Getting Your Eyes Lasered

[Connemmara]

Hi - went to my music class and my God bloody fed up - taking off one pair of glasses to look at the music sheet - seconds later taking them off to look at the blackboard - really fed up- that I may give the music lessons a miss.

Anyway my wee niece got it done like 3 years ago and was great about it bless her - I asked what it was like - and she said it was like mini-hammers on your eyes and it was a little traumatic - talked to another young girl last night - she described it was like gristle in your eyes for 24 hours - I do realise not everyone can get it done - but has anybody had it done out there and was it bad - am hopeless in keeping the eyes open. Now that I am deaf - wouldn't like to be left blind - I will be running about like Helen Keller - touching everybody. Answers will be welcomed. Thank you

[mayennaise]

If you aren't sure if it's for you why not try a pair of varifocals. I was forever changing from my distance glasses to the reading ones and it used to drive me round the bend. Varifocals changed my life!

[Old_Geezer]

he only eye surgery I've had was to seal a tear in the retina so can not fully comment on getting the lenses shaped: but I can say that whilst I'd not describe my experience as pleasant, what with all the intense light and stuff, it wasn't so bad as to be worried should I need something similar in the future. But it looks as if that's the sort of story your conversations have come up with already.

[Connemmara]

thanks mayennaise - I do know about the varifocals and bifocals - no I never could wear them in thousand years - they would make me very dizzy and as I suffer from vertigo would be terrified they would trigger vertigo attacks off. I do know people who did try them and it never worked for them and of course other which it - the varifocals hold 3 lens in the glass - oh God - no - thanks for that but just wanted info re the laser business

[Old_Geezer]

I use varifocals but one has to get used to them because you need to look through different parts of the lens for different distances. It might be an alternative to use contact lenses for long distance and put glasses over the top when you need close vision ? Just a thought.

[Connemmara]

Old Geezer - I really didn't understand your reply - did you get it done or not and was it painful if you did get it done. Sorry for not understanding - and are you saying I mentioned this before - if I have please forgive my senior moments.

[Old_Geezer]

I had laser treatment, but it was not to correct eyesight, but to prevent me going blind in that eye.

It was uncomfortable, I was glad when it finished, but not so much that it would stop me going through it again if needed.

[Connemmara]

Oh I am glad you got that wee operation - anything to keep your sight.

[ayabrea38]

I had corrective sight laser surgery years ago (7 or 8 ) and it is the best money I ever spent.
Yes it was uncomfortable,but never as bad a migraine.
The actual surgery was 100% pain free,and you dont have to worry about keeping your eye open!
As I understand it,things have got a lot better since I had it done,I think recovery time is faster and it is less painful/uncomfortable.
Well worth having it done,the joy of going into a heated shop on a cold,wet winters day and not having glasses steaming up is amazing!

[Mosaic]

Although lasik surgery is beginning to correct for both distance and reading vision in the same eyes, it is early days yet, and surgeons who do it are rare and expensive.
The usual laser surgery solution will give you good distance vision but as you need reading glasses already this shows your eyes are simply of an age when they don't accommodate close focusing any more. Hence you will always need reading glasses even if you have laser treatment for distance.

[Mosaic]

You could try contact lenses with one weaker than the other. It works for me.

[Sycamore3House]

My ex husband had this laser treatment on both his eyes. His eyes were very bad and he wore very thick glasses. He had astigmatism. He also had very thin corneas. He could not go to one of the high street ones. His optician recommended a guy at Worcester BUPA hospital.
At his consultation he was told all the pitfalls etc. he was also told that he would still need to wear glasses but they would be minimal compared to what he was used to.
He had one eye done and then six weeks later the second eye. He said it felt like someone pricking his eye and that stopped fairly quickly.
The treatment was a success but within a year his eyesight had reverted to more or less the same prescription as before the treatment. The consultant told him at the first meeting that he would only get one chance of correction due to the thin corneas. It did not work for him. It cost him £1500 per eye.
This was about 10 years ago.
He was glad he tried to correct his vision but would not try again even if there were advancements in the procedures which I am sure there will be.
This treatment was excellent but the procedure did not work in this case.
Hope this is not too dreary or negative.

[Connemmara]

No, all your answers were interesting particularly yours Sycamore because my neighbour got the corrective laser surgery about 3 years ago and I could not believe it when she went to the opticians last week paid £380 for glasses. That was probably for reading too - I would be mad at paying £2,000 then having to wear glasses. But I do believe things have moved on and I may enquire - SOME DAY hahhah.

[belrec]

I had mine done, best thing ever!!

The cost does depend on your prescription. You may still need reading glasses "later on" as this is to do with your eye muscles getting older not what your corneas look like. But who spends £300 on reading glasses? Seems a lot.

Mine was about £2500 4 years ago and i would whole heartedly recommend it.

[mrs_overall]

I went to ask my GP for a recommendation for laser eye surgery and he said I could have a similar op done to cure shortsightedness for free on the NHS. It is called PRK. I had one eye done, and then a few weeks later had the other one done.
Being able to see more than 3 feet was better than winning the lottery