Eye lasered or whatever

[r0wly86]

Anybody had it done here? I used to wear glasses for distance back when I played some tennis. Playing under lights really fuzzed the ball up. Lately I think my vision is getting worse....not badly though....and barely worse than it's always been. But....I'm really getting tired of hitting a drive and seeing it in the air and then once it's on the ground and not moving....it's gone. 200yd+...unless the lighting is perfect I can't see it. Everybody I play with ends up telling me where the ball is exactly. I'll end up saying something like "Oh man...did that go in the bunker?" everybody else responds telling me whether it's in or not. I do not want to wear glasses while playing.....and I've always hated sticking anything in my eye, so I doubt contacts are in my future.

my friend got laser eye surgery about 10 years ago, said it was the best thing he ever did. He used contacts for sport, county level badminton, but he said his eyesight for sport was far superior after surgery than with contact lens.

big expenditure, but if you consider cost of frames, lenses, and contact lenses it'll probably even out quite quickly. My wife is considering it at the moment as she'll need new glasses soon which will set her back £300-400

 

[Beezerk]

my friend got laser eye surgery about 10 years ago, said it was the best thing he ever did. He used contacts for sport, county level badminton, but he said his eyesight for sport was far superior after surgery than with contact lens.



big expenditure, but if you consider cost of frames, lenses, and contact lenses it'll probably even out quite quickly. My wife is considering it at the moment as she'll need new glasses soon which will set her back £300-400

It's the freedom factor as well, no more glasses, no more faffing with contact lenses that I hated.

 

[rudebhoy]

I wore contact lenses for 20 years, but got to the point where my eyesight was that bad, they didn't do my prescription in lenses. I went back to glasses for a couple of years, but wasn't happy with them.

I decided to get laser surgery, only to be told that my eyeballs were the wrong shape for laser, and the only alternative was Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) which is basically replacing your lens with a plastic one, same as they do for cataracts.

I had both eyes done 8 years ago, and can honestly say it's been a life changer. I've got 20 20 vision which is incredible after being blind as bat since my mid 20s. The bonus of RLE is it lasts forever, whereas normal laser treatment can start to wear off after around 10 years.

I'd recommend RLE to anyone.

 

[cliveb]

I know 2x golfers who have had new lenses fitted to their eyes (similar to a cataract operation)

RLE (refractive lens exchange). It's the same op as for cataracts.

It cost them around £7,000
Initially after the op, they had to regularly adminiser drops to stop their eyes drying out.
They also Initially suffered floaters in their vision & an adversity to bright light.
After a while those symptoms subsided somewhat although not totally.
After a few months their close up vision & reading vision was 100%
But, their distance vision was absolutely shocking, when I played golf with them, I had to tell them where the ball had gone on virtually every shot.

£7000 is more than I've ever heard for this op. To have paid so much and still got poor results is shocking.
(Or perhaps the clinic asked them whether they wanted good distance or reading vision and they opted for reading?)

I had my cataracts done in March 2019. My sight had been dreadful for decades. My prescription at the time was about -9 with 4 cylinders of astigmatism in the left eye and -8 with 2.5 cylinders in the right. I had to have special toric lenses inserted. Total cost £5500. The results have been very good, although there is still a little residual astigmatism in the left eye (1.5 cylinders). I no longer need glasses except for reading - which was expected.

There are other options - you can go for "monovision" where the dominant eye is given good distance vision and the other eye is set up for reading, but not everybody gets on with that.
There are also multi-focal lenses. Not sure how they work.

My understanding is that cataract surgery is pretty much the most routine operation there is and is very safe.

 

[Old Colner]

I had it done many years ago, it took me a couple of years of research and contemplation to finally make the decision to go ahead, like any surgery there are risks but all went ok, had both eyes done at the same time and afterwards, like others have said, one of the best things I have done.

I think others have said, struggling reading is an age thing, it is down to the muscle not being as flexible after time, laser surgery reshapes the cornea IIRC.

 

[sjw]

This is something I've considered numerous times, at 28 and with eyesight that is now basically not deteriorating any more I think it could be really beneficial. What are the best companies/places to get it done, in your guys' and girls' opinions?

 

[AAC]

I had laser surgery to both eyes about 20 years ago, the results were fantastic, I went from wearing glasses the whole time (shortsighted) to not wearing them at all. The surgeon did say to me at the time that he couldn't halt the affects of ageing and I would quite likely become long sighted. My eyesight remained perfect for about 10 years until I started working at a computer screen more and more, this caused my eyes to deteriorate and I then needed glasses, fast forward to my early sixties and I developed cataracts in both eyes, I have now had lens replacements in both eyes and have perfect vision once more.

So in summation laser surgery good, working at a computer bad.

 

[AAC]

RLE (refractive lens exchange). It's the same op as for cataracts.

£7000 is more than I've ever heard for this op. To have paid so much and still got poor results is shocking.
(Or perhaps the clinic asked them whether they wanted good distance or reading vision and they opted for reading?)

I had my cataracts done in March 2019. My sight had been dreadful for decades. My prescription at the time was about -9 with 4 cylinders of astigmatism in the left eye and -8 with 2.5 cylinders in the right. I had to have special toric lenses inserted. Total cost £5500. The results have been very good, although there is still a little residual astigmatism in the left eye (1.5 cylinders). I no longer need glasses except for reading - which was expected.

There are other options - you can go for "monovision" where the dominant eye is given good distance vision and the other eye is set up for reading, but not everybody gets on with that.
There are also multi-focal lenses. Not sure how they work.

My understanding is that cataract surgery is pretty much the most routine operation there is and is very safe.

This is exactly what I ended up with as my first cataract surgery left me short sighted due to the previous laser surgery + an astigmatism, the surgeon said he would try for monovision with the other eye, he did a great job and over a year later I have great vision and adapted to the 'monovision' really easily.

 

[cliveb]

This is exactly what I ended up with as my first cataract surgery left me short sighted due to the previous laser surgery + an astigmatism, the surgeon said he would try for monovision with the other eye, he did a great job and over a year later I have great vision and adapted to the 'monovision' really easily.

Glad to hear that. I do know some people who say monovision works great for them, and others who couldn't live with it.

I tried briefly using a +1.5 soft contact in my left eye when wearing normal distance glasses to see if it worked for me, but it didn't feel comfortable, so I opted for pure distance correction when the cataracts were done and accepted that I would need reading glasses.

I still pop a +1.5 lens in the left eye when skiing, so I can read a piste map!

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Had it done over 20 years ago (when in my early 50's), way before I started playing golf. No issues at all, at my recent eye test I still had better than 20/20 vision.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

RLE (refractive lens exchange). It's the same op as for cataracts.

£7000 is more than I've ever heard for this op. To have paid so much and still got poor results is shocking.
(Or perhaps the clinic asked them whether they wanted good distance or reading vision and they opted for reading?)

I had my cataracts done in March 2019. My sight had been dreadful for decades. My prescription at the time was about -9 with 4 cylinders of astigmatism in the left eye and -8 with 2.5 cylinders in the right. I had to have special toric lenses inserted. Total cost £5500. The results have been very good, although there is still a little residual astigmatism in the left eye (1.5 cylinders). I no longer need glasses except for reading - which was expected.

There are other options - you can go for "monovision" where the dominant eye is given good distance vision and the other eye is set up for reading, but not everybody gets on with that.
There are also multi-focal lenses. Not sure how they work.

My understanding is that cataract surgery is pretty much the most routine operation there is and is very safe.

I have RLE in 2019 - both eyes about 6 weeks apart. One set for reading and one for distance. Generally very good having used glasses for years. Distance vision OK but can have problems picking a ball up at the end of the flight. Only downside is they tend to "flare" when you are looking at bright lights at night - halogen headlights are the worst.

Not a difficult operation and quick recovery.

 

[Oddsocks]

I’d love mine done but the thought of a poor job horrifies me, I’ve also two close friends that have had the procedure and both were advised of a 7-10 year window before the eyes will deteriorate.

I wouldn’t rule out lenses as you do get used to them, at first they were fiddly but they become very easy to pop in and out. I cannot comment on the full time ones as I use daily but from experience.

* the spec savers 1 week trial lenses were utter cr@p! They were very rigid, felt like they hard a hard edge and really agitated the back of my eye lid

* the Johnson accusofts are amazing, I get these through vision express (they bought out the tesco opticians, very soft and in 7-8 years I’ve prob had two bad days. One was cause by a bit if soap left on my hands when putting them in and the other I’d put the lense in back to front and agitated the eye taking it back out.

I generally use glasses 90% of the time with golf being the main use for lenses, my prescription over 8 years has changed slightly twice so I simply changed the next order. You can’t do that with a laser which is where I assume the laser has a limited period.

 

[KenL]

More negatives about Specsavers!
I used to wear J&J ones but for me Specsavers Aquaine dailies are more comfortable at at £22 for 30 pairs, a bargain.
You can get one online made by Daysoft for about £14 and they are decent too.

 

[chrisd]

I tried all sorts, glasses, soft and hard contact lenses but was having issues when first playing golf where, when I looked down the ground looked like it was tilted. I was told that this was as I had astigmatism in my eyes and laser treatment would cure it so I decided to have corrective laser treatment and went to Harley Street. The surgeon was amazing and I went about 25 years without the need for glasses. Eventually about 4 years ago my right eye developed a detached retina and I had it repaired at St Thomas's in London with a 2 hour operation under a local anaesthetic which was the worst experience ever. I then had a cataract which happens always after the retina surgery and about a year ago I developed Wet AMD in the same eye which I'm still seeing the eye hospital every 6 weeks. I was told that after all the surgery I've had in the one eye that I'm lucky to have vision in it at all, although I'm stable with the vision but know eventually that I will probably lose the vision in that eye.

I asked the consultant, who I saw on my most recent clinic visit, whether they were planning to do the cataract growing in my left eye and she said that there is no surgeon in the country who would touch my left eye and I would have to move up at least 5 lines on the eye chart before anyone would consider touching it.

So, on reflection, would I have had the initial laser treatment if I knew then what has happened since, I couldn't answer that question and I cant be sure any of the issues with it are connected. But what I do know is that the perfect vision in the left eye is as a result of the laser treatment.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Glad to hear that. I do know some people who say monovision works great for them, and others who couldn't live with it.

I tried briefly using a +1.5 soft contact in my left eye when wearing normal distance glasses to see if it worked for me, but it didn't feel comfortable, so I opted for pure distance correction when the cataracts were done and accepted that I would need reading glasses.

I still pop a +1.5 lens in the left eye when skiing, so I can read a piste map!

‘Monovision’ with contacts works fine for me in normal daylight conditions, though when playing my ball tracking ability has dropped due I guess to loss of stereoscopic distance vision. It does not work so well for me for night driving, when the loss of distance perception I have is a bit of an issue for me.

 

[Oddsocks]

I’d love mine done but the thought of a poor job horrifies me, I’ve also two close friends that have had the procedure and both were advised of a 7-10 year window before the eyes will deteriorate.

I wouldn’t rule out lenses as you do get used to them, at first they were fiddly but they become very easy to pop in and out. I cannot comment on the full time ones as I use daily but from experience.

* the spec savers 1 week trial lenses were utter cr@p! They were very rigid, felt like they hard a hard edge and really agitated the back of my eye lid

* the Johnson accusofts are amazing, I get these through vision express (they bought out the tesco opticians, very soft and in 7-8 years I’ve prob had two bad days. One was cause by a bit if soap left on my hands when putting them in and the other I’d put the lense in back to front and agitated the eye taking it back out.

I generally use glasses 90% of the time with golf being the main use for lenses, my prescription over 8 years has changed slightly twice so I simply changed the next order. You can’t do that with a laser which is where I assume the laser has a limited period.

I forgot to add that I have a astigmatism in one eye so that contact is weighted to ensure it sits where it needs to.

 

[Rlburnside]

I had laser surgery about ten years ago best thing I done made a big difference, I was very wary about doing anything to my eyes but I needn’t have worried.

Simple surgery and felt nothing