Great Laser Eye Surgery Hunt

Al_Jolson

In response to Weaver's experience, above, I had a different treatment and a different experience.

I went for the Epi-Lasek, which has a bit of a recovery time but does not involve any incisions (Lasik involves a flap of the top layer of the eye being cut away, folded back, and replaced afterwards).

Well, while I am absolutely thrilled with the results, I must admit that the first night was terribly painful, and I think it's only fair that people realise that.

The treatment itself is entirely painless, due to the anaesthetic eyedrops, but within 15 minutes of leaving the surgery the pain hits home.
All you will want to do on the first night is get the provided sleeping pills down your neck and try to escape the experience.

However, by next morning it's a different story. By then, the pain has been replaced merely by the gritty discomfort, which by comparison feels like a welcome massage. From there on, every new day brings surprisingly massive improvement.

For me, it was a full 2 days before I could open my eyes. One day later the grittiness was gone entirely. And one day after that, the haziness lifted. I took one more day off work due to sensitivity staring at a monitor, and since then my sight has been 100% as good as it was with my specs. No sensitivity. No glare.

However, I am aware that I am lucky to achieve these results. Particularly so soon. A small amount of web research into this treatment shows that there's at least a 1 in 10 rate of those for whom the treatment is not fully successful and require to go back for a re-treatment.

Anyway, onto the moneysaving. I signed up to the Optimax mailing list after a colleague had a successful treatment. A few months later I received an offer which was £790 before September or £890 before October. This was with 10 months interest free credit.

However, since then, another colleague of mine has gone down the eBay route. It seems very bizarre, but it is nonetheless genuine. No money changes hands via eBay payment methods. All that happens is that you get an email which tells you to call Optimax directly, quoting your reference number. From there you can choose your date and Optimax surgery location. He got his for £795 with 12 months interest free credit.

If anyone is considering getting this treatment, please feel free to PM me with any questions.

P.S. I don't know if astigmatism has anything to do with the first night pain levels, but my colleague who, unlike me, required no treatment for astigmatism, said that her first night involved nothing more than severe discomfort. Or maybe it's just coz I'm only a man.

P.P.S. One more thing. If you're going for Epi-Lasek and don't have anyone to look after you, or you can't afford to be rendered entirely helpless for a few days, then I would recommend getting one eye done at a time. It would mean you'd miss out on the special offers, but it would also mean that you can find the toilet, or even find the painkillers that you left lying somewhere.

weaver

Al_Jolson wrote:

P.S. I don't know if astigmatism has anything to do with the first night pain levels, but my colleague who, unlike me, required no treatment for astigmatism, said that her first night involved nothing more than severe discomfort. Or maybe it's just coz I'm only a man.QUOTE]

Al-Jolson - glad you are happy with results - got to admit I steered clear of the procedure you had due to the pain involved, The customised wavefront I had was totally painless with very,very slight discomfort afterwards (like youve left your contact lenses in too long, or you have an eye lash in your eye ) You take drops every hour and in the last 50 minutes the discomfort kicked in, but disappeared once you put in the drops. After 4 hours the discomfort disappeared. You also have a clear lens put in after surgery which is removed the next day.
I also had an astigmatism in one eye which is cured, The actual laser was on one eye 13 seconds and on the other 30 seconds, its a very quick procedure. I could see immediatly after surgery but you are advised to keep your eyes closed as much as possible to aid healing.

The next day I did my shopping at tesco and the day after I was driving (could have driven the day after surgery but advised not to )

ps - Its not a man thing re the pain, Im really squimish so I chose the painless option (cluck, cluck )

RACHIE77

I also had the epi-lasek procedure and agree completely with the descripton Al has posted. It hurts like mad but you have to bear it and by the next day its not too bad. I spent all weekend with big puffy eyes and couldn't open them which means you cant walk to the loo, take your tablets/drops, have a drink etc without help, but it was well worth it! I was driving again within 6 days and have no prblems with glare, sensitivity or haze.

In case anyone is wondering, my prescription was -4.5 and -5.5 and I am also lucky enough to have 20/20 vision now.

pre-reg

RACHIE77 wrote:

I'm not sure if it is mentioned in the other forums but if you are an NHS employee you get half priced treatment at Optimax.

Do you have any more info...i work in the NHS and cannot find any info about the half price treatment. Thanks

KathrynPenguin

Let me say they still are offering a great price deal and combined with their professionalism and the fact that laser eye surgery is their specialism I don't think you can beat them. Also with their follow up I found their price unbeatable.

I first had my eyes done at Optimax when they had only the one clinic in Finchley Road London back in the early 90's. It was all very lovely and professional although the surgery was still quite new and the laser did not adddress astigmatism. Over the next couple of years my then boyfriend and my Mum went there (when I first had it done Mum couldn't as she was too bad but the lasers improved over the years). It was the cheapest option by far at the time and we were all very pleased with the results. We were told that if we were to need re-treatment in the future for any reason it would be half price.

Over the next few years my astigmatism got worse and I ended up back in glasses. In March 2000 I returned to find out about having my eyes done again - I was getting married in July and wanted to walk up the aisle and see where I was going. I was told that the new lasers did do astigmatism and they could treat me. By then they were also doing bi-lateral treatments and I wanted to get both eyes at once. I was told that they would rather wait until they got a new topography machine to do my left eye as the astigmatism was really bad but that they could do the right eye now. I figured one eye would get me down the aile.

Then I went to book it - I first asked what the cost was "re-treatment is free" how much cheaper can you get! Then she started looking at the diary to book me in, they were busy and she offered me Saturday 1st July - my wedding day. I nearly burst into tears as I explained to her I wanted it done for my wedding that day. She went and had a word with the boss and came back and squeezed me in for the following Saturday. I had the second eye done after my honeymoon and my eyes have been great since.

So customer service, excellent, results of surgery, excellent and value for money well buy one dual treatment and get one free!

I hope it helps any of you trying to make a decision, feel free to email me if you want to know any more.

glosman555

Has anybody who has had laser eye treatment noticed any change in their night vision; some years ago I read it caused a halo effect around street lighting and car headlights which put me off having it done.

Rosie123

I had a consultation at Accuvision - the place that claims to treat people other clinics can't. They told me I had thinnish corneas but should get a favourable outcome. I then went to Centre for Sight and saw a top consultant who told me that my corneas were extremely thin and to have laser surgery would be extremely risky - I could risk developing a very serious eye condition. So be warned maybe Accuvision treat people that other clincs won't - not can't!
Get your laser eye surgery done at a clinic that treats all kind of eye conditions not specialising in laser eye surgery. Centre for Sight is based at a hospital so they treat all kinds of conditions and not just cosmetic eye enhancements. They will tell you like it is and not just want to get you on the production line. Also see the consultant at your screening and make sure he/she is a corneal specialist and not just trained in laser eye surgery!

Al_Jolson

glosman555 wrote:

Has anybody who has had laser eye treatment noticed any change in their night vision; some years ago I read it caused a halo effect around street lighting and car headlights which put me off having it done.

They can actually predict whether you will get the halo effect I believe. As part of my consultation, the doc put some tool over my eyes so that he could view the way the pupils reacted to complete darkness. He told me immediately that there was no abnormal pupil enlargement, and that that meant I wouldn't see any halo's.

The only thing about this is that you pay £60 for your consultation, which takes place an hour before the treatment itself. If you're not suitable or change your mind, then you've gone through all the mental and practical preparation for nothing, and you're £60 down.

bha.fatboy

It will all depend on which type of eye surgery you are after. I had mine done a couple of years back and it cost me £1800 for Lasik treatment. PPK is usually the cheapest but you will not get accepted into the Police force ( the reason I had mine done ) if you have PPK treatment. Would have to say that it is probably the best money I have ever spent and within 5 years I would have made my money back as I had contacts and glasses.

melipona

Just a thought, if the success rate for this treatment is so good then the premiums must be really low, indeed the companies will proberbly underwrite this risk themselves. :rolleyes: