Laser eye surgery - one year on (and a bit)

Jonny69

Jonny69

Jonny69

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I got my eyes lasered at Optical Express on Harley Street in London back in May 2008. I was very pleased with the results and had perfect eyesight for over a year. After the procedure my eyesight was perfect in my right eye and -0.25 in my left.

Back in September 2009 I landed a new job which involves a lot of computer work and lectures with ohp presentations and I've noticed a bit of a decline in my eyesight at distance. It's annoying to say the least because it was an expensive procedure and I've enjoyed being free of glasses.

I went back for a checkup this morning and they confirmed that it had dropped a bit and my eyesight is now -0.5 in the left and -0.25 in the right. Good news is that I'm not just imagining it and there's nothing serious wrong, bad news is I think it's going to get a bit worse.

They want to keep an eye for 3 months to monitor the progress but are happy to redo the procedure once it settles again. I'm happy with that, but only once my eyes have truly settled down because I don't know if they can keep redoing the procedure and I'm not sure if I want my eyes repeatedly meddled with.

Edit: they want to keep an eye for 3 months? That doesn't read right. Oo, that didn't come out right. Oh god not again. :D
 
Interesting. Do they offer some kind of guarantee i.e. the treatment should keep you right for x number of years?

I used to wear glasses all the time, got rid of them at 16 and now working in IT my eyesight is getting worse all the time. I just wear glasses for close work so maybe its not worth getting laser done.
 
Who was your surgeon? Was it a guy called Usama/Osama?

Optical Express WILL give you a complementary pair of glasses if you've had laser treatment and require them after the procedure.

Edit: Le Petit Lapin, they laser the surface of the eye. It doesn't go "into" the eye. "Something going horribly wrong" is a common misconception. But when one person says it, and then another, then eventually it becomes believable and made up stories start to crop up.

Although admitidly the older tech of the 60s did cause quite a few problems. Which is why that tech is no longer used. :)
 
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I'd hardly say my eyes getting worse again is "gone horribly wrong". More like they hadn't settled down completely.

I'd had a stable prescription for some 3+ years but my mum's glasses are a lot stronger than mine ever were, so maybe hers hadn't settled by my age. I need to ask her.
 
Can I ask how old you are? And how long you had been wearing contacts/glasses..And also how long had your prescription been stable for?

Cheers
Mick

Short-sighted since 1980, and a happy contacts wearer for quite a few years :)

Edit: Doh just read above post properly
 
Is it a well proven fact that exposure to monitors deteriorates eyesight? I'm 23 and work in IT so I stare at monitors all day, and same when I go home. Recently had my first eye test, the guy said that my eyesight had no problems, and to come back in three years, although I do notice that if I stare at a monitor for hours my eyes get a little glazed over and viewing distant objects gets a tiny bit more difficult. But after a while it just returns to normal.
 
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i'm 33 and I had wavefront / Lasik on both eyes 13 months ago at optical express
initially both eyes were 6/4, but now the right is more like 6/6 (after heavy computer use)
very pleased overall - go for it!
 
DiscoDave said:
Is it a well proven fact that exposure to monitors deteriorates eyesight? I'm 23 and work in IT so I stare at monitors all day, and same when I go home. Recently had my first eye test, the guy said that my eyesight had no problems, and to come back in three years, although I do notice that if I stare at a monitor for hours my eyes get a little glazed over and viewing distant objects gets a tiny bit more difficult. But after a while it just returns to normal.
Click to expand...
I've been told this by opticians and H&S at work: you don't blink as much when you're using a monitor and your eyes tend to dry out compared to normal. You can't feel it but it affects how well you can focus. As soon as your eyes rehydrate they are back to normal though. They tell you to take a break every hour or so and stare into the distance to prevent eye strain.

I don't think it's the cause but I don't think it helps if your eyes are changing.

bazaarboy said:
i'm 33 and I had wavefront / Lasik on both eyes 13 months ago at optical express
initially both eyes were 6/4, but now the right is more like 6/6 (after heavy computer use)
very pleased overall - go for it!
Click to expand...
Sorry fella, can't understand any of that optometrist speak :p

As a scientist, telling me both eyes are 6/4 what they should be makes me think your eyeballs are 1.5 times the size they should be but your right hand one is back to normal. Right? :D

What's your prescription now then?
 
Ricochet J said:
Edit: Le Petit Lapin, they laser the surface of the eye. It doesn't go "into" the eye. "Something going horribly wrong" is a common misconception. But when one person says it, and then another, then eventually it becomes believable and made up stories start to crop up.
Click to expand...

I've just read too much about people suffering from complications 10 years down the line, like chronic dry eye, spots or halos in their vision or worse, the flap they cut to laser away at the eye coming loose again for me to even want to consider it. Its my sight like, I simply couldn't cope without it. Yeah, I have to either shove contacts in or put a pair of glasses on each day, but at least that doesn't have a chance of wrecking my vision permanently.

If they come up with a way of doing it without cutting a flappy bit on your eye, then I might consider it.

Also, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL01H65Gf54. Urgh, no, just no, couldn't deal with that at all. Makes me feel sick thinking about it. :(
 
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6/6 means 20/20, or "perfect vision"
it represents [what you can read at 6 metres] / [what the normal eye reads at 6m ]
or use 20 feet / 20 feet ie 20/20 if you're American
so 6/4 means better than perfect vision...
 
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