My Experience With Laser Eye Surgery

[LionOfJudah]

I'm one of the ones who apparently can't have lasik at this time as my precription is too bad.
I'm +6.25 in left and +5 in right with astigmatism in both.
I've been to 3 different places, they all say they can only do up to a +4 and down to a -10.
The reason however, non of them will say, just that its not progressed that far yet technology wise for whatever reason.

Currently I'm on my 15th pair of contact lenses since May this year, first it was soft contacts, vision wasn't good enough to read, tweaked a few times and little to no improvement. I did get really good at putting them in and taking them out though.

Then I got GP contacts and to be honest, they are no better, I still can't read text comfortably at arms length on a screen. The vision is more stable than soft contacts, but they are not good enough. My optician says I probably have higher expectations than I should be having.
I understand contacts wont be as good as glasses, but cmon, it should be pretty darn close or there is absolutely no point.

Currently I have a "special" pair of GP lenses on order that have a different shape to them that he says might suit my eyes better, its probably my last chance. I really don't see whats so hard, my optician has said there is nothing wrong my eyes that would cause contacts to not work.

you have to find out why these don't work for you. also what opticians do you use? independents generally will have far more experience with more complex contact lens fittings.

 

[MatsyLR]

you have to find out why these don't work for you. also what opticians do you use? independents generally will have far more experience with more complex contact lens fittings.

I've used Specsavers, vision express and optical express for contacts.
With specsavers I gave up after a few soft lenses as nothing improved and told me I have high expectations even though I couldn't even read normal text on a piece of paper.
I then went to optical express where I a had a similar experience.
Vision express are the ones I am currently using for GP lenses, I've had 5 GP lenses from them so far and 3 soft lenses, its improved every time, but its still just not good enough.

With the pair I currently have (Im not wearing them) they are about as good as when I focus with my glasses not even on which is just bizarre.
I can read but its straining and doesn't last long before I get a headache.

My current optician says there is nothing wrong my eyes that would cause issues, the lenses are centred correctly, don't move around too much and the spacing between my eye and the lenses is spot on. I can read the test chart at 20/20 but its blurry, I can just make it out enough to make a good guess, apparently that's "good enough" according to him even though I can't even read my monitor at an arm length away without straining.

I'm in the Sunderland area.

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

I am booked in for LASIK at London Vision Clinic on the 30th...excited and nervous!

How long did it take from your initial query to your appointment? Also whats the arrangements for your visit, are you staying up for the night for followups etc?

 

[Robdav]

Well done. I am pleased for you. I am short sighted and was told by a person in the opticians that if I had it done I would need glasses for reading: which I don't need at the moment (untreated)

this happened to me. had the surgery as I could see anything at a distance. I wasn't told that I would need reading glasses after the correction was done so I was pretty shocked when I couldn't read. I then had to explain to the mrs why the £4k I just spent still meant I had to wear glasses even if it was only for reading!

 

[Martynt74]

I had mine done early November. It has slightly over corrected my vision but don’t feel I need reading glasses at the moment luckily. He did say they sometimes over correct as your vision continues to degrade over time so it keeps it good for longer. Not sure if that’s an excuse though!

My main issue is blurred vision when I’m dehydrated. Usually worse after a night of drinking. Hoping that eases over a few months though.

 

[shiver]

How long did it take from your initial query to your appointment? Also whats the arrangements for your visit, are you staying up for the night for followups etc?

Contacted them mid-November, first appointment was early December, consultation the next week and surgery tomorrow.

I live in London Zone 2 so will be public transport there and booking an AddisonLee afterwards.

 

[Nikolic]

I can also not speak highly enough of Dr Dan at the London Vision Clinic. Had the ReLEx SMILE surgery 5.5 years ago and it was brilliant. Appreciate it’s expensive but he and his team are really the best.

I was cleared to go about normal activities (shower, use the tube etc) after my 24 hour check in.

I’ve had a few friends use other high street clinics since and none could match the care, quality and reassurance I received from the LVC.

 

[kindai]

I can also not speak highly enough of Dr Dan at the London Vision Clinic. Had the ReLEx SMILE surgery 5.5 years ago and it was brilliant. Appreciate it’s expensive but he and his team are really the best.

I was clearly to go about normal activities (shower, use the tube etc) after my 24 hour check in.

I’ve had a few friends use other high street clinics since and none of them could match the care and quality reassurance I received from the LVC.

Indeed, while I was there there were 2 people awaiting corrective surgery to fix bad procedures from cheap high street companies.

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

Contacted them mid-November, first appointment was early December, consultation the next week and surgery tomorrow.

I live in London Zone 2 so will be public transport there and booking an AddisonLee afterwards.

Oh sorry I must have mistaken you for another poster, I could have sworn I saw Aberdeen as your location

 

[Tephnos]

this happened to me. had the surgery as I could see anything at a distance. I wasn't told that I would need reading glasses after the correction was done so I was pretty shocked when I couldn't read. I then had to explain to the mrs why the £4k I just spent still meant I had to wear glasses even if it was only for reading!

Better that than needing bifoclas when you lose the ability to read later on anyway!

 

[shiver]

I am booked in for LASIK at London Vision Clinic on the 30th...excited and nervous!

Well I'm roughly 1 month after LASIK and loving it so far. I've had my 4 week follow up check and healing is going as planned. I still get a slight variation on vision depending on how tired I am (work has been very busy recently) but in general I have loved not requiring glasses for daily life.

I do get dry eyes and they suggest that will persist for several months but I'm quite used to regular eyedrops now. I also experience occasional flaring around bright yellow-ish lights and starbursting on bright white lights (like LED car headlights) but I've noticed a definite reduction continuing as the swelling goes down.

TL;DR - had LASIK at London Vision Clinic for a relatively high longsighted prescription a month ago and very happy I did it!

 

[bainbridge]

Well I'm roughly 1 month after LASIK and loving it so far. I've had my 4 week follow up check and healing is going as planned. I still get a slight variation on vision depending on how tired I am (work has been very busy recently) but in general I have loved not requiring glasses for daily life.

I do get dry eyes and they suggest that will persist for several months but I'm quite used to regular eyedrops now. I also experience occasional flaring around bright yellow-ish lights and starbursting on bright white lights (like LED car headlights) but I've noticed a definite reduction continuing as the swelling goes down.

TL;DR - had LASIK at London Vision Clinic for a relatively high longsighted prescription a month ago and very happy I did it!

Give it time and things will settle down. My best advice is go easy on your eyes with work etc. Take regular breaks away from screens, I know we're all told to do this with elf n safety and all that but it really does help.

Glad you're happy with the result!

 

[shiver]

Give it time and things will settle down. My best advice is go easy on your eyes with work etc. Take regular breaks away from screens, I know we're all told to do this with elf n safety and all that but it really does help.

Glad you're happy with the result!

Will soon be on holiday for 2.5 weeks so planning on plenty of rest!