Anybody had laser eye treatment?

GuruJockStrap · 27 Jun 2007 at 14:51

cleanbluesky said:
Even holding a stolen TV?

lol!

Right, well I've booked in for a consultation with Optimax in London for the 24th July.

I was given the option of having the surgery conducted immediately after but decided against it. My reason being that on that day I can only get down there via the tube and the though of making the journey back with very sensitive/painful eyes didn't appeal to me. At least this way I can go back a week later for the laser treatment and simply jump into my dads car, sit in the back and relax.

Good idea? Or shall I just phone back and get it all done on the same day?

Even if I'm not sucessful with the Police getting this done is still worth it. I currently spend £120 a year on contact lenses, £10-20 on an eye test every 2 years and then a new pair of glasses every 2 years costing around £150. After 6-7 years I'd be saving money.

cleanbluesky · 27 Jun 2007 at 14:52

Ripper said:
What are the costs if you have each eye done seperately? Its always interested me but I wouldn't fancy risking going completely blind

I don't know, how much do monocles cost nowdays?

penski · 27 Jun 2007 at 14:59

As I've mentioned before, my other half is a laser tech for optical express.

The fact that she would be fine with me having the surgery says everything about it.

*n

Dano · 27 Jun 2007 at 14:59

J.T said:
What I don't get is you need to pass this test to get in but once in your eyesight can go to pot and you can have glasses and no one will give a crap

Doesn't make sense to me....

It's daft, all the services are the same.

Jenie · 27 Jun 2007 at 15:06

what kind of sight do you need to have then to join the police force? My O/H is thinking about joining but he wears glasses, cant be without them for very long as he gets a head ache and cant wear contact lenses as he has a massive fear of putting things near his eyes!!

With laser eye treatment, do you just have to lay with your eyes open? nothing goes to close to the eye does it?

Jen x

GuruJockStrap · 27 Jun 2007 at 15:14

Jenie said:
what kind of sight do you need to have then to join the police force? My O/H is thinking about joining but he wears glasses, cant be without them for very long as he gets a head ache and cant wear contact lenses as he has a massive fear of putting things near his eyes!!

Whats his prescription Jen? Mines -4.75 in one eye and -4.50 in the other.

If you've got a prescription of around -3.00 or below, you'll probably be ok. I was reading how one person had -3.75 and managed to pass but they did have to squint like anything!

richyfingers · 27 Jun 2007 at 15:50

Jenie said:
what kind of sight do you need to have then to join the police force? My O/H is thinking about joining but he wears glasses, cant be without them for very long as he gets a head ache and cant wear contact lenses as he has a massive fear of putting things near his eyes!!

With laser eye treatment, do you just have to lay with your eyes open? nothing goes to close to the eye does it?

Jen x

No, contact is made with the eye, depending on what type of treatment you get it can vary. If you go for LASIK (i did) then a small instrument called a microkeratome is used to cut a very thin circular flap in the cornea, the flap gets folded out the way while the laser treatment is done. Its not painful just quite uncomfortable as you feel quite a bit of pressure on your eye and things go very blurry for a second then you pretty much loose vision for another few seconds.

Surfer · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:09

richyfingers said:
No, contact is made with the eye, depending on what type of treatment you get it can vary. If you go for LASIK (i did) then a small instrument called a microkeratome is used to cut a very thin circular flap in the cornea, the flap gets folded out the way while the laser treatment is done. Its not painful just quite uncomfortable as you feel quite a bit of pressure on your eye and things go very blurry for a second then you pretty much loose vision for another few seconds.

what happens if you blink or sneeze or move your head does the laser cut a nice scar along your face?

Or what if the laser malfunctions and burns right through? :eek:

The burning flesh smells is your eyes being torched yeah? Im guessing you are given some kind of anaesthetic?

Luke · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:18

Surfer said:
what happens if you blink or sneeze or move your head does the laser cut a nice scar along your face?

There is a ring pressed onto the eyeball that doesn't allow that. They tell you to focus on a red dot (can you guess what that is?) during the procedure. It is very uncomfortable, but very safe.

Surfer said:
Or what if the laser malfunctions and burns right through?

It won't!

Surfer said:
The burning flesh smells is your eyes being torched yeah? Im guessing you are given some kind of anaesthetic?

Yes, that's what the smell is, that and the gases that the equipment generates. The closest I can come to describing it is BBQ + ozone. It's really quite nice.

gort · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:21

Check out the videos on youtube first! If that doesn't put you off, nothing will!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np1H2F_Xy4E&mode=related&search=

I had it done last week BTW, well worth it!

Like others have said, it isn't painful just VERY uncomfortable.

wijcc · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:38

i have been told that your eyes get worse/bad again after a few years???

Rebelius · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:48

POB · 27 Jun 2007 at 16:57

Its a really great operation.

Perfect vision nothing more to say.

If you need more info on the procedure type it into youtube

Luke · 27 Jun 2007 at 17:01

wijcc said:
i have been told that your eyes get worse/bad again after a few years???

Only in as much as your eyes will deteriorate as anyone elses would. The operation doesn't undo itself if that's what you thought.
You may end up needing glasses again when you reach 50+, but if this is the case, you would have still needed to if you hadn't had the surgery.

richyfingers · 27 Jun 2007 at 17:06

Surfer said:
what happens if you blink or sneeze or move your head does the laser cut a nice scar along your face?

Or what if the laser malfunctions and burns right through?

The burning flesh smells is your eyes being torched yeah? Im guessing you are given some kind of anaesthetic?

Your eye gets clamped open so you cant blink and you get told to try and focus on a red dot. If you go for the wavefront with LASIK you go for a pre-scan which finds the imperfections in your eye that cause your vision deficiency. From what I know the laser follows the scan perfectly and burns off these imperfections, it’s not going to cut thought your face.

You get some anaesthetic drops, like I’ve said before it’s not painful just uncomfortable.

Surfer · 27 Jun 2007 at 20:23

just watched the 47 sec youtube vid eeewww!!!. I guess it would be bearable if the actual procedure lasted that long.

richyfingers · 27 Jun 2007 at 20:26

I didn’t/haven’t watched any of the youtube vids, think they would freak me out slightly.

DB_SamX · 27 Jun 2007 at 20:44

gort said:
Check out the videos on youtube first! If that doesn't put you off, nothing will!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np1H2F_Xy4E&mode=related&search=

I had it done last week BTW, well worth it!

Like others have said, it isn't painful just VERY uncomfortable.

Eurgh @ video.

theleg · 27 Jun 2007 at 20:48

best money i ever spent..

cept for that one time in a thai brothel

Raider · 27 Jun 2007 at 20:54

I would happily pay the money, but:

1) I'm unsure of the long term effects
2) I'm scared of being the 0.01% that gets serious problems
3) I'm too much of a wuss to have somebody do stuff to my eye. I can't even use contact lenses