Laser eye treatment - who's done it?

Booner! · 11 May 2011 at 10:14

Metalface Mark said:
For people saying "dont want to skimp on my eyes", you have been taken in by sales patter, its not like you get varying quality of service.

The bottom line is the same, your eye gets sliced open and you get your sight fixed, dont be taken in by sales patter, pay more than two grand and you are being ripped off.

Completely untrue.

For example, the laser surgery at Focus uses Z-Lasik - which essentially is an all laser procedure and uses a better method of creating the flap. By spending that bit more and getting the right treatment, it's shown that there are less complications, less risks and improved vision compared with using a blade to create the flap.

More info here:

The first (The Ziemer LDV Crystal Line) is used to create a very thin flap on the cornea (the clear part at the front of the eye). This is carefully lifted to one side by the surgeon and then the second laser (The WaveLight Allegretto Eye Q 400 Hz) is then used to correct the vision. The flap is then folded back and the procedure is over within minutes.

WaveLight Allegretto 400 Hz Eye Q laser

The laser we use for vision correction is the German made WaveLight Allegretto Eye Q 400 Hz excimer laser system. An excimer laser is unique in that it is known as a 'cool' laser - it does not burn or cut but adds enough energy to disrupt molecular bonds of surface tissue disintegrating them into the air in a tightly controlled manner known as ablation. Excimer lasers can remove minute layers of surface tissue with almost no heating or change to the remainder of the material which is left intact.

We chose the WaveLight Allegretto 400 Hz Eye Q system because it is one of the fastest lasers in the world and its unique PerfectPulse™ Technology ensures safety and accuracy with outstanding visual results. The ability of the WaveLight Allegretto Eye Q laser to perform Wavefront Optimized™, wavefront-guided or topography guided treatments means it offers unprecedented levels of custom control for patients. In layman's terms this means that we can achieve greater levels of accuracy for each patient in laser eye surgery than ever before leading to better results

So why should you have Z-LASIK Crystal Plus?

1. Safety - no blade means a far safer treatment; eliminating the risk of certain complications that could occur with using a blade.

2. Strength - the LDV laser makes a very consistent thin flap leaving your cornea significantly stronger compared to a flap made by a mechanical blade. The mechanical devices tend to cut deeper and with significantly less accuracy than the new laser flap makers.

3. Accuracy - after using the LDV laser and folding the flap to the side, the corneal surface is very smooth and dry. This means your LASIK treatment will be more accurate and so giving you better vision.

http://www.focusclinics.com/our-treatments/z-lasik-crystal-plus

You get laser surgery for a variety of prices - but each treatment is unique and comes with pro's and con's. It's not sales patter. Sure, you probably don't get a great deal of variety in service.... but you do get a variety of results with each surgeon, surgery and machine. Would you be happy to skimp if you had a complication from a cheaper and older method of laser surgery from a inexperienced surgeon? I'd rather pay the price and increase the chance of getting a decent result, but failing that have a decent surgeon to fall back on in the worst case scenario.

Metalface Mark · 11 May 2011 at 10:40

Booner! said:
Completely untrue.

For example, the laser surgery at Focus uses Z-Lasik - which essentially is an all laser procedure and uses a better method of creating the flap. By spending that bit more and getting the right treatment, it's shown that there are less complications, less risks and improved vision compared with using a blade to create the flap.

More info here:

More info here - all sales patter

Z Lasik is just newer technology, you would expect for things to get better and refined as the years go on, if you spend an extra £1500 for Z lasik, then you are just helping to fund their machine, im not debating that its not better, but the difference is something you would never see (no pun intended), you are not getting a £1500 better eye surgery, you are getting a fraction of a percentage better.

Going by how much you had knocked off your treatment, it sort of proves my point, they will charge what they think they can get away with using sales patter, but the treatment isnt any more expensive to do.

FutileBreadMachine · 11 May 2011 at 10:51

Booner! said:
Phate - read up on Focus too... doesn't hurt to have a comparison, I really can't rate them high enough after 3 years of shopping around and researching.

http://www.focusclinics.com/

Very honest, thorough and all of them have a good knowledge/understanding of the treatment...which fills you with confidence.

I had a look at their site, and they look pretty good. I like the new laser they got this year! New tech is always good :cool:

Thanks for posting them.

FightingFirst · 11 May 2011 at 10:53

Person I know had it done recently. Said it was the best decision ever. He also was usually scared stiff of operations et al but said the surgery was just fine.

Banzai_Joe · 11 May 2011 at 10:54

I'll echo what most have said.....best money i ever spent!
Got mine done at Maxivision in Manchester in October 2000 when i was 30. I was -3 in both eyes. They were corrected to iirc -.25 and +.25.
11 years on......my vision is still spot on. Cost me £1780 for a 15 min treatment using the best method available at the time.
Brilliant, can't recommend it enough.

Participant · 11 May 2011 at 11:06

Metalface Mark said:
Z Lasik is just newer technology

Yeah and who needs that?

smr · 11 May 2011 at 11:35

Actually had a consulation at Optimax yesterday - or was supposed to attend but had to cancel and rearrange.

The ONLY thing I'm concerned about is dry eyes - halos/ starbursts etc. I can deal with, you get them wearing glasses anyway! The money is no object. It's just the risk of dry eyes.

I really do not get on with contact lenses for this reason - I've tried loads of different brands as my Mum works in an Opticians and gives them to me for free - never paid for a contact lens in the last 15 years! The only trouble is, I can't stand them!

I can constantly feel them on my eye, only when drinking can I not as the alcohol numbs the feeling.

I went for a consultation in 2007 at optical express and was told that because I have a thin cornea I would have to have Lasek and not eligible for Lasik... which is quite annoying as Lasek sounds more painful - and you have to wear contact lenses .... also am I right in thinking that Lasek procedures are more likely to result in dry eyes?

I don't fancy having to use eye drops for the rest of my life. If only I could know that my eyes wouldn't be dry I'd have had this done ages ago :\

The other thing is that I've developed astigmatism since 2007 so whatever procedure I have - Lasek with astigmatism, with a wavefront put in, is that kind of procedure even possible?

Metalface Mark · 11 May 2011 at 11:39

Robbie G said:
Yeah and who needs that?

You have completely missed the point. Of course new tech is great, but its just an excuse to ramp up the cost for not much difference. As shown, it can be haggled back down to more reasonable costs, all im saying is dont get suckered into to spending 4 grand on something because you dont want to skimp on your eyes, when you can get the same thing done for half the cost by haggling.

Phate · 11 May 2011 at 16:58

Booner! said:
Phate - read up on Focus too... doesn't hurt to have a comparison, I really can't rate them high enough after 3 years of shopping around and researching.

http://www.focusclinics.com/

Very honest, thorough and all of them have a good knowledge/understanding of the treatment...which fills you with confidence.

Had a look on their site mate, all looks great but with it starting at £1400 per eye I don't think I can afford it to be honest

I'm budgeting upto 2grand for this

Booner! · 11 May 2011 at 17:05

Phate said:
Had a look on their site mate, all looks great but with it starting at £1400 per eye I don't think I can afford it to be honest

I'm budgeting upto 2grand for this

They quoted me £3000 on the phone. They then saw me, reduced it down to £2250 for a -4.25 (for both) perscription. They also do 0% finance for 12 months...

Hope that helps

Phate · 12 May 2011 at 00:19

Booner! said:
They quoted me £3000 on the phone. They then saw me, reduced it down to £2250 for a -4.25 (for both) perscription. They also do 0% finance for 12 months...

Hope that helps

Cheers pal, I'll see how I feel after optical express

Gibbs-UK · 12 May 2011 at 01:13

I am sorry but I was seriously thinking of getting laser eye treatment, but the moment someone says to you that they are not liable for any mishaps during this procedure, I am sorry but he lost me when they mumbled the word "not liable".

Can't put trust in anyone who says that

Booner! · 12 May 2011 at 08:59

Today is the day for my op..... 5pm down in London. Getting excited now

Metalface Mark · 12 May 2011 at 09:12

Booner! said:
Today is the day for my op..... 5pm down in London. Getting excited now

Good luck, you wont regret it! Funnily enough, this thread made me realise its been that long since I had my eyes done, Ive never been for an eye test since, so im off for my first eye test is 7 years today.

ivrytwr3 · 12 May 2011 at 09:24

Had mine done 3 years ago. This was after:

a. Years of researching it.
b. Waiting for a good price.

I too, wanted the best procedure and opted for the LASIK Wavefront. An offer appeared with optimax of £1700 total no matter what your prescription (this is where they usually inflate prices). I took out interest free over 2 years.

All good here.

ivrytwr3 · 12 May 2011 at 09:29

Oh and don't watch this:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/finaldestination5/includes/automatic.html#videos-automatic

Wyrdo · 12 May 2011 at 09:35

smr said:
The ONLY thing I'm concerned about is dry eyes

I wouldn't worry, my eyes still get dry but it's getting better all the time. I just carry eye drops wtih me all the time.

Freefaller · 12 May 2011 at 10:07

Booner! said:
Today is the day for my op..... 5pm down in London. Getting excited now

Good luck - and welcome to the world of no glasses!

Phate · 12 May 2011 at 10:09

Booner! said:
Today is the day for my op..... 5pm down in London. Getting excited now

Awesome mate, be interested to see how you get on!

smr · 12 May 2011 at 10:56

Wyrdo said:
I wouldn't worry, my eyes still get dry but it's getting better all the time. I just carry eye drops wtih me all the time.

But that's the problem you see, I don't want to walk around carrying eye drops with me for the rest of my life :\

I'm a pocket free kinda guy, except for my phone.