Laser eye UPDATE !!

[Colin]

Anybody ever get or thinking of getting laser eye surgery , myself and my Mrs are going for a consultation next week , we have started needing glases for reading etc , so any input on this subject is much appreciated

[X5Sport]

If you are at an age where you need reading glasses then your prescription is changing and will keep doing so.

My optician suggested that I have different powers in each eye, but that at my age (then 52) laser surgery was probably not a good idea.  My eyes are at -6.5 and -7.0 diopter which he also saw as being chancy.

I'm a keen photographer and also target shooter, both of which would be affected if there were even tiny errors in the laser work.  Having listened to his advice I have stuck with contact lenses and +1.25 readers.

If I were you, I would go see a proper independent optician first to see what advice you need before seeing a laser specialist.  Your eyes are your one and only set.

[Colin]

Thanks for that , my sisters independent optician apparently has his eyes done so will try and get a chat with him before we commit , as you say you only get one set ..

[Horizon]

[quote="Colin"]
Anybody ever get or thinking of getting laser eye surgery , myself and my Mrs are going for a consultation next week , we have started needing glases for reading etc , so any input on this subject is much appreciated
[/quote]
Me and the Mrs both had it done in 2008,  ( both on the same day, very stupid I know as both of us were blind for 24 hours ! )
wife had to have 1 eye redone 12 months later, I had both eyes re done, we both now need glasses.
Worse thing is I was happy wearing contact lenses up to 12/14 hours a day . I've even slept in them and woke up only to put fresh ones in on top of the old ones ( soft Dailies ) only to wonder why I couldn't see.
Since then I've tried contacts again to find through scar tissue and dry eyes, a common problem after eye surgery.
Dependent on your age, if your 35+ , and manage on contact lenses or a single pair of glasses, don't bother.
It cost us 6 grand for a couple of years of glasses/ contact  lens free time.

[Colin]

Horizon  you and your Mrs's  experience reads more like a nightmare ,  and i thank you for your reply to my question  but so far first two reply's are not favourable

[Horizon]

[quote="Colin"]
Horizon  you and your Mrs's  experience reads more like a nightmare ,  and i thank you for your reply to my question  but so far first two reply's are not favourable
[/quote]
Astigmatism is quite common in people over 40 aparantly,(  I now have it )this changes the shape of your eye to more of a rugby ball shape instead of round.
Laser eye surgery sculptures your eye / retina to the perfect shape to reflect light properly on to the eyeball.
Then if you get astigmatism, it pulls that out of its perfect shape so light enters at a different angle.
Some people suffer from night driving glare after surgery too.
Best to know all the facts before you pull the trigger

[Colin]

Myself and Mrs went for the laser eye consultation  on thursday  and it turns out both of us not suitable for laser !    BUT we can get lens replacement on both eyes  , operation is in Dublin and have to stay three days , the bill for this would have cost us  ( if we had said yes )    £ 14000 ,  disappointed ..

[Horizon]

[quote="Colin"]
Myself and Mrs went for the laser eye consultation  on thursday  and it turns out both of us not suitable for laser !    BUT we can get lens replacement on both eyes  , operation is in Dublin and have to stay three days , the bill for this would have cost us  ( if we had said yes )    £ 14000 ,  disappointed ..
[/quote]

WOW, THATS AN EYE OPENER, if you parden the pun, me and the wife both had laser eye surgery and both need glasses 5 years on. The wife had an eye test yesterday and ordered a set of vario focals £450

[X5Sport]

And why would the operation be available in Dublin I wonder?  Sounds very suspicious to me as in either pricing or aftercare.

We have some of the best eye hospitals and clinics in the world!  Lens replacement is part of the NHS offering if you actually need it.

[Colin]

I was told Dublin and the Mrs was told either Glasgow or Dublin ?

[graemeX5]

Hi Colin

Sorry to hear it wasn't a runner or you and the mrs but its better not to have any complications.

Avoid friend had it done about6-7 years ago in his mid thirties and it went well taking a couple of weeks afterto to have 20:20 vision restored.

He has not had glasses since so for him it worked but he did go to a reputable optician to have it done and tor him it work.

I on the other hand was my brave enough to consider having done.

Graeme

[petert]

I had multi-focal lens replacement done back in 2014 and am very pleased with the result in that I now have very good distance vision and I also don't need reading glasses.  Cost (I had it done in Canada) was 5000 Canadian dollars which at the time was about 3500 GB Pounds.  (I also know someone who had it done on Harley Street in London and that cost 6000 GB Pounds.

Downsides: have realistic expectations:
Some people report halo effects especially at night.  I can see it's there but it doesn't affect me frankly.  I have no worries driving.
Close up vision in dim light is not as good.  Menu's in dimly lit restaurants etc...  I use my iPhone as a torch!
Close up vision is at a fixed focal length set for normal reading distance.  Go too far away from this and vision acuity falls away.
Because of the above I find that there is a distance that is 'inconvenient': reading prices on supermarket shelves!  I just have to get a little closer - no big deal.

Big advantages for someone like me though who has used glasses or contact lenses for almost 50 years:  I can see a golf ball on the fairway 200 yards away (assuming I hit the fairway...)
Waking up and being able to see clearly is still a joy!!!
No more fiddling with contacts (or paying for lenses and fluids) and all the itching and risk of infection from frequent touching your eyes.

In all honesty I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Peter T