Laser Eye Surgery - Opinions

Helen2

Jimmay
Think I understand the confusion –if you’ve soft lenses you’ve to leave them out for a week, hard or gas permeable a month before the assessment as contact lenses can affect your corneal measurements. A friend of mine wore gas permeable and was worrying about how to cope for a full month but the clinic advised her to move to daily soft lenses and this worked for her for a while and then one week without. Good luck and don’t forget you won’t have to worry about wearing lenses again after the surgery!

Jip

jimmay wrote: »

OMG I just phoned another clinic and they require I take my contacts out for TWO Weeks prior to my consultation - note consultation not surgery!!

This is massively inconvenient. I mean fair enough if it's the norm and necessary for exact diagnosis...but out of three places I've contacted one has said 24 hours, the other 1 week and now this place 2 weeks!?
I'm afraid to ring anywhere else!!

What have other people experienced??

Why risk a proper assessment of your eyes prior to surgery simply because it's inconvenient to you ?

jimmay

Helen2 wrote: »

Jimmay
Think I understand the confusion –if you’ve soft lenses you’ve to leave them out for a week, hard or gas permeable a month before the assessment as contact lenses can affect your corneal measurements. A friend of mine wore gas permeable and was worrying about how to cope for a full month but the clinic advised her to move to daily soft lenses and this worked for her for a while and then one week without. Good luck and don’t forget you won’t have to worry about wearing lenses again after the surgery!

Thanks Helen but I'm still confused as I was asked by each company and explicity stated that I wear the soft dailies??? I don't mind having to leave my contacts out for 3 months beforehand if that's what is required to get an accurate assesment...I just don't understand the difference in timeframe between companys? I thought there would be a standard? And obviously now I am questioning the credability of Company A who said 24 hours!?

veritable

Just got the surgery done, this is the first time I can look at the screen without glasses/contacts! very happy with the procedure and the clinic.

jacko809

I'm considering getting the surgery done but have not looked into it too much. veritable, where did you get it done? is it painful?

SuperHans

I'm currently on quite a high prescription (-7.5 & -6.5). Am sick of lenses and am seriously considering getting this done. However I want the best possible treatment and am prepared to pay for it. Can anyone recommend somewhere which is proven to give a superior service(ie. proven track record of high success rate compared to others)? Am willing to go abroad if needs be.

Helen2

Superhans, You would be foolish to go abroad for surgery as aftercare is very important. In addition, in the unlikely event there is an emergency you need to have a surgeon available locally 24/7. In addition, paying the highest cost does not necessarily mean the best service –have a look at some of the reviews on this website http://www.irishhealth.com/discussion/message.html?dis=3&topic=2272&pop=1
Five of my friends had laser eye surgery last year (yes, a bit like sheep, once one went, they all followed) They went to Laservision on Leeson street. Two of the guys had Lasek (the blade free option) and had slight dry eye for a few weeks but just used the drops the surgeon had recommended and that was it, they’re perfect now. All were very pleased with the clinic –particularly important the surgeons (not optometrists) are available for initial assessment and all aftercare. They also have clinic audits available –these are on their website at the bottom of this page http://www.laservision.ie/content/laservision-procedure
Do your research and hope it all goes well.

veritable

jacko809 wrote: »

I'm considering getting the surgery done but have not looked into it too much. veritable, where did you get it done? is it painful?

i got it done at www.optilase.com. it wasn't sore but i have to admit i was nervous getting it done. i'm still adjusting to life without glasses but, personally speaking, it was the best decision i've ever made.

BC

I had Lasek in the mater private last November. Best thing I ever did, I wish i'd done it years ago. I was very happy with the Mater, they were very professional and very thorough. I had the eyes done separately as the Mater won't do the two together and the second eye reacted quite differently to the surgery compared with the first eye. I was a bit concerned about this and phoned them a couple of times to query it. The surgeon always phoned me back within the hour and brought me in for a couple of extra check ups to put my mind at rest.

For the consulatation, as far as I remember i couldn't wear contacts for two weeks beforehand and no eye makeup for 1 week beforehand.

ondarack

i'm only currently looking into getting lazer surgery and im just looking for opinions on the best place to get it done and which proceedure is the safest+less painfull. im from cork and ive 1 lazy eye. money doesnt really matter as id rather get it done right but if anyone has a guideline price it would be appreciated

Posy

Anyone ever get it done or hear anything about the Blackrock clinic Dublin?

Lisie247

Posy wrote: »

Anyone ever get it done or hear anything about the Blackrock clinic Dublin?

Im going for a consultation in blackrock next thurs- if all ok ill get it done there so ill keep ya posted!

Lisie247

ondarack wrote: »

i'm only currently looking into getting lazer surgery and im just looking for opinions on the best place to get it done and which proceedure is the safest+less painfull. im from cork and ive 1 lazy eye. money doesnt really matter as id rather get it done right but if anyone has a guideline price it would be appreciated

Your talkin €4000 give or take a few hundred depending on where u get it done

Posy

Lisie247 wrote: »

Your talkin €4000 give or take a few hundred depending on where u get it done

Thanks, hope it goes well..
Yeah, they seem to be one of the costliest, although I wouldn't mind paying €10,000 when my eyesight's at stake!! :eek:

ondarack

Lisie247 wrote: »

Your talkin €4000 give or take a few hundred depending on where u get it done

4000 for 1 eye??

mikeystipey

Hi there myopic friends, had LASEK done with Laservision on Leeson Street 5 weeks ago, overall things have gone very well, might as well give my eyesight diary:

Surgery Day: Prodecure was absolutely pain free and could see better straight away. After surgery-anaesthetic wore off eyes were a bit painful alright but nothing near unbearable.

Day 2: Spent most of it in bed as a precaution. Eyes were sore alright but to be expected. Note: Went out for a 1 hour walk with sunglasses on and by the end eyes were very sore and streaming quite a bit so beware of sunlight/outdoor exposure in the first few days.

Day 3: Left eye vision very good alright, but right gone back to being very blurry and sore. Rang the clinic and they reassured me everything is alright. So, please note both your eyes do not necessarily have the same healing rate, this phased me a bit at the time.

Day 4: Went for check up - consultant happy with progress.

Day 6: Got left eye contact lense out, felt better already but...

Day 7: Woke up and immediatley left eye was very painful...surgeon later explained that new 'skin' on eye still quite raw after contact lense is taken out.

Day 8: Left eye feeling fine again and got right eye contact out in clinic, ann given all clear to drive again Vision good but far from perfect yet

Day 9: No problem this time first morning after right eye contact lense was taken out (more healing time)

Next 3 weeks: Vision continued to improve, but slower than I expected. However, the consultants did say it can take 8 to 10 weeks for it to become perfect (this was said after the surgery mind you :rolleyes:)

1 month: Another check up and vision now almost perfect - can see a golf ball over 200 yards away, nice one. Golf still crap though

Going back in 8 weeks for another check-up. They certainly don't skimp on the check-ups.

Overall would certainly recommend Laservision, the surgeons John and Ray are friendly and informative.

On the LASEK vs. LASIK question the main surgeon John reckons out of the thousands of procedures they've done there's NEVER been a complaint from a LASEK patient, whereas with LASIK there is a 1 to 2 % dissatisfaction chance (he didn't go into details on this). So unless you need a really quick healing time go with LASEK.

Main points are: Choose LASEK but do take a week off work. Be patient with recovery time. Avoid strong light for first few days.

So lets have a toast to the amazing laser technology!

mikeystipey

p.s. on the money front, saw mention of €4,000 for one eye above, thats ridiculous. Here's my Laservision breakdown:

Wavefront LASEK surgery for both eyes: €3,000
Less 15% VHI discount (€450) = €2,550 upfront
20% back from Taxman hopefully (€510) = €2,040 net cost

jimmay

Had a surreal moment last night...

Went to sit down on the couch and look on the coffee table for my specs and then remembered I don't need them anymore!!!:D Haha wow!

Well it is just over 5 days since I had Lasek in Laservision and it really is unbelieveable. My eyes are obviously still healing and not 100% yet but still already a million times better than pre-surgery. I'm delighted with how I'm progressing. I'll post back for more updates so I can tell everyone about it haha

Posy

ondarack wrote: »

4000 for 1 eye??

NO!! Both eyes! And after tax relief it's about €3,200 or something.

Posy

Lisie247 wrote: »

Im going for a consultation in blackrock next thurs- if all ok ill get it done there so ill keep ya posted!

Did you have your consultation? If so, how was it?

ondarack

hi i hav a consultation next tuesday but i was just wondering if anyone here would know if im a suitable candidate, i dont wear glasses or contacts, i've what i consider perfect vision in 1 eye and very poor and blurry in the other, as a result i have a lazy eye..... this know is what i was told when i was younger, i'm 23 now. the only reason im trying to get it done is because i failed a medical for the gardai and cant pass without having my eye corrected, does anyone know if a fella with my circumstances can get my lazy eye corrected?? my consultation is with dr conall hurley, has anyone had any experience with him?

Lisie247

Posy wrote: »

Anyone ever get it done or hear anything about the Blackrock clinic Dublin?

I wouldn't recommend them. I went for a consultation 2 weeks ago(€100). The surgen said my corneas were quite thin so I had to go back the next day for a second scan on my eyes(all be it very inconvienient to take time off work)- so got the second scan done and he rang me to come in the week after with my MAM!! (im 23!). So i went back on my own (more time off work) and he went through the pro's and con's and said we would go ahead with the surgey on wednesday(which should have been today). As i was on my own- he asked for my mam or dads number again to discuss it with them-even though Im paying & im 23!!!! So i just gave him my mams number to shut him up...then on sunday morning my mam got a phone call from the surgen saying he was not going to go ahead with the procedure cause my corneas were thin and i probably wont be left with 20/20 vision.
I was sooooooo angry! he treated me like a child telling my mother before telling me...oh forgot to mention..he told me to buy eye drops and linseed oil tablets to help with dry eye before the surgey which cost €50...now im not getting it done i had to throw them in the bin!

Sorry for the big rant but im just so annoyed..i have an appoint with the Mater for a consultation in 2 weeks so lets hope i get treated better there!

Lisie247

Posy wrote: »

Did you have your consultation? If so, how was it?

Hi there! see my rant below!!

Lisie247

ondarack wrote: »

4000 for 1 eye??

No for the 2 eyes

jenny487

Hi People

Thinking of getting Lasik Laser Eye Surgery with wavefront technology, from Optilase in Dublin. Have been up to them, and have been approved so that's good news. They seem lovely, v professional, and the prices are as standard as the others I've looked into. Just wondering has anyone anything good, bad or indifferent to say on the matter? I'm short sighted, a minus 7.50 in pretty much both eyes. Just interested to get some personal insights on life after LES! Thank you.

DingDong

jenny487 wrote: »

Hi People

Thinking of getting Lasik Laser Eye Surgery with wavefront technology, from Optilase in Dublin. Have been up to them, and have been approved so that's good news. They seem lovely, v professional, and the prices are as standard as the others I've looked into. Just wondering has anyone anything good, bad or indifferent to say on the matter? I'm short sighted, a minus 7.50 in pretty much both eyes. Just interested to get some personal insights on life after LES! Thank you.

I had it done in January in optilase(LASIK) I was -4.00 and now I have 20/20 vision in both eyes, one took a bit longer to heal than the other. I couldn't recommend it enough the relief of not having to worry about contacts or glasses.

jenny487

hey that's great thanks. always good to know what others think. i'm just worried about the risks/regression, probably more so cos i'm -7.50 now, etc. when you say one eye took longer to heal, i've read this before, do you mind me asking how did this affect you? workwise like? can you 'see'? i work in office, computers, etc, fully reliant on drivin, live in country etc etc. thanks! jenny. hope sunday is good to you.

jenny487

Thinking of getting Lasik Laser Eye Surgery with wavefront technology, from Optilase in Dublin. Have been up to them, and have been approved so that's good news. They seem lovely, v professional, and the prices are as standard as the others I've looked into. Just wondering has anyone anything good, bad or indifferent to say on the matter? I'm short sighted, a minus 7.50 in pretty much both eyes. Just interested to get some personal insights on life after LES! Thank you.
meant to also say i'm interested, albeit v nervous to hear from anyone who now has a genuine problem since lasik, blurring, permanent dryness. don't just want to hear about the good experiences! well, i do, but i'm forcing myself to be pessimistically realistic!! ta, jenny

Fighting Irish

hopefully i'm getting this done next summer

DingDong

One eye was blood shot(bruised as they called it) after the op. It took a while to go away(about a month) but it didn't affect me really I still have good enough eye sight to drive and work (also in an office).I think it was cause by too much pressure on my eye as I couldn't help but move it when they put the clamp thing on. The op is over before you know it. The thoughts of it are far worse than the actual op itself. I had dry eyes for a few months but they seem grand now and only use drops now and then. It great when you come out of the operation and can see clear albeit slightly foggy. Also I feel I can see a bit clear than I ever could using contacts(which is all I ever wore for the last few years)