LASER EYE SURGERY - GOOD or BAD experiences.... where to go??

miaowchi

Thinking about getting laser eye surgery done for ages now and iam just wondering where to go...
There seems to be a big difference in prices... and id hate to think that the cheaper places offer little to no aftercare...

snappieT

The prices advertised are not realistic. They are for the old procedures with higher risk, they sell you up to the modern procedures, which are in the 3k mark for both eyes.

Try the Eyecare forum for a better idea.

I went with Optical Express in November, and was very impressed.

IsThatSo?

One of them was advertising up to 1k back on VHI, can't remember which one though. That would take the sting out of it.

I am considering getting it done myself so will follow this thread with interest

snappieT

Optilase give 1k off if you have private health insurance, Optical Express give 15% back.

And don't forget, you can put the procedure on your MED1, though the latest budget changes means you'll only get the refund at the lower tax rate.

MOH

Gf went with Optilase before Christmas, with the 1k off it worked out at just over 2k for the dearest procedure on both eyes. She was fairly happy with them, I'm booked in for next month.

lisaloo

I was quoted 4600 for both eyes with Optical Express for Wavefront Intralase Lasik. i was told id get 30% back as i have Hibernian Health Insurance. is Optialse cheaper than this?

miaowchi

The 595 per eye quoted on the most recent ads would appear to be a farce so.... reminds me of these cheap aer arann flights that are always quoted as being eg. 35 euro you go and book them then and they are like 400 ha ha
I think wavefront is definitely the way to go though.... so il just have to start saving for that bit extra....
oh and thanks for the link to the other thread it was really helpful... think the general consensus is that people have had good experiences

Toots

lisaloo wrote: »

I was quoted 4600 for both eyes with Optical Express for Wavefront Intralase Lasik. i was told id get 30% back as i have Hibernian Health Insurance. is Optialse cheaper than this?

I had my eyes done at Optilase in August, it was €3190 for both eyes for Wavefront Lasik. Take away the €1000 discount for people who have private health insurance and the total cost was €2190. Was very happy with them and would definitely recommend checking them out.

the_syco

Went to the Mater to get my eyes looked at. Sadly, the doc said that I wouldn't be that much better off (due to astigmatism), so I didn't have the operation.

I liked his honesty, as opposed to someone selling a product.

run_Forrest_run

the_syco wrote: »

Went to the Mater to get my eyes looked at. Sadly, the doc said that I wouldn't be that much better off (due to astigmatism), so I didn't have the operation.

I liked his honesty, as opposed to someone selling a product.

that is a good point, I wonder would the large shops advertising the service be so honest?? Any experiences anyone?

IsThatSo?

the_syco wrote: »

Went to the Mater to get my eyes looked at. Sadly, the doc said that I wouldn't be that much better off (due to astigmatism), so I didn't have the operation.

I liked his honesty, as opposed to someone selling a product.

ack:(

I have astigmatism in both eyes, does that preclude me from the procedure? or does it depend on the shape/severity?

mazza

I had Wavefront Lasik done in Optilase about a year ago and found them pretty good overall and would recommend considering them. I know two other people who had it done there who were similarly positive.

I do have the impression that their service is a bit more 'mass market' than some other places and that they are more set-up to deal with the most common types of cases. That said, I think they also have a more mass market price.

It does feel a little bit 'conveyor belt' at times, but honestly believe this is now a very run of the mill procedure in the vast majority of cases, so maybe no harm? That said, staff very friendly and prepared to listen, but I did get the feeling there was a standard script they ended up saying x times a day.

While Optilase offer the 1,000e off for the major health insurers, I got the impression from their website that they also give 1,000e off Wavefront to anyone who asks, bringing it down to 2.3k or something like that.

My only slight criticism would be that the list of potential side effects which you are given and have to agree you take the risk on is very long and isn't very well differentiated between stuff reasonably likely to happen and one in a million cases stuff. For example, people are left with serious problems in extremely rare cases, whereas starbursts effect around lights at night are a much more common and less serious side effect. I think the likelyhood of different problems could be spelled out more clearly rather than it being a bit "anything could go wrong" which it reads like at times.

@ run_Forrest_run: I actually know a girl who went through the two initial consultations with Optilase which involve checking your vision and eyes in detail. Everything looked fine for the operation. When she went for the final pre-op with the surgeon he looked over the eye test results and said he wouldn't operate on her as there was some specific element of her eyes which exceeded the limits he was comfortable working with. Wouldn't operate on her.

Similarly, when I was in with the surgeon for the same check, one of the opticians came in with a similar question about a patient who was upstairs. The surgeon considered it and said "We won't do it for him. He may find somewhere to do it, but we won't"

So, I do think people get turned away in such cases. Its just not work the clinics risk to make a grand on someone where the procedure has too high a risk of going wrong.

@IsThatSo: I wouldn't presume to give advice on this, but I believe if the astigmatism is within a certain range, the operation can be done. If you went for an assessment, they'd be able to tell you for sure.

As someone who has gone through this (and had a complication in that my eye sight was quite bad), I think this procedure is much more run of the mill and not worth fretting too much about the minutia of where you get it done.

I think the most important thing is that it is a main stream clinic, that you have the feeling they are dealing with you thoroughly, listen to your concerns, are up front and honest and give you confidence. Personal recommendations from friends, family etc are very important too, of course, if you can get them.

Let me know if you think I can help with any specific questions.

Mazza

PS I have no affiliates with Optilase and am not involved in the eye business in anyway, just a punter...

daheff

i had it done in the Wellington Eye clinic (think they are now beacon eye clinic - out in the beacon medical centre)


price was 3500 all in ...I'm happy with the results .....but i would advise you to research the side affects properly... be sure that you are prepared to (possibly) live with these issues before you have an operation done.

I know most of these problems only happen to a minority of people...just be sure that you could live with it if it happened to you

dudara

Better suited to the Eyecare forum I think.

dudara

the_syco

IsThatSo? wrote: »

ack:(

I have astigmatism in both eyes, does that preclude me from the procedure? or does it depend on the shape/severity?

Depends on how bad it is. If it's only slight, I think you are limited in your choice of procedures, but should be able to get it done. I think as astigmatism effects the shape of your eye, and that the laser points to where X is, if your eye is not the "correct" shape, they don't want to risk hitting the "wrong" area.

mazza wrote: »

I think the likelyhood of different problems could be spelled out more clearly rather than it being a bit "anything could go wrong" which it reads like at times.

The procedure involves zapping laser into your eye. They have to be covered if sh|t happens, I suppose.

MOH

There was a big thread on AH last year sometime too, a search should find it.

Eola

mazza wrote: »

I actually know a girl who went through the two initial consultations with Optilase which involve checking your vision and eyes in detail. Everything looked fine for the operation. When she went for the final pre-op with the surgeon he looked over the eye test results and said he wouldn't operate on her as there was some specific element of her eyes which exceeded the limits he was comfortable working with. Wouldn't operate on her.

What did you by two initial consultations with Optilase? I beleive they have one free consultation and one pre-op? Please clarify .

Silly_Sally

I went to Optical Express this time last year. I paid bout 1700e. I’m a bit mixed about. Right now im happy with but just as I was about to get it done the surgeon advised me not to get it done because I was so young. Really it should have been said to me at the consultation not two mins before surgery or after payment

Jip

How old are you Sally ?

Silly_Sally

Jip wrote: »

How old are you Sally ?

20 now, 19 at the time... He said because i was young my eye-sight was unstable and likely to change.

brightkane

any benefit to go north for this?
although with 1k off for health insurance the 3k sting wouldnt be as bad.

beenl tinkering with the idea for a few years now and think i will get off the fence!

EdgarAllenPoo

Has anyone used the National Eye Centre? Good,bad etc?

Lisie247

dont believe the €595 per eye advert- i went for a consultation and was quoted €3900 for the total procedure-still saving up

the_syco

Silly_Sally wrote: »

20 now, 19 at the time... He said because i was young my eye-sight was unstable and likely to change.

Your eyes are likely to change untill about 25. Once your eyes have not changed for one or two years, eye surgery is okay, otherwise you'll find yourself needing glasses when your eye continues to change.

Lisie247 wrote: »

dont believe the €595 per eye advert- i went for a consultation and was quoted €3900 for the total procedure-still saving up

€3900 seems cheap enough. Think my eyes would have cost the same. Couldn't get it done (reason stated in previous post), so got a car.

IsThatSo? wrote: »

I have astigmatism in both eyes, does that preclude me from the procedure? or does it depend on the shape/severity?

Just remembered: there was a procedure that I could have gotten done, but it would have meant a healing time of a few weeks per eye (around 12 weeks, I think). And in that time, you would not be able to do ANYTHING with that eye. It involved slicing your eye open, inserting a something in your eye, then stitching it back up.

My advice: do the €100 assessment NOW, as I was saving for this for a few years, before found out that I couldn't get it. Wasn't a happy bunny at the time, but meh, sh|t happens. Rather than pinning your dreams on this, ensure you can get it done. Loved to have gotten it done, but meh, life goes on.


=-=

Oh, and I FUCKING HATE those ads on TV about "everyone" being able to get the treatment done, cos, well, I can't

mazza

Eola wrote: »

What did you by two initial consultations with Optilase? I beleive they have one free consultation and one pre-op? Please clarify .

@Eola: Apologies, my mistake. There were two consultations (both free AFAIK) and it was at the second of these (the pre-op) that she was told they wouldn't do the operation. Sorry for any confusion.

@the_syco: Yes, agreed the clinic needs to spell out what may go wrong and I don't have any problem with that. No argument though that they have to cover all bases.

What I felt would have been helpful is some sort of 'grading' within that overall statement to show the likelyhood of any of the possible problems occurring.

Thanks,

Mazza

Jip

Silly_Sally wrote: »

20 now, 19 at the time... He said because i was young my eye-sight was unstable and likely to change.

Just to echo what sycho has said, he was right to say so as your eyes are liable to continue changing and they're prefer your prescription to remain steady for a couple of years.

Rodimus69

I was told that i couldnt get anything done in the hospital,i went to optical express and there is a procedure called Phakic Intraocular Lens (Phakic IOL),its 3,5oo euro,they only do it in england,its worth a look

Rodimus69

the_syco wrote: »

Went to the Mater to get my eyes looked at. Sadly, the doc said that I wouldn't be that much better off (due to astigmatism), so I didn't have the operation.

I liked his honesty, as opposed to someone selling a product.

I was told that i couldnt get anything done in the hospital,i went to optical express and there is a procedure called Phakic Intraocular Lens (Phakic IOL),its 3,5oo euro,it supposed to be the precudure to help astigmatism,optical express only do it in england or scotland,its worth a look

Helen2

Rodimus69, why are you going to England / Scotland for the procedure? A lot of the Dublin clinics do Phakic IOL's e.g. Wellington http://www.wellingtoneyeclinic.com/treatments/phakic.asp
e.g. Laservision http://laservision.ie/content/laservision-procedure

Rodimus69

i was ill informed about the price of getting the procedure done in ireland,i have a consult with the wellington eye clinic on wednesday so hopefully that goes ok,thanks for the info

Bougeoir

I got LASEK with CustomVue Wavefront on both eyes in Novemeber/December in Dundrum Eye Clinic which is run by Eye Laser Ireland and I was very impressed by the quality of service and the results were great I can see perfectly now! It's such a relief not having to wear glasses or contacts! It cost me about €2,400 in total after 10% VHI discount and claiming back tax. I'd recommend them they were really good! I love my new eyesight!