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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 01 July 2010 09:12
Posts: 3,
Visits: 8
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Hi
Background
I had been wearing glasses for 11 years, until last year when I tried contacts. Contacts for me never really worked. I have a minor astigmatism and the first lens that I tried did nothing to correct this. They were fine for distance but I could not read a book or a computer screen. It was then suggested that I should try a Toric lens which I did and my vision was much better, but the lenses are thick and I could look in a mirror and see them. A friend told me that having laser treatment to correct her short sightedness was the best thing that she ever did. So I thought I would look into it. I booked my appointment with Optimax at Liverpool Street but thought I should go and speak with at least one other company. The other company that I went to quoted just over £4000 and at that point it was just not an option. Way too expensive at least for me. I needed to have LASIK Wavefront surgery.
Consultation
I went to the Optimax office near Liverpool street station. Their office there is small and just a consultation room. No surgery is carried out there. The people that I spoke with carried out a number of tests. If you have not been to a laser eye surgery consultation before then you might not be aware that they will freeze the surface of your eye and also dilate your pupils. This is does not hurt in anyway just makes your eyes feel a bit strange for a couple of hours. After the consultation I was quoted £2300 as at the time they had a half price offer. Optimax offer a payment plan and you can pay for the surgery over time, I opted to pay by cheque and this was not a problem. I did not book my surgery there and then as I still wanted to think. However that afternoon I called and booked surgery at their Finchley Road office.
Day of surgery
I arrived at their surgery at around 3.30pm, I didn't have to wait and was taken for a couple of tests. In the first test I had to look at an image as it went from fuzzy to clear and back again. The second test was just a case of looking at a blue light. I was then given my file and asked to go to the reception on the first floor. I think Optimax do surgery in batches of 4 or 5 people. When I got to the first floor reception there was another guy about my age and two ladies that were waiting. I was given a medical form sort of a check list to complete before being shown the various drops that I would need to use for the next week or so. I have to say at this point no one in the room was talking and everyone seamed a little worried. One by one we were asked to go and see the surgeon, I am sorry I can't remember his name but he was a middle aged South African man. He had a look at my eyes asked a few questions and that was it back to the reception area to wait. After a few mins one of the ladies was called, she was then followed by the other guy and then me. I was taken to a room, were I could leave any bags that i had brought with me. I was also given a very attractive hair net and then directed into a second room and asked to sit down while they applied the anesthetic. The nurse that did this first wiped my eyelids and the surrounding area with a fluid I guess just to clean the skin. Then a couple of drops were applied to each eye. The anesthetic works very quickly and pretty soon my eyes were frozen. At this point I did feel a bit nervous and if someone asked he if I wanted to go home there and then I would of said yes. About 10 mins after the anesthetic was applied I was direct into the room next door and asked to sit in what looked like a dentist chair. This chair was then made to go flat and I was lined up under a machine that would create the flap. I was asked to look into the centre of a ring of white lights. I am not to sure of what happened next but I think something was placed on my eye and then connected to the wavefront machine. I could still see the white lights, but that was about it. There was no pain just a bit of pressure and very quickly the flap was created. Some people say that they can see this happen, I did not. Some cotton was used to cover my right eye and then they did the same to my left. Next either the machines moved or I was moved, so that I was under the laser. You are asked to look at a small red and green flashing light. At this point my eye was clamped open but you don't feel anything you just sort of know that they are doing it. There is a bit of noise sounds like someone welding and also a burning smell, but thats about it. I could see the surgeon putting some drops into my eye and also putting a contact lens in place. Both eyes were done and I was taken to a room with no natural light to sit and wait for 10 mins or so. I was told that I should keep my eyes closed. I felt fine and my vision was even at this stage better that it had been before. I had no pain and in fact I think the treatment took less time and was easier than having a filling at the dentist. I was then taken back downstairs and an optician checked that the flaps and lens were ok before been given a bag with drops, pain killers, eye shields and an emergency contact number. Then I was free to go home. Optimax don't like you going home after treatment on your own, they like someone to collect you. My partner was late due to delays on the underground so I had to sit and wait. One of the reception staff offered to stay behind and wait with me as they were closing at 6pm and I was not going to be collected until later than this. He was great in that he just chatted away which was good as the anesthetic had started to wear off. Its not that I was in real pain, its very like the felling you get when you sometimes chop onions. So it was more like a discomfort. You don't feel it as much when your eyes are closed and Optimax tell you to keep your eyes shut as much as you on the day of treatment. I went home put the eye shields that they give you on and went to bed to listen to the radio. I never used the pain killer they gave me as I didn't need it. Next morning all discomfort was gone and my vision was a bit soft. I mean I could see but it was not clear.
One day check-up
The day after surgery you need to go back to Optimax for a check up. They carry out the same test were you look at an image going from fuzzy to clear and back again. Then you have the standard eye text, i.e. read the letters from the chart. I was not too good at this, but after they removed the contact lenses that were used to protect the wounds I had better than 20/20 in my left eye but was still short sighted in my right. I was told that it was still early days and they would know better in a weeks time. You do have some marks on the white of your eyes were they make the flaps, but as you are told to wear sunglasses as much as you can it is not really an issue.
So thats were I am now, its 4 days since my treatment and the red marks are starting to heal and I have better eye sight then I have had in years. I think it was the right thing for me to do, and I will let you know what the vision in my right eye is like after the one week check up on wednesday.
I hope this has not been too long. If you are thinking about treatment and want to ask me any questions please do and I will try and answer them.
Alex
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 01 July 2010 09:12
Posts: 3,
Visits: 8
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Hi
I was back at Optimax Finchley Road yesterday for a check up. Its been just over a week since my treatment.
This time it was a full eye test, you know the sort of thing..."Keep your eyes wide open while we fire a jet of cold air at high speed into it" "which is clearer the red or the green??" etc.
Well in my case with my left eye I can now read the very bottom line of the chart, so two lines better than 20/20. With my right eye I can read all but the last line of the chart. So I now have better than 20/20 vision.
I was told that I don't need to take the yellow or pink drops and all I need to use is the Refresh drops from now on. I don't need to worry about getting my eyes wet in the shower and that everything is fine.
I have one issue and that sometimes text is fuzzy. Two examples, one as I type this the blue text on the wight background is not all that clear. I mean its readable not just a but fuzzy. Also the other day I was sitting in the garden and I noticed that the black text on a white background of a packet of crisps was really difficult to look at for any amount of time. It was as if the white background was a light bulb. I asked about this and was told that this is normal and will get better with time. Was advised to keep wearing my sunglasses when outside, but not to worry.
My next check up is in 4 weeks time.
Alex
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