Laser Eye Surgery

kizzyr

JohnK wrote:

kizzyr, unless its changed recently you are only covered by Vivas if you go for the wavefront option which is around €1,500 per eye. Vivas will then pay the difference between the standard & the wavefront (ie. €1000 if you get both eyes done) which means you would end up paying €2,000 yourself and of that €2,000 you can claim something like €400 back in tax bringing the total cost of treatment down to €1,600

Its always possible I took it up aresways but I got this information from Vivas only two weeks ago as it was only then I decided to get something done about my eyes. Initially I called Eye Laser Ireland in Dundrum and they quoted me a free consultation with the procedure costing €5000 in total. I rang Vivas to see what cover they were offering and if it was any good I was going to move there from Bupa. The girl I was talking to told me that they only covered one clinic (that one in Ely Place) and that I would get €1000 back from them. I called the clinic there then to see what their prices were and they quoted me €595 per eye.
The difference could well be coming from the fact that I was perhaps only quoted for one type of procedure and there are a few options out there.

Either way when it comes to getting it done abroad (or even here in Ireland) I think its very important to know the name of the person who will be doing the procedure so that you can find out if anyone else has had any experiences with them or if any fellow professionals are willing to give a positive recommendation. Dental work, if it is badly done can be rectified, however if your eyes are messed up and your sight is adversely affected you're screwed and for something like that I think its best to get it done by someone whose capabilities and experience you are comfortable with rather than opting for someone because they are the cheaper option don't you?

baztard

I had both my eye's lasered 3 weeks ago. One of them is now perfect, the other I'm having problems with. Due to a thin flap being cut, the vision in it is quite blurred and I'm seeing double. Its quite a big inconvenience for me as I work on a computer all day. My head is practically in the screen just to be able to see it properly. The doc says it should heal in the next month and half. He knows his stuff, and I believe he is very competent on the job, but I've learned my lesson now that with such surgery theres always a chance something can go wrong.

kizzyr

baztard wrote:

I had both my eye's lasered 3 weeks ago. One of them is now perfect, the other I'm having problems with. Due to a thin flap being cut, the vision in it is quite blurred and I'm seeing double. Its quite a big inconvenience for me as I work on a computer all day. My head is practically in the screen just to be able to see it properly. The doc says it should heal in the next month and half. He knows his stuff, and I believe he is very competent on the job, but I've learned my lesson now that with such surgery theres always a chance something can go wrong.

My (afore mentioned) sister who had hers done late last year found that the second eye was both more painful during and after the correction and it did take twice as long to heal fully and for the full correction to settle down. I think it was November she got them done in but now they are both fine and she said it was well worth it and she'd do it again no problem. Hopefully it will work out the same for you. It can't be easy though when you are working on computers all day as your eyes must be very tired at the end of a day ordinarily never mind after having surgery on them.:( Poor you, I do hope they improve for you soon.

nodger

I had LASIK in Optilase last week and I want to claim for as much as possible using the Revenue MED-1 form. Is it possible to claim immediately, or will I have to wait until the tax year is over and I receive a P60? Is there any other way to prove how much tax I've paid this year?

Cheers.

squire1

As far as I know, you have to wait until the end of the tax year to claim on your Med1. You'll put ALL of your medical expenses on the claim form, not just the laser surgery cost. You cant claim the first €125 I believe.

I'm booked in for wavefront LASIK in two weeks time in Laser Vision (Leeson Street). Can't wait to get rid of the glasses and contact lenses.

How are the eyes now nodger, any problems? How quickly were you back to normal life?

ShowUsYourXbox

My mate was telling me the other day how his mate in work, his eye just started bleeding like crazy out of the blue and he had laser eye surgery done about three months ago.

Said he got an awful fright, as there was so much blood and it was very sudden.

squire1

ShowUsYourXbox wrote:

My mate was telling me the other day how his mate in work, his eye just started bleeding like crazy out of the blue and he had laser eye surgery done about three months ago.

Said he got an awful fright, as there was so much blood and it was very sudden.

Thanks :eek:

ShowUsYourXbox

I haven't heard any more details of it, i'm sure it was probably just something small like a blood vessel or something.

Mate of mine got his done last year and he's doing great. No problems, and i have to admit, he looks the better for it!

Good luck with the op!

Zillah

ShowUsYourXbox wrote:

My mate was telling me the other day how his mate in work, his eye just started bleeding like crazy out of the blue and he had laser eye surgery done about three months ago.

Oh for God's sake! What are you, the local anti-eye surgery propaganda person? Not a helpful comment in a thread like this.

ShowUsYourXbox

Anyone considering this surgery who is even remotely wavered by something someone says on an internet forum, hasn't thought it through fully. I'm sure anyone going for the operation has read the odds and percentages.

I followed my comment up with a story regarding a friend of mine who had a successful operation.

squire1

..and my :eek: was just a bit of comic exaggeration.

True, there are risks involved but AH is probably not the best place to research them in fairness.

If I were to take SMYB's examples as gospel then I would conclude that there is a 50% chance of me bleeding to death through my eyes after the surgery.

ShowUsYourXbox

Hah, exactly!

Anyway, best of luck and i'm sure you'll come out 110%!

My mam got it done on Wed!
She said she paid about 4500 and spent the extra money on the lastest technology for it to heal faster
Shes doing great after it

Von Manstein

One thing I've never been able to find an answer to - even though I have asked - is whether it would be possible for me to get laser eye surgery done.

My prescription is quite bad to say it mindly -

Left eye - plus 7,25 (also have a 180 stigmatisim)
Right eye - plus 6,50

I know it's possible to get it done up to 11 if your minus. Have no idea how it works for us plus people.

metaoblivia

I'm getting my eyes done a week from today. I went in last month for a consultation, and the preliminary tests show me as a perfect candidate (supposedly). I have -4.25 in my right eye and -3.75 in my left, with a very slight astigmatism in both (so slight, usually doctors don't even mention it to me). My eyes have been at this prescription for about 5 years.
I go in for the more involved testing on Wednesday, and the final surgery on Friday. I'm having LASIK. The procedure is completely bladeless (they say) and has a 24 hour recovery time. The staff I talked to said that it takes about 5 minutes on each eye.
I'm in my glasses for the next week. I'm kind of nervous, but I know several people who've had it and they all say it was completely worth it. I even know a girl who had the older surgery with the blade. The recovery was painful and took about 2 weeks, but she said she'd do it again.
The doctor I'm going to is very good. He has a national reputation (I'm in the States) as being one of the leaders in the field. In fact, part of the reason I'm getting it done is because his main clinic is almost walking distance from where I live.
It's really expensive though. Almost no insurance in the US covers eye care, or if they do, it's really not much.
Anyway, just had to talk it out a bit. I was reading some of those lasik disaster sites before my friend got a hold of me and told me to stop immediately. Can't believe it's only a week away. Fingers crossed everything will go well! It's been really helpful to read about people who've gone or are going through the same thing.

nodger

squire1 wrote:

As far as I know, you have to wait until the end of the tax year to claim on your Med1. You'll put ALL of your medical expenses on the claim form, not just the laser surgery cost. You cant claim the first €125 I believe.

I'm booked in for wavefront LASIK in two weeks time in Laser Vision (Leeson Street). Can't wait to get rid of the glasses and contact lenses.

How are the eyes now nodger, any problems? How quickly were you back to normal life?

Thanks for the info!

It's probably a bit early to give a conclusive answer, but so far I am very pleased with the results. I got it done (LASIK) at about 5pm last Friday in Optilase in Ely Place, Dublin.

The operation itself was completely painless (anaesthetic drops are applied beforehand), though it did feel a bit strange having pressure applied to my eyelids and eyes. The surgical team keep making sure you're all right throughout the procedure, as well as letting you know when to expect any pressure/lights/fluids. Immediately after the procedure, the surgeon inspects your eyes and then hands you over to an assistant who tells you all about the anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory drops that you need to take, as well as the protective eye covers that you need to wear when you go to bed (to stop you scratching/rubbing your eyes while you're asleep).

I took their advice and went straight to bed when I got home. On Saturday morning, I reckon my vision was at about 80%... I was still sensitive to bright light, though. This remained about the same until Monday, but has been improving every day since then. I've no problem reading car license plates, street signs, watching TV, etc, but I'm still trying to take it as easy as possible. (I went back to work 4 days after the operation.)

I had my 1 week check-up today and the optician said she was happy with my progress. I'm back in 3 weeks for another check-up and eye test.

To be honest, I'd say the experience/results are different for everyone. When reading about other people's experiences on the Internet, you have to consider that you'll be getting a disproportionately high number of negative stories/feedback. Most people only feel the need to report their experience if it hasn't gone well for them. Having said that, it's good to know about all the pitfalls before you make an informed decision.

Personally speaking, I'd recommend it to anyone who's considering having it done. Just make sure that you take your medication when you're supposed to, wear your eye covers, and generally try not to strain your eyes at all for a week or so after the procedure.

Tazdedub

I have to agree with Nodger. I got my eyes done 3 years ago in the Wellington Eye clinic and I havent looked back. I got Lasek in one and Lasik in the other, lasik eye was pretty good the day after the operation the lasek one took a bit longer and I had to wear a protective contact lens in that eye for 5 days.

As nodger says make sure you take the medication and wear the eye masks after the operation and I would also suggest getting Saline solution for your eyes for a few after the operation to keep the moist.

I havent had an ounce of trouble with my eyes since.

nodger

Tazdedub wrote:

...I would also suggest getting Saline solution for your eyes for a few after the operation to keep the moist.

Forgot to mention that... they also provide you with a supply of regular eye drops to use whenever you feel the need. It's good to keep the eye/eyelid friction to a minimum while the tissue is healing!

hermit

Another thing to remember for anyone considering laser eye surgery or those that have just had it - don't get disheartened because you don't have "perfect" eyes within a few days of the surgery...

This surgery affects the long-term structure of your eye permanently. It will take time for your eye to heal and develop after the surgery. Don't expect perfect vision soon after surgery... Any literature I have read on laser eye surgery has stated that your eye may change constantly for up to 12 months.

I got LASEK done almost one year ago to the day. It took a week for my eye to develop 20/20 vision. After 3 months my eyes had digressed slightly and after six months my vision was up to 20/16. Be patient... there is a reason for the fact that you get check ups 1 day, 4 days, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and a year after surgery. If there is a problem the qualified person will tell you what it is and what can be done..

check out http://www.usaeyes.orgfor good info

hermit

nodger wrote:

Forgot to mention that... they also provide you with a supply of regular eye drops to use whenever you feel the need. It's good to keep the eye/eyelid friction to a minimum while the tissue is healing!

1 year later I still use a solution called "Systane" once a week its good for your eyes especially if you have a lot of computer work or a lack of sleep

Steamer

Has anyone gotten lasik in the Galway Clinic? I am booked in to get it done next Thursday and would just like to know if anyone can tell me there experiences with them? I am getting anxious as the date gets closer but still excited.

lemansky

Steamer wrote:

Has anyone gotten lasik in the Galway Clinic? I am booked in to get it done next Thursday and would just like to know if anyone can tell me there experiences with them? I am getting anxious as the date gets closer but still excited.

Can't help you out with info but do me a favour and let me know how you get on...its something I'm considering!

PeakOutput

Im sure i should jsut read the whole thread but im having trouble deciding were to go to get this done. there seems to be so many options. can someone give advice on having used a particular place and gotten on well? also the fairly wide gap in price has me confused aswell

also how long does it usually take to get it done as id love to have it sorted before september when i get back to college

edit has anyone got the surgery having never used glasses or contacts??? i was told i could do with a low prescription but it did not really matter if i bought glasses or not so i never did. i am shortshighted and the optician has told me this but now optilase have said that they wont do it unless you have been using glasses or contacts for at least a year..........am i just out of luck?? i dont want glasses or contacts hence wanting the treatment.

Caliden

Steamer wrote:

Has anyone gotten lasik in the Galway Clinic? I am booked in to get it done next Thursday and would just like to know if anyone can tell me there experiences with them? I am getting anxious as the date gets closer but still excited.

I got mine done there. Very friendly staff. Dr. Kinsella talks you through everything he's doing and I mean everything.
One step in the procedure is a bit wierd but painless and he'll tell you when that is.
My advice would be to take the rest of the day off and head straight to bed. The following morning you should notice an improvement although your long distance reading will take a while to get better.

Best of luck with it.

Steamer

Many thanks for the advice, need to just get beyond the nerves and go for it! It will be worth it. Did you take any valium or anything before it to relax you?

The Denouncer

Had my operation in 2004 (Beacon Clinic). After my operation my right eye went badly bloodshot but improved. The left eye is 20:10, and right 20:15 (both better than 20:20) but at night lights have an awful halo slashed through them when I look through the right eye even today. Luckily my left eye is perfect so when both eyes are open the halo isn't quite visible. Its hard to drive at night.
Overall I'm happy I got it done but wish it could have went a bit better while knowing it could have been much worse.

Ciaran500

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4249/lasereyesurgeryht4.png

faceman

The Denouncer wrote:

Had my operation in 2004 (Beacon Clinic). After my operation my right eye went badly bloodshot but improved. The left eye is 20:10, and right 20:15 (both better than 20:20) but at night lights have an awful halo slashed through them when I look through the right eye even today. Luckily my left eye is perfect so when both eyes are open the halo isn't quite visible. Its hard to drive at night.
Overall I'm happy I got it done but wish it could have went a bit better while knowing it could have been much worse.

this is a common often unadvertised side effect of laser surgery and as you have pointed out, the major impact being night driving.

The other common side effect is colour saturation.

Unfortunately both side effects, although not too serious (its obviously recommended that you avoid night driving), are irreversable.

metaoblivia

I'm going in for my LASIK surgery in a few hours. I did the pre-op testing on Wednesday and everything looked fine. I'll post after the surgery and share my experience.

Don1

Not to scare anybody or anything but;

Okay I didn't read through all the posts but I just wanted to say this, the fact that you will find it very hard/impossible to find a member of the AOI (Association of Optometrists Ireland) that would recommend the procedure speaks volumes. I think there voice of reason rings loud enough for me.

A bit like early plastic surgery imo, it worked but in some cases, not so well. They have gotten a lot better at it now. Same I think can be said for this, in that they will get better at it but I for one won't consider it until an FAOI (fellow of the AOI) can say to me that it'll be perfectly safe. My need to not wear glasses/lenses is not that strong yet!