laser eye surgery

[colin cramb]

hi guys, at the ripe old age of almost 29, im gonna have to finally admit defeat and accept that i definitely need glasses! I'm also thinking about getting laser eye surgery as another option, just wondered if anyone has had it or knows anyone who has had it done? Is it effective? Do i need to wear glasses first before having surgery? Thanks for any help 

[i_ateallthepies]

Well I can't answer any of your questions as I'm not an optometrist or any other medical expert, but my advice would be to get advice from a medical professional who doesn't have a vested interest in your decision, which presumably means your GP.  If you ask your optician he has an interest in you buying specs every couple of years, and similarly the laser surgery companies.
 
My understanding is that once your eyes start to change they continue changing for a period of years.  If you jumped in for surgery before the changing stops, then maybe the benefit will be only temporary.

[colin cramb]

thanks mate, good advice 

[idler]

My partner had her eyes laserered about four years ago and thinks that it is brilliant.
She had always worn glasses and at 54 her eyes were so bad that she could no longer wear contact lenses and without glasses couldn't tell the time on the bedsise clock.
She had the job where they peel it back and implant a lens.
She now just uses reading glasses when necessary.
 

[mushRTID]

I'm badly short sighted so wear contacts as I hate glasses. I know 3 people who have had laser who all tell me I need to consider it as its fantastic.

I don't know if I dare though ha ha

[Jenny]

I know a few people who have had it done and they say its the best thing ever.

The problem is that it cannot stop the natural deterioration of your eyes so a couple of decades down the line and you may need glasses/contacts again. Lots still have to wear glasses on a night too.

There are also the risks of it not going well, lots of people suffer with really dry eyes so instead of having to put glasses on every day, they have to put drops in and are prone to infections

I would love to wake up in a morning and be able to see without reaching for my glasses (or sleeping with my contacts in which is a regular occurence in my world) but I just don't think its worth the risk - imagine if something went wrong? I would rather have poor eyesight than no eyesight.

[Dagenham Rover]

Well my optician at a well known store at the Plantation picked up on something with my eyes and refered me to hospital,  and a sight threatening but controllable condition was found, all I can say is take as much advice as possible

[hoolahoop]

Well my optician at a well known store at the Plantation picked up on something with my eyes and refered me to hospital,  and a sight threatening but controllable condition was found, all I can say is take as much advice as possible

Having problems finding your wallet when it was your round Daggers ?...........I'm surprised it went undiagnosed for so long

[Dagenham Rover]

Well my optician at a well known store at the Plantation picked up on something with my eyes and refered me to hospital,  and a sight threatening but controllable condition was found, all I can say is take as much advice as possible

Having problems finding your wallet when it was your round Daggers ?...........I'm surprised it went undiagnosed for so long

    

Thats your commission out of the window next time

[ditch_drfc]

To be honest it's not all it's cracked up to be. If you have it at a young age, yeah it seems fantastic that you can see perfectly, but in a few years time you're likely to need it again. Just to throw a fact in there, your eyes will never be perfect, they always continue to get worse. It doesn't matter weather you've had laser eye surgery, when you get into your 40's you'll start to need reading glasses regardless.

If i'm honest, contacts are the best option. You can get contacts for pretty much every prescription, and it doesn't cost thousands.

The best advice i could give, is that if you really want perfect vision for a couple of years, without wearing contacts or glasses then it would suit you. Not sure if you know but you still have to visit the opticians every 6 months - 1 year for a few years for check ups. Just bear it mind, it won't fix your vision for life.

Hope that helps

[MrFrost]

I know someone who had it done 5 years ago, and now needs glasses again.
I wear glasses, it doesn't bother me. I hate contacts, tried them before but they're not for me.

[DubaiRover]

I had my eyes lasered in Egypt, Sharm el sheik nearly a year ago. I have worn glasses and contacts since I was at school I am now 42 and have to say it was the best £500 I have ever spent. Apart from having to hold newspapers etc a lot further away than I would of expected I have no other noticeable differences. The surgery took 15 minutes, totally painless (unless you are a footballer) I wore sunglasses for a few days and had no pain at all if I took my medication which alleviated any soreness. It still amazes me now when I get up in a morning or when I go to the gym or go swimming or diving.
My advice is go for it, of course your eyes will deteriorate still but it is better than spending money on contacts and specs for sure.

[dumpweed]

I had my eyes lasered in Egypt, Sharm el sheik nearly a year ago. I have worn glasses and contacts since I was at school I am now 42 and have to say it was the best £500 I have ever spent. Apart from having to hold newspapers etc a lot further away than I would of expected I have no other noticeable differences. The surgery took 15 minutes, totally painless (unless you are a footballer) I wore sunglasses for a few days and had no pain at all if I took my medication which alleviated any soreness. It still amazes me now when I get up in a morning or when I go to the gym or go swimming or diving.
My advice is go for it, of course your eyes will deteriorate still but it is better than spending money on contacts and specs for sure.

Any idea what the going rate for eye surgery in the western world?

[ditch_drfc]

In England you pay a few thousand for laser eye surgery. I think it might be £2000 at Vision Express/optical express. It is quite expensive in England. Make sure they tell you everything about it before getting it and do some good research on it.

[Jenny]

They lure you in with the 'cheap' prices that they advertise but unless you have pretty decent eyesight then you are never gonna get it that cheap.

Just get extended wear contact lenses and never take them out...

[silent majority]

I had it done about 10 years ago, best thing ever! Worth every penny.

But there are some odd comments on this thread, a lot of it misinformed so all I would suggest is to go and speak to the experts, its free and they will answer any questions you have.

 If you are short sighted and have it done then its permanent, it doesn't ever need to be done again. Long sight is a different thing altogether and that's the muscles around the eye altering the focal length so you can focus on reading material etc. As you get older the muscles weaken and that's when you need reading glasses. That's what I use today, not all the time, but I do need them for reading.

[ditch_drfc]

Not too sure what the "odd comments" and "misinformed" are. But laser eye surgery isn't permanent. It can be in some cases, but in a lot, it isn't permanent.