Laser eye treatment - who's done it?

[Lord-Jaffa]

Today I had my just-short-of-a-year check up for LASIK surgery at London Vision Clinic. All is good and to be honest I have completely forgotten about wearing glasses. Looking at pictures from last year featuring me with them on just looks strange now.

I have a very slight regression in my left eye which was to be expected with how bad my prescription was before. Both eyes together are working just fine. I have also noticed recently that star-bursting at night even on car headlights has reduced dramatically for me so I am very happy with the results.

Really cannot fault London Vision Clinic. They're definitely towards the higher end of the cost scale but it's amazing service.

What sort of prescription did you have?

 

[shiver]

What sort of prescription did you have?

I believe it was along the lines of L: +4.5 with slight astigmatism, R: +3

This did mean I had to go for the more expensive high profile treatment too.

 

[Crizzy]

It's been just over 4 weeks for me,and I can't fault it.

I've got slighter better than 20/20 right now, and I haven't noticed any side effects.

So far, couldn't be happier

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

I believe it was along the lines of L: +4.5 with slight astigmatism, R: +3

This did mean I had to go for the more expensive high profile treatment too.

Damn mines worse than that! -6.5 in both eyes, looking at getting this done finally next year, had enough of glasses and contacts.

 

[shiver]

Damn mines worse than that! -6.5 in both eyes, looking at getting this done finally next year, had enough of glasses and contacts.

Well I'd say it's worth getting a consultation at least. LASIK for shortsightedness (like you) is a lot simpler than fixing longsightedness.

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

Well I'd say it's worth getting a consultation at least. LASIK for shortsightedness (like you) is a lot simpler than fixing longsightedness.

How long did it take from initial consult to the actual procedure at LVC?

 

[shiver]

For me it was ~1 month but will depend on demand and availability. They’re obviously lower capacity right now

 

[ivrytwr3]

But also the machine itself tracks your eyes. So even if you move them its not as if they've burned a new pupil in your iris - it either just pauses or tracks with you.

Glad you said that - i had it done years ago and recall the guy (i won't use the term Dr) telling me to keep my eyes still!!

 

[M1k3H]

Just booked consultations for me and the gf for this Saturday at Optical Express. Can't wait!!!

 

[M1k3H]

So following my consultation I am suitable for LASEK rather than LASIK which is a bit more expensive. Total cost for both eyes around £4,500. Had a call with them today and they dropped to £4,100 and also offered 18 months interest free finance. that would mean a £500 deposit and £200/month for 18 months.

Their competitors advertise fixed prices of £1,800 per eye so would come to £3,600, so £500 cheaper, however Optical Express use 'iDesign' which is a wavefront technology that measures 1,257data points in the eye. For Ultralase, their wavefront machine goes up to 1,440 data points (if the specs I found are any good). Optimax don't say which machine they use so can't check.

I now have to decide whether it is worth getting a consultation with other clinics to save £500, and whether the difference of iDesign is worth anything to me (leaning towards no).

What are other peoples experience in terms of getting further discounts? Should I hold off longer or should I bite the bullet and pay the £4,100?

 

[ChrisD.]

I had iDesign LASIK with Optical Express on my right eye, no complaints. I paid £1590 in 2015.

 

[kindai]

I bite the bullet and pay the £4,100?

At this price, you are in the range of LVC, so I would say splash out and go with them.

It is your eyes afterall, so why quibble over a couple of hundred quid, go with the best

 

[HACO]

So following my consultation I am suitable for LASEK rather than LASIK which is a bit more expensive. Total cost for both eyes around £4,500. Had a call with them today and they dropped to £4,100 and also offered 18 months interest free finance. that would mean a £500 deposit and £200/month for 18 months.

Their competitors advertise fixed prices of £1,800 per eye so would come to £3,600, so £500 cheaper, however Optical Express use 'iDesign' which is a wavefront technology that measures 1,257data points in the eye. For Ultralase, their wavefront machine goes up to 1,440 data points (if the specs I found are any good). Optimax don't say which machine they use so can't check.

I now have to decide whether it is worth getting a consultation with other clinics to save £500, and whether the difference of iDesign is worth anything to me (leaning towards no).

What are other peoples experience in terms of getting further discounts? Should I hold off longer or should I bite the bullet and pay the £4,100?

The whole "X datapoints" is pure marketing. The VISX platform (the actual laser that both all OpticalExpress and most Ultralase braches use) is pretty outdated and low resolution compared to modern lasers, and "wavefront-guided" makes no difference to 99% of the patients, and the other 1% already have awful vision (e.g. they don't see 20/20 or even 20/30 with glasses). A surgeon who knows what they're doing is worth a million times more than these marketing gimmicks. Chain surgeons are often at the beginning of their careers, once they do 5000 or more eyes they go to independent clinics or setup their own. They're fine for routine cases, but clearly you weren't eligible for LASIK so go to better clinics.

At that price just go to LVC. Their technology is even more accurate than high street chains and their surgeons are world-renowned.

 

[Bassmansam]

You couldn’t pay me to have this done. I’ve read many a horror story. Glasses aren’t that bad.

 

[HACO]

You couldn’t pay me to have this done. I’ve read many a horror story. Glasses aren’t that bad.

Glasses are obviously the safest way to correct your vision, especially if you're not effectively blind without them and you can at least function (if you're like a -12D and lose your glasses, it can be life threatening). Laser eye surgery is however safer than wearing contact lenses every day, when it comes to developing long-term serious complications!

 

[kindai]

You couldn’t pay me to have this done. I’ve read many a horror story. Glasses aren’t that bad.

And for every one horror story you dont hear about the tens of thousands of successful ones.

I cant remember the exact numbers LVC gave me but it was something like you are more likely to be hit by a car and killed on the way to having the procedure than an actual problem with the procedure or outcome.

 

[HACO]

And for every one horror story you dont hear about the tens of thousands of successful ones.

I cant remember the exact numbers LVC gave me but it was something like you are more likely to be hit by a car and killed on the way to having the procedure than an actual problem with the procedure or outcome.

I think more than 50 million people have done it globally by now. In developed countries it's now closer to 1 in every 25 adults.

Most of the horror stories you hear are either:

• Dry eyes, because the clinic didn't screen you properly for the risks
• Night vision problems (halos, starburts, low contrast), because the surgeon didn't choose the right optical zone for your pupil size, or used a very outdated laser platform
• Overcorrection or undercorrection: simply due to the way eyes heal, which can be enhanced with another surgery
• Induced astigmatism (ghosting), due to decentred ablation, because the surgeon centred the ablation on the centre of your pupils rather than the visual axis
• Long-term cornea issues which are almost always due to poor pre-operation screenings, something that is very very rare these days

It's one of the world's most well-understood and researched medical procedures and the success rate is incredible. At the hands of good surgeons about 98%+ of people see 20/20 without any enhancements, and the rate for developing serious long-term issues is less than 0.1% (that's also the risk of developing long-term issues for wearing contact lenses for one year).

And as we age, our corneas get stronger. So if there are no complications in the first 2-3 years, there won't be any for the rest of your life.

 

[Bassmansam]

And for every one horror story you dont hear about the tens of thousands of successful ones.

I cant remember the exact numbers LVC gave me but it was something like you are more likely to be hit by a car and killed on the way to having the procedure than an actual problem with the procedure or outcome.

Still not a dice i would like throw to be honest.

Glasses are obviously the safest way to correct your vision, especially if you're not effectively blind without them and you can at least function (if you're like a -12D and lose your glasses, it can be life threatening). Laser eye surgery is however safer than wearing contact lenses every day, when it comes to developing long-term serious complications!

im over half way there in one eye-5 and -7. Have worn contacts over the years but not keen on them, don't wear them at all these days, too much of a hassle.

 

[HACO]

Still not a dice i would like throw to be honest.



im over half way there in one way -5 and -7. Have worn contacts over the years but not keen on them, don't wear them at all these days, too much of a hassle.

I was about -5 as well so I know how it is, even one eye at -5 means you're not helpless without glasses. Like if you lose them you won't walk in front of a train or something.

 

[Bassmansam]

I was about -5 as well so I know how it is, even one eye at -5 means you're not helpless without glasses. Like if you lose them you won't walk in front of a train or something.

Yeah -5 isnt too bad and its a lot better than -7. Can't imagine what -10 and worse is like! I am 31 and my prescriptions remained stable for about 4 years now so hoping it continues to stay the same.