fluorometholone drops to help clear up my eyes so I could drive. The halo effect around lights lasted for nearly a decade.
The op didn't work. You get one shot at this in life and mine wasn't anywhere near successful. I ended up with - 1.25 with -0.25 astigmatism in my right eye and -1.0 with -0.5 astigmatism in the left eye. The surgeon who worked on my eyes wore glasses himself. So did the nurse. Says it all really.
The op didn't work. You get one shot at this in life and mine wasn't anywhere near successful. I ended up with - 1.25 with -0.25 astigmatism in my right eye and -1.0 with -0.5 astigmatism in the left eye. The surgeon who worked on my eyes wore glasses himself. So did the nurse. Says it all really.
Soldato
Sorry to hear they botched it
This is why I put up with contacts and glasses. Just don't trust someone with a laser going at my eyes. Not to mention the cost of it.