I am seriously thinking about corrective eye surgery, have any of you had it done, or know anyone who has? Would you recommend it? I currently wear disposable contact lenses and have done for nearly 20 years. When I worked out how much they have cost me over the years, the price for surgery is pretty low in comparison. The thing that worries me is if anything goes wrong, because it is my sight, which I rely on for work (and everyting else really).

I am very short sighted and I was talking to the optician about this a couple of weeks ago. He said that he would never contemplate it - because he sees all the people it hasn't worked for back needing contact lenses and glasses again

I know someone who has had it done in a clinic in Manchester. She went after knowing someone who had it done there successfully.  She has born glasses (all the time, not just for reading) since I have knowb her. She now doesn't need her glasses and has 20/20 vision. Must admit I was considering it myself after seeing her. Also she said that whilst she was there for her appointments there were people they were turning away and referring them on as they wouldn't attempt surgery on them. Now in my estimation they reputable for doing this.

I'm only slightly short-sighted but enough to need to wear something. I think opticians as such are always going to err on the side of caution, after all it will be taking away their business won't it. The cost now seems to be coming down as well. I can remember when it was horrendously expensive.

The main thing that worries me about this is the lack of knowledge about long-term problems :(

Daisy

I know our local police force won't take on new recruits who have had corrective eye surgery but will take on people who wear glasses.

That's another thing that worried me, would I be back to having to wear c. lenses in a few years time?

My sister in law has had it done in Manchester - success but after a few return trips as her eyes were drying up
3 friends have had it done in Manchester again and they were all successful with no problems afterwards!

I completely agree with what others have said. 
I went to talk to my optician about laser eye surgey in Jan & he himself had had it done (always a good sign) in India but as his practice didn't offer the procedure he couldn't really advise, so I had contact lenses prescribed which have been a fabulous alternative to glasses.  This kind of procedure hasn't been around long enough for any long term implications to arise & also the results do wear off after time (approx 15 years) so it is by no means a long term lasting procedure.  I haven't disguarded it all together but am going to wait a few more years I think.

My sister had it done and was delighted, that was about 6 years ago though she now feel's it's declining!
Personally I use the 24/7 lenses and love waking up and being able to see! I would recomend them to any one.
Karen

Its the thought of not wearing lenses during the day that really appeals. I may try the one's you wear overnight that re-shape your eyeball. I've not heard of the 24/7 lenses - who is the manufacturer?

I'm quite happy wearing glasses :) :)

My OH, who is 60 now, doesn't have to wear glasses anymore (except for reading) after wearing them 45 years :) :)

Daisy

Glasses would be fine, it's not that I'm overly vain, I just find them incredibly uncomfortable across my nose and behind my ears, I think I must be particularly sensitive, hence c. lenses. Even wearing a hat gives me headaches.

> I just find them incredibly uncomfortable across my nose and behind my ears,

I do find that the current fashion for small lenses and, of course, plastic rather than glass lenses has made them much lighter (and more comfortable) than they were some years ago - when the Deidre Barlow glasses were fashionable :D :D :D

Daisy

Specsavers do mine, but I believe they are fairly common now.
I change them once a month and take them out for a rub (clean) once a week just takes seconds!
I pay £15.50 a month.
Karen ;-)

A friend of mine had laser eye surgery a few weeks ago. He was surprised about the cost, apparently there are different types of surgery and the ads on the tv are the cheapest one. His cost £3500, but that includes aftercare for life - incuding further surgery in the unlikely event he needs it. Also it was really, really sore afterwards Despite that he says it was worth it. He now has 20/20 vision and will save a fortune in specs. Hewas worried before his first appointment - not much work out there for a blind bus driver. I would say go for an appointment with them, they turned away people while my friend was waiting - they can apparently look at your eyes and tell you if surgery will work, and what the expected outcome is - it's all done by computer.

If they did laser surgery for age related eye problems I think I'd have mine done - so if anyone out there knows if they do, please let me know! 

I hate wearing reading glasses, they make the bridge of my nose hot and they leave marks - even though they are light - then I sometimes wander around with them still on and wonder why I can't see :rolleyes: 

I assume thats what my friend had, he's 57 - he started wearing glasses in his 20s and they've got progressivly thicker. It's strange seeing him without glasses now as his eyes look tiny - compared to the huge ones we're used to seeing through his glasses :D

I'm quite short-sighted and would be legally blind if my vision was not correctable.  I've worn glasses since age four and contacts for thirty years now.  Now I'm presbyopic, meaning I need correction for up close as well as far away (which is about the end of my nose in my case).  I wear mono vision contact lenses that I must clean each night and change once a month.  As backup I also have lines-free bifocal glasses for which I paid significantly extra in order to get higher indexing that would reduce the thickness and weight of my plastic lenses.  This is expensive but works for me.  I would pay more to get good vision and eye care if I had to.  Perhaps because I can easily see what it would be like to live with impaired vison by simply not wearing the contacts or glasses I am terrified to chance the surgery.

I know a couple of people who've had this done and have only positive things to say.  I certainly wouldn't take much notice of the opinion of an optician - after all if surgery is successful they've lost a client!  I'm short sighted and have astygmatism which means my contact lenses are very expensive, even online.  When I started buying them from the internet my (former) optician told me a load of rot about how it's incredibly dangerous to buy contacts from websites and I could end up blind!  I know legally I'm entitled to a copy of my prescription and under no obligation to buy lenses from him and thought he was really unprofessional - I'd certainly never tell a client Drontal online is different from what we sell and could be fatal!  In the end I was so irritated I said I'd come in for an eye test not a lecture and wasn't going to listen to any more nonsense.  He shouldn't have tried to bully me as recently I spent £420 on a pair of glasses at a different optician.

I don't mind wearing glasses though they're not really practical at work; don't really need a pair of spectacles falling into a laparotomy at a crucial moment!  Laser correction is something I've considered but I don't think I'd do it for a few reasons.  Firstly, I really don't like anyone being in my personal space; going to the dentist is a nightmare and I don't like even having an eye test.  Secondly, I'd worry that something would go wrong.  Rationally I realise the risk is tiny but still there must be a a small chance it could go wrong.  It must be awful for anyone losing their sight, and it would be the end of my career.  Thirdly I'm such a control freak I couldn't bear putting such faith in someone.  Even when I'm at the hairdresser it's all I can do not to snatch the scissors from the stylist and take over, though the only time I tried cutting my own hair was a total disaster!  I just don't think I could lie back and let someone use a laser on my eyes!

However my friends aren't quite as silly as I about such things and they've been really happy with their surgery.

Thanks for all your replies, a lot of food for thought. As Chaumsong says it may be worth going for a consultation and see what happens from there.