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Laser eye surgery (1 Viewer)

I've always been of the opinion that lazor beams and and eyeballs don't mix!?

Does it hurt?

Matt

I would have thought that it may have a small side effect, but not much to worry about at all. A bit of an ache later, but full recovery within 24 hours.

Are you thinking of getting this done Matt, or have you been blessed with normal eyesight?

Again it is what you hear via the TV, News, newspapers etc.. how good the repertoire is here.
 
I've always been of the opinion that lazor beams and and eyeballs don't mix!?

Does it hurt?

Matt

Once the local anaesthetic has worn off it really hurts! But this only lasts for a few hours, by the following morning everything is back to normal. Quite an emotional experience waking up and being able to read the road signs from the bedroom window.

It is quite scary seeing the surgeon slice off the top of your eyeball followed by a red beam heading straight for your retina!
 
It is quite scary seeing the surgeon slice off the top of your eyeball followed by a red beam heading straight for your retina!


Yeeeuch! I should say! I think I'll stick with my specs as the thought of any form of eye-surgery (beyond anything sight-saving of course) gives me the willy's. :eek!:
 
Had my eyes laser-modified two years ago with spectacular results: 20/20 in one, 20/15 in the other eye. Being of bifocal age I now need drugstore cheaters for reading, but for motorcycling and vagabonding through the forest with binos and camera, that is a trade I'd make any day.

WBraun
 
Now that's the bit that sort of puts me off.

While all that is happening how the hell do you keep your eyes still rather than move the eyes away from the offending light / instrument / hand.

I'm one of the (probably) many that are sitting on the fence wondering what will be the best decision. To continue with glasses and fumble with the bins or go for it.

Certianly the percentage of replies to this thread is well in the positive so that's useful but I still have reservations with the possibility of using high street surgeries

Steve
 
I'm in the same boat as Steve, I've always had a minimalist approach to surgery, don't have any unless you have to. But since this thread is carrying on, I wonder if anyone can answer a couple of queries.

I heard once, can't remember where, that to get to the lens and perform the corrective procedure, it is necessary to cut into the retina, and the retina doesn't heal in the same way as normal tissue, in other works you have a cut retina for the rest of your life. Is there any truth in this whatsoever? I'd be delighted if there wasn't.

And also, is there a recommended age limit for this procedure? Can it not be performed after a certain age or does it depend on the eyesight?

I have to admit, the prospect of spectacle-free birding is tempting and it's reassuring that there are so many positive comments here. I've been wearing glasses since I was about 10 and I've tried contacts but didn't get on with them. My eyesight is actually pretty good with the appropriate lenses but I'm 38 now and some deterioration with close viewing is becoming apparent. I won't be having the surgery done any time soon though, can't afford it!
 
Clive,

Not a specialist at all but from what I can remember when I had the surgery they certainly do not cut into the retina....its just the outer tissue.
Age limit is 21 upwards, after that it depends on your eyes, they give you a check-up and assessment when you go in to see them.

Steve - They use a small device to keep your eyes open, after that you just have to control yourself to look at the laser. Surprisingly this is easy, partially due to the fact that you know it will do you good by doing so.
I used Ultralase who aren't a high-street shop, they are specialists in this field, just go in for a chat and see what happens, after my chat with them I was in no hesitation to get it done, they reassure you into a nice comfort zone, get it done, you know it makes sense!
 
Thanks James

It's something that I will likely do next year and you plus this thread have reassured me considerably. I had thought to go and throw my credit card in the air and go for the London eye hospital or some such. Maybe that expense won't be necessary.

Whatever it will e nice not to have to lift my specs up to allow the bins to my eyes - can't stand putting bind against my glasses

(Not surprisingly there are 2 ad's at the bottom of this page dedicated to eye surgery - not daft are they).

Steve
 
This may or maybe not of use to you.I must confess having worn glasses since 2yrs old and now 71yrs old and birding since the Great Flood,I have never really experienced problems with glasses or contact lens and as I have said before as a birder I would not go within a mile of laser eye surgery,but i appreciate that's just my view.all I would say is think twice then twice again.

POP

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ain.html?in_article_id=330944&in_page_id=1774
 
Corrective eye surgery is definitely a major improvement over, well, wearing glasses. Just know and read any concerns you may have before getting the operation done. It's a medical procedure like anything else; just don't think of it as getting a haircut or something like that.
 
Calling all birders with lasered eyeballs....

I'm bringing this old thread back to life (hopefully), as I couldn't figure out how to start a new thread - probably being thick, but can someone enlighten me please?

Anyway, I've been looking in to getting laser surgery done on my eyes to correct my short-sightedness and hopefully do away with my glasses and contact lenses. While there are some useful comments in this thread, I'm wondering if any birders who've had lasik, lasek, etc. can post some further details here, in particular with regard to how vision after surgery compares with vision before surgery (through glasses/contacts) in terms of sharpness (visual acuity) and crispness (contrast sensitivity).

Any comments much appreciated

Paul Troake
 
Paul
Have a read of this article, it's pretty up to date and honest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LASIK

Professionally I have seen a handful of post laser people who had small refractive errors left after surgery, they want contact lenses and it is a pig to fit them as their corneal curves are totally wrong for standard contact lenses. Once fitted the commonest concern is the drop in their contrast sensitivity, they find it difficult to make things out in low light levels.
However that is a handful of non-successful laser patients, I have lost many times that number of patients who are obviously happy with the result as I never see them again as they no longer need contact lenses.
 
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I'm bringing this old thread back to life (hopefully), as I couldn't figure out how to start a new thread - probably being thick, but can someone enlighten me please?



Paul Troake

Go back one page from here, scroll to the bottom and click on *New Thread*


Good luck with your mince pies.


Go back one page from here, scroll to the bottom and click on *New Thread*

Edit note: That will open a new topic in this forum, obviously choose the appropriate forum for different topics
 
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Thanks for your comments John & Keith.
I've looked at the bottom of both pages of this thread and still can't see a 'new thread' button. May be I'll be able to see it if I get my eyeballs zapped!

I think I'll book a consultation or two soon. It seems that many clinics aim to get vision as sharp as it was with contacts/glasses before surgery, and I think this is probably achieved in a high proportion of patients, even if an enhancement is required in the first year after surgery.

My understanding of loss of contrast sensitivity (ie. crispness) is that in most patients this is noticeable only temporarily during the healing process in the few months following lasik. However, there may be a slight permanent reduction in contrast sensitivity which most people would not notice, but I'm wondering whether it's an issue at all for birders, as we have higher demands from our vision than most people.

I should be able to get a better idea of expectations once I attend a consultation anyway, though I'm still keen to hear from anyone who's had laser eye surgery who can comment on this.

Paul
 
Thanks for your comments John & Keith.
I've looked at the bottom of both pages of this thread and still can't see a 'new thread' button. May be I'll be able to see it if I get my eyeballs zapped!


Paul

O.K. My forum set-up is obviously different to yours: I show 50 posts on one page. So if you go back two pages from here on your browser, (or to be more precise for anyone else reading in the future just go to the main page of the forum you want to post on) and you will find the new thread button there.
 
O.K. My forum set-up is obviously different to yours: I show 50 posts on one page. So if you go back two pages from here on your browser, (or to be more precise for anyone else reading in the future just go to the main page of the forum you want to post on) and you will find the new thread button there.

Thanks again, found it now. Still finding my way around the site!

Paul
 
Well, having longsightedness, looks like I am stuck with my old milk bottle ends.. Doh!
Could birders have one of their lenses replaced with an artificial one of a higher power? Imagine that, right eye normal, left eye x10! Awesome!
Only joking folks, it has been a very long Friday afternoon and I want to go home!
One tip for speccies, wear plastic-framed specs. They are much more comfortable when pressed against your nose by your bins, than wire framed specs, which often have those little pads on a bit of metal as the nose rest. They can really start to dig in after a few hours in the field. And, the John Lennon look is so dead anyway.
Cheers
 
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