Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

I'm considering getting laser eye surgery, the one thing ive always wondered though is how long is it guarenteed to last for where you get perfect vision ?

I'm 42 now, they say your eyes start to go as you get older, i don't want to get it done then find out in about 5 years that my eyes start to go again.

Whats the rough cost these days to get both eyes done, ive heard their are a few variations on the types of laser eye surgery, which is the best to go for and which company would you say is the best to use ?

boxst

I have written several posts on my experiences, go have a search.

Summary is that I would thoroughly recommend it. I had ultralase femtosecond with wavefront (most expensive) with Optimax. They were the best choice from a not being muppets and not incredibly expensive.

There is no guarantee as your eyesight changes with age and at different rates. I am 42, had it done five years ago and things are fine still.

Chip

Daughter had it done with Optimax in Bristol 6 weeks ago. Results are superb and price was a lot cheaper than anywhere else.

Chip

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

I keep pondering this, but can you really get it done for £395 per eye as most advertise?
As I understand, the average is more like £3000 total.

boxst

You can get it done for £395/eye but that is the most basic correction and done with a knife (it isn't blunt though ).

I paid somewhere in the region of £2000 for both eyes for what I had done, the list price was somewhere around £2800 but I had a 'deal'.

Steve

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

It depends on your problem, short or long sighted. I know one of them is not correctable.

I wear varifocal glasses (not split lenses though) and can't get it done.

john banks

I've considered it, but I could not do my job if there was a complication and I lost my vision. On the same lines, I don't know any ophthalmologists who've had it done, losing their stereoscopic vision could lose them millions of lifetime income.

Big Pete

I know quite a few people who've had this done and only one of them has had an issue post op - itchy eyes so he uses drops quite a lot.

I'd have it done in a heart beat but am far too much of a nelly to go under the knife (or laser!) unless I have to!

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

According to this short sightedness can be corrected, they reckon that people with short sight are ideal for laser eye treatment. Its short sighted which i am at the min without my contact lenses.

http://www.londonvisionclinic.com/bl...t-sightedness/

boxst

The cutting of the flap in the cornea isn't too bad ... it is the burning smell as they do the correction that worries you

Steve

Chip

My daughter paid just over £2k and they do interest free at Optimax as well.

Chip

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

I remember a year ago when i was considering laser eye surgery their seemed to be a lot of vouchers knocking around where you got £500 off, i think people that have had it done who then recommend a friend get a voucher for their friend to get £500 off.

Does anyone have any of these vouchers for optimax, if i was going to get it done i would go for the expensive one.

stilover

I've worn glasses all my life. Always said if I could make my eyes better, I'd take do it. I can't wear contacts as my eyes are also not the right shape.

The one reason why I haven't had laser eye surgery is this.......





There is always a chance (no matter how small) that something can go wrong, and you end up blind. That's why I'll never have it done. I may be half blind, but glasses fixes that.

Lose your taste, and life goes on.
Lose your hearing and life goes on.
Lose your eysight and you're fcuked.

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

According to Watchdog it`s never that cheap.

I wouldn`t think many people could still do their job if they were blind

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Couldn't you have one eye done at a time? Life still goes on with one eye, so if the first one goes OK, just go ahead and do the second.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

+1

^^^ This is precisely my stance on it. I'd love 20/20 vision, but........................


Aside from losing the ticket, or forgetting to claim for a fvck-off Lotto win, can you image the COLOSSAL regret you'd have of nothing less than fvcking up one's life?!?!?!

Would possibly drive me to suicide TBH (and even that would be bloody hard to execute, if blind )...

Chip

My daughter has one if your really interested

Chip

boxst

I haven't found a case of someone going blind and I did quite a bit of research before I did mine. I DID find cases of the operation going wrong with the eye being over corrected and causing people to wear stronger glasses than before.

As the operation burns away part of the surface it can only be corrected so many times (read: once ideally) so if it goes wrong there isn't much you can do.

Steve

Caged "R"

iTrader: (4)

Having mine done next month with Optimax Bham for £1995.

Went through all the checks last year then they refused to do it at the last minute due to me having Colagenous Colitis!

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

Chip, can you bare me in mind for that voucher. Obviously i have a bit to weigh up first before deciding whether to go ahead or not.


Can you confirm what value the voucher is and that its an Optimax one ? I'd sort your daughter out with a few quid if i went ahead. I'd have to find out if i'm eligible as well with a check up.

Chip

Rob,

Voucher is for £500 off Wavefront treatment. If you need it let me know as she has to send it off with both parties details on it. I think you need to send in the voucher before your check up as well.

Chip

speedking

Referees?

R 14NS R

I have also posted on here a few times about it. Had it done at optimax in north London about 2 years ago.

Could not recommend it enough. Had it done at 4 pm Tuesday, ok driving at 10am wednesday.

When I went for the original consultation they recommended everything and a price of £3980. Told them I had seen it for £1900 and if they would do it for that price I would leave the deposit there and then. Also got 0% over 24 months. Can't go wrong but you don't get if you don't ask. What's the worst they can say, no.

Good luck with it.

matt.bowey

I had the full eye exam (2hrs or so at each) at Optimax Finchley and Optical Express Milton Keynes. I opted for the Lasik, Wavefront with Intralase flap creation. I decided that as its my eyes, I should get the best treatment that was on offer. A Wavefront treatment gives you a custom laser treatment, the laser is constantly adjusting itself to create the perfect sharp image. If you don't have Wavefront, you just get a standard -3 correction for example. I was a -3.75 and -3.5, I am now better than 20:20 vision, on my last consultation (12 months post op) I could read the line below that required for 20:20. I also opted for the Intralase flap creation, it added a few hundred pounds to the cost, but it eliminates the need of the sharp blade to create the flap.

I found that pricing was much like buying a car from a dealership, very similar infect. Vision Express wanted >£3k for both eyes, Optimax could do it for £2.5k, Optical express lowered its price when I told them about Optimax, but not enough to meet Optimax final price of £2250 for Lasik, waterfront, Intralase. Haggle and haggle hard. Most of these places don't expect you to want to go to more that 1 eye exam, as they are time consuming and uncomfortable. Its worth going to Optimax. I had previously negotiated the price on the phone with their sales people ( I can provide the name as he was good - no silly games), then told the girl in Finchley that was the price I was going to pay, she said "OK". She even gave me 12 months interest free which was nice.

Personally, it took me a few days to recover, I had a contact lens bandage placed over each eye for 24hrs which made things blurry. I pretty much had perfect vision next day when these were removed, but it felt gritty for a few weeks. My advice would be to take a week off, lie down and take it easy, you need to avoid getting a whack in the face for a bit (difficult with kids!), so best to stay at home and rest. You will have a silly amount of eye drops to take for a week or so (you have to take around 15-20 drops in each eye per day - it feels almost constant).

I received aftercare for 12 months afterwards due to some infection I recall, but noting serious. Overall a very good experience. Just remember that one day, the glossy magazines and coffee with be replaced by surgeon with his finger in you eye! That reminds me, find out who your surgeon will be and do some research. Mine had done >8000 eyes prior to mine, so I guess he knew what he was doing.

Good luck............

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

I have an appointment this week in Manchester for the 1st stage consultation and eye examinations etc.

I want the Lasik, waterfront, Intralase. Has anyone got any tips on haggling the price down, what price should i be aiming for ?

Chip

About £2k and dont forget the interest free as well.

Chip

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

Cheers Chip.

Jamie

I like her in the tv advert she looks like a right dirty minx

Rob_Impreza99

iTrader: (3)

I had my laser eye surgery done at Optimax in Manchester on friday, the surgery part was fine, virtually no pain at all and i was totally relaxed throughout, the surgery part takes just 10 - 15 mins.

Quite a bit of aftercare is involved, ive got approx 5 bottles of eye drops and they have to be taken at various points throughout the day, one bottle is 6 times a day, one is 4 times a day, one is every 2 hours and directly after surgery you take another one each hour for 3 hours.

I had an aftercare appointment this morning, got another on monday. One of my eye drops has been changed from 6 times a day to every hour as i have a very slight infection.

The surgery part is fine, the hardest bit i'd say is the 2 months after surgery as you will be on eye drops for quite a while plus quite a few aftercare visits.

I can't comment on the results yet as my vision is what they class as cloudy at the min which is normal just a day after surgery, you also get grey foggy halos around people, objects and around the edge of buildings etc.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

How are your eyes now Rob?

Thinking about getting this done as I am getting fed up with contacts and glasses.
I only have a low prescription. -2.25 & -2.00 so I don't think it is going to cost the earth.
Have made contact with Optimax and waiting for the info pack and dvd to arrive.