Laser eye surgery. Too risky?

[PaulB]

I used to work in the field of ophthalmology and was constantly amazed at the numbers of people willingly undergoing laser surgery on their only pair of eyes. It was especially interesting to note that the majority of people advocating or actually performing this surgery wore glasses themselves!

However....I now find age has caught up with even me (!) and my eyesight is not what it was. I can't be doing with glasses or lenses or faffing about so laser eye surgery looks more appealing. The big questions over safety and efficacy obviously remain and always will so is it better to keep what I've got or to run the risks? It's a big fat
?

 

[papercorn2000]

It's too risky to attempt if you are doing it on your own eyes...

Especially if the laser you are using is one taken from an X-wing fighter.

 

[LLB]

My friends brother had it done at christmas. Both is retina's detached the following day and he spent 2 weeks lying very still in hospital after an operation to re attach them (a fairly close call from what he said )

Otherwise go for it

 

[Maz]

I went for an assessment for laser eye surgery. They said they could fix my short-sightedness (my inability to see distant objects), but that I would still need glasses for reading in years to come. I was disappointed because I thought I wouldn't needed glasses again, but it doesn't work like that. Not for me, anyway.

 

[PaulB]

My friends brother had it done at christmas. Both is retina's detached the following day and he spent 2 weeks lying very still in hospital after an operation to re attach them (a fairly close call from what he said )

Otherwise go for it

That's exactly what I mean! I bet they didn't tell him that was a possibilty before hand neither.

 

[Cyclista]

I went for an assessment for laser eye surgery. They said they could fix my short-sightedness (my inability to see distant objects), but that I would still need glasses for reading in years to come. I was disappointed because I thought I wouldn't needed glasses again, but it doesn't work like that. Not for me, anyway.

This seems to be the story I have heard from most of the people that I have talked to about this. A few of the people that I work with have undergone the procedure and are very happy with the results, but all of them have bee told that it may only be a temporary solution and you could be needing glasses again in a fairly short period of time.

The most recent was a mate of mine's grandfather had it done, and he said that the best thing was not needing glasses all the time, he could walk about normally and do all the normal tasks for the day, but it was only when he needed to read or see things very close up that he had to put the glasses back on.

Not for me either!

 

[PaulB]

And is it any co-oncidence that since having it done, Jonathan Edward's hasn't been jumping nearly as far? Hmmm? I think we should be told!

 

[Willow]

I had my eyes lasered just over 3 weeks ago. Initially when I made enquiries I could take it or leave it but for various reasons I changed my mind and wanted to go ahead. The whole story is a long one and am happy to enlarge on the detail to anyone who wants to know but for the time being suffice to know I had lasek surgery (monovision). So I have a distance eye and a reading eye. Is is essential to take several opinions, make sure you meet with the surgeons check their credentials, get all your questions answered and if you go for it make sure it is with a surgeon you have total confidence in. It appears no one ever got blinded with surgery but some come out still needing glasses or with other problems so you do need to approach it with your eyes open so to speak. my glasses are dispensed with and frankly even if it's only for a few years I shall be glad - it is especially nice fixing things without the glasses getting in the way bike and cycling without glasses is lovely. My sight is better than it was with my varifocals and I was not a straightforward case in fact one firm refused to do it. Ultralese have an interesting forum. I would recommend Focus in wimpole street, London. I could have gone locally but I was very impressed wit hthe surgeon Mr Ali from there and that's why they had the business. Also be prepared for mega bucks unless you have the minimum prescription this £350 ads are not true.

 

[coldash]

I saw this opinion from a hospital consultant posted on another forum a year or so ago

My eyes are too valuable to me to risk the small risk of complications, particularly when a satisfactory alternative is available. The risk of bothersome if not devastating complications is bigger than for instance the risk of significant complications from general anaesthesia. I'd only have a GA if I needed one to have treated or prevented something that would likely have a major effect as opposed to inconvenience on my activities of daily living.

It might still be a small risk but if it goes wrong, it goes very wrong.

 

[lycradodger]

Coldash - that's exactly my thinking. Add in my natural squeamishness for most things medical and there was no way Pedro, despite my short sightedness (current lenses prescrip: -6.00/-8.50). Anyway, glasses make me look more intelijunt.

But - it's a personal decision. Wrong for me - could be right for you. Of course, you are far more likely to hear about the minority of ops that go wrong than the majority that go well, but still. Even if there was a 100% guaranteed success rate I'm not sure I could ever tolerate the thought of a frickin' laser beam in the eye.

 

[Willow]

Coldash - that's exactly my thinking. Add in my natural squeamishness for most things medical and there was no way Pedro, despite my short sightedness (current lenses prescrip: -6.00/-8.50). Anyway, glasses make me look more intelijunt.

But - it's a personal decision. Wrong for me - could be right for you. Of course, you are far more likely to hear about the minority of ops that go wrong than the majority that go well, but still. Even if there was a 100% guaranteed success rate I'm not sure I could ever tolerate the thought of a frickin' laser beam in the eye.

the beam is no problem 10 seconds on one eye and 30 on the other in my case

 

[Fnaar]

I
DON' T
THINK I'
D TRY IT M
YSELF

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Also be prepared for mega bucks unless you have the minimum prescription this £350 ads are not true.

Now that's what I call 'Sharks with frikin' laser beams'.

 

[Maz]

The other thing that dissuaded me was that because the technique is new (relatively speaking) there was no data available concerning eye complications in later life, or so I was told.

 

[CopperBrompton]

That's correct: the techniques used change every 5-10 years, so there is basically no-one around to show the long-term effect of current techniques.

Personally I wouldn't risk it in a million years.

Ben