I recently requested readers to email me with their experiences with laser eye surgery.  Here are some of the replys..........

 I've just read the postings about laser eye surgery, and would like to
add mine.  I had surgery in August 2005, at Ultralase in Chelmsford.  I
was mildly short-sighted in the left eye, and more strongly
short-sighted in the right eye, and was recommended Lasik with Waveform
to the right eye, the £1500 jobbie.  I was promised the best results,
after thorough testing and history-taking, expecting 20/20 vision in the
right eye, and a complete correction of astigmatism in that eye. The
surgery experience was, as in the case of your other contributors, not
at all unpleasant, virtually painless, and very quick.  The staff and
doctors were fabulous, and within a few hours I could see everything
with crystal clarity.  However I did have a problem with haloes and
blurring, which I was assured would go away.  At my follow-up I
mentioned I was having trouble with blurring of vision and double edges
to everything, and was told it was the healing process. My vision was
tested again, and it had deteriorated slightly.  I was told it was
unstable, and would correct itself.  I had strange symptoms, flashing
lights and a dark spot to one side, so I went to a Consultant
Ophthalmologist privately who diagnosed tears in my retina, and
performed cryosurgery to repair this in the November of that year.  He
was not impressed!!  He said traction within the eye had caused the
tears, as my retina was degenerating anyway. I think this should have
been obvious to Ultralase when they first examined my eyes with the
slit-lamp microscope, and maybe I should not have been recommended to go
ahead.  Ultralase were most concerned at what had happened to me, and
promised me extra follow-ups to check progress.  Over the following
months my vision in the treated eye got worse, and I became
long-sighted, with new astigmatism, and they made me two pairs of
glasses free.  Every time I was followed up my eyesight had deteriorated
further, and they said it was still unstable, and might remain so for up
to 2 years.   Finally, last year, they agreed it would not improve any
further, and that I was the one in 10,000 or whatever on whom the
surgery failed.   I never got my picture in their hall of fame!!!  I am
now left with a short-sighted eye and a long-sighted eye, which has
taken me years to get used to, and I have to wear different glasses for
reading, computer work, watching TV and distances.  5 pairs of glasses!
And I need a magnifying glass as well to see small detail!  I now have
problems seeing things while out shopping, I cannot enjoy the cinema or
theatre, and I suffer headaches whatever glasses I wear, there is always
an area I cannot see properly.  We only hear of the success stories,  so
I guess I'm just unlucky, but £1500 is a lot of money to part with in
exchange for vision which is far, far, worse than before.  Ultralase
have offered me "lifetime care", and have provided me with free specs,
but they are metal, heavy and uncomfortable, and UGLY!  They do not
refund your money if it does not work!  So, if anyone is thinking of
having this done, please be aware it MIGHT NOT WORK!  I did think about
suing them, but you have to do it within two years of the surgery, and
they told me to wait 2 years for my vision to stabilise......I don't
want to sound cynical, but I do think I have been had!

Caveat emptor, as they say.....

Thanks for the chance to have a rant, anyway.

---

Chris my colleague has literally just had laser eye treatment.  She is pleased with the results.

She had to have a week off work, the actual laser treatment took seconds per eye, although she had to have the various drops etc to prepare her eyes for treatment. She was conscious throughout.  She mentioned the horrendous smell of burning that she likened to the burning smell of sparklers, when doing the actual lasering on each eye.

They gave her painkillers for the pain that would be expected, which she experienced for the first couple of days along with weeping of the eyes. She had to go back a couple of days later for a routine check up.

But she remarked how quickly she was able to see and how pleased she is now (1week later) with the results.

On looking at her eyes, she looks perfectly normal.

So a positive result here.  Joanna

---

 

I had laser surgery on my eyes on 31^st January this year.  I was long-sighted and over the years have relied on my glasses more and more, so was keen to have the treatment and be rid of my glasses.

 

I went to Ultralase in Chelmsford and cannot sing their praises high enough, they were brilliant!  I went for the initial consultation – which was free – and was with them for over 3 hours whilst they did numerous eye tests and scans etc and answered all my questions, the consultation is supposed to last two hours but they were really thorough and didn’t rush things at all.  I was pretty apprehensive but they made me feel totally at ease and were really friendly and caring.  I had the treatment the following week and it wasn’t painful, just a little discomfort but all over and done with in about ten minutes.  My eyes felt sore and uncomfortable for the next few hours and were sensitive to light but following a good nights sleep felt much better the following day.  I had to put two lots of drops in every two hours (except when sleeping) for the first 48 hours then every four hours for a week after that and wear eye shields at night for two weeks to stop me rubbing my eyes in my sleep.  I went back for a check-up the day after the treatment and then a week later.

 

The results are amazing, when I went back the day after the treatment, I had 95% 20/20 vision and the following week had 99% 20/20 vision in both eyes.  I can read the smallest of small print and it is a joy not to have to put on my glasses every two minutes!  I go back to Ultralase this Thursday for another routine check up and then again in a few months time.  

 

I think Ultralase are near the top end of the scale as far as prices are concerned but your eyesight is such a precious thing, it is definitely worth paying the extra and getting the best treatment.  Also I took up the offer with Ultralase of pay nothing for a year and then interest free monthly payments after that!!

 

I would recommend the surgery with Ultralase to anyone considering it – two of my friends have already had it done following my success and they are just as pleased – and another three are considering it.  It feels like I have had a magic wand waved over my head!!

Julia

---

 

Both my husband and I have both had eye laser surgery with Ultralase
about 3 years ago.  Ultralase were the most expensive at the time but
we felt that they were the most professional and gave us the confidence
to go ahead with the procedure. 

I would say it isn't for the squemish as you are aware of what is
being done.  It is uncomfortable for a while but well worth the few
days of feeling like you have been peeling onions!

Their aftercare was very good too as I did manage to poke myself in
the eye about 6 months after the surgery and they made an appointment
for me to see them quickly to reassure me I hadn't done any lasting
damage!

Hope this is of some help. 

If anyone would like to chat about it before committing themselves
please do not hesitate to pass on my email address to them.  Lisa

---

 

I worked in an Opticians in London for 8 years and from my experience there I would never recommend surgery to a friend! I have seen may disappointed patients after the surgery. Patients which had a high rx (prescription) found their rx was too high for them to be able to correct it enough to not have to wear glasses/contact lenses after the op! I would recommend contact lenses first, patients first thought some times is that its to time consuming or that their rx isn't suitable but things change in the contact lens world all the time and its important to see a specialist in the field if you have a complex rx so you know every avenue and option will be considered. Also I used to teach patients how to insert and remove the contact lenses and in 8 years I never had a patient that failed this task so as many people say 'I could never put them in or I've tried and couldn't do it', I don't believe this and its possible for anyone to achieve it with the right people helping! For those which say there's to much cleaning and its to time consuming, its not as they now have a contact lens which you insert at the beginning of the month and leave in the eye till the end of the month yes that means you can sleep in them!. I recommend an opticians in Liverpool Street,London 020 7628 0330 for any further information.  Michelle

---

 I had Laser surgery Sept 2006 at Optical Express at Bluewater.

My prescription prior to treatment was about -6.5 in both eyes, the treatment was extremely quick

and almost painless and all over in less than 10 mins.

I did have an eye infection in one eye which set back the healing process by about 10 days,

but I could see fine in the other eye after only a day.

18 months down the line I would highly recommend it and Optical Express at Bluewater,

the only slight catch is the price they quote in TV ads is wrong as it is based on prescription and mine ending

up costing £900 per eye but worth every penny.

Go for it1

Any other questions please e-mail me     John (Anyone who wants to contact John can email me and I will pass your email on).

---

I had laser surgery at Optical Express in Bluewater in June 06. Generally I am happy with the experience but chose the cheap option at around £2,200. For another £1,000 I could have gone to another clinic in Chelmsford (forget the name) which was a lot more upmarket.

Bluewater is at the back of a busy opticians shop in the centre and you are treated politely but it is a bit of a cattle market. The treatment is sensational. I went in shortsighted to -5 and walked out of the shop 30 mins after the operation seeing well enough to drive home (but didn’t).

Their follow-ups are a bit chaotic due to their inadequate bookings computer but I got them all done and it took a while for my eyes to settle down. Unfortunately they settled down a bit too far and my vision is now -.5 in one eye and -.75 in the other which is a disappointment as I still now need glasses for driving in the dark. But for most of the time its fine. They offered (eventually) to redo the worse one for free but I decided not to risk another operation (there is still a risk).

The operation itself is almost totally painless, very quick and no worse than a hygiene session at the dentist. Recovery is several weeks and being carfeful when sleeping and showering is a bit of a pain but it soon goes and I have no regrets at all, except I think the extra £1000 would probably have been worth it with the Chelmsfor lot. I know someone else who went there and it was very good. At the end of the day the who;le thing is computer controlled and they all use the same or similar machinery so it practical terms I don’t think there’s much difference but Bluewater are very busy and it shows in their lack of the niceties of their customer care.   Hope that’s a help to anyone else.    Bryan.  

---

If anyone else would like to submit their experiences then please email me here