[Closed] Eye Surgery

I had no issues with Optimax when I had mine done.

I used ultralase.  The clinic in Guildford didn't have the (new at the time) machine I wanted to use, so the actual procedure was done in the Reading clinic.  Great results and I really felt well looked after.  I had some slight dry eye concerns after a couple of years so went back for a free checkup.  They gave me a full checkup and made sure that there wasn't anything wrong.

For balance, a friend almost lost the sight in one eye and it will never return properly (he says it's like being underwater) after surgery around nine years ago.

Depending on what affects your eyesight it might not be worth it, is what Specsavers said to me. Astigmatism is my main issue but it's not bad. I asked whether I could have eye surgery and they said yes but wouldn't be any point. I'd just go back to what I am now in a few years.

Ultralase and Optimax probably do over 90% of all corrective laser surgery so are by far the most experienced. Why would you trust anyone more? My wife used Optimax about 10 years ago. No issues at all.

For balance, a friend almost lost the sight in one eye and it will never return properly (he says it’s like being underwater) after surgery around nine years ago.

As with all medial procedures there are risks and there are bound to be the odd unfortunate person who has a bad experience. Same with my dad's pace maker operation and many other medical procedures. The overwhelming number of people who use them turn out fine with improved eyesight.

My daughter didn't have a good experience and the clinic washed their hands of her.  She has to use eye drops on a daily basis and is still suffering discomfort, in fact she went to see an eye consultant at an NHS hospital for investigation.  It may or may not be one that's been mentioned on this thread.

I realise they (the big players) can't be that bad, but i would personally prefer to put my trust (and eyesight) into a proper ophthalmic surgeon rather than anything else

However, if there's no alternative - and it's looking less likely! - I'll go and give the others a bell

The overwhelming number of people who use them turn out fine with improved eyesight.

That's undoubtedly true and I have considered having the op done myself in the past but decided I would rather wear my glasses and have zero risk of anything going wrong.

As with all medial procedures there are risks and there are bound to be the odd unfortunate person who has a bad experience

Just to float this out there.............find out how many of the surgeons have undergone the procedure themselves........

I paid 1K about 18 years ago went from - 6 to hawk eye but low light vision useless and im back to - 3 in both eyes not too bad  but as Optimax kept saying you wont need reading glasses

I would love to have it done but being insured i get my annual eye test at an eye surgeons, who wears glasses.  He says the same every year, he wouldn't have it done.

That’s undoubtedly true and I have considered having the op done myself in the past but decided I would rather wear my glasses and have zero risk of anything going wrong.

Fine. Zero risk in life. Nice ideal. You can run from it, but not forever. You will have to take a risk at some point. You're probably risking yourself more going out on your bike than having laser eye surgery. Show me any medical intervention that is risk free...having local anaesthetic at the dentist is not risk free. People really need to gain a sense of perspective. I can understand people get a bit squeamish about eye's but they're pretty robust. People regain eyesight after having shards of glass removed from eyeballs...usually following some form of laser eye surgery.

I realise they (the big players) can’t be that bad, but i would personally prefer to put my trust (and eyesight) into a proper ophthalmic surgeon rather than anything else

What makes you think they are not 'proper' ophthalmic surgeon's? What makes you think 'proper' surgeons are any less prone to make mistakes or be incompetent? The GMC is certainly kept busy by Surgeons needlessly killing people or causing life changing injury to some who are undergoing 'simple' low risk procedures' due to incompetence. People forget that laser eye surgery is about 50 years old now so a very well developed and understood procedure. My dad had his done back in the '80's after a good 10 years of  pondering it and never had any problems at all and never looked back. If it was 'unsafe' or any more unsafe or less successful than any other medical procedure I'm sure the cat would be out of the bag by now.

I've at least 6 members of my family three of whom are doctors who have had it done many years ago, so long enough for any long term effects to have manifested themselves, and none have ever looked back.

Go on, its a personal decision based upon how much needing glasses inconveniences your life. If they don't then there is not need, it's a personal choice. If they do then there is no sensible reason not to go for it.

You’re probably risking yourself more going out on your bike than having laser eye surgery.

That isn't a comparable argument though. I like riding my bike enough to risk injury. I don't dislike wearing my glasses enough to risk losing my sight or even just having to put up with low light vision issues or constantly overly dry eyes. It isn't about running from all risk, it's simply my decision not to open myself to unnecessary risk for something that isn't required. For example, I once had rusty metal lodged in my eye which was causing vision issues and had to be dealt with. There was a risk to my vision by removing it (using a horrible needle/plier contraption) but more risk by leaving it in. I chose to have it removed. 😛

I wouldn't call a 5% complication rate or a 10% failure rate "low risk" (numbers from the Royal College of Ophthalmology, quoted by NHS Choices). If I had to have surgery every ten trips out on my bike then I might think twice about cycling.

The sensationalist media reports suggest that the big commercial eye surgery provider complication rates are roughly double those of the NHS. Naturally the commercial providers don't make their numbers public so it's hard to verify.

I’ve at least 6 members of my family three of whom are doctors who have had it done many years ago, so long enough for any long term effects to have manifested themselves, and none have ever looked back.

Or forward since

 not ‘proper’ ophthalmic surgeon’s?

a lot of them - that I've looked at - are not as qualified as those I'm more likely to go to.

It's human nature; you get more qualified, you charge more money, because you're 'better' at what you do.

OH had her eyes lasered a few years ago. I posted on here regarding a way forward for her. They did not do a dry eye test, so now has to use eye drops constantly. Struggles with nighttime vision and in winter when heating goes on. It was with one of the big names in surgery.

Her Dr basically told her off for doing it, as the monitoring and standards are not as rigorous as they should be. Really look in to it before you do it. You do not generally hear in the media about all the times it goes wrong, as on the money back guarantee thing, they add a non-disclosure cause. I seem to remember the figure for the success rate being around 80-85%.

On the flip-side, my twin had it done and loves it.

Not a chance. I'm short sighted and need to pop the glasses off to read up close, and printed spreadsheets are getting hard work to see - OK on two big screens though. Late 40's. Deffo no eye surgery unless I am about to go blind (cataract).

Had contacts in past but they are a faff - happy with glasses/sports glasses etc.

Why ? If it goes wrong - that's you with much worse sight. (it's rare)

Always had this opinion.

Got 'Sent' for the little 'snip', fit , healthy etc. It went wrong. BADLY.  In pain 6 years after op, had a number of ops to sort it, nope, and I end up on TRT. WTF....

Broke my spine 3 years ago, specialist says.. " we can operate today, but you can move your feet now, you might not tomorrow. You know ops go wrong".... my option ws to stay on my back for over 6 weeks in hospital and nearly a year off work.  I'm OK'ish, but there is no metalwork in my back, the pain is just the damage, not the mechano.

My brother is a dentist and has said, don't ever have surgery unless it's a last resort.  He wears glasses.

If you can accept the risk you could well not see as well, then go for it, but cosmetic or 'elective' surgery won't ever be my choice again - the silly 'snip' sorted that - I refused spinal surgery, and don't regret it. I regret the snip.

PS if they are quoting 10%, then give it a miss.

The snip was quoted as 1 in 1000 to me at the op, I now know its at least 1 in 10 get serious permanent pain. Sorry lads, but the ballock pain is bad enough, but I ain't messing with any eye op unless it's medically needed, 1 in 100 it too much on an eye op. You still need blooming specs on riding, so it's not much effort to have an RX insert.

I'd love to be 20/20 again - computer work did it.  I would never have any surgery again unless it's needed.  I've had a shoulder op after a bike crash, but it took 2 years to get it done and a further 2 years to heal fully, but it's blooming great now, better than the 'normal' shoulder.

PS My mate's wife has had full teeth implants and eyes done and she is happy as heck, teeth look awesome and she can see great.  Shame she didn't spend any effort on some exercise....

This

RCOPHTH.AC.UK "https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Patient-Info-LVC-May-2018.pdf"

would seem to contradict the figures quoted above:

"Over 95% of patients are satisfied with the
outcome of surgery, and many describe it as
life changing"

saw this post last night, but i thought i would wait until today's outcome before i posted.

just got back from manchester, with my wife

she had been to see the eye surgeon at optical express off deansgate.

she went because she was told she needed a lens replacement.

she needs glasses for everything, near, far, reading, driving and computor.

quote was £6000

a fair old sum, but it sorts the problem well we would have been happy

outcome is tho, that the surgeon will not do the procedure. he was not happy with something on my wifes eye surface. he said that the outcome may not have been good. told my wife that she would have to wait untill she was pretty much blind before he would do the procedure.

my initial thoughts when she had her first consultation, was thatit was a private company and they were in it solely for the profit.

my thoughts have now changed.

Don't know much about the ins and outs of it, but as an anaesthetist I work with lots of eye surgeons. They nearly all wear glasses.

My view about it, being a glasses wearer of many years and -7.5 in both eyes is that I really don't mind wearing glasses and with extended wear lenses I can feel like I don't have glasses when I want to. So for me the benefits aren't much so I'm not prepared to take even the likely small risk of complications.

What are extended wear lenses? If they are contacts i hated wearing them hard soft daily i tried them all. - 7.5 that is a strong prescription i was - 6 and would loose my kids at the swimming pool

Extended wear are the ones you can leave in for up to a month. I find them pretty comfortable but I do have fairly tolerant eyes. I tend to leave them in for a couple of weeks and then not wear them for a while. For me it's best of both worlds. Glasses are sort of a bit of my identity anyway.

Your right though swimming is the one thing that's a bit problematic with glasses or contacts.

I'm in the camp of had it done nearly 20 years ago and was the best money I've ever spent (and I did it on a £600 2-for-1 offer :p ). My eyesight is starting to deteriorate a bit again now though but that was expected (it doesn't halt the ageing process), if I could have it done again I would but don't think that's an option unfortunately.

I'm not sure whether eye surgeons wear glasses or not is a particularly good example to assess the risk via. OK none of us would want complications from eye surgery but a surgeon is one of those professions that even dry eyes, increased light sensitivity etc could have a huge impact and probably makes it not worth the risk.

I had light sensitivity myself for about a year after (fine in normal conditions but things like a car brake light in front when it's relatively dark would cause my eyes to start streaming and make we wince). That faded though and even if I'd know it in advance it wouldn't have stopped me getting the surgery.

PM me and I can give you the name of some one that I would trust. (not cheap though) FWIW I run Ophthalmology secondary care clinics and have daily access to about 40 eye doctors. He's the only one I'd trust to **** about with my eyes though.

Your right though swimming is the one thing that’s a bit problematic with glasses or contacts.

You can get prescription goggles. I have considered them a few times but at -3 my sight isn't so bad that I'd miss the pool if diving in from the high board 🙂

My daughter is under the knife with Mr Mellor at St James Laser Eye clinic in Leeds next week, but for Keratoconus not vision correction. Seems to be one of the top guys in the North.

Following this thread with interest. I've recently been told in no uncertain terms to stop wearing soft contacts, or I'll lose my sight.

I've gone back to wearing specs full time, but it is still a PITA. Considering laser eye surgery.

I’ve gone back to wearing specs full time, but it is still a PITA

You're wearing them wrong.