Laser Eye Surgery

OUT OF HOURS HEALTH AND FAMILY (INTERACTIVE)
1

has anybody had this done? does it work as good as they say it does?

if you have it done do you need to inform DVLA about it to get the must wear glasses malarky removed or have a complete medical or just an eye examination?

im thinking about getting it done as sometimes my contact lenses hurt my eyes, especially if i have been concentrating for quite a while and my glasses really do my head in when its a bit warm and my head gets all sweaty!

what are your thoughts/experiences/knowledge on it all?

2

I’ve enquired about it, but what they don’t tell you is that your prescription has to have remained the same for last 3 years… mine hasn’t so I can’t get it!!

Also you are not guaranteed success, as you eyes are constantly changing. Basicly you could get the surgery and end up needing glasses again in a couple of years time.

Have you tried a different type of contact lens? You can get all days and different types of hardness which can make a big difference.

3

I looked into this once but found that lazer eye surgery may correct my long vision but would probably impair my short vision, meaning a need to wear glasses to correct my short vision (reading glasses) which I don’t currently need.

Having said that I can’t wear contact lenses for the same reason so it may be different for you :wink:

4

Well folks, I have plucked up the courage to get it done.

I have been for a consultation today and I’m getting it done next week on Wednesday.

At the consultation they explained everything and went through the procedure and also ran some tests. the only worrying part was when they put some drops in my eyes to open my pupils up completely, to be honest I looked stoned and they are still slightly sensitive to light and will be until tomorrow.

Well the op is booked for 0810 next Wednesday, work have given me weds and Thursday off and a late start on Friday. The ophthalmologist (or whatever they are called) said it would be ok to go back to work on the Thursday but I thought it would be better going back a few days after.

Neil is right about the short sightedness but it may or may not be a problem, according to my prescription it ‘shouldn’t’ be a problem with mine but we will have to see on Thursday next week.

I’ll try to keep you posted but I won’t be able to do anything next Wednesday, I have got to rest my eyes and sleep for a few hours when I get home to help the healing. I will also have to put eye drops (artificial tears) in my eyes to help with the healing process.

Wish me luck

5

Good luck, Lee.

I’d be interested in a full and frank report on the whole thing as, even though I hardly ever wear/need them, the times I do have to put my glasses on annoys me! I don’t get on very well with contact lenses, well, wearing them is OK but getting them in and out is a 20-25 mins nightmare!!

6

Good luck with it Lee.

As a Yaffles (Alex Lester saying.) wearer for over 20 years, I have often thought about it, but was put off a few years ago when a guy I knew had it done, and afterwards he looked cross eyed!!!

Where are you having it done, and what’s the full cost involved, and what happens afterwards insofar as aftercare?

Ken.

7

Well folks,
I had it done yesterday and it is brilliant. I can see as clear as anything without double glazing on my eyes.

I won’t lie to you, yesterday when I had it done the pain was unbearable when the anaesthetic wore off and I had to have a few extra drops to allow me to get most of the way home and when I did get home I just went to bed for 4 hours as I was so tired.

Then when I woke up it was as if I had never needed glasses. I couldn’t watch tele or read a book and go on the pc as I needed to rest them as much as I can but today I have been for my post op check and I have perfect vision, apparently I can read 6 lines lower than what is needed to obtain a driving licence, so that’s a good sign, and so far my near vision has not been affected. According to the ophthalmologist my eye sight will improve more over the next few weeks and I am able to go back to work in the morning.

If you are thinking of having it done but aren’t quite sure I can only say for you to go for it. What a sense of freedom not needing glasses now gives me. It is expensive I won’t deny that, (all in all it has cost me about £2300) but if I don’t need glasses for the next 15 years then I will save that on eye tests and glasses. Plus that’s not bad money they are making for about 3 minutes an eye, is it?

When I have a bit more time I will put on what the op was like and try to describe it for you all but until then I will see you (more clearer)…

8

That sounds good, Lee. I’ve got to be honest - I ain’t good at having my eyes messed with or opening them underwater etc but I could maybe force myself . . . . .

This week I started my third trial with contact lenses. I don’t have any problems wearing them but getting them in and out is a right drama. These ones can be left in for a month at a time so I only have the hassle of taking them out every 30 days rather than every single day!

Will be interested to hear how they did the op; I once heard that they give you an injection in the corner of your eye! I’m really hoping you’re going to say that it’s not true!! :open_mouth: :frowning:

9

I’m pleased it’s gone well for you Lee :smiley:
Hope you’ll keep us informed how things are in a few weeks when you’ve had more time to get used to life without glasses :wink:

marcustandy:
Will be interested to hear how they did the op; I once heard that they give you an injection in the corner of your eye! I’m really hoping you’re going to say that it’s not true!! :open_mouth: :frowning:

I can’t speak about laser treatment but I have had one eye anaesthetised a couple of times to remove a splinter of metal and I think I can safely tell you it would have been done with eye drops :wink:

10

Now I’m back at home on a day off I can explain about the surgery.

To start with they do another round of tests to make sure they haven’t missed anything in the previous week’s tests. Then they put some drops in your eyes to anaesthetise them and you lie down and they explain the procedure to you. After a few minutes they test your eyes by putting what looks like a plastic chip fork on them and asking if it hurts, you can feel it and see it but it doesn’t hurt, then they put a piece of what looks like gauze over the top of your eye to see if you can feel any pain and there is none, even though you can still see it.

Then they put a ring over your eye to keep your eye lids open, this is where your vision goes very blurry, and they explain it will go all blurry and dark but will get lighter and you will hear a funny noise.

After the ring thing is on your eye they put something else on top of it and it goes all dark and you hear what is like the noise of a small zip twice and then they lift it off and that is the flap on the conjunctiva of the eye made. Bearing in mind this is the mechanical flap creation procedure and not the laser creation (an extra £400 an eye) then they do the other one and you are ready for the white mans magic.

They put the laser machine over your eyes and your vision is still all blurry (as you have no conjunctiva to help you focus).

Now for the magic, as you are under the laser machine you can see a bright ring around the outer circle of your vision with a small black dot in the centre and you can see what looks like flecks of electricity/lightening and you hear a crackling noise. As all this is happening the black dot in the middle gets bigger as it is improving your eyes. There is a very slight smell of burning but is it just them effectively burning all the crap off the lens of your eyes. It lasts about 5-7 seconds per eye and that is it, you’re done. Apart from a few eyes drops to help kick start the healing process

Then you sit in a dark room for about 5 minutes to help your eyes adjust again and then you need to wait about 20 minutes before they have a look and make sure everything is as it should be and you are free to go.

Like I said earlier once the anaesthetic wears off I found the pain unbearable and the only way to ease it was by keeping your eyes closed. I hope and pray that I never lose my sight as it was the worst few hours of my life. Because I couldn’t drive we got the train and a taxi home and the wife had to be my eyes for me. I couldn’t even see where we were it was that bad. When I got home I went to bed as I was feeling really tired and slept for 4 hours and woke up with no need for glasses.

While you sleep for the first week you have to wear a pair of eye protection goggles so that you don’t rub them or bang them in your sleep. You cant wash your face properly as you are not allowed to put any pressure what so ever on your eyes if you can help it so that you don’t dislodge the flap.

I have just got back from my week review and everything is healing perfectly and there doesn’t seem to be any problems what so ever so far. The one thing they can’t emphasise enough is that you have to follow your aftercare routine to the letter. 3 lots of eyes drops every 4 hours for the first day then 4 times every day for the next week, now I’m just on artificial tear drops for the next 4 weeks, 4-6 times a day plus if they ever feel dry or ‘gritty’ or tired.

Sorry its long winded but you did ask…

This week has been fantastic. I have been able to wake up and open my curtains and see exactly what is outside without having to play hunt the glasses like I used to.

On a professional note I have noticed that everything is a lot clearer and my night vision has improved a lot, also for some reason my reversing is a lot better and more precise than it was before, I don’t know if this is because I can see a lot better or I’m just getting better at it. Only time will tell

See ya’ll

11

Thanks for that write-up, Lee.

I know it didn’t sound toooo bad . . . . . but I’m still thinking about it! :neutral_face:

12

well one of your drivers couldn’t have very good eyesight as he T-boned one of my relatives friends in truro about a month ago whilst on the phone apparently

the ■■■■■■ ■■■■■■!! :wink: :wink:

13

maybe his eyes were stll blurred ?

14

How you doing with them now Lee??

I could never have the bottle to get it done, and I hate wearing glasses, gives me a confidence problem for some reason, more so than normal, so prefer to wear contacts, but just couldn’t be doing with the hassle of them each day, I know it sounds stupid, the hassle of putting them in, but I don’t really like prodding myself in the face putting them in to be honest!

Recently heard about the ones you can wear day and night and sleep in for a month, so I’ve got my name down on a set of them to try and hopefully that will be the compromise all round.

15

garnerlives:
the hassle of putting them in, but I don’t really like prodding myself in the face putting them in to be honest!

Same here. I had a trial when I was in Germany but it was taking me ages every day to get them in and out. I binned the idea in the end.

garnerlives:
Recently heard about the ones you can wear day and night and sleep in for a month, so I’ve got my name down on a set of them to try and hopefully that will be the compromise all round.

Monthly’s - a revelation!! I’ve been wearing them for two months now. The first set I took out twice during the month just to give them a clean but this second set have been in non-stop - I’m aiming for the full 30 days!! Funny thing is, I’m slowly but surely getting used to putting them in and out now.

I tell you Jon, get yourself to a Tesco opticion - they do the first month as a free trial and when you go back and say "I’m not totally sure yet . . . . . " they give you another months trial for free!! I used Kettering Tesco, BTW. The contact lenses are going to cost £8 per month, payable 3 months at a time (£24).

I suppose if you were really tight, you could travel around the Midlands to different stores (I think Asda opticians do the same thing) and keep getting free trials. You probably wouldn’t end up paying 'owt for at least a year!! :laughing:

16

now they have settled down and healed completely i am more than happy with them, sometimes in the mornings i am still looking for my glasses out of habit until i realise i can see perfectly without them.

i am so glad i had it done. the contacts thing was a pain in the arse for me and now i just feel that im wearing contacts (still occasionaly get a ‘gritty’ feeling when i am tired) but apart from that the vision is still spot on. night vision is perfect as well

i cant say it enough but if you are thinking of getting it done and can afford it do it, its brilliant

17

Well I was finally able to get mine done. Best thing I’ve ever done!!! I had the LASIK intralase with wavefront. Best thing is I got it half price!!! :smiley:

Contacts weren’t an option for me as I couldn’t touch my eyes - just the thought of my finger going anywhere near it made me squemish!

my eyes recovered very quickly, but I bluffed and said they were sore to get the week of work :stuck_out_tongue: I’d definately recommend it now to anyone. The procedure was not as uncomfortable as I thought it was going to be, it was over in 10 mins and ur eyes are numb so u can’t feel anything. And let’s face it if u are as squemish as me you’ll be dead on!

18

Very interesting, thanks for the post.
If I could afford it I’m not sure if I’d have it done, the thought of my eyes being ‘tampered’ with scares me $hitle$$. My O/H has had eye Laser Treatment quite a few times and that’s bad enough although I don’t see it.
The contact lenses are cheaper than I thought, only £8 a month. Not for me but my O/H might look into them.

Thanks again.

19

magnumboy:
Well I was finally able to get mine done. Best thing I’ve ever done!!! I had the LASIK intralase with wavefront. Best thing is I got it half price!!! :smiley:

Contacts weren’t an option for me as I couldn’t touch my eyes - just the thought of my finger going anywhere near it made me squemish!

my eyes recovered very quickly, but I bluffed and said they were sore to get the week of work :stuck_out_tongue: I’d definately recommend it now to anyone. The procedure was not as uncomfortable as I thought it was going to be, it was over in 10 mins and ur eyes are numb so u can’t feel anything. And let’s face it if u are as squemish as me you’ll be dead on!

i had mine done last week, the only pain is a bit of presure on your eye when they attach the machine, but like you say the actual procedure is painless. i was lucky, mine stung fairly for a few hours after but not unbearable, but i had a doze on the sofa and when i woke up they were ok. had my 1 week check wednesday, and they are now a bit better that 20/20 vision, i would recommend it to anyone! (and i hated the thought of not wearing my glasses, even to the point of getting some clear lensed glasses, (i did it for financial reasons))