Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is the most popular from of laser eye surgery with 8,000 LASIK treatments performed every week in the UK.
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I was shortsighted, with a prescription of 2.25 in one eye and 1.75 in the other. I also had astigmatism (cornea shaped like a rugby ball instead of being spherical, causing blurring) in my better eye. I hated the way I looked in glasses (oh the vanity...!), was starting to find my contact lenses were drying out, and also liked sailing, skiing, snorkelling etc, all pretty impractical in glasses/lenses. My brother had PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) where the laser is applied directly onto the eye about 7 years ago, when it was still in its infancy. He found it life changing, and the only lasting ill effect was a slight increase in sun sensitivity. He then spent the next 6 years trying to persuade me! My husband and I were both made redundant last year and decided to go travelling. I bravely chose to spend some of my pay-off having my eyes done. I decided to go to the clinic my brother and several of our friends had used, LaserVision in Harley Street. The personal recommendations and confidence they brought were worth a lot to me. I went in for my initial consultation, and had a very thorough examination, including having my corneas measured, pictures taken of the backs of my eyes etc - it was basically like a very very detailed opticians exam. I had the surgery explained in great detail, by very competant and reassuring staff, no sales pitch at all and the opportunity to back out at any point. And I asked all the questions I could possibly think of, about what to expect, the risks, etc. Obviously no surgery is without risks, but they seemed to really be that maybe you wouldn't get absolutely perfect vision. I was told I was an ideal candidate for LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis) - very thick corneas, not too shortsighted, and the astigmatism was easily correctable. LASIK has largely replaced PRK - the material is removed under the surface of the cornea and has a faster recovery time. They usually expect you to go go away and think about it for a few days, but I had already made up my mind, and they agreed to carry out the procedure the next day. We talked about how I felt about it, and I decided to accept a prescription of valium in case I got an attack of the heebie jeebies. As it happened I was fine, but the valium did take the edge off the nerves. My husband came in with me the next day, and went shopping whilst I had the procedure. He had just got to Oxford Street when they called him and said he could pick me up. Harley Street to Oxford Street is about 5 minutes! It really is that quick. I sat back in a big dentists-like chair and they put some anaesthetic drops in my eyes (you stay awake throughout). I then felt some pressure as they did each eye in turn but absolutely no pain. What they did sounds horrible - they cut a flap in the cornea, flip it open, laser out some of the tissue underneath and close the flap again. But you have no sense that that is going on. I was then given sunglasses, eye guards to prevent rubbing the eyes at night (to wear for a week), a selection of eye drops and a simple explanation of how to use them. At that point my eyes felt a bit gritty and watery, but I could see well enough to get into a taxi and get onto the right train. That evening I could see to watch TV, but all I really wanted to do was go to sleep. The next morning was like a miracle. I opened the curtains and could see the individual leaves on the trees behind our garden. I have to admit I cried - so much more was out of that window than I had ever realised. That day I went in to London on my own for a check up and had better than 20:20 vision. The gritty feeling lasted a week or so, and my eyes felt a bit dry for another month. Since then I have had no problems at all. At no point did I have any pain. I did experience some 'halos' around lights at night for a month or so, which made night driving unadvisable. I have no increased light sensitivity at all. I had a couple of aftercare appointments, after a week and a month. It made a huge difference to my travelling experience, and if you're considering it I would heartily recommend that you investigate whether it is suitable for you. I know the chances are that I will still need reading glasses in my 40s or 50s, but hey, so do most other people! The cost was £1250 per eye, including the consultation and aftercare - there are cheaper places, but I wanted the confidence of a personal recommendation. LaserVision is the place that Richard Branson, Neil 'Dr' Fox, and lots of other well known sportspeople and celebs have used.
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