Here’s my account of having my eyes lasered by Lasek procedure. If you’re considering eye surgery, I hope the following is of some use, especially if you opt for Lasek:
I’ve been considering Laser eye treatment for years but as it’s a relatively new surgical procedure, I have been waiting some time – just to be sure it was as safe as it could be. However, since NASA allegedly started using it for their personnel I decided: if it’s good enough for NASA, it’ll probably be good enough for me.
So after another load of research, particularly reading patient reviews at www.lasik-eyes.co.uk I started the ball rolling.
Consultancy – 15/09/08
I booked a consultancy at Optical Express in the Trafford Centre. There are 3-4 tests to go through and it takes a good hour or so for the appointment. Someone is needed to drive you home from the consultancy as some of the drops administered really relax the eye muscles, making vision a little blurry for the next 24 hours (this test is to give some indication of the future changes in the eye as muscles degrade).
‘From £395 per eye’ is a sales line that gets a lot of stick on the various laser eye forums but despite people telling you it never happens, I was offered that treatment/price. However, I opted instead for the Wavefront treatment (extra £400 per eye) as Laser surgery wasn’t a procedure I wanted to repeat – wanting the best chance of success first time out. After a few weeks of procrastination and researching the surgeon (Mr Aziz in my case) I went ahead and booked my treatment.
There were many moments of changing my mind and when only 4 days away, if I could have canceled without losing my deposit, I would have. Why? There is such a thing as too much research. No matter how good something seems, online you can always find plenty of people who will tell you it is the worst thing you could possibly do.
Differing treatments
There are currently two main ‘types’ of laser eye surgery: Lasik and Lasek. LASIK works by cutting a flap in the surface of the eye, peeling back the outer surface/layer and re-shaping the inner surface of the eye. Despite sounding dramatic, this method actually offers a far faster recovery time and is therefore the most popular type of treatment. The majority of people receiving laser correction will be receiving Lasik.
However, if you have thin corneas and/or play contact sports (like me), there is a danger this flap can be dislodged in the weeks following treatment. In the event of this happening, the flap can be re-positioned but is a complication that non-the-less is best avoided. For patients more at risk of this, Lasek is the preferred option. With Lasek, instead of cutting a flap in the surface of the eye, an alcohol solution is used to loosen the outer epithelial layer of cells (the very outer layer of the eye), move this layer aside and then use a laser to reshape the outer surface of the eye. This layer of cells then re-grows over the next 7 days or so. The recovery time with Lasek is more prolonged, although the outcome, surgically, is eventually no different to Lasik.
Surgery day 10/11/08
My prescription was mild (about 1.25 in both eyes with astigmatism in the left eye). As I’d had to wear glasses the previous 7 days (even soft lenses can distort the shape of the eye and abstaining from wearing them for 7 days ensures the eyes are a normal shape prior to treatment) I was at least looking forward to ditching them. I’ve always hated wearing contact lenses and glasses.
My surgery was booked for 11am at the Trafford Centre branch of Optical Express. I was more than a little apprehensive as I sat in the waiting room with about another 10-12 people, also having treatment that day. Before surgery a few tests were re-run and this gave me time to re-ask some questions: would there be enough eye left for re-treatment in the future if I needed it? Will I still be able to wear contact lenses in future if I needed them? Can you confirm you won’t use Mitomycin C (this is a anti cancer drug sometimes used topically to reduce chances of hazing on the eye from scars – something I wasn’t comfortable with). There were plenty more and they answered them all again for me…
It was around an hour later that I was finally asked to go through to the surgery room.
The surgery room is a single big room, with a huge laser in the centre. There were 5 people there for the surgery: Mr Aziz (surgeon), his assistant, a laser technician and two nurses. All very clean and professional.
Any reservations I had over discomfort during the procedure were completely unfounded. I didn’t feel any pain whatsoever and it was literally about 60 seconds per eye for the treatment and it is all performed with military precision and organisation. The procedure went something like this:
1. A few anesthetic drops are put in each eye
2. One eye has a thin eyelid retainer placed on, the other eye is covered
3. Alcohol drops are put it
4. Epithelial layer is moved
5. Told to look up at the laser and concentrate on the blinking light
6. Countdown begins, asked to keep looking at the light, then clicking is heard from the laser as it does its thing. Countdown completes
7. Epithelial layer is re-placed
8. More drops are added
9. Bandage contact lens is inserted
The procedure is then repeated for the other eye.
I was in and out of the surgery room in 5 minutes, then led across the hall to another room with seats and dimmed lighting for a few minutes. A nurse came in, bringing all the aftercare instructions and solutions. She checked all was well and that I had some sunglasses (the eyes can be very light sensitive after) and then sent me on my way.
Immediately, making my way to the car, I could read number-plates I couldn’t unaided by glasses/lenses before. However, testing the results of my treatment didn’t last long as the compulsion to close my eyes became overwhelming on the way home…
Recovery
In the first 24 hours my eyes stung. Badly. Like I’d been cutting very strong onions. Unfortunately as my eyes had swollen, until someone returned home I couldn’t open them to see how many painkillers I needed to take.
It was an uncomfortable first day and as you might expect it was around this time I was wondering if it was worth the trouble. Painkillers were the saviour in the first few days. Every 4 hours I would dose up and it would allow me to sleep. On the subject of sleeping – goggles are provided to be worn when sleeping for the first 7 days. As my eyes were streaming constantly they became a major irritation during that first week and was extremely happy to do without them.
The 24 hour post surgery check at Optical Express revealed all was fine. My eyes remained puffed (as you can see from the photos) for a good few days but all was well.
As I waited for my first check up, a man entered from the day before who had had Lasik treatment. You couldn’t even tell to look at him, whilst I looked like I’d done a few rounds with Ricky Hatton. Suffice to say, if you don’t need Lasek, Lasik seems like a far easier experience.
3 days post-op I stopped needing the painkillers and the constant streaming stopped and by the Friday I was feeling pretty much back to normal. For Lasek, on my experience, I would clear 5 working days for recovery.
Now
At present the only slight imperfection with my vision is a 0.25 astigmatism in one eye. I was told that when my eyes are fully healed this may go but if this is all that is left, it will still have been a very good result.
Personally I have almost forgotten I had it done. It’s great to wake up and get straight on with the day. Lenses getting dry late at night isn’t a problem. I can go swimming and read the clock, play football without worrying about my lens getting knocked out etc.
Nightvision problems, something laser correction has historically been associated with, are non-existent for me. If anything I would say my night vision is marginally better now than it was with lenses/glasses. I also have no problems with dry eyes or the like although this problem is more commonly associated with Lasik (due to the the cutting of some nerves during the flap creation).
Payment
You can obviously pay for surgery outright. But there was payment options for deposit then interest free payments over 10 months, or deposit and then interest bearing payments over 24, 36 or 48 months. The APR rate for the interest bearing options was competitive for the relatively small loan amount.
My laser treatment cost was the equivalent of 8 years of contact lens payments. So, if in eight years my prescription hasn’t changed, I will consider it well worth it.
Money Off
Should anyone read this who is interested in eye surgery – I have a £150 off treatment voucher for Optical Express – the £150 is sent to you once you have paid your deposit (I also get £150 for referring you so it benefits us both!). Not a massive amount but it helps all the same. Any readers of this post considering eye surgery at Optical Express, get in touch if you’d like to get the £150 off.
Like any surgical procedure I would encourage anyone looking to go ahead with laser eye surgery to perform as much research as they need to make them self comfortable. Despite the discomfort of those first few days I feel the procedure was well worth it for me. Lots more patient experiences can be found at the very helpful Lasik Eyes forum 
Tags: Lasek, Lasek recovery, laser treatment, LASIK, optical express
Good read thanks,
I have my op with OE on 14th may, they originally recommended LASIK, 2 weeks before the treatment they have now said due to contact sports I should have LASEK!
How painful is it? You do look like you have been fighting lol! How did you find computer work following the surgery?
I am a little apprehensive now after gearing up and researching into LASEK.
Cheers
Paul, I’m a baby when it comes to pain and it honestly isn’t that bad – despite the swollen eyes. The first 24 hours can be rough if you don’t take the pain killers. As long as you have a couple of Codeine or Paracetamol every 4 hours it is fine.
If you do contact sport I’d definitely opt for LASEK. Last thing you want is a dislodged flap (possible with LASIK but not with LASEK) – that could be very uncomfortable indeed. With LASEK you’re basically trading a little initial discomfort for safety down the line.
Computer work the day after isn’t really advisable. I answered a few emails but you couldn’t really do much more. Realistically I think you’d need to set aside 3-4 days for recovery. After that you’re absolutely fine (I work at a screen all day).
If you can still use a voucher, let me know and I can post you one of the £50 off ones. Any other questions, feel free to ask.
Hi Ben,
Thanks for the reply! It really doesnt sound too bad then, I will ensure I have everything I need before hand, including pain killers..
I think the point about a little pain now, compared to the possibility of a lot of pain in the future is a good one.
With regards to the voucher unfortunately I have already paid for my surgery so I dont think I can use it now (although I will find out as I am expecting a call to inform me that I am receiving money back for the intralase I paid for and I also believe LASEK is slightly cheaper), which is a shame because any saving is worthwhile when spending such a large amount.
Thanks again for the blog, its really good to actually read something online that shows laser eye correction in a good light, as it seem most people document their experience when things go bad but not when things are good.
Thanks,
Paul
I had LASEK last tuesday and finding this page about your own experience has been a godsend. I have had a very similar experience and pretty much begged for extra analgesic drops to at least give me a few hours sleep. My only concern now is that my sight is not top notch. I would say that everything is still a bit blurry. Is this something you experienced? thanks
Your eye sight with Lasek takes longer to be spot on. 1 week post op I wouldn’t be too concerned. If it’s still not right after a month perhaps ask the question. The anaesthetic drops delay the healing as far as I remember (hence why they tell you to only use them if you have to). Opt for over the counter pain killers instead if I were you. Hang in there, take all the other drops exactly as described and I’m sure you will be fine. Give us an update in a week or so. All the best.
I had lasek last year and I am really happy with the improvement. However, it did take 2-3 weeks for my eyes to stop drying up so much and I looked aged during this time. There were lots of wrinkles (crows feet) but it doesn’t last long – so don’t worry. Even my vision took six months to get the optimum results. I only wish I had had it earlier. But everyone’s experience is different ad there are no guarantees. Visit this website which shows some videos of the surgery itself (animated) and also lists the risks and benefits to guide you: http://www.youreyeguide.co.uk/lasereyesurgery/index
Hi again – you asked for an update…
basically 3 weeks today since LASEK….sigh nowhere near optimum. No chance of driving really….am starting to panic but the fact that my sight is somewhat better in the morning is giving me hope. Have checkup on friday.
Hi Clare, thanks for that. Keep us posted on your progress. Out of interest, what was your prescription pre-op? Be interested to hear what the Optical Express team (presuming it was Optical Express you had surgery with?) say.
Hi thanks for the info on the site it has been useful. I am going back for check up today, I had Lasek with wavefront on the 27th May just on my right eye. Like Clare I am at two weeks and I am unable to drive and vision is still unfocused at all distances………….. feeling concerned as I have been unable to work as my work is paperwork and computer based (I am just depending on my left eye).
I did not have much pain just the first day and I only used the pain killing eye drops once. I have been told to put in as much of the Blink drops as possible as this helps the healing, so I am using them hourly.
I had straightforward Lasik back in 2000, my eyes were very shortsighted -10 and -11, I understand from info that they probably wouldn’t laser them nowadays, I would have been recommended lens replacement. However, I did have excellent results back then and my eyes had started to slightly regress over the last 2 years, I started needing glasses for driving and distance, which I just wanted to sharpen up.
Anyway thanks again for comments and information, I will update after my check up.
Thanks
Carolyn
hi, I had lasek eye surgery last friday and since then my vision has remained blurred. Has anyone else experienced this and did vision improve
thanks
sharon
Sharon, with Lasek vision should improve over the coming weeks. It can take a bit of time for your eyes to really settle. What was your vision prescription pre-op? Have you had your 1 week check up yet? What did the optician say?
Hi All,
I Had Lasek Wavefront done on the 1st August 0i9 and my o my am I glad I have no more pain, touch wood! Gotmy bandage contact removed today, 5th Aug, and I am rather disapointed with the results, I am seeing double vision? Benfrain, did your eye sight improve after a number of days once bandage was removed?
Hi Jez, I don’t remember double vision but my prescription was only slight. What was your prescription pre-op? Did the surgeon/optometrist say your eyes appeared fine when they had taken the bandage lens off?
There will be some accumulation of debris which we will clear now the bandage lens is removed. Your eye sight should get noticeably better in the next few days. It’s hard not to panic but you do need to give it a few days. However, there is nothing to stop you getting in touch with the centre you had it done and ask their advise. I know I would.
Keep us updated how you get on.
Hi, my prescription was left -3.5 and right -4 pre-op. Now I’m not sure as they haven’t tested them yet. Woke uo this morning and I could see clearly but this then faded into a bit of a blur
.
Iwill give it until monday – my weekly check up and see what they say then. I got mines done with optical express, brilliant service.
Regards.
And yes, they did say all was okay…fingers crossed.
Jez
Just to let you know I had double vision for a while, had op lasek wavefront at end of May. I just had one eye done, which is just starting to come clear now and double vision/ghosting is going. It does take time.
Cheers
Carolyn
Hi All
Update, got my treatment done 1st week August 09 and 4 months on it’s a disappointment, I am getting headaches and even though my eye sight is much better before I done surgery, things are still at a blur, I still need to put drop in my eyes to get clarity – without these it aint clear – I have my appointment in two months time – my consultant did say that I might need a retreat?
Not happy
(
[...] If you want one of the vouchers or have any queries, get in touch… In the meantime, you may be interested to read of my own experience of Lasek corrective eye surgery… [...]
Wow I can’t believe your eyes were so swollen after the surgery!! I had Lasek too and had no swelling and no pain (apart from when the bandage lenses came out)…i guess I was lucky! The optician said I was the first person he’d seen who had so little pain! I have to say though it took about 1 full year for the dryness to get back to normal and a good few months for optimum vision. My right eye isn’t great but optical Express don’t want to admit it. I get hadaches a lot and i think it may be connected. I found it interesting reading your blog, it fascinates me how everyone has completely different experiences.
Hope your eyes are good now.
Claire
Hi Claire,
Yes, your right – I was surprised having read some of the replies to this post just how different peoples experiences are. At the one year checkup one of my eyes was about .25 long sighted but I don’t even notice it. Never had any dryness and I don’t regret having them done at all at the moment. Wearing contacts and glasses infuriated me so I’m chuffed to be rid of them.
Thanks for stopping by…
hi,
I had Lasek surgery on Monday 27th December 2010 (a christmas present to myself!!) and I was exactly the same with the swelling, my eyes looked like a couple of golf balls!!
the pain didnt kick in until the next day though after my post op appointment. I caught up on a lot of sleep as all i could do was keep my eyes closed so i kept drifting off!
its now been 1 week 2 days and i am still a bit blurred, although i can get around my vision isnt perfect but i have to go back in another 3 weeks anyway for a checkup.
The optician said all was well with my eyes after the surgery so there is nothing to worry about but give it another week or 2 to even out completely.
i am very pleased with the results so far as things do seem alot clearer. well worth the money i paid for and go for the wavefront…they are your eyes afterall!!
L xx
hi
i m going for lasek treatment(standard) on 24th feb 2011…i have gone through many reviews after booking my operation date…most of the reviews are scary…i m little bit nervous…but reading the reviews from ur blog really gave me a courage to go for it…they are charging me 395£ per eye…i decided to pay that in installments for 4 years…it costs me 870£ with interest afer 4 years…somebody said that lasek is done with blade so i was very scared but after reading the procedure from ur blog i feel a bit comfortable…hope everything goes well..
Hi, glad this post settled your nerves slightly. I was really nervous before, during and after. I’m sure most people are. Hope all goes well and give us all an update in a few weeks.
did u go for lasek or lasik?? how much did they charge u??
As detailed above. Lasek wavefront. £795 per eye.
had my lasek treatment last week…was very painful for first 2 days…it was a great relief after removing the contact lens…vision is stil blurred…going for check-up next week…
hi
how long did it take for u to get clear vision? I got my contact lens removed on 28th feb…since then putting drops but vision is still blurred…i m really worried…will it improve or the doctors just saying to give u some relief…i m having problem with my near vision as well…do i need to wear sunglasses?? I m not using them after removing the lens…plz guide me in this….after all good result is what we need…
Hi there..you may not know the answer to this question being male but how long do I need to refrain from wearing eye makeup for after the op? Also how long after having it done can I go back to the gym? Thanks
Sorry, can’t help you with the first, just double check that with the surgical team. I had to leave football/contact sports for 4-5 weeks. However, the gym I would think no more than 1-2 weeks. However, again, cases very and I would double check anything like that with the surgical team to be sure.
Hi there Benfrain
Just want to add my comment as well and let others know that I had LASEK Wavefront eye laser (without much help from family as they were scared for me!) I was a 40+ person having to wear glasses now and just kept either losing them or breaking them and just could not wear contact lenses at all, not great as I think the money that I will be paying for the eye laser will work out to be cheaper for me in the long term if I can have this last for at least 10/15 years in my working life before I retire! I had this treatment done on the 18th Feb 2011 at 3pm (thinking from speaking to others that it would be over through the weekend!) Ha not a bit of it, I had been listening to ppl talk about their experiences about LASIK instead whereby they said they were all back to work the very next day!! Now one thing, they work for the company and two they didnt need to drive! I had to take a few days off my work to really be able to see again to drive!! The contacts came off on the Tuesday and I was told I could drive that day, I was very surprised that they can advocate this as I thought it must be illegal as my vision was quite blurred!! Anyway, as time has gone on and it has now passed the 6 week mark, my vision is still slightly blurred and just like the other comment by Carolyn, it does and must take a long time…wish the team would tell you what the pitfalls could be before you go into it (Don’t think they want to just in case they don’t make a sale for the company however I think if they were more honest ppl would appreciate it more! and not possibly give up on the idea altogether)
I am getting married at the end of May and am very worried that I won’t have optimum vision on my special day! Any sugggestions or recommendations from anyone at all? Need some encouragement and hope I guess. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Cazzy48
Well, none of us writing here are medically trained. So, if you have any real concerns whatsoever, you should be contacting the place that did your Lasik/Lasek. After all you have paid for their service and they are in the best position to advise so use the service you have paid for. Other than that, the only thing I was told is to be absolutely anal about the aftercare drops etc and advice. Use lubrication drops as long as you feel they are helping, drink plenty of water, don’t do physical activities until advised you are safe to do so etc. Common sense stuff but many people who have problems seem to neglect these areas and are surprised when they don’t attain the best results. Lasek definitely seems to take a little longer to settle down than Lasik going on the experiences posted here and elsewhere but everyone heals differently so to re-iterate, speak to the provider and get their assurance that everything is healing as it should. Good luck and let us know how they are for the big day!
Hi Ben
Thanks for your quick reply. I appreciate it and will take your advice of course. I will be seeing Optical Express in about a weeks time so hopefully they will reassure me once again. Yes I am finding like yourself that Lasek seems to take longer to get optimum vision rather than Lasik (unfortunately for me!)but hopefully things will get better over time…pray for me though
Yeah will keep you updated re my wedding day…
Take care to all who are going to have or have had eye surgery done.
Best wishes
Caroline x
Hi All,
I am having Lasek Wavefront done tomorrow morning with Optical Express, my prescription is -4.25, -4.50. After reading this forum I am suddenly terrified! The staff at O.E told me that the healing time would be slightly longer than Lasik but they said within a week I should be good to carry on as normal. When you guys says your vision was blurry still even after the 1 week mark, how blurry do you actually mean… as blurry as your eyes used to be without glasses/lenses or much better than that? I’m worried it’s going to take a long time to be able to drive again and get on with my normal daily activities… And to be honest I hadn’t even thought of the pain, oh dear this is going to be depressing!!!!
Hi Saralee, personally I had a very modest prescription to kick off with so probably not best to comment regarding bluriness. However, you are probably hoping for some assurance before you go tomorrow…
I can’t, nor would I tell you how it will be for you. For me, the whole thing was worthwhile and after a week I was fine to do my day to day stuff. Just do everything you are told to do at exactly the time you are told to do it. Take the pain killers even if you feel fine! Make sure you take the drops whenever you are supposed to, again, even if you feel you don’t need them. Expect the first few days to be tough as I think they will be. Better that than the situation I was in, expecting everything to be a walk in the park, as per LASIK and finding things a little different!
I remember being incredibly nervous in the run up and on the day but the actual op is done in a flash and you can hardly tell it’s happened. All the best and let us know how you’ve got on…
Ben
Hiya guys, Im having mine doing by OE in Edinburgh 04.05.11 13:30
Thanks for your helpful insight into this OP ben!
Hi just to say i had lasik surgery on 15/03/11. did not hurt one little bit, the next day went for check up to be informed that had wrinkles on my left eye. went to see surgeon who told me that he was going to leave eye to heal my itself. went for another check up to be told need second surgery and flap lift. had flap lift and some lasek to get wrinkles out of eye. however had 4 check ups and not one person told me that wrinkles were still there, even so i asked surgeon after surgery to be told they had gone. not happy bunny as looks like been there all the time and told that i might need third surgery few months time. left eye great but right eye is hazy.
Hi Kids,
I had LASEK with Optimax a week ago. LASEK was recommended as I play rugby & do MMA, and hopefully I could get back to my loves ASAP!
After having pain on the first day, I was free and clear from it since then. My only problem has been persistent dry eyes but no pain. One of my lenses came out after 2 days and on returning the following day, the second was removed. I have a second check-up in 3 days and hopefully i’ll be cleared to go back to the gym. If all goes well, I’ll be back to my sporting exploits before I know it. My vision has improved considerably, my only problem being a slight delay in re-focusing when going from distance to close work/vision and vice versa. I shall let you all know how my eyes get on over the next few weeks and let you know when I’m cleared to go back to MMA!
Cheers, Ben
Hi Folks
I wish I had read all comments about lasek before jumping in. Everyone I knew who had surgery had the lasik treatment but I like most here had the lasek.
The surgery itself didn’t hurt but a bit sqeamish as you can see all thats being done to your eyes.
The next 2 days were the worst so saying a mild discomfort was an understatement. I couldnt open my eyes and a little bit of light really hurt. I am still having trouble typing this comment, will need a rest from computer after this post. Like a previous comment its like someone squeezing raw onion juice into your eyes and theres nothing you can do. The tears and the sting just keeps coming and I wonder if the drops were any use as I am sure the tears just washed them away. At this point I was wondering if I had made the right decision. The next pain was when I was alseep on the 2nd day. It was like someone trying to pull your eyes out all of a sudden. the sharp pain was sudden and fast that it woke me and I was screaming in pain and called for my wife to put the pain drops in as quick as possible. When I phoned the emergency line I was told it was normal as it was some sort of healing process? I had a few of those episodes over the next 3 days. At this point I would have given anything to go reverse the procedure and continue wearing glasses and contact lenses. I am a grown man of 40 years old and I havnt had a good cry since I can remember but this had me in tears of pain and regret.
After the first week I can see blurry images almost like weraing contacts but its turned so everything out of focus, but frustrating really. Right eye better than left. Come second week my left eye healed very quickly and now is almost perfect vision, but right eye still the same blurr. It is now 3rd week and 3 days since op. Nothing has changed from 2nd week. Left eye is compensating for blurred right eye so I can still drive but not clear. I use to be able to read and go on computer for hours but now restricted as it is hard to focus on blurred words. I don’t regret as much at this point but things are still not as clear as when I wore glasses. I wake up every moning and cover left eye to see if right eye has improved but it is still the same blur so dont feel as if it is healing so I am worried a bit.
I hope I can write back here in 2 or 3 weeks time and look back and say it was nothing and it has been well worth it but at this point I am feeling low.
Tony
Great article/blog. Had my lasek performed on 22.08.11, first 3 days were disorientating, very uncomfortable and made you think was it worth it. All I wanted to do was lie down in a dark room, drifting in and out of sleep, taking loads of painkillers. Then at 6pm on the Wednesday I was alert and bored. Since then it has been better and better. Hope to have bandage contacts out tomorrow.
Currently have 20/20 vision, need to put drops in to stop drying up, but looking forward to no glasses.
Hi,
I wish I had read this blog before having my Lasek. I had mine on 15th August 2011. Its now the 6th Sept. The day after surgery I could read the very bottom line of the eye test chart and the optomotist was very happy. I had pain for 3 days (quite intense) but when I woke on the 4th day the pain had gone. I too used painkillers (tablets) throughout this period.
After taking out the protective lens my eyes were very blurred and I couldnt focus enough to read a newspaper for over two weeks and had to keep increasing the size of the text on my computer to be able to read the that. Now is the third week and reading a newspaper is still a struggle – especially the smaller text and my eyes generally are still blurred.
I am going back for my 4-week review this Saturday. It does seem like a lot of us on this forum are experiencing similar blurry eye sight so lets hope it does get clearer as time goes on. One of my eyes is more blurry than the other.
Has anyone who reported blurry eye sight post op now back to full sight? If yes, how long did it take?
Thanks,
Lee.
Hi All
2 months since lasek op, now. Nothing has changed for me, except dry eyes has become worse. Last week has been hell for dryness. Can handle it during day as can put drops in whenever, but nighttme when I am sleeping is worse. I get woken up sometimes 3 times a night like sometone trying to poke my eyes out. Its not ideal as I am not getting enough sleep and it sometimes can affect my mood during the day! I was given some thick gel, it worked for a few days and came back again so I am going straight to OE this morning.
I am still blurry and I am actually on the border of legally being able to drive. Had to request some glasses for driving and reading and looking at computer. Optician suggest I need I re op in 6 months which I am dreading as I really don’t want to go through the pain and hassle again. The dry eyes is killing me already.
So if I am honest at this moment in time I TOTALLY REGRET having the op. The hassle and pain and cost so far does not outweigh the benefits of not having to wear glasses or contacts before op.
I also wished I have read a bit more on this.
Tony
Hi Tony,
Regarding your dry eye, I too am suffering from very dry eyes. One thing that I found helps is NOT to put the dry eye drops in just before going to bed. Give it at least an hour or so so that the drops can dry and then see if you still get problems during the night.
I found that this helped me.
I too may have to have a re-op but am waiting for my next review on Saturday.
All,
For some reason today has been my best day so far. The only things I have done differently are:
1. Not put the lubricating eye drops in immediately before going to bed. Instead I put these in approx 1 hour before going to bed, thus allowing the drops to dry before closing my eye lids. I think, by putting these in just prior to going to bed means they dry when the eyes are closed and fix them selves to the inner eye lids which is why it causes pain in the middle of the night if we try to open our eyes – although this is just my thoughts!
2. I have bought intensive tears BLINK non-perservative eye drops from the pharmacy. The bottle of Blink eye drops we get from Optical Express have a low dose of persevrative in them. My research on the intenet sugested that a perservative-free solution is essential!!! Ok, they cost me £4.95 for 20 shots but they dont sting when I put them in and they have a cap meaning that you can use the same shot twice – that is forty applications for £4.95. One surgeon on my internet research said that it is absolutlely vital that a non-perservative eye drop is used. Which is why I switched to see if it made a difference – it did! But it may be a coincidence! Who knows – just passing on my experince to you guys!
Anyway, I am not saying the above two things are the answer but I seem to have seen a better result combining both of the above. I am not saying my eye sight is perfect as it isnt. When I look st bright lights they are still blurred (such as shop back-lit signs) but, like I say, today seems to be my best day so far. Who knows, it may change tomorrow!!!
Hi Lee
Thanks for the tips, at this point in time I will try anything. Even resorted to eating some supplements to help such as flaxseed oil and cod liver oil.
Went back to OE today and had contact bandages put back on for a week to see if that will help stop lids sticking.
Well heres to my first night of peaceful sleep hopefully.
All,
I’m back at Optical Express for a one month post op check-up tomorrow morning. I plan to ask them why they issue us with Blink eye drops that contain preservatives when there is research that says only preservative free eye drops should be used, at the very least, for the first week following surgery!
Read it for yourself and if you havent already switched to preservative free eye drops I recommend you try this as my eyes have felt considerbly calmer since switching.
http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/lasik-artificial-tear.htm
An extract from the above link is….
“Every artificial tear manufacturer has a slightly different formula for each brand. Some eye drops are thick to provide more protection, others are thin to provide rapid relief without vision disruption, however all can be divided into one of three categories: preserved, preservative free, preservative free on contact.
The preservatives used in artificial tears are a mild toxin. A purpose of a toxin in an artificial tear is to kill anything that may promote spoilage of the eye drops and to keep the eye drops aseptic.
The eye does not like toxins too much, even low level toxins. Toxins in eye drops can cause irritation, redness, even inflammation. An eye healing from conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, NearVision CK, RLE, or any refractive surgery procedure, needs all the help it can get and applying a toxin is not helpful. Even if the eye drops do not cause irritation and feel fine, the toxins may be slowing or negatively affecting the healing process.
Newer “preservative free on contact” artificial tears have an advantage that the toxin quickly dissipates, but the speed at which the toxin dissipates varies greatly. As an example, one such drop dissipates the preservative by exposure to ambient light. If you put in the drops, close your eyes, and go to bed with the lights out, that preservative is not going to dissipate very quickly. Artificial tears that claim to be preservative free on contact are not necessarily appropriate immediately after surgery.
It is always best to use true preservative free eye drops during the immediate recovery period after Lasik or similar laser eye surgery. It is even a good idea to use preservative free eye drops long after surgery, but they are more expensive and after the cornea has healed adequately an artificial tear with a preservative or is preservative free on contact may be appropriate. Check with your doctor.
If eye irritation is experienced with the use of a preservative free artificial tear, it may be the formulation is incompatible. It is possible that something in a particular formula of a particular brand is causing irritation, with or without a preservative. You would need to try different brands to see what works best for you.”
Lee.
All,
Had my 4-week Post Op review this morning and I am now at 20-20 vision (just!) although still a bit blurry! I told the optromotist about the article on the web that stated the need to use preservative-free eye drops and he asked me whether the Blink eye drops they supplied stung when I put them in. I said yes, and he said “well that it because your eyes are having a reaction to the preservative!” Thanks!!! Why didnt they tell us to look out for this in the first place? I thought the stinging was because I had just had surgery and this was just part and parcle of the healing proess.
Anyway, to cut a long story short he said I’d better go on the preservative-free Blink eye drops and took a box out of his draw and gave them to me. When I run out I just go back to Optical Express and they will give me more as part of my after care. I recommend you ask for the same!
Remember, my eyes only started to improve significantly once I switched to the preservative-free eye drops. Not saying this is the answer for everyone but it is probably worht a try!
Lee.
Hi,
I hope everyone is ok and things have improved for you recently. As, I said before I too suffered from blurred and double vision following my Lasek.
I have just been for my 2-month review and all blurriness/double vision has now completely gone I can read the line better the 20/20 vsion mark. They also said that clinically I no longer have dry eyes (they put a red dye in my eyes the film tear film looked fine to them). So, after a very worrying period things really do seem to have improved for me now. Switching to the preservative free eye drops really seemed to help me as did my perservance with the FML drops which I ended up using for 5 weeks instead of 4 (the last two weeks was one drop in both eyes once a day in the evening).
Anyway, hope you are all improving and dont give up hope as I am living proof that things can get better over time. As I am 44 years old I think I will need to wear reading glasses sometime soon as I am now struggling with small text but in the grand scheme of things I can live with that.
Lee.
Hi Lee
Its good to hear that you are recovering and everything seems ok for you. My story is still not good. Just over three months post lasek, I am still suffering very dry eyes. I can take it during the day because of drops and just recently plugs in my tear ducts. The problem is still at night. the sharp pain with lids sticking to my eyes still causing me grief and sleepless nights. Thick lacri lube is not helping although some nights it seems to work. I am on supplements, cod liver oils, flaxseed and evening primrose and others like luiten and vit c etc. At this moment I am willing to try anything and even contemplating going vegetarian and trying out the raw diet although I love my meat and cooked foods. What is most worrying for me is that will I go blind if it keeps tearing at my cornea.
Tony
Tony,
Sorry to hear that you are still suffering. I found this web site about the different treatments for dry eye which may help but sounds like you are already trying some of these. It does mention in this link that the eye drops with preservatives in them can actually make the dry eye condition worse so if you are not using the preservative-free drops yet I sugest you do so. It may also be worth going to see your GP or getting a 2nd opinion from another independent Optromotist.
http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/dry-eye-treatment.htm
I hope your condition improves soon.
Lee.
Hi All,
Having had Lasek Wavefront surgery a month ago now I thought I would tell my story since the web is full of negative reports (which certainly don’t help the nerves of those patients waiting to have it done, I know!). I am 27 years old, prescription -1.75 in both eyes with a slight astigmatism, never had dry eyes and never really experienced problems with contact lenses, just wanted to be without, mainly for sport. I went to Optical Express in the Trafford Centre for the consultation and had the surgery in Manchester town centre clinic. All my post-op consultations have been in the Trafford Centre store.
I had the surgery on a Thursday afternoon and went home immediately after and rested up in bed, although I couldn’t sleep, I took Ibuprofen. It was uncomfortable but I wouldn’t say anymore than that. Before the op I had read that it was ‘more painful than child birth’, ‘stung badly’ and I had seen Ben’s photos above so were expecting pain. The next day I went for my 24 hour check up and could read the bottom line of a 3 line letter chart and was really positive. However on the Sat my eyes were a little sorer and watered the most of any other day, but again nothing that I would describe as anything more that uncomfortable / slight pain. When they got sore I lay down with my eyes closed, rested up and listened to an audio book which did the trick. Sunday I had my contact lens bandages out (a day earlier than scheduled) and my eyes felt better as the contact lens bandages were an irritant in themselves (just like when you leave a regular pair of lenses in too long). However my vision was poorer than after 24 hours. I was reassured it would take time and not to worry (but there is always a slight worry when you have messed with your eyes!)
On the Monday I returned to work and against the optonomists’ instruction I drove. My vision was less than the legal driving limit but I coped fine. I am predominantly desk based and my vision for monitor work was a little difficult for the first week as looking at close up details I had a shadowing on words. I reckon I was back to driving limit by Wed and the shadowing slowly got better. I reckon it was only after three weeks that my vision was back to normal and had no shadowing and the long distance detail was sharp. On Thursday just gone, five weeks after the surgery I had my one month check up and I now have ‘better than 20/20 vision, based on the line of the chart I could read. I am very happy with the results, long distance detail is sharp (I can make out the seconds hand on a clock which is on the wall on the other side of my office about 60 ft away). Service at Optical Express I have found decent enough. I experience dry eyes only really in the morning and that has now stopped, but despite needing or not, I took the drops and the Blink’s regularly for the first three weeks. Other facts about my experience was that I was back playing golf the following Sat, 9 days after the surgery and was back in the gym that weekend too.
Hopefully pre-op patients find this useful as I certainly found Ben’s blog useful and comforting to find a full and frank account of his experience. I think overall it all went pretty smooth for me and I can’t of course say whether or not this is typical but I just wanted to tell my tale in the hope of alleviating some pre-op nerves! I have no regrets and enjoying being glasses / lens free.
Matt