Laser Eye surgery

Lockstep

I'm considering having laser eye surgery done, my eyesight is -3,-3 but I've heard bad things about laser eye surgery going wrong, I'm young (18) and in pretty good health, I've looked around and seen places in Dublin offering eye surgery for 1500-2000 euros.

Can anyone reccomend as to wheter laser eye surgery is a good idea or not and as to whether I can get a good service for 1500-2000 euros?

I know someone who had it done and who claims it's wearing off.

lola_run

kickoutthejams wrote: »

I'm considering having laser eye surgery done, my eyesight is -3,-3 but I've heard bad things about laser eye surgery going wrong, I'm young (18) and in pretty good health, I've looked around and seen places in Dublin offering eye surgery for 1500-2000 euros.

Can anyone reccomend as to wheter laser eye surgery is a good idea or not and as to whether I can get a good service for 1500-2000 euros?

I know someone who had it done and who claims it's wearing off.

I wouldn't bother having surgery done for such a weak prescription. The risks will outweigh the benefits. Do you need perfect eyesight for your job?

2Scoops

Relatively few risks with PRK ahead of say, LASIK but the recovery period is longer. However, I believe the optimal time to get this type of surgery is in your early to mid-twenties.

Eye sight degrades in everyone whether they get surgery or not. I don't think your acquaintance's experience is consistent with the idea that the surgery is somehow 'wearing off.'

Lockstep

Shes a relative, whos around 45, which could explain things.

I'm unfazed by the recovery period of PRK, but I must ask, roughly how much does it cost?
Is it dearer than LASIk?

2Scoops

kickoutthejams wrote: »

Shes a relative, whos around 45, which could explain things.

Yes, probably.

kickoutthejams wrote:

I'm unfazed by the recovery period of PRK, but I must ask, roughly how much does it cost?
Is it dearer than LASIk?

They cost about the same afaik.

Lockstep

Is there a decent website that lists the pros and cons oif each?

Googling seems to end up with biased results

2Scoops

Just to reiterate: the best time to get this surgery would be when you are in your twenties.

As for educating yourself, use a wide variety of Google sources and you should get a good idea of the basics. If the sites have a clear agenda, internalize only the logical, supported information. Don't ignore the horror stories - they do happen. Use academic sources like Pubmed to look at stats etc.

Here is a laser eye surgery specific web forum:
http://www.lasermyeye.org/forums/index.php

Lockstep

I read through some of those posts and I'm terrified:(

I hate glasses, I hate contacts.
I hate the way that when I drop glasses and cant find them I'm scrabbling around under my bed.
I always thought laser surgery would help out, but has anyone here actually had it done?
Is it worth the risk?

ZorbaTehZ

My uncle had this done, and his eyesight is now near-perfect. After the operation he did have dryeye for about 2 weeks, but after that it was ok.
That said, I have heard some not so good stories as well.

(Refering to 2Scoops point) Iirc, they actually won't let you have the surgery until you're at least 21 because your eyes are still developing. Have you talked to a professional about it?

Lockstep

I got speaking to Laservison about it, they reccomended Lasek treatment as I do boxing, and it would take around 4days to heal.
though they reccomended I speak to a consultant first,
And I'd have to be 21.

Optical express only require you to be 18.

2Scoops

kickoutthejams wrote: »

I got speaking to Laservison about it, they reccomended Lasek treatment as I do boxing, and it would take around 4days to heal.
though they reccomended I speak to a consultant first,
And I'd have to be 21.

Optical express only require you to be 18.

Lasek recovery time is more than 4 days.

The fact that Optical Express will operate on an 18 y old doesn't say a whole for them as a service provider.

Naikon

I don't know about this surgery tbh.
Your eye's are pretty important assets, so at the inconvenience of wearing glasses, you are ensuring good vision.
Believe me, blindness is much worse than the "inconvenience" of wearing glasses, it's an unnecessary risk.

I know some people who have partaken in this procedure, and even though their eyesight is better, be wary that there can be weird visual artifacts and side effects afterwards.
The procedures are also misleadingly being marketed as cosmetic "drop in during lunch" procedures which is just plain wrong.

The Denouncer

In 2004 I got my eyesight "corrected" using laser correction method. Straight after my right eye was very bloodshot..you see a week before I went into the clinic I had a dose of Conjunctivitis out of the blue but was told it would not affect the operation and was given the go ahead.
Anyway my eyes were extremely dry for weeks, as per normal I was told, but when I used the artificial tears my right eye kept on getting a stye and I had to keep on getting fuchthalmic from the doctor and dripping it in to bring down the swelling..and then the halos appeared. Starbursts and halos are a possibility with this operation, but my right eye night vision is shot to pieces. When I look through my right eye there are massive streaks though headlights and lamps..all lights are a complete and utter mess. Bright light kill me, my brain behind the eye starts throbbing like crazy. I can't watch TV in the dark anymore and any long movie at the cinema is like the eyes are reefed out of my head after it. The left eye is not as bad, some minor halos, but the right eye is completely ruined at night. Driving at night is a horrible experience. I heard at the time some doctor in the UK was talking about a procedure to correct botched operations like mine - do you know if that is true? Anyone else who can identify with my problems..in perfect sunlight I can see very well and both eyes seem fine (better than 20:20 vision) but when the light is low its a complete and utter nightmare.
Feel like telling everyone going there to stay away except I know I am the exception rather than the rule, the risk is always there though..:(

Zillah

Sounds like they messed yours up rather than mere side effects. What type did you get and with who? How old were you?

My sister gots hers done a few years ago. No complications, her vision is absolutely perfect.

My Brother and sister had it done and they swear by it . Not one problem from it .

Lockstep

Just for the record, when people are writing about themselves/someone they know,could they include what procedure(lasik,lasek,PRK,etc), which company they did it with and how long ago it was?
If at all possible.
Thanks
Cian

The Denouncer

kickoutthejams wrote: »

Just for the record, when people are writing about themselves/someone they know,could they include what procedure(lasik,lasek,PRK,etc), which company they did it with and how long ago it was?
If at all possible.
Thanks
Cian

I my thread was deleted from Personal Issues as soon as I mentioned LASIK, and the procedure was in Blackrock Clinic. 3 years ago. When i was age 31.
As soon as I post people always post straight away "I know someone who got it done and they are perfect" etc. I know that, I don't need to hear it. I know I am in the minority. But it can happen, in fact it could be worse, if my left eye was like my right eye I'd be royally screwed and have to throw myself into the Liffey.

Lockstep

No, I wasn't talking directly at you, just to people in general.

Thanks for the feedback, I do appreciate I need the bad storys as well as the good.