Out of focus indeed - Laser Eye Surgery

Loopy

Loopy

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Lynda
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So, after many years of being blind as a bat I am seriously considering having surgery.

Does anyone have any recommendations for clinics in Newcastle.

It may be that I have too high a prescription (-11/10) but I need to go for the consultation first so want to pick the right place.

Thoughts?
 
I know two people who have had it relatively recently and both now need glasses again. One is worse off than she was before the ops - she used to wear contacts but now can't. MiL had a similar prescription to yours and had a year or 2 of reasonable uncorrected vision - she needed cataract surgery so they did the corrections at the same time.
 
Subscribed
I have bad astigmatism and would love to have the surgery but always been too worried about the results
 
Life changing for me. I did have to have a revision a short time after. But definitely worth it.
 
I've had laser eye treatment. I had astigmatism in my left eye which was making my right eye to suffer as it was over working. I went to optical express, the consultant said they'd only op on my left eye and my right would correct itself afterwards. One thing they did say is that the surgery can never guarantee you never have to wear glasses again. It's nature that the older you get parts of your body deteriorate. They said that after your 40 at some point it's highly probable that you'll need reading glasses. It's like lenses on a camera at some point they'll be beyond reasonable repair! The op itself isn't very pleasant (I'm not going to lie!) but it is quite quick and the staff explain everything and its a simply process. You'll be in the centre for about a couple of hours. Following the treatment you'll get drops to put in your eyes regularly throughout the day. You will also attend frequent check ups with the optician for a period afterwards. I would look at an opticians close to you who offer laser eye treatment as for the first few weeks you need to attend appointments (for a quick check on how you are getting on) then regularly once a month for a few months. I had the treatment around 6 years ago my eyesight IMO is excellent, I have no problems at all. I am approaching 40 (next year!!) so only time will tell, but I think it was worth every penny!
 
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The thought of people touching cutting etc my eyes makes me squirm.
What was the procedure for you Adow2
 
I had the LASIK treatment, can't remember the difference between to two treatments commonly available. It isn't pleasant, you are awake whilst its going on but you can't see anything. It is also over quite quickly. There's no pain involved just an uncomfortable feeling.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm still not 100% as I'm aware of the risks. I know that I'll more than likely need reading glasses, but I'd need a bi focal prescription on my glasses by then too.

My biggest worry is if I need to wear glasses again that I'll not be able to wear my contacts. Having had a huge prescription for most of my adult life, even being a -2 sounds appealing.

No recommendations for places in Newcastle then?
 
I had an eye op once as a late teen, so stop a haemorraging blood vessel. I was awake. There was no pain. But unless I am in dire danger of going blind I will never let anyone interfere with my eyes again. I still have occassional nightmares. Oh I'm not trying to be a harbinger of doom or anything, but that's how I feel.
 
That's ok. Usually when the question of laser surgery is asked there are lots of folks who only have good stories so it's nice to get a balanced view. I know that ultimately, it's my decision and I will try not to let others experiences sway me as each case is individual.

I just need to find somewhere to go first to ask lots of questions lol.
 
Loopy said:
That's ok. Usually when the question of laser surgery is asked there are lots of folks who only have good stories so it's nice to get a balanced view. I know that ultimately, it's my decision and I will try not to let others experiences sway me as each case is individual.

I just need to find somewhere to go first to ask lots of questions lol.
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OK I should also know that I know someone who had corrective surgery though one of the TV companies, and they were (and remain) delightged with the results.
 
Hi Lynda
I would recommend Sunderland eye hospital. Other than that there is Optimax and Optical express in Newcastle, as Ultralaze have been bought by Optimax.
You may be better of having lens replacement rather than laser.
Mand
 
Not sure of any particular companies in Newcastle, however Optical Express where I went (Liverpool) will have opticians throughout the country and therefore should have one in your neck of the woods. I think the best thing for you to do would be to have a couple of consultations with different places. Go for the big named companies. Be aware that all the companies have pricing offers to entice. I'm sure you won't, but don't worry too much about the offers until you've decided if you want it done or not. You should shop around and find somewhere you are comfortable with and who you feel you can trust. It is after all a big decision to make. The consultations should all be free.
 
Gr8Shot said:
The thought of people touching cutting etc my eyes makes me squirm.
What was the procedure for you Adow2
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This is what puts me off Laser Surgery, I can't even imagine putting contact lens in my eyes.

I've worn glasses for so long they are part of who I am.

Sunglasses are of course a pain as you can't just buy a pair off the shelf. I splashed out on a pair of Oakleys last year so the will last me a few years now.
 
I've needed glasses for over 10 years now and was the same when it came to eyes.

Hated getting anything in them etc but after a couple of years wanted to try contacts for the convenience and in particular night time driving.

Now, apparantly I have the strongest eyelids the optician ever came across as when trialing them, the first time they had to go in at the shop it took an optician and an assistant to get one in!!! LOL.

However, once home I was popping them in and out in no time and wouldn't be without them!

Now recently my prescriptions just changed and I am at a point where I will need reading glasses in the next 4-5 years, so I can get away without needing them for now but when I do my choices will be

1. normal glasses plus reading glasses (too much faffing about)
2. varifocals (the good ones are silly money!)
3. contacts plus reading glasses (which is what I will go for when the time comes)

For now though, just signed up for specsavers and getting all lenses solutions plus free pair of glasses (up to 45 quid) free, or as Ive done a nice pair I like from the 85 range for only 25 all for only £11.50 a month, so Im quite happy.

Anyone thats not tried contacts, I definitely recommend a trial at your local optician it's completely free and you never know.
 
Subscribed to this.. Glasses are a pain in my backside and contacts are too fiddly, even for me!

I've had numerous quotes from Optimax and Ultralase. The latter being the ones I'll probably go for. The only direct thing I've heard back from even the practitioners themselves is that it does degrade. The severity of which depends mostly on health and age but the likely hood of the eyes returning to a non useable state is quite high.
 
I was -5 in both eyes and 10 years ago got the LASIK corrective surgery.

When I went to the opticians I had better than 20:20 vision!! No problems at all and 10 years on my eyesight is still fantastic.

What corrective surgery can't do is prevent the eyes aging. Once you get older though your eyes will generally start to deteriorate and you'll likely need glasses again. I'm luckily ok just now though.

The LASIK treatment is painless but uncomfortable as your head and eye are clamped lol But it was a very simple 5 minute job and immediately the results were unbelieveable!!

Generally if you hear about people having a bad experience it's been because they didn't follow the recommended regime of keeping the eyes lubricated after the op. Sure some may still have to wear glasses and may need the op done again but you're not really any worse off (other than I'd be unhappy at paying a fortune for not getting the right results)! lol

Speak to your opticians :) I'd do it all again. My sister had hers done about 15 years ago and also life changing for her - gave her more confidence.

Not sure why I did it actually as I didn't mind wearing gasses or contacts! i got a bonus at work and my boss had it done and it sounded like a good idea! Didn't realise just how good!
 
I had laser surgery 5 years ago and if you'll excuse the pun, I've never looked back!

Quick & simple 15 min procedure, only mild discomfort after (for those who wear contact no worse than if you've had your lenses in all day and are getting really tired).

Saying that my prescription was only around -1.25/-1.50, although a colleague was around the -5 mark and had the same results as me.

Within a month of the prcedure my vision was better than 20/20 (20/10, bordering in 20/5)

I was advised that I may need to wear glasses for close studd later in life but that would probably happen anyway.
 
i;ve been considering it for about 10 years.

Now I'm starting to really consider it.

What is the best treatment there is? Is it LASIK?
 
joescrivens said:
i;ve been considering it for about 10 years.

Now I'm starting to really consider it.

What is the best treatment there is? Is it LASIK?
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LASIK & LASEK are just different procedures. LASIK they cut a flap in the cornea, LASEK they use a chemical agent to soften the corner before actually lasering.

The later would be the more painful of the two as the flap cut for LASIK acts as a bangage over the lasered area (although they do apply special contact lenses while the cornea is healing)

You would only really have LASEK if your cornea is thin and can't be cut.
 
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Don't think I could sit there awake while they peel back my eyeball with a razor blade :puke:
 
Russ77 said:
LASIK & LASEK are just different procedures. LASIK they cut a flap in the cornea, LASEK they use a chemical agent to soften the corner before actually lasering.

The later would be the more painful of the two as the flap cut for LASIK acts as a bangage over the lasered area (although they do apply special contact lenses while the cornea is healing)

You would only really have LASEK if your cornea is thin and can't be cut.
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which one has the least room for error and is the most successful?
 
joescrivens said:
which one has the least room for error and is the most successful?
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Not sure....... both could have implications but for different reasons, according to Optical Express (where I had mine done) 90% of patients have LASIK (which is what I had).

The basic price of £395 per eye is for LASIK or LASEK. Then you can bolt on extra like having a laser to cut the flap in the cornea (think it's called "intralase") rather than having a "mechanical" cut and/or having a wavefront scan of the cornea/eye prior to surgery which improves the accuracy of the treatment and will ultimately give you better clarity.

http://www.opticalexpress.co.uk/eye-expert/lasik-vs-lasek.html

That little lot worked out to £1100 per eye. I figured having it done at the age of 30 meant a good 20 years or so "glasses/lenses" free so worth spending a little extra on.
 
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Russ77 said:
Not sure....... both could have implications but for different reasons, according to Optical Express (where I had mine done) 90% of patients have LASIK (which is what I had).

The basic price of £395 per eye is for LASIK or LASEK. Then you can bolt on extra like having a laser to cut the flap in the cornea (think it's called "intralase") rather than having a "mechanical" cut and/or having a wavefront scan of the cornea/eye prior to surgery which improves the accuracy of the treatment and will ultimately give you better clarity.

http://www.opticalexpress.co.uk/eye-expert/lasik-vs-lasek.html

That little lot worked out to £1100 per eye. I figured having it done at the age of 30 meant a good 20 years or so "glasses/lenses" free so worth spending a little extra on.
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I'd take £1100 per eye if it meant more accurate and less chance of it making me blind
 
joescrivens said:
I'd take £1100 per eye if it meant more accurate and less chance of it making me blind
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Potentially yes.........

I prefered the idea of a frickin' laser beam cutting a flap in my cornea rather than some contraption with a sharp scalpal attached :LOL:

Although the last time I checked, no one has ever gone blind due to laser eye surgery.
 
I've fancied this for years but I keep putting it off not for any squeamish reasons just I think if I keep waiting they will get better at it. A bit like should I upgrade now or wait for the D5. :)
The thing I've always wondered is how many opticians opt for laser surgery as opposed to wearing glasses.
 
stormcrow said:
I've fancied this for years but I keep putting it off not for any squeamish reasons just I think if I keep waiting they will get better at it. A bit like should I upgrade now or wait for the D5. :)
The thing I've always wondered is how many opticians opt for laser surgery as opposed to wearing glasses.
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That's quite a valid point but a little flawed in as much as some people physically can't have the surgery.

Some people may just like wearing glasses, others are happy wearing contacts.

I only wore glasses/contacts for a couple of years before having surgery.

Got on fine with contacts but after separating from my ex-wife they started to become a little inconvenient, i.e. when I was with my ex, if we went out for the night we'd always go home so I could take my lenses out. When I became single and went out with the lads sometimes I ended up not going home at the end of the night..........

TBH if I'd have remained married I'd have probably never bothered getting lasered...... or taken up photography as a hobby....... or ever had sex again but that's another story :LOL:
 
Russ77 said:
Some people may just like wearing glasses, others are happy wearing contacts.
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I'm one of those who don’t mind wearing glasses which is probably a factor into why I haven't had them lasered yet.
I wear lightweight rimless glasses and to be honest I don't even realise I'm wearing them half the time. I have even been known to look for my glasses around the house only to realise 5 mins later that I'm wearing them.
This of course is due to the clarity and lightness of my glasses and nothing whatsoever to do with me starting to lose the plot :bonk:
 
Thanks for all the input people.
I'll keep you posted. It's good to see all the opinions going round.

Personally, I've worn glasses for the last 30+ years and contacts for not much less. I used to wear my contacts when I was younger all the time, then when I was 21 I started to get hay fever which made them really uncomfortable for long periods.

Since then, I've worn my specs most of the time, but still wear my lenses if I'm doing any kind of sport (in the loosest of terms). I can't wear my lenses for reading or using the computer for any extended period of time because my eyes get scratchy from staring too long. They seem to be okay if I'm outdoors though.

I have reactalights which are great most of the time, but if I'm going out to do some togging then I wear my lenses so I can see what the light is doing.

I know that in the (probably to near) future I will need reading glasses and I really don't want to get varifocals, which means that I'll need to wear two pairs of specs if I want to read or do sewing/crafty things etc.

I have a really high prescription with an astigmatism so I may not even be suitable for any treatment. My prescription also limits me to the type of frames I wear as my lenses are so thick at the edges. I am Mrs Magoo.

This is a huge decision for me (hence the wait) and I have so many questions to ask.
At the back of my mind I also am really grateful for the sight that I have, even if it is with the assistance of a couple of jam jars. However, I do keep thinking how wonderful it would be to wake up in the night and be able to see the alarm clock, to go swimming or out on the bike on a whim and not have to think about putting lenses in first. It would be great to take a pair of sunglasses on holiday and not my usual glasses, a pair of normal specs, sunglasses, contact lenses, contact lens case, cleaning fluid and some goggles in case I go swimming, or to go out for the evening and not have a handbag that needs to fit my glasses and a spare set of contact in case I loose one or they get itchy.

I'm going to sort a couple of consultations out so I'll let you know how I get on. :)
 
To be honest Lynda, it something I said I'd never do as I'm such a wuss :LOL:

The consultation I had with Optical Express was excellent. They carry out some tests and give you the facts, there's no hard sell..... in fact they don't really try and sell it to you at all. Before you leave you get the prices of the different treatments available and that's it :)
 
It can still be very expensive - They do sell it as a "from £395 per eye" but is pretty much never that cheap!

An astigmatism could be an issue but the best thing (as you're doing) is get the consultation and they'll go through it all.
 
EOS_JD said:
It can still be very expensive - They do sell it as a "from £395 per eye" but is pretty much never that cheap!
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It's been like that for the last twenty years. When I checked, mine would have cost about twice that.


Steve.
 
True lol for someone to get it at 395 I'd guess they need better than perfect eyesight to begin with lol
 
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