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eta: we were
Wearing glasses/contacts vs. blindness.
Hmm. Guess which I've chosen. Blindness is a high price to pay for vanity IMHO.
Firstly, ever since I first had glasses, around the age of 6/7, I have had 6 monthly eye tests, and every 6 months my prescription has changed dramatically. I was told that by the age of 18-20 it should slow down, to a complete stop and my prescription would stabilise. I'm however, still waiting for that to happen!! I had my eyetest done about 2 months ago, and now need new glasses because my prescription has changed again. (I'm now at a -10 prescription, which is just horrific.)
And, secondly, I didn't ask for people's thoughts on the procedure, I asked for people to describe their experiences of actually having it done. I didn't want or ask for people with perfect vision giving me their opinions on the subject.
Ilora x
I agree with this. I would rather pay out £300 every six months for the rest of my life and faff around with contacts and the like than risk being blind. My eyesight is far from perfect and can be annoying but I get by alright with my glasses. 95% or whatever it is, is still a huge gamble to take, especially where eyesight is concerned.
Very true. Your eyesight can and most likely will continue to degrade after surgery.
Oooo. So you didn't. Well in that case excuse us all for actually presenting you with some facts that you don't want to hear. Go ahead and get the procedure done and go blind for all I care. Geez.
I'm extremely short-sighted.
You're a fool if you don't take the advice of people who clearly know better than you.
Get off your high horse, and dare I say it - open your eyes. I'm short sighted too, how many people on this site do you think could afford such a procedure given the ages of a lot of the users i.e. under 21 and be willing to undergo it?
As I was saying, my relative was an eye consultant for a number of years. This was before she went onto work at the Medical Defence Union. As it sounds, the MDU defend doctors who have done many naughty things, and a couple of years ago, it was reported that complaints for laser eye surgery had more than doubled in the past 6 years.
You can actually read what she said, she was quoted by the BBC: Now if someone in my family who was a consultant, and then went on to work for a professional body that defends doctors, wouldn't have it done - do you think I'd keep that information to myself, regardless of whether the person knew the risks and benefits?
So stop spitting the dummy out of the pram and be thankful that people actually give a damn enough to respond.
All I asked was to hear other people's experiences of Laser treatment.
Why do you all have to be so opinionated about a certain subject, and then get upset when I don't take your advice, when it really isn't advice, it's just a pushy, usually bigoted opinion?
Most of you are quoting 'what you've heard' through rumours, gossip and tabloids. So why should I take it as advice anyway?
I have done a research into Laser Treatment. I have a hell of a lot of literature from medical groups and surgerys in London that I have read through. I have and will, do my homework.
And, if, after all this homework, I'm still willing to have laser eye surgery then, it is in fact my decision. Of course I'll consider what people have told me, but when it's a 'I heard such and such' then I shall take it with a pinch of salt. And that is my prerogative.
If you can afford eye surgery then you can afford glasses, and that's what I'd recommend.
Probably because you rub everyone up the wrong way with your attitude.
And people have offered their views on the subject, which is kinda what you get when you post such a question.
If you asked a question in the sex forum, would you expect only people who have had sex to answer it? Would you think that anyone who has not had sex is incapable of having anything to add to your thread?
Show me people being opinionated other than yourself, before you went off on one.
Show me anyone who is upset in any way.
Hmm. Well, you should be all too aware of that.
There have been at least two posters to the thread who have given you medically backed advice. Personally mine was not second-hand medical advice but was based on my own research...
...which is equal to your own....
You know, I could have sworn that I actually posted my comments in this thread in order to offer my opinion by way of advice, but you know what.. with this sort of attitude -
You can shove it up your ass.
Ilora x
You REALLY need to take note of the fact that your prescription is changing all the time though Ilora. You said it yourself. Youd probably pay god knows how much (£300per eye is usually for people with a low prescription - I looked into it for mine and it was quite a lot more than that for me) and then your prescription would change again and it would need re-doing - only you wouldnt be able to get it redone, because the operation can only be done once due to scarring.
You need to wait at least until your prescription hasnt changed for a few years, and by then the operation wont be such a new thing either so will probably be safer.
Just friendly advice. Dont believe all the brochures. They just want your money.
:yes:
Most decent places would recommend no change in the prescription for at least 12 months prior to the surgery date.
But the literature I have isn't a 'brochure' it's a guide to Laser Surgery, and includes a guide to the best/most reputable clinics offering the procedures. It also includes pages of info about the procedures and what questions to ask prior to the consultation. I ordered it from a London based clinic.
And the cost, well it'll probably cost around £1000 per eye because of my prescription and assigmatism, which means my car fund has gone out the window, but to me, not having to wear glasses from the minute you wake up to the minute you go to bed, 7 days a week, means more to me than owning a car.
Ilora x
Means you'll stop yourself getting driving jobs, too.
...kinda.
I got a pair of glasses the other week for 15 Pounds, some new internet service - just cos I wanted a spare pair for travelling, etc in case my normal pair break or get damaged.
Anyway as it turned out they didn`t quite suit me and sizing was not perfect - which is the downside of ordering something like this off the net but I got 14 days to return them and get all my money back - I plan to order another pair from the same company but this time using my experience of how the system works go for a different frame which should also fit better.
What people charge for glasses in shops is mostly for things like shop rent and rates - the actual raw materials for making glasses aint that much
I`ve just checked on the net and you can buy contact lenses that you can sleep in for up to 30 days at a time and their number goes down to -10 which is what you said your prescription was?
can`t you wear contacts?
Failing that there is a special device you put on your eyes when you go to sleep, as you sleep the eye ball moulds it shap to fit the device and when you wake you remove the mould and you can see normally - but the effect wears off by the end of the day and you simply put them back in and go to sleep and they remould to the shape again.
Indeed, perhaps you should consider that question. Why is it that you get responses like this.
Is it our attitude that's a problem...?
And you got answers from two doctors and an NHS manager, all of whom have an insight based on their expereince in this area - medicine. The "what you've heard" comments also come from a consultant in the field.
So, don't want informed comments?
Why do you get so arsy the minute the advise isn't exactly what you wanted?
Source or withdraw. Please point to any bigoted opinions on this thread.
Ask youself this question, what is the source of those documents? I sit independent or is it from someone who will make money from you having the procedure.
Look behind the statistics they offer such as "our team of doctors have experience of over 2,000 operations". You need to ask how many doctors do they have, a thousand would mean that each doctor has carried out two operations and that wouldn't be very experienced, for example.
You are right it is. Just remember that, if [heaven forbid] something bad happens.
Remember that people here pointed out the pitfalls and don't come back with a "woe is me" approach.
You might also want to read the Which? article from February this year.
Now you can argue that this is all hearsay, but each is independent and based on research. As you say, your choice.
Ilora x
To be honest I have a fairly strong astimagtism and prescription and I had no trouble getting suitable contacts. That was years ago, and technology has improved since then, so you shouldn't have any problem getting a fairly large choice of contacts.
Your problem would more likely be that contacts would not be strong enough so that in some cases you might need a pair of weak glasses to supplement them.
Really though, I think on balance I would go for the non-damaging option.
I've thought about laser too, but I was put off by the risks. Though one of my friends has had it and seems to be fine.
My Aunt also had it done in Canada and she says you get halo`s around lights at night but overall she`s more then happy with them - her glasses were well thick, not she don`t need them.
edited: plus my i get an nhs voucher for lenses and continue to use the same frames until they break and my frames only cost £25 theres no need to splash out on fancy designer frames who can tell anyway!
The risks are still too high, you run the risk of being under- or over-corrected, the results aren't permanent, it's an awful lot of money to be taking such a chance.
As your prescription is so bad, surely you should be able to claim money off from the NHS.
I know I'm just repeating what most people have said, but as I'm coming from a different viewpoint, I thought I'd add my two-pence worth
Ilora x
Where did you see the stats for that?????