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Health

Laser eye treatments

(18 Posts)
gransruleok Mon 06-Aug-18 14:03:18

Have any of you had experience of laser treatments that mean you no longer need your specs? I’ve seen many ads lately and think how lovely it must be to be able to see without the hassle of glasses.

MiniMoon Mon 06-Aug-18 14:29:48

I've just been for an eye test, and asked that question. The Optician I saw said I'd still need reading glasses, so I have gone off the idea of laser eye surgery.?

CassieJ Mon 06-Aug-18 15:06:46

My DIL had laser eye surgery about 10 years ago and hasn't needed glasses since. It made a huge difference for her.
Go for a reputable one and check recommendations and reviews.

Liz46 Mon 06-Aug-18 15:30:58

I'm not an expert on this but having had my cataracts done recently, they need to know if you have had laser treatment. I think that, if you have, it makes the cataract treatment more difficult.

GillT57 Mon 06-Aug-18 15:33:10

Interesting question. I have been considering this. Quite happy with my glasses most of the time but doing things like swimming or aquaerobics and trying to see the instructor gets a bit tricky.

BlueBelle Mon 06-Aug-18 15:35:56

My son had laser treatment ent for shortsitedn Ed’s 20 years ago and is still going strong 20/20 vision I d have it tomorrow but eyes are too damaged from torn retinas cataracts and off the scale short sight etc etc to consider it I m led to believe so just preserve what I ve got

BlueBelle Mon 06-Aug-18 15:36:53

Where did Ed come into it ? Stupid predictive text always thnkd it knows better

Marian1412 Mon 06-Aug-18 18:06:05

I’ve had lens replacement surgery to both eyes. I think I’m correct in thinking that Laser Surgery is not suitable for over 55s as your eye muscles do not react quickly enough.

mcem Mon 06-Aug-18 18:53:00

My DD had successful laser surgery at 30. 12 years later she needs reading glasses.
10 years ago I had prescription lenses inserted as part of cataract surgery (clear lens exchange).
I was asked if I 'd prefer to be long or short-sighted. I opted for good distance vision with reading specs.
DD and I are both happy with our results.

spyder08 Mon 06-Aug-18 19:12:11

Had laser eye surgery 15 years ago and am still very pleased with the outcome. Need reading glasses but I was told that at the time of the surgery so no great surprise.
Only had one eye done, apparently my eyes were perfect for this and it is a fairly common way of doing the surgery.
Interestingly it is the stronger of the eyes that has the treatment
I certainly have no regrets

MrsJamJam Mon 06-Aug-18 19:12:13

If you have laser treatment to correct short sight you will still need reading glasses for close work. I decided to embrace my very short sight which by taking specs off is brilliant for very close up stuff like needle threading or eyebrow tweeting! Sight is so precious so please take care.

MrsJamJam Mon 06-Aug-18 19:13:11

Tweezing not tweeting! I have silent eyebrows!

lemongrove Mon 06-Aug-18 20:06:54

My DD had her eyes ‘lasered’ a few years ago, and the results are great, no more glasses or contact lenses.
All I would say is do some resaerch first about who you go to and make sure they are reputable, read all comments about them.

stella1949 Mon 06-Aug-18 21:11:44

My son had it done 20 years ago - he had really bad vision and suddenly it was perfect within one day. He still has 20/20 vision and says it was the best thing he ever did.

Willow500 Mon 06-Aug-18 21:36:58

I know someone who had it done several years ago and never regretted it. A friend had a cataract op a couple of months ago with a lens inserted for distance vision and says it's amazing - she's waiting for the other eye to be done but she's never needed reading glasses so it's possibly why the results are good. I can't have it done - like BlueBelle my eyes are too bad with very thin retinas and I already have a blind spot due to this so wouldn't dare risk the vision I have with varifocal contacts.

Jazzy1527 Wed 08-Aug-18 23:14:25

My husband and I both had laser treatment 9 years ago. We have never regretted it. I love being 60and not having to wear glasses most of the time. The downside is I can read nothing close up without reading glasses, but I think its a small price to pay for the freedom given.
The tratment itself was uncomfortable, rather than painful. I felt slightly sick for a few hours afterwards, but I think it was more just the thought of what they had just done to my eye, rather thna the op itself. Go for it!

M0nica Thu 09-Aug-18 18:19:11

Laser treatment is only suitable if your eyesight is not too bad in the first place. At their worst my eyes were -5.5 and -8.3 respectively and I was told that my eyesight was too bad for laser treatment.

Fortunately, and I do mean fortunately, I developed cataracts in my early 60s and, like mcem, my surgeon offered me replacement lenses that would leave me needing glasses for reading or glasses for distance. I opted for distance glasses and now only need glasses for driving or similar distance viewing. I can read without glasses and after 50 years of glasses and contact lens I spend most of the time and in all social situations without glasses as I can see clearly without them.

Esspee Thu 09-Aug-18 18:43:00

Laser treatment is excellent for our younger grans. The rest of us only have the option of replacement lenses which also give excellent results. As we are all likely to get cataracts I would be researching how surgery now might impact on cataracts in the future if I was you OP.