[Yossarian]

Have any of you chaps had laser eye surgery? Thoughts, opinions, etc?

I'm going through a particularly bad patch of frustration with both glasses and lenses, and it does sound like an incredibly appealing alternative...

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Johnny B's yer man, he's had his done a while back. I'm far too squeamish. 

[Johnny Brown]

It's fucking fantastic. Do it.

The technology is incredible. One laser to cut the cornea off, then another to reshape the lens. The surface is mapped beforehand so rather than just applying a prescription you end up with an optically flawless lens. All the surgeon does physically is reposition the cornea. I was -4.5 myopic with an astigmatism in one eye, can now focus from ~3" to infinity. What surprised me is my vision is better than I've ever experienced from glasses or contacts.

Rehab is about 2-3 hours of serious discomfort like having sand in your eye, but not actual pain, then vision improves over about 36 hours. I had surgery after work, got the train home clutching my now useless glasses feeing a bit rare, lay down for a few hours in a dark room, then was watching tv by 9 and cycled to work in the morning. Initially you get flare around point light sources at night which takes a few months to settle down and makes motorway driving at night a bit weird. After four years I take prefer the vision a bit for granted now, but every so often, when waking up, camping, swimming underwater, putting on sunglasses, walking in rain, snow or fuggy pubs etc I remember what it used to be like.

Cost is between 2 and 5 grand. I did a fair bit of internet research, filled in a form for a quote on optical express etc, but didn't rush into anything. Immediately I started getting targeted google ads from optical express, which after a week or two started offering discount. I clicked on a half price deal and got the deluxe treatment at 50%, so £2400 I think. Speaking to others it sounds 50% off is rare but 33% common. I'm sure there will be knowledge out there for getting a deal. They rely on word of mouth for sales so are keen to trap newbies. Caff got his for free by naming a crap new route on Holyhead mountain after them, and now delights in calling Bransby a speccy twat.

Decision was mainly triggered by finances, but I'd been keeping an eye on it for years and had watched my prescription stabilise completely for about 6 years so knew it would be worthwhile. You need to hit the sweet spot between it settling down and age-induced presbyopia starting. Had mine done at 35 so should get 20 good years.

Man up Toby!

[SA Chris]

So at close to 50 it's probably not worth it for me?

[Johnny Brown]

Depends on the history of your prescription, luck and what value you place on experiencing zero hassle perfect vision.

[SA Chris]

My prescription has been stable for the last 5 or so years, but it's only -1.75 in both eyes.

My glasses never bother me tbh, i wear contacts when skiing or surfing, so on average 1 week a year and once or twice a month.

I've thought about it in the past, but expense has put me off.

[Yossarian]

I asked on here because I was looking for a perspective possibly different to that which I'd find elsewhere...

The thing about clarity / improved sight I had no idea about, and TBH I'd have probably taken any suggestion of that from a laser peddler with a big pinch of salt.

My prescription is similar to what yours was JB - -4.25 / -4.5 plus astigmatism. I have a lot of bad eye days in both contacts and glasses where I find doing fine work on screen a real pain. Usually after a few long days wearing contacts.

I was really looking at it from the convenience point of view, but it now sounds even more appealing. I'll make some enquiries like you did, and see what offers I get. Thanks...

[petejh]

Had it done about 20 years ago when I was in the army. I was short sighted in my right eye (shooting eye) so sneaked off and got it sorted. The technology back then wasn't as advanced as I imagine it is today.
The first op solved the issue for a year or two but then the lens reverted to the shape that causes short-sightedness. I had a second op two years after the first with a more advanced technique (LASIK I think it was then, can't remember what the first op was - an older technique). No probs since. Highly recommended based on my experience.

[cheque]

I was put off it by my boss's experience- his went wrong in some way so he had to have another op then he was messing about with eye drops and follow-up appointments for about a year after. He's fine now but still to use glasses for some stuff- I think the key in this might be that he was in his late 50s though.

I think Rich D works in the eye fixing industry- it'd be interesting to hear his perspective.

[Johnny Brown]

I have a lot of bad eye days in both contacts and glasses where I find doing fine work on screen a real pain. Usually after a few long days wearing contacts.

This was a big motivation for me. I'd been wearing contacts daily for over fifteen years, exceeding the recommended time by miles. I still occasionally get dry eyes of an evening but nothing like the same amount, and I'm much less worried about long-term damage.

When I said luck above I meant changes as you age rather than the op going wrong. The stats for the op were impressive, I think 99.9% with 20:20 or better. A tiny % needed follow-up surgery. It will all be on the web. As Pete's experience shows this is not new tech any more, it is highly refined.

[El Mocho]

The idea of having had laser eye surgery is very appealing, it's the actual process that puts me off (I am probably a bit of an outlier in the squeamish levels (anyone else fainted having mouldable superfeet fitted?)) but it does sound fairly unpleasant. If I was normal/had access to huge quantity of Valium I'd go for it.

[Oldmanmatt]

My sister put me off this.
We both have (unusually?) large pupils. When she had both eyes done a few years back, it was immediately apparent all was not well. She has no low light/night vision at all and can no longer drive at night. It's something to do with the pupil expanding outside the treated area in low light conditions, leading to (as she describes it) Kaleidoscope type flares of light obscuring everything.
I have only ever heard her explanation of the problem and it's cause and no clue if it was a different technique to the current.

[lagerstarfish]

when I had mine done in 2003 they offered sedatives

I'm pretty squeamish, but the smell of burning eyeball didn't bother me too much and the local anesthetic meant I didn't get any unpleasant physical sensation - I tried contacts, but my squeamishness and poor co-ordination caused more problems than it was worth

best couple of grand I ever spent, interest free over 2 years was the deal at the time - for months afterwards I had episodes of giggling at my ability to see details in the distance - being able to see leaves on trees, individual slates on distant roofs etc.

my eyes weren't terrible to start with, but I couldn't drive or watch TV without glasses - my main problems were not being able to see details in snow texture or smears on grit

they said that I could expect to need reading glasses by the time I was 40 - that came some time ago and my eyes are fine for distance and reading

edit - I had both eyes done at the same time

[petejh]

I'm pretty squeamish, but the smell of burning eyeball didn't bother me too much and the local anesthetic meant I didn't get any unpleasant physical sensation - I tried contacts, but my squeamishness and poor co-ordination caused more problems than it was worth

best couple of grand I ever spent - for months afterwards I had episodes of giggling at my ability to see details in the distance - being able to see leaves on trees, individual slates on distant roofs etc.

You're not supposed to, but I drove home from the hospital on the Wirral after having mine done. Had an eye patch on and had to stop every ten minutes or so to relieve the eye strain in the good eye - surprising  how hard work it is to drive with one eye! (probably not to a sensible adult, I was a dumb early 20-something).

[Johnny Brown]

Me T+30minutes, felling a bit rare. I was a bit disapointed by the lack of melted eyeball smell though. Worst bit it is the plastic insert they put in to hold your eyelids out of the way.



Things have moved on a bit since Pete's eyepatch though: 

My sister put me off this.
We both have (unusually?) large pupils. When she had both eyes done a few years back, it was immediately apparent all was not well. She has no low light/night vision at all and can no longer drive at night. It's something to do with the pupil expanding outside the treated area in low light conditions, leading to (as she describes it) Kaleidoscope type flares of light obscuring everything.
I have only ever heard her explanation of the problem and it's cause and no clue if it was a different technique to the current.

Poor night vision was a potential side effect I was warned about. Has this not improved at all with time? I had similar symptoms at first. Refund?

[Oldmanmatt]

It never improved, I think she was told it was possible and tough...

Those goggles! Get a top-hat and that would be a seriously Steampunk look!

[rich d]

I used to work in the eye fixing laser side of optics. I had it done years ago, no issues, the modern technology is fantastic and about as safe as you can get, it is however an op so there is always a risk..there is shorter term light sensitivity and dry eye, but for the vast majority of people these disappear.  It won't correct any reading correction you need (unless you go down the intra ocular lens replacement route) but it will get rid of nearly everyone's distance prescription. If you want to talk anything through send me a message and I'll be happy to have a chat, or you could bump into me at the depot notts/peak.
The risk seems to mainly be dry eye in the longer term and some increased light sensitivity (this is pretty damn rare though and if you follow the post op instructions all is nearly always Ok). There have been instances of blindness etc in the Uk with the current technology, go for the best quality procedure you can afford, find out who the surgeon is and their number of procedures. If you go with one of the big players (I used to work for OE) hold off and you'll get discount especially towards month end. We used to treat about 82% of patient as not everyone is suitable and despite what you may hear online, you see GOC registered opticians and RC surgeons, registered nurses who have their patient's  best interests at heart.
I don't recognise myself when I look at the old photos of me with glasses on, plus I don't miss wearing contact lenses - to put it into context there is more chance of having a sight threatening condition through wearing contact lenses than there is through laser eye surgery.
Rich