Laser eye-surgery instead of glasses. Any good?

[ByronBlack]

Steve, the cataract surgery will NOT cure the need for wearing reading glasses when older, this is a muscle issue and not a lens issue. I apologise if i've read your post wrong, but I just wanted to make that clear in case anyone was confused.

 

[Losos]

I am nearly 50, long sighted, and spend about 8 hours a day in front of a PC. By the looks of things, even if my eyes are zapped, I will still need reading glasses for my VDU work. The sums are starting to not add-up.

Regards, Peter.

Peter, when I was your age I briefly considered laser treatment but decided against it. My reasoning was simple, mistakes happen, it may be 90% safe (Some may claim more) but for me my eyes are so precious that I wasn't prepared to take the risk.

That was about ten years ago, the technology may have improved, but even now i still wouldn't have it done. It's not about the cost (Which is probably quite reasonable) it's about the one in a hundred chances of something going wrong, some people are more blase about risks but not me

 

[Losos]

Nothing in life is without risk, but it has certainly worked out for Mandy.

Very pleased to read that, as you say some activities are a pain if you can't wear your glasses (I used to swim a lot)

But as in my post above, even when I was younger I still opted to put up with blurred vision in the pool rather take the risk. It all depends on your approach to life I guess. A billion pounds compensation if something went wrong will not give you your sight back.

Swimming, horse riding, and bungee jumping are not on my agenda now :roll: so the 'laser vision' thing is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[BrianD]

ByronBlack,

I am planning to replace my Nike Flexon glasses - they have been really fantastic - I have had them for a while and plan a change with one of these:

720/28 Marchon Airlock No hinge OR

760/10 Marchon Airlock Hinge

My personal preference is the 720 version. What is your opinion on these? Do they break easily/brittle or are they sufficiently robust?

Also the lenses, I am having scratchresist coating again but with Transitions this time (for outdoor etc. use). Can this be done?

The use is active as well as daily use.

Appreciated.

Any ideas?

 

[ByronBlack]

Brian. I would go for the 760 with hinge - much easier to fit, and also replace if they break. The non hinged frames also require a larger case for storing and can prove difficult to adjust. The the 760 range is the second generation of Airlock and is a very strong but light system.

As you may already know the Airlock is a rimless system that uses plastic plugs. If you want a transition lens and are going to be active, I would recommend the following:

1.6 Transitions IV + HMC (Hard Multi Coat) this will give a harder surface and an anti-reflection coating which is good for driving and general activities.

OR

Polycarbonate Transitions IV + HMC - Polycarbonate is more suitable to a rimless frame such as Airlock, the plastic plugs are less likely to work lose over a period of time as the Polycarb is a harder material, and more shatter proof than regular 1.5 plastic or the slightly harder 1.6 material (which incidently is a higher index lens which will be thinner and lighter than standard lenses).

Hope that helps, any more questions feel free to ask.

 

[BrianD]

Nice to get some impartial expert advice these days! - a real benefit of this forum! And on a variety of topics too!

Cheers.

 

[promhandicam]

Steve, the cataract surgery will NOT cure the need for wearing reading glasses when older, this is a muscle issue and not a lens issue. I apologise if i've read your post wrong, but I just wanted to make that clear in case anyone was confused.

Hi Byron. On the surgical side there have been big advances recently in IOL manufacture. Although traditional PMMA IOL's wouldn't correct presbyopia the newer ones like Alcon's ReSTOR are very much better. I have no idea what is available in the UK but certainly in the USA this is the way that things are going.

The following gives some information about the ReSTOR IOL's:

The AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) IOL features a unique, proprietary apodized diffractive optic design that provides the ability to focus images from various distances correctly on the retina without mechanical movement of the lens. This optic design results in an increased range of quality vision that delivers a high level of spectacle freedom. Apodization improves image quality by optimizing light energy delivered to the retina by distributing the appropriate amounts of light to near and distant focal points, regardless of lighting situation. This new IOL is particularly well-suited for patients who wish to reduce their dependency on reading glasses and bifocals once their cataractous lens is removed.

All the best,

Steve

 

[ByronBlack]

Cheers for the extra info Steve, i'll have to have a chat with the optoms here at work about that as i've not come across that before.

 

[promhandicam]

Hi again! My understanding is that around 70 - 80% of people can manage without any spectacles after implanting one of the new generation of IOL's, although I imagine that some years after surgery it may be necessary for some people to start wearing reading glasses again.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[santiniuk]

Just thought I'd chip in with my experience.

A few years ago quite a lot of my work colleagues had the laser treatment. Every one was coming back to work saying it was a miracle !

I guess I got caught up with this as I was as blind as a bat... I was wearing contacts but I'm convinced my eyes had had enough of them as I'd been using them for approx 15 years. They always seemed to iritate me in the later years, walking into a smokey pub made it worse

Well I couldn't really make out the face of a person who sat across the desk from me without glasses. It was awful.

I went for it and got my eyes zapped. The wife drove me up to get the op. (A painless 2 minute procedure). On the way back my eyes felt 'gritty' but I could read the car registrations of cars in front of us. !!!

The gritty eyes lasted all night and wasnt good. They gave me some protective goggles to sleep on for a few nights.

The next day when I looked out of my bedroom window it was almost emotional. The leaves on the trees were crystal clear and my vision was perfect. I swear it couldnt be better.

At last no more hassle when swimming, playing squash or football.

I have had mine done about 3 years now. And for me it was the best £2000 ever spent.

I almost feel like it was worth it for the 3 years so far.

Just my experience.....

Cheers

 

[Steve Maskery]

Great story!

It reminds me of my first expoerience with contact lenses. I ran to the door and looked down the street. I could see everybody! Fantastic. I'd never seem so well in my life, I was 22.

Although I'm grateful I live i a developed country in the era I do, I'm slightly disappointed with my right eye. I've had a new cornea and I still see only 6/300 with it. It means I can't see what I'm typing now. But The same op 9 years later with my R eye gives me 6/12. Both perform perfectly with CLs. In fact I read 6/5 with my R eye with a CL. That means I can see at 6m what Mr Average can see at 5m, for the non-optically engaged.

I'm just glad I was born in an era when this sort of solution is available.

Cheers
Steve

 

[matt]

Lindburg frames are massively over-priced. Your paying for the 'name'. The materials are no more advanced than some of the 'titanium' frames that you can buy of the shelf as ready-readers. However, the style is nice and they do look smart.

(I qualify all my statements, by saying i've been in the optical manufacturing industry for 10+ years). I've worked extensively with lindburg frames and even went on their brainswashing - erm sorry I mean 'training' courses - nice style but in my opinion, certainly not fantastic quality for what you pay for.

Re Lindberg - they're not that expensive... Certainly the best I've ever had in all my glasses wearing years (from a comfort and durability point of view).

Are you familiar with Raicu range of frames?

Guess you've also come across Keeler equipment too in your trade?

 

[ByronBlack]

Hi Matt,

When I say they are expensive, I mean in terms of the markup, but over the years they seem to have built a reputation as these 'uber' quality - usually sold by boutique independent opticians, but don't get me wrong, I do like them, but compared to the quality of others I think they are a little on the pricey side, but i'm pleased you like your's. I had a pair a few years back, could never really get on with them - too light, I like to feel that i'm wearing something; not sure if that makes sense

Raicu is a new on me I have to say. The last few years i've mostly worked only with frames from Marchon, Luxotica and Selcott so if its a particularly new range then it may have past me by - do you have any links to their designs?

Keeler - again not really anything I've dealt with. I'm mostly in the Lab side of things and deal with companies such as: Nidek, Takubomatic, Carl Zeiss, Briot etc.. As for Keeler, I think they are mostly optomotrist equipment i'm not really sure, as I say I don't have a great deal of knowledge of the side of things in regards to their suppliers/machinery.

Do you work for Keeler?

 

[matt]

I know what you mean about being light. They need some tweaking in the initial stages to get the right feel.

Raicu - I may have got the name/spelling wrong. Someone mentioned the name to me when they noticed my Lindberg's but I've not been able to find anything about them.

Keeler - I have a family connection.

 

[cumbrian]

FWIW - about 5 or 6 years ago I got chatting at a social gathering to a guy who was a consultant eye surgeon at one of the major eye hospitals. I was interested in laser correction, being shortsighted and having worn specs or contacts for many years, so I asked his opinion. He thought about it, then replied that he knew a number of eye surgeons who wore specs, but none who had had laser correction....... That told me all I needed to know!

There will of course be those for whom it is a worthwhile, or even their only choice. For the rest of us...... hmmm. Oh, and if I had had it done I imagine I'd now be faffing about with trying to find my reading glasses instead of simply wearing varifocals all day!

 

[Charley]

My mum & my sister both had laser treatment and were really pleased with the results. Seeing how well it went for them I started saving so I could have it done when I turned 20... Unfortunately it didn't go so well for me. The machine broke down half-way through the first eye.

They had to get the engineers from Japan to fly over and fix the laser. The guy said he's been working there 10 years and it's the first time he's seen it happen. The only similar case they had was when the building had a power cut once.

At the moment I've only got half an eye done and wear a contact lens in the other eye. They say they can put it right but TBH they were pretty useless at the follow-up appointments so haven't bothered yet. At the moment we're going to see if they'll pay for me to go somewhere else in which case I'll probably go for it.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That's really bad luck, Charley Hope things work out better if you decide to go for it again.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Losos]

My mum & my sister both had laser treatment and were really pleased with the results. Seeing how well it went for them I started saving so I could have it done when I turned 20... Unfortunately it didn't go so well for me. The machine broke down half-way through the first eye.

They had to get the engineers from Japan to fly over and fix the laser. The guy said he's been working there 10 years and it's the first time he's seen it happen. The only similar case they had was when the building had a power cut once.

At the moment I've only got half an eye done and wear a contact lens in the other eye. They say they can put it right but TBH they were pretty useless at the follow-up appointments so haven't bothered yet. At the moment we're going to see if they'll pay for me to go somewhere else in which case I'll probably go for it.

This is exactly the sort of hassle I was refering too in my previous post. I really do hope you get all sorted and that you benefit (In the end) from not needing contacts or spectacles - as someone said there's risk in everything we do in life. I just feel that for me, this is one risk I don't want to take.