Laser Eye Surgery

[tvadera]

Hi,

I have a friend who is planning to get it done in India (Delhi I guess)

I have heard the costs are:
Approx 800$ to do the surgery for both the eyes
1000$ airfare
2d accomodation with meals, airport pick up drop off 150$

Total : Under 2000$

Sounds like a great deal with best doctors and best medical facilities on hand. 24 x 7, it hasnt been done yet, so would keep posted once it goes through

 

[gottabespotless]

I'm another one who wants to have it done... but is too much of a wimp to go through with it . I came very close to having it done a few years ago but decided not to at the last minute.

My glasses are like coke bottles - even though I pay extra to have them 'made thinner' (?) they're still thick! The last pair of glasses I bought make me look like one of those 'angry birds' - not attractive. I really need to have Laser Eye Surgery before I make any more bad/embarrassing choices while trying-on frames with clear glass lenses that I can't see out of (and therefore assume look hot).

I've been told it only costs around $3000 to $4000 now (in Australia). Does that sound right?

It would be money well spent - there's only so many times my kids will forgive me for losing them at the beach...

 

[DavidMc]

I have had monovision and it is great. If you have one eye at around -2 then you can just have your dominant eye treated and save 50%.

It is a compromise between good distance vision today and not needing reading glasses post 40.

My personal results via experimentation with eye 'ageing simulation' drops...

Both eyes corrected for distance:
Distance (today) = 10/10
Near vision (when I am 45) = 4/10

Monovision
Distance (today) = 8/10
Near vision (when I am 45) = 8/10

Considering how many tasks I will require near vision for post 40 (eating a meal, using a smartphone, reading, etc) I opted for Monovision.

You can trial it with a contact but I don't think it's a good test... it was just too weird. If you are going to get laser regardless why not just go the one and give it a go for 6 months. That's what I did and stuck with it.

Do investigate it for yourself. Many clinics don't even recommend it... (less profit and raises more questions).

Note I had mine done over 8 years ago (when my vision was stable for the last 3-4 years) and my eyes have regressed a little from 0.0 to -0.7. It's still very good vision overall, better than 20/20 (or 6/6).

 

[menty]

Those numbers don't even make sense.

 

[herewego]

No-one has mentioned pain?

My partner had it done in Brazil a few years ago and was told by the doctor that she would be in quite a lot of pain the next day but not to panic. "You'll think you've gone blind but that is normal" were more or less his words of 'comfort' but it would quickly improve.

She says it was agony the next day and VERY scary and she DID think she was blind!

But... best thing she ever did. Very happy with the final result.

my advice to anyone who's eyesight is weakening... Eye exercises. I'm 42 and my sight is actually improving as I focus (pardon the pun!) on exercising my eyes every day. Worth a shot if you don't want the surgery or glasses and you are not too far gone already

 

[menty]

Very little pain unless using older methods, which are not used much in Australia nowadays.

If corneas are too thin then they need to use a method to 'dissolve' the flap, and there will be some pain afterwards.

There is a dirty burning smell as though during the surgery

 

[herewego]

Yes, she did mention a very thin cornea

 

[intrigued]

No-one has mentioned pain?

My partner had it done in Brazil a few years ago and was told by the doctor that she would be in quite a lot of pain the next day but not to panic. "You'll think you've gone blind but that is normal" were more or less his words of 'comfort' but it would quickly improve.

She says it was agony the next day and VERY scary and she DID think she was blind!

But... best thing she ever did. Very happy with the final result.

my advice to anyone who's eyesight is weakening... Eye exercises. I'm 42 and my sight is actually improving as I focus (pardon the pun!) on exercising my eyes every day. Worth a shot if you don't want the surgery or glasses and you are not too far gone already

Can you tell us what excercises, that would be interesting.

thanks

 

[menty]

I would like to know too.

Certainly hope you aren't doing The Bates Method

 

[herewego]

really simple to be honest

bring one finger as close as possible to your face where you can still see your fingerprint clearly. Position one finger on other hand at arms length (hopefully one hand is definately closer than other )

Bring your fingerprint into clear focus and hold for a few seconds, then bring the further finger into clear focus and hold for a few seconds, then focus on a point several meters away for a few seconds. Repeat... a LOT! Make sure you completely focus on the set distance each time.

Do the same thing with your head turned to the side slightly so you are looking sideways to do the same. Then do it with you head down so u r looking up, then head up so u r looking down.

These focusing exercises are like push-ups for your eyes and you will really feel it. The more you do the closer you will be able to bring your finger and keep the print in focus (after some practice of course). My closest focus point is now nearly 2 inches closer than it was a some months ago.

Make circle patterns with your eyes (open or closed doesn't matter) clockwise and anti-clockwise. This is just muscle exercise. Same with looking hard left and then hard right. Hard up and hard down

Close your eyes and look toward a very bright light or even the sun (careful of course). Then cover your eyes completely so that it is very dark. Pupil exercises as they dilate and ... un-dilate?

Open you eyes really wide and then close them as tight as you can.

Repeat all of the above

Works for me anyway

 

[menty]

Bearing in mind there is zero scientific evidence that supports this
Oh and please don't look at the sun

 

[geoffw]

What are the costs in Australia?

 

[Aaron_C]

We got a quote from Meadownick in Melbourne (Epworth Hospital) for $2,250 per eye.

 

[herewego]

Bearing in mind there is zero scientific evidence that supports this
Oh and please don't look at the sun

or refutes it

 

[lizzie]

No-one has mentioned pain?

My partner had it done in Brazil a few years ago and was told by the doctor that she would be in quite a lot of pain the next day but not to panic. "You'll think you've gone blind but that is normal" were more or less his words of 'comfort' but it would quickly improve.

To me that sounds dubious ... I had mine done in Australia and walked out with perfect vision, and absolutely no pain whatsoever.

Did have to wear protectors over my eyes at night so that I wouldn't rub my eyes - but that was it.

 

[missgreeneyes]

I wore contact lenses for more than 25 years. About 4 years ago I became one of those people that the optom. warns the contact lens' wearers about. I developed a very nasty ulcer in my eye. It was so severe that it was a battle to save my sight.

As contacts were no longer an option, and due to scarring my eye was not a candidate for laser so I had a lens replacement. The following week I had laser on the other eye.

I now have mono vision, one eye set for long distance and the other eye set for reading/closer and I have to say it is just fantastic.

If only I had not listened to the optom. and gone to have a consultation I would have discovered that my eyes did not have to be stable to have laser I would have done it many years earlier.

My husband is just beginning to suffer the effects of 'age' with his eyes and they are deteriorating rapidly. I have made an appointment next week to see if he is a candidate for laser.

Sunshine

Hi Sunshine could you elaborate more please on your contact lens problem? I am a contact lens wearer too. Have been for more than 10 years.
I have this dry eye + sensitive skin + allergy problem. Contacts used to cause dry, itchy, irritated (even painful) eyes. Like someone was poking me in the eye. But the problems got better as the contacts got better (new technology). I used to only wear them on special occassions as I didn't like the feel of them but now wear them daily.

I'm just wondering how to avoid getting an ulcer in my eye...!!!!

I wear daily disposables by the way. I get really itchy eyes when I wear the non-disposable type. So I rub them with my dirty hands all day and get an eye infection.
It's either an allergy to the cleaning fluid, or due to some residual dirt left on the lens that I can't clean off.
Maybe I will go for laser someday, when I'm old.
Or maybe I'll just be a granny with bifocals on a chain.

 

[JennD]

Hi Sunshine could you elaborate more please on your contact lens problem? I am a contact lens wearer too. Have been for more than 10 years.
I have this dry eye + sensitive skin + allergy problem. Contacts used to cause dry, itchy, irritated (even painful) eyes. Like someone was poking me in the eye. But the problems got better as the contacts got better (new technology). I used to only wear them on special occassions as I didn't like the feel of them but now wear them daily.

I'm just wondering how to avoid getting an ulcer in my eye...!!!!

I wear daily disposables by the way. I get really itchy eyes when I wear the non-disposable type. So I rub them with my dirty hands all day and get an eye infection.
It's either an allergy to the cleaning fluid, or due to some residual dirt left on the lens that I can't clean off.
Maybe I will go for laser someday, when I'm old.
Or maybe I'll just be a granny with bifocals on a chain.

Had the same re: sore eyes. Acuvue's oasys (latest ones I had) solved this problem where acuvue advance didn't. I would get eye infections though when stressed, so stopped wearing them and back to being full-time four-eyes.

I recommend fortnightly lenses and never going over that length of time. Also bear in mind maximum length of leaving them in (try to limit to ten hour stints where possible) as I would wear mine 18 to 20 hours a day when in heavy deadline periods, which isn't "normal" wearer behaviour.

Personally considering lazer but my eyes are continually worsening, and I think you have to wait for a year no change (?). I need to get mine tested asap, road signs are getting blurry .

currently around -4.5 each give or take!

 

[missgreeneyes]

Thanks.
I use acuvue TruEye. I might have tried Oasys. I have tried just about every 'dry-eye' lens on the market. Soflens, ProClear, Gelflex.......
I wear mine for long hours too.

 

[JennD]

Thanks.
I use acuvue TruEye. I might have tried Oasys. I have tried just about every 'dry-eye' lens on the market. Soflens, ProClear, Gelflex.......
I wear mine for long hours too.

Are you working with computers or screens frequently? Even wearing glasses, staring at the comp all day does my eyes in.

I found with contacts my eyes over-watered when I wasn't wearing them (I'd just be lying there and one would leak...). I don't have that problem now I haven't worn them for a while, but I do get "stinging" eyes if I'm watching the TV for the length of a film (sometimes less) on occasion.

 

[missgreeneyes]

Are you working with computers or screens frequently? Even wearing glasses, staring at the comp all day does my eyes in.

I found with contacts my eyes over-watered when I wasn't wearing them (I'd just be lying there and one would leak...). I don't have that problem now I haven't worn them for a while, but I do get "stinging" eyes if I'm watching the TV for the length of a film (sometimes less) on occasion.

Yes I work with computers.
My eyes feel really tired at the end of a work day. I can feel the difference when I come home and surf the net after work, and when I surf the net on a weekend, when I haven't had to work.
My eyes don't over-water without contacts. They're just normal I guess...

I find working with contacts better. Glasses feel like they are physically pulling my eyeballs (this is mentioned in the bates method I think, and by Dr Janet Goodrich, who advocates a spin-off of Bates). I don't know why.
I can see enough to walk around during the day without glasses and am in the habit of taking them on and off when I walk on the street. sometimes when they come off I feel them yanking on my eyeballs.

I might give the Bates method a go and see, although I am very, very sceptical.

Has anyone here tried the Bates method or something similar and really, honestly and truly seen a reduction in the prescription. If yes, how much reduction did they see? Don't tell me somethig like 0.25....