My Lasik eye Surgery and the 15 years since

Undervalued

amandacat said:

I wanted to share my experiences for anyone thinking of paying out for laser surgery. There’s a lot of information on the net from people but not so much about longer term results and considerations.

I had Lasik in both eyes in 2004. I was shortsighted about -5.00 in both eyes. In terms of results the op was a success, I achieved perfect vision in one eye and was accidentally overcorrected and made slightly long sighted in one eye but not enough to bother me. The surgery was painless and I experienced no pain afterwards. But I did suffer such severe dry eye afterwards for about 3 weeks and at that point regretted it as I couldn’t go to work but it did resolve itself. I have had mild dry eyes ever since.

Between 2004 and 2010 if anyone asked me to review it I would’ve said it was the best thing I did apart from the night vision issues. It gave me poor sight and glare at dusk and night and caused me to hate driving at night.

From 2010 to 2016 my eyes started to decline. One became short sighted again and the over corrected one became more long sighted. To the point where I needed full time glasses and contacts again. My eyes haven’t got any worse since 2016. Unfortunately Lasik doesn’t stop vision changes that would occur in your eye anyway which is why for some it won’t give you permanent unaided vision.

Now in 2019 I am 40 and need reading glasses on top of one eye being short sighted and one being long sighted so my vision is pretty poor now and I need varifocals.

Here are some financial considerations you need to be aware of if you have had Lasik surgery and your eyes become worse years later:

Contact lenses: Due to your cornea shape being changed by the surgery, I have not been able to see well out of contact lenses. Most opticians have no idea how to fit contacts in post surgery eyes and haven’t believed I am unable to see clearly. I had to find and travel a significant distance to find an Optometrist who specialises with fitting post Lasik surgery contacts and has the equipment to measure my cornea shape. I had to be fitted with special post surgery contact lenses and this wasn’t cheap.

Surgery enhancement: if you do want to have a second surgery, a lot of clinics won’t want to see you if you have had Lasik elsewhere and the ones that do charge a £300 consultation fee to tell you if you are eligible rather than the free consultation you get if you have not had surgery before. The clinic (Optical Express) where I had my original surgery aren’t keen to see me again about re treatment and will also charge me rather than offering a free initial consultation. I didn’t rate Optical Express as their aftercare straight after and even now 15 years down the line has been awful so I wouldn’t be keen to use them again.

I paid a lot of money for 6 years unaided vision and the additional costs now for special contact lenses and my night driving problems means if I could go back I probably wouldn’t have had it done. I know some people have had much better long term results so I don’t want to put anyone off but I do want to share my longer term experience.

Plus, in my opinion, you also exposed yourself to a small but significant risk of the procedure making your eyes worse or contracting a more serious eye problem.

Obviously we all choose to take different levels of risk as part of everyday life. I used to be involved in an adventurous activity that claimed the lives of about 1 in 1000 participants each year. However I enjoyed it and that was my choice.

Personally I wouldn't choose to have an irreversible procedure done to my eyes if I could see adequately with glasses or contact lenses. If, just maybe, wearing glasses or contacts prevented me from doing a particular activity then possibly I may consider it but it would need to be pretty compelling.

millie

Both my sister and my brother-in-law had Lasik about 10 years ago and both have gone back to having to wear glasses because the shortsightedness have come back. I agree with Undervalued your eyes are to precious to risk. It may be easy for me to say that as I have successfully worn contact lenses for over 50 years.

Morbier

I had Lasik laser surgery around 2004 and haven't regretted it at all. I had it done at Optimax in Leeds and it cost about £4K. 

Before the surgery, I could read without glasses but had to wear them for driving, watching TV etc. After the surgery this was reversed - I had to wear glasses for reading only.  The surgeon had a chat with me before the operation and warned me that I would need glasses immediately for reading, as well as trying his very best to dissuade me from having the operation at all!  He said I would eventually need glasses again for long distance.  

I went ahead and had the operation which was painless. The only pain I had at all was a couple of hours after the op, when my eyes felt like I'd been peeling onions. That only lasted for about an hour. 

Just lately I noticed my distance vision deteriorating and now have glasses for driving, watching TV again. I knew at the time that (due to my age - I was in my 50s) the effects wouldn't last forever, but the last 16 years of improved long-vision sight were worth it for me.

It doesn't suit everyone and, yes, it's a great risk to take with your eyesight. It certainly needs plenty of careful thought beforehand.