Hey mate, how are your eyes doing. Saw you posted in the Brink thread, so I assume they are alright unless you are playing by sound alone
I've had a few emails and people asking how I am getting along, so here is my update.
So I spent 7/8 years wearing contacts and whilst they were great, they also restricted me from certain activities like swimming and my eyes really got dry wearing them for great lengths of time, even after trying different types. I spent 3 years researching laser eye surgery and the different places/methods available.
I opted for Focus clinic in Wimpoole street London and the Z-Lasik procedure after they invested heavily in the latest equipment and have seen great results with the technology/treatments. Their website is full of info, useful videos and he also has a blog.
http://www.focusclinics.com/
Essentially, the main reason why people have such great results from Focus is down to how the flap created and the procedure being "blade free". It helps having a superb surgeon and also staff that are very thorough.
Anyway, I'll leave you to read up and make your own mind up on who to use and for what reasons….onto the procedure:
I had the procedure just over a week and a half ago. I went out for my 23rd birthday at the weekend in Southampton and I just feel so very liberated with my new sight. My procedure went as follows:
>Leave contacts out for a week prior to operation.
>Take glasses off and get a a briefing on drops. There are 4 types drops to use on the day of surgery, going down to 3 the following day and then down to 1 a week later.
>My eyes were wiped clean and you put on some blue hairnets and feet nets
>Lie down, eye lashes taped back, they double check your details to confirm records (important!)
>They put anthetic drops into the eyes and a test to see whether you can feel anything. At this stage, you might feel pressure as the drops are fairly quick (5-10 seconds before you become numb).
>Eye clamp (sounds worse than it is) goes on one eye, the other is shielded. You stare at bright lights - looks like a UFO with a green dot in the middle with red infra-red coming down like a laser sight. You can feel him put the eye clamp in, but after a few seconds, it's actually good as it will let you blink - even though you aren't actually blinking, it feels normal.
>A machine comes down and puts pressure on your eye socket, it's just suction - feels like someone leaning gently on your socket. It all goes black and you count 20 bleeps - goes very quickly. This is the flap being created.
>Everything goes blurry and you stare at the dot for a few seconds as they use the laser, which is very quick and you hear a slight humming.
>It then looks like he is painting your eye with a brush for a few seconds, then lots of fluids to wash the eye out and some more drops.
>All done, time to move to your other eye.
Whole procedure was about 5-6 minutes, most of which was prep.
Few things that people don't mention or know:
>Absolutely pain free - no pain or discomfort at all. I even had a stray eye lash removed and didn't notice.
>I read of complaints of grittyness, but actually had no discomfort or sensations of dryness.
>The smell of "bacon" lasts about 5 seconds and you are too distracted to notice. It's the laser reacting with the gases, not your eye burning.
>The laser is cold, fast and very precise. It cannot go deeper than it needs to and tracks your retina if you look away from the dot. No damage can be done with the laser as it's weak, but super fast.
>You'll need somebody to help you get home. After that, you'll be 100% fine to see and drive by the next day once give the all clear. By the time I got home, I could already read distance - albeit blurry.
>You might get "second eye anxiety", which is where you'll be having one eye done.....and the other panics and streams tears - as your brain uses them as a pair.
>Blurry vision comes and goes within the first week - I paniced up until my week after appointment, but then it does clear up. Even with perfect vision in one eye and blurry in the right, they settle and swap over until they heal.
>Starburst effect - I have driven at night and it's very hard to see lights at night for the first few weeks, so take it easy as they look like giant stars. It's starting to get better already though.
I am over the moon with the whole procedure, aftercare and support that Focus have given me. Most of all, my eyesight is amazing…. I can read the bottom line on the charts and also at reading distance I can read small point text. I am still getting used to my eyes focusing for a split second before I can concentrate on something. I'm looking forward to my holiday and swimming in 2 weeks time.
Please do ask questions, more than happy to answer based on my experience. £2500 well spent.
P.s. let me know if you book an appointment with them?