Has anyone had this done? I have wanted too for ages, and am in process of paying off all those debts from education - but Boots are offering interest free credit over 2 years, and i am sorely tempted. Swear that it would change my life - but money isn't exactly flush shall we say!

Any opinions on it? Know anyone whose had it done?

Wasn't there something about this on Watchdog the other week? Boots came out of it very badly.....so tread very cautiously. Maybe the BBC site will have something on it.

Found it!!

Look here

Hi Alex

I have known a couple of people that have had it done and have been very pleased. Can't remember who they went with though! I have toyed with the idea myself but have never got round to it, will stick with the contacts for the moment!

I suppose like any Op there is a risk !

Lucy

Hi Lucy,

How you doing?

Would be great to find out others experiences - i have a friend who had it done in Harley street, but the follow up appointments would be difficult to keep! Boots have a clinic in Reading, but have read some very unhappy reviews - but then i think that they may have been from people who expect to be able to see 20:20 after 12 hours and are surprised and upset tht it takes longer! I have been following up stuff from Ultrlase as well - and am thinking of following that route now, However - have also had a word with the finance fairy and think that i will ait fpr next year when i have paid off my debts so that i can make new ones - and something to look forward to to, to go on holiday and be able to see without the glasses (cant wear contacts as my eyes decided to reject them several years ago!) also seems better to get it done in the winter months so tht your eyes can heal before the suns glare can get to them! And due to company developments it may be wise to see if i have a job come next year!!!

Any other experiences with this gratfully received!

Alex

One of my friends husband is an eye surgeon. I asked him for his professional opinion as I was contemplating having this done, his reply. "Ever wondered why I still wear glasses"!
He says that there is no long term knowledge as it is relatively new. So any long term effects are not known. But I still would love to be able to have the courage to have it done.
Bev

Its been around for a good few years now though hasn't it? It would so cahnge my life as i cant wear contacts at all... Definately takes courage, but i have been marginally reassured by a site thati have seen on laser eye treatment clinics - where out of about 200 comments only 3 were negative, and none long term!

Many of the other surgeons who perform teh operation have it done on themselves - so that s a vote of confidence! Also , when did you ask? Techniques have changed so much now - i would never of considered it 5 odd yeasr ago cos that sounds barbaric!

Also techniques used now are very similar to those used on cataracts, and ther must be loads of research on that? Guesshthe difference there is if you dont have the operation you are definately going to lose your sight so the risks are put into perspective...

Alex

Hi Alex

I could be better ! But I suppose I am not at work which is a bonus but not much of one !

Mmmm I wouldn't take any loans or anything out at the moment until things settle down at work ! Not good at the moment :(

Why don't you get a trial for the daily disposable contacts? I use them and find them a God send ! No messing about with solutions etc and they are really comfy, you don't know you are wearing them. I put mine in first thing in the morning and take them out last thing at night. No scratchy eyes at all. They are also doing contacts that you can keep in all the time for a month. Haven't looked into these yet but know somebody who uses them and she finds them really good !
Lucy

I would be very wary of having laser eye treatment if you cannot wear contact lenses because you get dry eyes. A common side effect of laser eye surgery is dry eyes, and as a sufferer myself I can advise that it's a lot worse than it sounds! Try waking up every morning with something that feels like sandpaper between your eye and eyelids, and having to use eye drops several times a day. Ouch! I looked into laser treatment a while ago for myself, but was put off because of the risk of increasing dry eye problems.

I would also say be very careful about the surgeon you select - even if they have a 99.9% success rate, if you are the exception whose operation is problematic this won't be much of a comfort. Make sure they've carried out squillions of operations, find out if anyone has ever filed a formal complaint against them and be wary of those simply trying to flog a "product".

Why don't you try the daily disposable contact lenses? I use them occasionally, they're great ... can't feel them in, they're really comfy and you can take them anywhere as you don't need cleaning fluids and the like. Plus, they're pretty cheap.

Good luck

Jo

Hi

I had it done in 1996 as I couldn't get on with contacts and was fed up with glasses, It cost me £1,100, My eyes are now really sensitive to bright light sometimes in the morning when I wake up my eyes are stuck to my eyelids and it feels like the surface of my eyeball is being ripped off.
When I had it done the treatment had been used for 7 years.
In 2001 I had to get glasses again as my eyesight got bad again.

But hey I might just be the unlucky one!

Chili

Hi Chilli,

If you dont mind me asking - how old are you? All the research that i have been reading is that eyes deterioate naturally over the age of 45 anyway. Also what proceedure did you have done? Was it PRK?

Alex

Hi Alex

I was 26 when I had it done, It was to correct the short sightedness, I'm sure the procedure is much more advanced now and alot more reserch has been done. I wish I had waited now.

Chili

Would you doit again then? Bar the "side" effects do you think it is worth it? I have -6 in both eyes!

Alex

Up until me having to wear glasses again I would have recommended having it done but Personal I wouldn't do it again, I'm not bothered about wearing glasses now my eyes aren't quite as bad as they were before and I could get away without wearing them all the time but I feel more comfortable being able to see things clearly.

I think it is a good idea to speak to people that have had it done recently to see if they would recommend it.

Chili

Hi Jo,

Thanks for replying - i have identified a clinic and a surgeon that i would like - head surgeon has done squillions, but shall do much more research from now. Also with the new procedure it is impossibel to go blind - which is a comfort at least! :D

I wore contacts from the age of 14, which was a bit yound really - and gas permiable, and think i had an intolerance to the solutions. Tried soft but just couldn't get the hanmg of them - and once had to goto the opticians in order to get them out! and dont mind galsses as such - until i cant find them in the morning, or i am on holiday!

Thanks for the advice though - shall be interagating my friends!

Hi, Cleo I just wanted to say I had my eyes done at Ultralase (Manchester) Feb this year. There are a number of procedures. Mine was Lasik had both eyes done at the same time. I think my prescription was +3.75 or so. My right eye being stronger. (worn glasses for 20 years, tried contacts but couldnt be bothered with the mucking around). I was told that I will have to use reading glasses when I reach say 45 as this procedure corrects the eye shape not muscle deterioration.

I can say that the treatment was worth it. I still have a prescription on both eyes my right eye now being weaker. It gets blurry a bit after spending all day on the pc or if tired, but I can comfortably see to watch telly, drive (night & day no night starbursts). Havent been swimming yet but without my glasses I couldnt see the other side of the pool clearly. I am currently going back for some tests to see if they can redo my eyes to improve them. I was light sensitive for a month or so, but have experienced no dry eyes or any other problems.

It has certainly changed my life. It great not having to wake up and put on glasses, you can walk in the rain without constantly wiping your specs. No more worrying about the dog , kids or football knocking your glasses of your head, looking for lost glasses, especially those found on-top of your head (grin aint we all done that), smudging breaking the list is endless.

On the down side, it is expensive £2000 but all follow treatments medicines (eye drops etc) and appointments for a year are free. Watch the others as you will be charged less for the procedure but follow up calls and medicines are not free. They work out about the same (maybe slightly cheaper elsewhere but Ultralase have been doing this for a lot longer I believe).

The actual procedure was very quick (15-20 mins or so walking in and out), It didnt hurt but I wont kid you it was unpleasant. I fought against the thing the put on your eye to hold it open. I have always been uncomfortable at things to do with eyes so I guess I was just sensitive to it. Suppose it was the thought of what they actually do..

Anyhow when I walked out of it I said to hubby if it doesn’t work Im not having it done again, it was nasty. But now I would have it done again of I could have my right eye correct and have almost perfect vision (20.20).

There has been bad press about the various eye procedure as it is relatively new but like all new things they always over dramatise the stories of failures. You can go to the docs to have an in growing toenail removed and have that go wrong.

Don’t let me put you of do your homework and instinctively you will know if it’s the right thing for you. Be brave and throw away those glasses and contacts.
Good luck.

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for that - can i ask who your surgeon was? I have heard and read great things about Vinod Gupta and will request that he be the one to do my eyes - even if it means i have to travel to london for the actual op... I am definately going to go ahead with it - and will ahve to hope that i can do it as my eyes are fairly bad, with a slight astigmatism so depth of cornea might be a problem - but i shall take advice!

It is always something i have wanted done - but didn't fancy PRK, or Lasek really - but Lasik has been out for a good few years - and i reckon that i will bein a position to put myslef in debt again next! Also think it is a better idea to have it done in the winter months because then dont have such problems with bright lights and such... Just have to pay off my cc int he mean time but what an incentive!

Let me know how you get on with your consultations,

Alex

The very first time I tried contact lenses I wore them to the pub ... had a few beers, got home and just couldn't remember how to get the damn things out. I ended up drinking half a bottle of gin to give me the courage to do it ...

Got the hang of it now though!

What an excuse, half a bottle of Gin ! LOL !

Lucy

After half a bottle of gin, you won't be worrying about the quality of your eyesight!! ;) You'll be seeing everything twice as well (or twice, as well!) :D

Jo.... 1/2 a botle of gin!!!!
geeze wait till you get yr pup taking your contacts out will be a walk in the park compared to puppyhood.

So sad, last night took Syd to a ringcraft class/show last night and he mucked up, in every class placed last. Even the dog he beat last time was placed before him. grrrr puppies. all he wanted to do was jump up at me in the event, yet outside he walked like a dream, swinging hips, legs goose-stepping, head, ears and tail erect. sigh. Oh well try and try again. If anything though he reasonably well behaved not to much mucking around whilst waiting so Ill think of that positive step. Last time at classes he chewed the lead, sorted that out now its another problem err challenge (grin). Not long now have you been to see the pups yet?

Hehe Jacky, maybe you should invest in a hip flask for times like that.

You could put something really potent in it and offer it to the other members of the class to try and nobble the competition!

Jo I think Id drink it myself, then I wouldnt worry about anything. Id be laughing all the time.

Hi, I had laser surgery done about 2+ years ago, and it is probably the best money that I've ever spent. I had a great doctor, and my surgery cost included follow up exams for 18 months. I would say just make sure you've got a good doctor and a good follow up plan. By the way, when I went in they told me my eyesight was so bad that the surgery had less than 50% chance of working. However, I went for it and yes, it has made my life much easier!!! (My eyes were both -9, now they are -0.75).

Alex, My surgeon was a Dr Moriarty (he is a relief surgeon with Ultralase I belive works also for Boots). Ultralase had a payment plan option (obviously with some company to fund it). I would advise that you have a week off work if possible once done especially if you work with computers I worked 1/2 days for the week and wore sunnys but I still had tired eyes. I even had to watch telli at night with sunnys on for a few weeks. I was licky that when I had the op it was an overcast day but it was still bright.