Laser eye surgery

swiss

I've been considering laser eye surgery for a long time. I'm just wondering if anyone out there has got it done, and if so how much it cost. Perhaps 'bargains' is the wrong place to do this, because I don't really want to take chances with my eyes, but from what I hear the price varies quite widely, and I would like to know what places are particularly good in peoples experiences.

Figment

Article in the paper(indepandant) last week about this and other procedures.
Thailand is the place to go. State of the art facilities, american trained doctors and 1/10 of the price.

BigEejit

Originally posted by Figment
Article in the paper(indepandant) last week about this and other procedures.
Thailand is the place to go. State of the art facilities, american trained doctors and 1/10 of the price.

And you'll get a nice tan there too ... you wont have to bring sunglasses either because you'll have a bandage over your eyes..
But seriously, it is incredibly expensive in this country, my sister paid €1500 1-1/2 years ago PER EYE (in Cork - private doctor, laser job done in a public hospital) .. it is also incredibly painful, so much so that you'll probably be given very very strong painkillers and probably sleeping tablets

Bubonic

I got my eyes lazered about three years ago and never looked back.

It is totally brilliant, I have fantastic vision now. It doesn't hurt at all and only takes about 20 minutes. When I left and was out in the carpark I could already begin to see better.

I looked at a number of places but in the end opted for the most expensive, Blackrock clinic. It was really a case of not taking any chances.

It cost about £3000 but it was the best money ever spent. Also don't forget that it is fully tax deductable on the MED-1 tax form. So if you could get 42% of it back, which I did.

Bubonic

Just read BigEjits post about the pain.

I just wanted to say again, I had no pain. At all.

There are number of techniques though, I think the main one is called Lasik, and I think thats what I had done. Maybe some of the others are more painful.

One thing about going away. Remember, your sight will be screwed up for a few days. I think its more comfortable to be at home when you are in a bit of a state. So if you go somewhere like Thailand, you will be sitting in a hotel room for a few days.

BigEejit

Originally posted by Bubonic
I just wanted to say again, I had no pain. At all.

Wow ... youre making me think about it now .... but my sister was in agony for 1.5 - 2.5 days when she got hers done, I havent a notion what method was being used ... one thing for sure, I'll never get what she had

bugler

The procedure used to be a lot cruder, involving cutting an actual piece out of the cornea and waiting for it to grow back. This hurt. It's now more common for an incision to be made and a flap of the cornea drawn back, in shoots the laser, and the flap is rolled back. This reduces the healing time significantly, and makes for a far less painful and swifter recuperation. Pain isn't really a factor that comes into it now IMO.

On the subject of the Thailand option, how cheap is it? I ask because it may sound like a great idea, but there's a lot to be said for having it done within striking distance. What if the op result isn't satisfactory and you require a 2nd or 3rd go at it? You'll have to book appointments with an eye specialist back home as well, to ensure things stay rosey post-procedure. I had mine done in the Wellington Opthalmic Clinic in Donnybrook. Cost me about €4200, things went well and I'm glad I had it done.

ando

When ppl get laser eye surgery, how bad is your sight????

My left eye is fine, but my right eye is not so good. Over the last 2 yrs its got progressively worse.

This is as close to what I can get to what its like for me at the end of the day:

Left Eye:


Right Eye:


Its not so bad in the morning though, after a good night sleep my right eye is fine for a few hours.

bugler

Eh..have you visited an optician? Sounds strange how your right eye improves when you get some sleep.

My eyesight wasn't bad at all, -2 in both eyes, which makes me hawk-eyed by comparison with many short eyed people. Nevertheless I hated not recognising people across the road or whatever, and for professional reasons I also decided to get it done.

Lenny

There's a topic about this on the after hours, lot of opnions and recamendations about it, go searching for it!
and bargains deffo ins't the place to ask about surgery haha,
I might think about getting it in the future as my eye sight is getting worse all the time and i don't wear glasses,
the more you wear glasses, the more you depend on them and they decrease your eye sight
about the surgery though, you get it done again in years to come thats included in the price isn't it?
and if you're always sitting in front of a screen after the surgery your eye sight can just detererate again can't it?

oneweb

Originally posted by Bubonic
I got my eyes lazered... ...and never looked back.

OH. MY. GAWD! :eek: Ye poor divel.

swiss

I had a quick look on after hours, but couldn't find a recent post about laser eye surgery. Apologies if I've missed it. Yeah, I know bargains isn't the best place to ask about surgery, but cost is an issue. Too expensive and I won't go for it, not yet at least. However, if somewhere is cheap I'd like to hear if there is a particular reason for that (higher percentage failure rates etc).

I like the Thailand idea though, a few friends of mine are planning a trip to Thailand in several months time, and I was thinking about going as well. This would seem an opportunity to kill two birds with the one stone so to speak. For that matter, I wouldn't even have to get it done in Ireland. If there is somewhere that is particularly good and/or cheap abroad, say in the UK or France/Germany, I would like to hear about it.

I'm just sick to death of wearing glasses or contacts.

bugler

Here we go:


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2002&highlight=lasik

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75658&highlight=lasik

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41094&highlight=lasik

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=69643&highlight=lasik

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139106&highlight=lasik


There's actually more than that, but I've done my bit

Saruman

Im probably in one of them posts.. its worth it... if you have the money... cheaper in uk or maybe even ni but if you need to go back for checkup etc then you have to travel again.

BigEejit

Lots of information including possible problems from this site ...
I have to say ... this thread has got me thinking .... but i am worried that I'll end up looking like this :cool: .. or like this :ninja:

Eurorunner

Can this procedure be used in every case of poor vision?


If anyone has found info on getting this done in the far east - particularly with regard to cost - i (and im sure others) would appreciate it if you could post the link(s) here.

Saruman

short of blindness or oldness (40 +) then yes

MisterAnarchy

Can this procedure be used in every case of poor vision?

I think it is only in cases when the retina is too thick ,peole who cant see near objects.
If you cant see distant objects then it wont work.

Eurorunner

Well, looks like a grand will cover it (both eyes - all inclusive) at this place here

It could leave one very open if things went wrong though. I mean, Travelling to south east asia for checkup/aftercare wouldnt be all too convenient.
Must do some digging and find a report from a european whos done this - theres bound to be a few.

Would be nice to give the specs the boot for good:ninja:

bender

both my eyes were -12 and got it done 2 years ago. best thing i've ever done in my life. just go for it. There was no pain or anything of that sort. Just a minor discomfort for a few days and no looking back.

there is a lot on the net on the various options. Go for the LASIK as its more precise and very easy. Read before you do it as there are varied experience from diffrent people.

Think a lot and pick a good place. good luck

bender

BTW.. got mine done in INDIA. and it cost me 600 for both eyes

Eurorunner

@Bender: do you have a link to the place where you got this done Bender?

What sort of a state were you in immediately afterwards? Is it just discomfort but you can see right ..or do i need to pack a white cane too!:cool: I'm just thinking in terms of how vulnerable a state one would be in afterwards - need to be switched on in SE Asia at the best of times..

Not being nosy but just wondering how you went about setting this up - in my case iwould just be over there for a short time - was this similar for you or were you living there at the time. Was there a need for aftercare/checkups or was it a once off treatment in your case?


Apologies for all the questions but i'm beginning to develop a serious interest in this and as always, info is everything.

juggie

not a problem... i'll try to fish out the site for you. Its a cool place in south india and they have all the latest equipment and quite a lot of experience in LASIK and a very big european clientele. I got both my eyes done at the same time, but this needs a lot of convincing. I did it because few of my friends got both thier eyes done at the same time and it was ok.

In terms of discomfort, there is not much. I got the surgery done in the afternoon and pretty much on my own. just slept the whole evening and night and the next day the eyes were checked out and sent home with all the medical file. Just had to come here and find a good optho and go there for subsequent check ups and works out ok. Just had a friend around just for sympathy factor.

Hope it helps

juggie

this is the link http://www.dragarwal.com/index.html
if yu need to speak to me.. jest me a PM and i can give you as info as possible for yu..

cheers

Eurorunner

Thanks for that juggie. Sending pm shortly.

mrblack

I had lasik done 3 years ago and had no real pain or complications- i would recommend it to everyone and I'd say that opticians will be a rarer breed in 20 years time. It cost me about £2,500 before tax refund @ 42% in the mater private.

To all the guys who are thinking of getting it done on the cheap in India/Thailand I think you are all being a little shortsighted.:D This is serious surgery that if things can go wrong can make your vision a lot worse. I would not let anybody anywhere near my eyes unles he had insurance cover that could give me adequate compensation in the worst case scenario. Try suing an Indian/Thai doctor and see what you would get-A one way ticket home I would say. I play it safe rather than sorry where health is concerned.

Eurorunner

I have read the previous boards threads on this and they have been very informative. However, what can you folks who have had this treatment suggest when i read this boards thread here - which has stopped me in my tracks a little. It knocked my confidence in the procedure a couple of pegs...

Couple of questions..

Q1. Is it fair to assume that there should be no pain immediately after the treatment - just discomfort and some probs with bright lights/glare, etc.


Q2. Are there any of you who have had to go back for more treatment (cos the first go wasnt successful) - and im not referring to checkups here. How soon after did you go back - did it matter when you went back or could you do this at any time?

Q3. If any of you have had this treatment and have had side effects, i would be grateful if you could take the time out to post here with brief details.


Thanks in advance.

bender

euro... thats the chance you'd take. I should say I've met quite a few people who had to go back, for the procedure again, as the 1st time it didn't correct.

In my case, i had -12 on both eyes nd I went in there hoping not for 20/20. When I got 20/20 i was happy. but it helps you to talk to people where they had to go back for the second time as well.

If you have very high power, then it is something for you. If for cosmetic reasons, then think hard(eg -2 or -3)h

Eurorunner

@bender: I'm no stranger to taking risks but i dont want to play russian roulette with the only set of googlers that i have.:ninja:
With regard to those you know that had to go back, are they happy campers now with the treatment being ultimately successful?
What would you have done in your situation where you had limited time in country - and the initial treatment wasnt successful? You obviously thought about it...i mean i suppose you have to go back but is there a time constraint on when you do go back.
In my case, i could only go back in December at the earliest - but then can i just slot it in this way or would the second treatment need to be done within a certain timeframe from the initial treatment?

Also, is there a consensus out there on which form of laser technology (from what ive been reading there are a few) one should insist on as part of the Lasik treatment - ie. the one thats regarded as the best.

obewan

I have a brother who had to get one of his eyes done a second time but I have to say that he's happy with the result this time. It did not cost him the second time (I don't know why not). The second operation was 3/4 months later.

On a personal note I had PKR (Photokeratomy) done on one eye and it has worked out ok so far. Just deciding whether to get the second one done or not ( financial reasons).

As for the pain experienced by people; of course this will differ from person to person. I know some people who had terrible pain (not discomfort) for the first couple of days. Everybody's metabolism is different so reactions are going to be different.

In my case I was given sleeping tablets and a few heavy painkillers, so being the coward that I am I took both sets at 6 pm (2 hours after the procedure), and duly slept until 8am the following morning. I had some discomfort for a few days after that, and of course bright lights/sun glare were quite annoying for about a week or so.

It was more like have dust/grit in the eyes and of course you're not supposed to rub them. If I were you I'd have a long serious talk with an eye specialist before making any decisions.

You also have to accept that things can go wrong, even if you have the best people doing the job.

Mick.

Eurorunner

As for the pain experienced by people; of course this will differ from person to person. I know some people who had terrible pain (not discomfort) for the first couple of days.

From the info that im gathering, it seems that the people who are reporting major pain after the treatment are those that have had the PKR treatment as opposed to Lasik....or does anyone want to correct me on this?

I had some discomfort for a few days after that, and of course bright lights/sun glare were quite annoying for about a week or so.

Just interested in your opinion on this...would you say that the level of discomfort would stop you from working or say enjoying some holiday time (which is what i intend doing)afterwards?

You also have to accept that things can go wrong, even if you have the best people doing the job.

agreed ...but if something went seriously wrong and i hadnt done everything possible to minimise the risk, i would never forgive myself.