I had both of my eyes done on 12th December 2002 (PRK Epiflap) it cost £990 (Newcastle upon Tyne) I couldn't open my eyes for the 1st 3-5 days and being blind is not very nice at all. The next 8-10 days I went through a lot of changes e.g., blurred vision, double vision and felt very disorientated. I am now on day 18 and it's much much better now. I still feel very weird without glasses (I've worn glasses for 14 years and I still go to push them up my nose and they are not there). I can see clearly now, although not perfectly yet. All I can say is, the first 15 days are absolute hell, but I think it's worth it. Good luck & go for it.  More...

LASEK? I have just found out I qualify for LASEK which is slightly cheaper than LASIK? I know the recovery period is a lot faster for LASIK over PRK but what about LASEK - does it take as long to recover as PRK - anyone who has had LASEK done - I would greatly appreciate your comments. Thanks  More...

I had PRK Epiflap on both eyes on 4th December, started off being -2.00® & -2.25(L), found that I couldn't even open my eyes for 2.5 days afterwards due to being so sensitive to Light, this did improve. Have since been back for my first check-up on the 13th December, my prescription is now +1.50(L) & +2.00(R) didn't expect to have ended up so long sighted, had to get temporary glasses for driving and reading!! Would appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experience. Also how long were other people long sighted for afterwards?  More...

1995 left eye done in Bristol. Excellent. Dec 2001. Right eye done by Dr Patel in Finchley Road, London. Disaster ! Was -0.75 before, now +1.00 !!!! I now have to return to the UK for a repeat op. incurring flight costs, loss of holiday (as had intended going to Italy) + it means that my 2 week holiday (when I had it done) was a complete waste as the recovery period ruined it. Also, I now wear glasses for the first time since 1995 !!! I have real problems judging distances as the other eye is -0.25. I have accidentally bumped into the back of a few cars as a result of impaired distance judgment. Their answer was "it says in the agreement that we couldn't guarantee results" I agree to a ...  More...

Had my LASIK treatment in Glasgow on Saturday 14th December . I think I have been one of the lucky ones, I have had no pain, dryness, itching, scratching etc. My eyes were only -0.5 which is hardly anything but wearing glasses and contacts constantly annoyed me. Staff were very reassuring and everything was done professionally. No problems with timekeeping whatsoever on any of my visits. Highly recommended.  More...

I had PRK in both eyes 3 weeks ago, still a bit blurry in the right eye-is this normal-will it go? apart from this everything was brilliant and painless, would recommend it to anyone-prescription was -3.50 in both eyes! would appreciate any feed-back on the time scale of healing  More...

Had PRK on 4th December in Manchester, both eyes at same time as consultant advised it would be no problem (-2.25 in both eyes). Actually found operation fairly easy, despite last minute nerves. Fairly helpless for first 2 days spending most of it in bed. Started to notice improvement on day 3 but left eye not healing as quick as right. Now on day 5 and still struggling - certainly could not drive and I am finding it hard to write this mail. Starting to regret having PRK and wishing for the more immediate benefit of LASIK. Maybe I'm too impatient but I'd hoped for more dramatic effects than this. Anyway, I'm due for my first aftercare appointment in 2 days and will see what the consultant ha ...  More...

I had my LASIK op on 19th October at the Aberdeen clinic, with the surgeon being Anupam Chatterjee. I am now almost 7 weeks post op, so I feel it is a good point to give a balanced view. My initial consultation in September with Leanne was very detailed and at that point I had not carried out much research, so the guidance at that stage was excellent. I had some initial concerns about the surgeon, due to some comments on areas of this website, but found him to be efficient but not over detailed. The actual operation was fairly straightforward, however at this point I would like to state two specific areas which affected my own situation. Firstly I had planned to take a week off post op whi ...  More...

Anyone who has seen my previous 2 comments regarding PRK will see my rating has gone down! I went back to Liverpool branch for a check up on 19th November. The lady optician I saw told me my left eye was fine (which it is) but the blurred vision in my right eye was due to the surface of my eye being a bit rough, and I should stop taking all eye drops and just use artificial tears. About 10 days later the consultant phoned me (bit worrying) to ask what eye drops I was on. I told him about the appointment on the 19th and as advised, I had stopped taking eye drops. He asked to see me ASAP. I went in first thing the next morning and he seemed quite relieved after he did an eye test. Appar ...  More...

Was supposed to have my eyes lasered (LASEK treatment) at the Edinburgh clinic (dr. Saboor?) a few weeks ago, but got a phone call from them to cancel it, two nights before (which is a bit late). Seemingly, my eyes haven't stabilized enough, due to wearing hard, gas permeable contact lenses for 7 years. Their advice was to wear my glasses (definitely no contacts!) for another 2 months, after which there is a (big) chance my eyes will be stabilized enough. So: fingers crossed!!! Although this was a big disappointment for me (had been wearing my glasses for nearly 5 weeks as they recommend not to wear your contacts 4 weeks prior to treatment), I am happy they are honest as there is not reall ...  More...

Update from previous posting... had my first check-up on the 2nd Dec. The appointment went ahead early and I had a thorough expert check-up. I now have near perfect distance vision in my treated eye but close vision is worse but is improving. So I now have what they call "monocular vision" - one eye good for distance the other good for close up. Their advise is to wait until my treated eye settles down before making a decision about treating the other. It could be a better bet to not treat my other eye so I should not need reading glasses in the future. The strange feeling of having different focus is slowly going - my brain seems to know which eye to use at different distances! Ma ...  More...

Further to my posting below, I went for my 1 week check up and my eyes are L -0.25 and R 0.00. What a result!!!! I arrived early (that's London traffic for you- unpredictable) and they saw me early and answered my list of post-op questions about things like rubbing eyes, eye drops etc, and off I went- until my next check-up in a months' time :)  More...

Went for the Open Day to confirm my prescription after booking PRK Epiflap treatment for the 7th Dec. Got there and had my eyes tested, the lady who tested them, said I had -1.25 & -1.75 (although my opticians say I have -2.25 & -2.50) and also recommended PRK, but when I went to sit outside in the waiting room, another lady came over to discuss treatment and recommended I needed LASIK, as my astigmatism was high!! Now I'm really confused, as in the brochure it clearly says astigmatism can be treated with PRK, all this conflicting advice and prescriptions has really put me off, and I have cancelled my consultation for the 7th. :( Also noticed some of u say you have paid £999 for LASIK. ...  More...

I had LASIK surgery (on both eyes) on 21st November, at a total cost of £999 - a special offer after attending an open day at the Finchley Rd clinic. Dr Patel did the op and was very good, he put my mind at ease at the consultation and during the op. I was petrified for weeks beforehand, but afterwards I thought to myself 'that wasn't so bad after all' and now I can see almost perfectly, one eye is slightly long sighted and the other slightly short, but considering I was approx -9.5 in both eyes I think that is amazing! Am going tonight for my 1 week aftercare so will find out my exact prescription then, hopefully there will be no need for a re-correction in 6 months. I was told that my ...  More...

I have booked an appointment to have the PRK treatment in both eyes on 11th December. My current prescription is -3.25 and -3.00. Please could I have ALL experiences with this treatment emailed to me and any comments regarding PRK V's LASIK? Also, what is the difference between PRK and LASIK ? Thanks  More...

Consultation Thursday 28th November, LASEK Laser surgery Friday 29th November . Friday night felt uncomfortable and my eyes watered a lot. Lay on bed with eyes closed, didn't need any painkillers just kept my eyes closed. Saturday 30th eye sight seems as good if not better than when I wore my contact lenses. Its very difficult to believe that I don't have to go and take my lenses out! The Birmingham office were very organised and there was very little hanging around,.  More...

due to have surgery on sat 7 Dec at Leeds. Scared to death at minute. Prescription is only -1.5 and -2. Any one been to Leeds is surgery worth hassle. Also got very sensitive eyes already cant drive in bright sun etc will this get worse? Look forward to any comments,  More...

Had my eyes treated on by Dr Chatterjee at the Edinburgh clinic. The staff were very helpful and talked me through the whole procedure from my consultation to treatment day. Everything went smoothly and I am so happy with the decision I made, now looking forward to no more contact lenses.  More...

There was a lot of problems for me on the day due to computer failure etc. I was basically sent home and asked to come back the next day. This is obviously not ideal if you're nervous or have made special arrangements, but is a service issue, not a surgical one I had LASIK on the 7/11/02 at a cost of £999. I had both eyes done on the same day. The actual operation was as painless as advertised and I was quickly out of the place. My eye sight was extremely poor before with 8.25 in one eye and 10.25 in the other, so I was borderline, but I was able to notice some improvement within a few hours. The next day I was driving. Now, some three weeks later, I feel great and have even been swimm ...  More...

I got eyes treated @ Aberdeen by Dr Ramstein on 18th November. I am absolutely delighted with results of the procedure. Found Dr Ramstein to be very thorough. Before the procedure he went through any concerns you had until you were comfortable and during the surgery itself he talked you through each stage of the process (although sometimes hard to hear over the jazz music!). One complaint I would have is that, although the girls themselves are excellent with dealing with the patients, at each consultation & the procedure itself there were delays. Initial consultation took 1hr 45 mins, the surgery 2hrs 30mins, next day check-up 1hr 45mins, 1 week appointment should have been today but got cal ...  More...

I had PRK Epiflap with Optimax at the London (Finchley Road clinic) on one eye on the 20th November to solve mild short sight and astigmatism. The organisation when arriving was confused (forms didn’t get completed and I missed my slot) and I felt the consultation was a little rushed and this didn’t instil a strong sense of confidence which I needed. However I went ahead. The operation was painless and the surgeon explained what was happening. I took the sleeping pills and slept OK that night. It was uncomfortable the following day and I took the patch off. After 2 days the pain was minimal but my eye still red and a little swollen. Over the last 3 days the cloudiness is going and ther ...  More...

I had my treatment at the Advanced Laser Eye Clinic in Edinburgh, where they have the new Wavefront technology. All the staff are very professional and took the time to answer all my questions, the doctor explained every part of the treatment to me. I cannot believe how having this done has changed my life. I am due for my three month appointment soon but everything is going well.  More...

I was treated with PRK Epiflap (LASEK) 12th Nov Tues at Finchley rd. Sight before -3.25 L & -3.00 R. Some friends of mine had LASIK in the spring they got good results so I started investigating LASIK. The initial impression given out is that LASIK is the civilised way to get laser vision correction & that PRK has been put to bed. However the more research I did the less happy I was about going in for LASIK. I had booked my consultation & surgery with another clinic. I did not stop researching, when I found out about LASEK it was a welcome relief. This was not PRK and by all accounts it appeared to be the safest way to get ones sight corrected. I had made enquiries with Optimax because the p ...  More...

I attended the Aberdeen clinic today for assessment of suitability for LASIK. Unfortunately it turned out that one cornea is too thin for treatment of my -7 prescription. But everyone I met was most professional and I certainly wasn't advised to take any action I may later regret.  More...

I had LASIK at Optimax in Liverpool on 28th Oct. 02 (2 weeks ago) by Dr Madhusudan. After much research on the internet etc, I had scared the life out of myself with all the horror stories, and decided to go ahead with the consultation and decide for myself after speaking to the surgeon. I went armed with all my questions and was pleased to find that after all the tests confirmed I was suitable, that Dr Madhu had plenty of time to answer all my questions honestly. My big concern was being left with night vision problems, as I had read a lot about this. He was honest in saying that he could not guarantee I would not have these problems but made provisions in surgery for reducing the risks of ...  More...

Had LASIK eye surgery in both eyes on Wednesday 6th November. Totally painless procedure. Be prepared to discuss you operation in full immediately after - it helps a lot to realise that everything is fine. Left eye still a bit blurry, although vision was 20/20 the day after. Night vision is almost perfect. Highly recommend the treatment and the clinic - but it is a very important and personal decision.  More...

I attended at the Glasgow clinic on 26 October where Dr Anwar carried out my laser treatment. There was a lot of sitting about so I recommend having something to eat in your bag as I attended for an 8.30 am appointment and by the time I'd had the eye tests and the consultation (and waited for an age in between) it was 12 noon before I received my laser treatment and was hungry again. Although shaking with nerves I couldn't believe how simple and pain free the whole process was. I was given the option of having bandage lenses or patches and I opted for patches (one of which was clear so you could see). I was happy with this choice and although I was able to see with one eye on my way hom ...  More...

I am soon to be 50 and have worn glasses to correct shortsight since the age of 9.As an adult I've worn all types of contact lens sucessfully including Daily Diposable and more recently Accuvue Bifocal Lens. My treatment was completed very sucessfully in pleasant surroundings at Optimax in Leeds - Cost £995 for the treatment of both eyes -deposit £200 monthly payments £80 per month. Very little waiting was involved and the process was explained thoroughly.From the initial consultation it was explained that the likely outcome would be that my long distance vision would be 20/20 but that I would need glasses for close work.The Laser process, although disconcerting,folllowed the explained proce ...  More...

Quick update. Been back to see consultant 9 days after PRK Epiflap in both eyes. I CAN NOW DRIVE WITHOUT GLASSES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!! So glad I went through with it. Consultant was bit off in my initial consultation, but has been nice as pie ever since. (Perhaps he had an off day?) Right eye still bit foggy but getting better, left eye fine. Glad to answer any questions.  More...

Well, you may as well know about how things are progressing, I had my first check-up last week and was told things look good - would not have know I had the surgery unless told so eyes healing nicely. was told I had 20/20 with both eyes at present which is better then I expected. Mr right eye is still more blurry then the left but is getting much better, and was told this should improve. While having the eye test it was actually nice to see that lenses could make my vision even shaper if required, someone told me that once you had this treatment you could never have glasses or contact lences which is rubbish. Night vision still OK only slight hallos which I would not have noticed if I was ...  More...

I had PRK Epiflap in both eyes on 25th Oct in Liverpool clinic. Found staff to be really helpful and friendly, but consultant was unhelpful and abrupt. I had to stop myself arguing with him! Still went ahead with treatment - I'd done lots of research and had already decided to have it done if I was suitable. I was really quite ill for a couple of days afterwards. Not in pain, but just assumed I'd been unfortunate enough to catch a bug, but learned that this is a very rare occurance after treatment. Still, after about 4/5 days I felt much better. Still find bright lights difficult (is that normal after a week?) and my right eye is a bit foggy. They tell me it's been much slower healin ...  More...

Received treatment on the 23rd of october for short sight and astigmatism. Feeling a little anxious about the blurred vision in the right eye. Can anyone with similar experience tell me am i getting worried a bit too soon.I have an aftercare appointment on the sixth of november but feel i need a bit of unbiast advice.  More...

I had LASIK both eyes on 17th October at Finchley Rd, performed by Dr Patel. My prescription was around -3.75 both eyes, and I had the choice of PRK and LASIK. After weighing up all I could find, and speaking to the consultant, I opted for LASIK, and I am thrilled. I took up the option of Valium, and highly recommend it - my brother was treated without it yesterday and found it quite disturbing to be so aware whereas I felt quite distanced from the whole procedure - definitely a bonus when someone is slicing through your cornea! My eyes were streaming for 4 hours after the treatment, however I had booked into a hotel nearby and was able to rest them almost immediately - another thing I w ...  More...

I had PRK-Epiflap on the 17th of this month. The process of booking was good and my appointment was on time when i arrived (not waiting for ages as some people have commented). Only one eye needed treating as i had one at -3.75 and one at -0.75. I did feel that the consultation was very rushed and the doctor could have gone into more detail. I had read some up to date articles about high does vitamins during recovery reducing risk of haze but he dismissed this without discussion. I still had it done though and it was quick and painless. I think i was lucky because i had very little pain and none of the discomfort described by the last couple of people. after 4 days i felt that my eye sight w ...  More...

Well had both eyes treated by PRK on the 16th (Wed) October, my appointment was at 2.45 and I was sitting at home by 4.30pm. Very painfull for the first night, with the painkillers not kicking in untill about 9pm, where I took the sleeping tablet and got to sleep. Same feeling as Leon, had to open them to let the tears out. The appointment to take out the bandage lenses very quick with the bloke who did this trying to get me to read the chart with tears runing down my face. I was L -4.75 and R -5.0 before and had my left eye over corrected to help save me from reading glasses later. My left eye has very sharp vision, but not quire as good in my right, it still feels I am waring a dirty ...  More...

Just booked PRK epiflap treatment for the 6th November 2002. Getting both eyes done. Starting to feel a bit apprehensive about the treatment now as it gets closer. Would be grateful to hear from anybody who could put my mind at rest! Please anybody!!! Look forward to your emails…  More...

I had both eyes treated with PRK epiflap after initially booking to have LASIK treatment. After much reesearch on the internet and talking to ex patients I decided that PRK was the better option as there was less risk involved and no flap left afterwards. I cancelled my LASIK treatment and had the PRK on 1st October at Bristol with DR Macipe. I was -4 in both eyes before treatment and I have just been tested again and I am now +0.50 in each eye which I have been told would stabilse in the next 4 weeks. The treatment was completely painless and the gritty sensation went after 3 days. I am really happy with my treatment and would recommend the PRK if you have a low enough prescription.  More...

Received bi-lateral PRK Epiflap on 15/10/2002. My prescription was L -4.25, R -4.50. Found staff and Doctor to be professional and friendly. Treatment was painless. No bandage lenses offered or fitted. About 15 mins after treatment pain started and eyes closed. Extreme discomfort for 24 hours coupled with severe watering of eyes (having to pull them open to release pressure). Eventually opened eyes after 48 hours, quite light sensitive. Improvement in vision but still seems to be short sighted in both eyes. Now 3.5 days since treatment, no pain and still short sighted, hoping for improvement over next few days.  More...

I had LASIK surgery on Tues 8th Oct 02 at Aberdeen. My surgeon was Dr Dan Reinstein. He was very professional and talked me through the whole procedure. I thought the surgery itself was a little uncomfortable but that was quickly forgotten when i woke up next morning and was able to "c" the other side of the room without reaching for my glasses! It's just a great feeling.  More...

I am due to have LASIK treatment on both eyes at on Saturday 19th Oct 2002. I have been informed the surgeon is Mr Anupam Chatterjee, who performed the operations on Sat 12th just gone. Can anybody give me any reassurance about this new clinic? Also I can only find one message board reference to Mr Chatterjee on the Ultralase site and it did not fill me with confidence. Anybody help?  More...

Dr Patel performed my LASIK operation and it was excellent. I am extremly pleased with the result  More...

This site is certainly working. The response I've had through all my problems has been terrific. I've even been contacted by the Health Editor for the newspaper Scotland on Sunday to participate in an article. So keep it up as it is being read!!  More...

Hi Phil, I have just read your comments on this site and just wanted to say that I was -8 in both eyes with around a -3 astigmatism giving a whopping -11 combined refractive error. I had LASIK treatment 2 days ago at Accuvision. They have some equipment called a Wavefront Analyser (only equipment of its type in the country apparently) that they say has helped people like you in the past, it may be worth giving them a call.  More...

This took longer than anticipated but both my eyes are finished now. The second eye was more painful that the first - the pain was almost immediate as I walked out of the treatement room. I can only assume they used more eye drops to numb my eye initially on the first procedure. It was only just bearable. All the pain for 2-3 days as the first eye. But the good news is my sight on the last consultation is perfect in my first eye and 20/20 in my second. The only side effects I have with the whole procedure is dry eyes. This is getting better and not causing me any major problems. I find the follow up checks at Optimax seem very thorough, and the opticians extremely helpful. Just ha ...  More...

Had an appointment to see the doctor on August 29th but got a call on the night before to say he doctor was now unavailable for an indefinite period, so appointment cancelled. Got a call on September 21st to contact the clinic. This was as a result of reading this website!! Got an appointment for Sunday29th September in Edinburgh for more "TOSCA" tests and an appointment with the doctor. Got the tests done, then came the BOMBSHELL!! The problems I have CANNOT be surgically repaired. The cornea on my right eye is now not thick enough to do any more.GREAT! I then had a consultation with a doctor (not the original, she is still not there!) He stated much the same as I had been told previous ...  More...

I have booked into the Birmingham clinic for Bi-Latral PRK treatment on the 16th October. I must admit the booking process was OK and the consultant seemed very positive. After all the research I did on PRK and other treatments, my mind went a little blank during the actual consultation, but I am going into this with my eyes wide open !. My only concern it the poor night vision a lot of people report, and although I am aware of this, I am still having the treatment. My friend gets around this by using glasses to drive at night, but I can not find anything to say that the ghosting or hallo effect suffered at night is made any better by wearing glasses, and if so, what glasses to wear. W ...  More...

I'm only now regaining my powers of speech having had them completely knocked out by how quick and painless my LASIK treatment was (Dr Patel at Finchley Rd) and by the fact that the very same evening I could see the clock on the video (some 7 to 8 ft away) crystal clear! I was minus 6 both eyes, have been back for my first checkup (the day after treatment) but won't get a proper reading untilnext week, and of course I am aware that I may lose some of the sharpness but considering how bad my eyesight has been for the last twenty years it really doesn't matter to me! My tips would be: Get your appointment for as early as possible in the day as they do tend to over-run - I was booked in to ...  More...

I've just had my eyes LASIK-ed by Dan Reinstein on Sunday (yes Sunday!) the 22nd September 2002. He is very good! Just had my 1 week sheck up today (30th) and progress and prognosis seem good (hopefully down to a -0.25 diopter by the end of the healing process. I can't say the office front end was exactly 100% - the email consultation booking system seem to be in a world of its own (I just received my confirmation email last week?!?) but the staff are friendly. Please remember the girls on the front desk are not train nurses dispite the uniforms! I Will report back on progress in the coming weeks but so far I'd give this a big thumbs up.  More...

Bless me father for I had bad vision, it is less than 48 hours since I had my last LASIK treatment at Optimax in Glasgow. Doctor Berry was excellent and reassuring. The treatment mercifully brief. I was a brave boy and went without the valium pre-med (don't try this at home - take the pre-med as it will help relax your muscles on the operating table and should also help you sleep afterwards - a vital part of immediate recuperation). My eyes stung for an hour or two but within four hours of the op I was watching football on TV (wearing sunglasses, occasionally resting my eyes). Returned to clinic the following morning in absolutely no discomfort. right eye: 20/20; left eye: slightly better. P ...  More...

I had PRK treatment on both eyes on 17th Sept.Although I experience everything they said I would(not as bad as I thought).9 days later,I am still very sensitive to daylight,indoor lights are fine.I go for a check up on Saturday so I will know more then.I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this,and how long does it last.Apart from this,I am very pleased with my treatment,and I can't wait to get back to work.Please feel free to e-mail me.  More...

I had PRK for both eyes at the Manchester Clinic in mid August. They had offer on at the time (£795 for both eyes). I didn't know this when I booked and so the saving was very pleasant surprise when I came to write out the cheque. Dr Garston did the treatment, and he and all the staff were very professional. The procedure wasn't at all painful and I was surprised that I could see afterwards, although rather blurry. They ask you to have someone to accompany you home, but as I had to have someone at home to look after my children, this wasn't possible for me. The staff were fine about walking me to the taxi rank (less than 50 metres from clinic)and I had no difficulty as taxi dropped me ...  More...

I had bi-lateral LASIK on both eyes last Thursday at Optimax Finchley Road. The Admin staff could be better but the Dr during the consultation was very professional. He answered all of my questions and was not pushy at all. I felt very confident with getting the procedure done in fact after the consultation as I left feeling that there were very little risks & I now knew that the Dr who would be treating me had performed this procedure more than 8000 times. The op went well. Little discomfort on the first day, which disappeared by the evening following a short sleep. I noticed by that evening that vision in my right eye was very good but left eye not quite as good (original prescription ...  More...

Ditto comments of John Ennals re. advice, price etc. Had PRK Epiflap on both eyes on Saturday (7th September) at the Birmingham clinic by Dr Infield and so far so good. I experienced absolutely no pain at all (didn't use any of the painkillers given to me), just very mild discomfort. They send you home with a couple of days worth of sleeping pills in case of pain during the night but the discomfort was so minimal that I used them during the day to keep myself from doing anything other than rest (they say it's best to go to bed for 48 hours or to at least keep your eyes closed). I was very surprised to be able to see instantly after the procedure, albeit blurry (a bit like having your ...  More...

I have been for a consultation to the new aberdeen clinic. The staff there were very helpful and had lots of patience to anwer all of my questions. I have since booked my treatment which takes place on 8th october with Dr Saboor. I would like to hear from anyone who has had LASIK treatment done at any of the advanced laser clinics or like myself about to get it done.  More...

After many hours of research on the internet, I have taken the plunge and booked to have bilateral PRK Epiflap (LASEK) treatment by Dr Ayoubi at the Finchley Road Clinic, London, on 26 September. I have decided on PRK because I have a comparatively mild prescription of -1.5 for both eyes and the treatment is more established and less invasive than LASIK. Why Optimax? Firstly I must emphasise that it was not because they are comparatively cheaper than other clinics (although this is a bonus). I felt that they were very open and honest about both the negative and positive aspects of both procedures. I thought it was very much a big plus for them that they recommended the cheaper trea ...  More...

Had PRK epi-flap performed right eye 19/12/01 left eye 2/2/02.Initially,after approx 10 days, vision seemed very good, however regression started shortly after. My prescription prior to surgery was -5.00L -5.25R it is now -0.75L -1.75R. I have some enforced astigmatism in both eyes and no longer have best visual acuity in my left eye. I still have corneal haze in both eyes and suffer with poor vision in bad light. I also find it difficult to drive at night due to severe glare from oncoming traffic. I am still returning to the clinic for aftercare and hoping things will improve.  More...

Why are so many patients unhappy with their LASIK results? Admittedly being 6 you would hope for 20 -20 vision. On paper it looks a good company but if you ask patients what is their vision like. I feel they 3 out of 5 would say they are unhappy with the result. Poor night vision, being left having to still wear glasses, being left vision of -1 or-2 people need to be made aware.  More...

I have read through the comments various people have posted on this site. I was contacted by Optimax at the weekend advising me of their special offer at the Croydon branch of £995 for LASIK (both eyes). I am trying to confirm that the decision to go with LASIK rather than PRK will be a good one. I am short sighted with astigmatism in both eyes -5.25 in left and -4.5 in right. I need to return to work within 3 days of having surgery, so have ruled out PRK on this basis. LASIK sounds alarming with the flap that never heals and the procedure hasn't been carried out for as many years as PRK. I am scheduled to have the consultation on 21st September and the surgery on 4th October. So far O ...  More...

Hello. why is it that optimax can charge so much less than other clinics ? also, would most of those who've had LASIK say it's best to go to more than 1 clinic for consultation before deciding which to go with ? is it true then that the flap that is cut never heals ? and finally, i hear people say there have been horror stories of surgery gone wrong but what exactly is the worst case scenario ? please reply, i really want the surgery as i've worn glasses since 4 yrs old now 31 and am v short sighted with astigmatism in left eye. thank you. this is a very useful web site.  More...

I did a lot of research before choosing Optimax as the clinic that I wanted surgery at. Optimax was both the best value and most honest about the procedure and the results out of all the clinics. I had bi-lateral LASIK 3 weeks ago and have had no problems and can see perfectly (I was -6 before). I am very pleased with the results but would still advise anyone having it done to think carefully and do a lot of research before deciding the procedure and the clinic.  More...

I had bilateral LASIK performed on 05 August 2002. The surgeon, Dr Dan Reinstein, was excellent. He explained every step of the procedure which I found most reassuring. On the day everything went very smoothly - the first 24h afterwards spent resting and instilling hourly drops. At my 24h check-up my vision was excellent - 6/6 both eyes. 3 weeks on, for me, things continue to 'look good'. The staff have been most professional and informative and I would recommend their services to anyone considering LASIK treatment.  More...

I had laser PRK surgery on my right eye in February 2002. It was painful for about 2-3 days and couldn't open my eye for more than a couple of seconds but could see almost perfectly out of it immediately after this. My sight has been very good ever since although I have had some pain now and again which has now completely gone away. On the whole I am glad I did it and will probably have the other one done next year. I will definitely ask about the bandage lens though which I wasn't told about at the time.  More...

Thursday 8th August Attend Glasgow for three monthly check up. Blurring has not improved since day two. Have been taking steroids for nearly 3 months now. Need to know what is the problem. Am told it is aberrations, and that I need more tests and to see the doctor in Edinburgh. Agree to go tomorrow (Friday) as doctor is there only Wed and Fri. And the machine for testing aberrations is in Edinburgh.  More...

Fri 9th August Attend Edinburgh clinic at agreed 1115hrs. Place is in uproar again. Patients waiting almost three hours. Same as last time I was there (see larger report) Got the tests done. Couldn't see the doctor (too busy!)But I thought that's why I was there, Wed and Fri I was told!!! Await the results of the tests and maybe some contact from the doctor. Not good! All the way to Edinburgh and back for ten minutes!!!  More...

Got my right eye done with PRK on July 19th at the Edinburgh clinic.Not as easy as the left unfortunately.Very sore and itchy.Had my second examination on August 5th and optician is very pleased with the progress.Both eyes are almost completely healed and my vision is as good as it was with my glasses on.I would recommend this clinic to anyone.  More...

Second follow up (most recent 4th July)to ariginal LASIK in March. Have now visited local Optician for a standard eye test. His previous partner worked for Ultralase so he was more than a little familiar with the LASIK procedure. Gave me a very thorough eye examination and pronounced me "very slightly" short sighted (L -0.25 R -0.5). If I came in off the street he would not prescribe any correction. He observed some slight corneal haze, worse in the left eye. From his expereince this is very mild and can be expected as a result of LASIK. Looking at my initial prescription preer LASIK (L -5.5 R -6.25) he believes I have had an exceptional outcome and that to consider having a second minor c ...  More...

follow up to previous e-mails. Had 2 month check up on right eye, vision better than 20/20, no haze at all. Mr Ayoubi very pleased with results, booked to have left eye done in a couple of weeks. Hope it will turn out as well as right but there is more scarring on it. Will let you know how it goes.  More...

Following on from my last e mail in June, had left eye done by PRK on 3rd July, and all I can do is reiterate my previous comments. Everything went great - my actual treatment time should have been about 3pm but Dr Mathen managed to fit me in at 1pm to save a two hour wait, which was brilliant. All other appointments including aftercare have also been early. Both eyes have 20/20 vision which is fantastic and well worth the 2-3 days discomfort following treatment. Highly recommended!  More...

Following on from the post on 10/06/2002 I went for my 3 month checkup. Both eyes are now perfect(not long or short sighted), 20/20. I will go to my optician just to get a 2nd opinion, but I feel that my sight is very good. This is the best investment I have made.  More...

Tried to contact them by telephone. Either continual ringing or line goes dead. Filled in the form on their website. No response. Sent email no response.Sent angry email ,got a call back but they couldnt find the prescription that I had sent to them. They then located it and promised to call me in half an hour. By the following day still no call. Sent threatening email (threat to contact directors etc) Received call within 20 minutes. Despite having my prescription they did not seem to know whether I had astigmatism or not. They then told me I was not suitable. Other companies however seem to think I am.They seem to be the cheapest and no wonder!  More...

I HAD PRK IN 1993 AT THE OPTIMAX LONDON CLINIC AND THEN LATER AT THEIR BRISTOL CLINIC. MY ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION WAS -6.5 IN BOTH EYES.DUE TO REGRESSION AFTER PRK I HAD RETREATMENTS ON BOTH EYES, THE LAST OPERATION BEING IN MAY 1996. MY PRESCRIPTION IS NOW -.25 SPHERE 1.75 CYL RIGHT EYE -.25 SPHERE -.50 CYL LEFT EYE. FROM THE OUTSET OPTIMAX INFORMED ME THAT MY CHANCES OF COMPLETELY THROWING AWAY MY GLASSES WERE AROUND 60% AND ON THE WHOLE I AM QUITE PLEASED WITH THE RESULT. MY VISION HAS BEEN STABLE SINCE 1997 AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH MY VISION. ALTHOUGH THE HAZE ON BOTH EYES HAS COMPLETLEY CLEARED IT TOOK AROUND 4 YEARS WHICH IS A LOT LONGER THAN THE DOCTORS SUGGEST. I HAVE COME ACROSS ...  More...

I had PRK with Optimax in Birmingham in 1999 on one eye but didn't go back for the second since it was so painful for two days afterwards. I was -3.75 pre-op and am now +1.25. I guess that means I got over-lasered! The surgeon didn't inspire me with confidence at the time, and kept on having to restart the laser when my eye moved out of position. I was meant to be looking at a red spot, however I couldn't see if after a while due to blurring. I imagine they use tracking lasers nowadays. I am now considering LASIK for the other eye, but not at Optimax. Optimax are cheap compared to others, so think about it.  More...

Had my left eye done with PRK on 24/6/02 at the Edinburgh clinic.Staff very friendly and informative,the surgeon talked me through the whole operation.A little pain for about an hour after the op(a painkiller and an hours sleep took care of that!).Was driving the next morning and could already see an improvement in my sight.Had my first check up on 27/6/02 and optician was surprised to find my eye almost healed and my sight now 6/6!Had second check up on 12/7/02 and eye is fully healed.Get my right eye done on 19/7/02 - hope it is as easy as the left.I would highly recommend the clinic so far.  More...

This is a follow up report to the one I posted in March when the LASIK procedure was initially performed. After a couple of weeks had passed I became aware that my vision in low light conditions was not as good as in daylight. This appears as "ghosting" or almost double vision when watching TV etc. I find myself screwing up my eyes to see more clearly and usually end up with a headache (and presumably bad wrinkles in the future!). Driving at night on badly lit roads is distinctly dodgy! At the first 6 week check I was told that this may be due to the "smoothing" of my eye contour with the laser around where the actual correction had taken place. At the last 6 week check my prescription had ...  More...

Consultation- mid March with Dr ALMASRI. Prsc: L -2.5, R -2.25 with astigmatism. Recommended PRK (epi-flap). Surgery 21/4/02. Went for Bilat op. Fast & easy procedure. Applied bandage contact lens (u need to request this). Only pain suffered was when the bandage contact lens were removed, I was very light sensitive. I recommend to take somebody with you when getting bandage lens removed. During the first 5 weeks the vision fluctuated but last 2 weeks it has stabilised. Went for check-up on Sat (8/6/02). Success!! L&R -0.25 with no astigmatism! I have another checkup in 2 months. Genrally, with PRK you will need patience as the healing does take time, but I would recommend PRK over LASIK ...  More...

PRK treatment - A testimony of laser eye surgery The Consultation Thursday April 18th 2002 Somerset Eye Clinic Somerset Place Glasgow My full experience can be found at www.LASIK-eyes.co.uk/reviews/pt.htm Please visit this site to follow my progress.  More...

I had PRK on my left eye in 1996. I had about -7.5 myopia, and they corrected for -6.02. (Presumably the .02 is so that their statistics don't get too badly messed up if anything goes wrong!). The (sound) idea was to leave me -1.5 to allow good reading vision in that eye. I seem to remember that the laser was stopped during the op. and I noticed that the light I was supposed to be looking at moved significantly, maybe because it was difficult to see it with all the tears that were flooding my eye. Eye healed very well and quickly with almost no pain, but after about a week I noticed that light sources at night were producing an irregular flare pattern, indicating a 'decentred ablation' which ...  More...

Had PRK on my right eye on 29/05/02 - treated by Dr Mathen. He explained everything extremely thoroughly and was very pleasant, as were all of the staff. All appointments were on time, one was ten mins early and the waiting area is very relaxing - although could do with a radio on upstairs as well as downstairs just to 'kill' the nervous silences! (Manchester clinic). Treatment appears to be a success so far - no pain, just mild discomfort on way home and next day. The actual laser process wasn't painful in any way, again just a little uncomfortable but as previous comments have said, no worse than having a check up at the dentist. So far so good. Go for a check up on 12th June so will upda ...  More...

Written the day after surgery. I went for a consultation at both Boots and Optimax. Boots came across as more professional - the Optimax receptionists are very casual and unprofessional and the girl who ran my tests came across as casual - saying that they did do one more test than Boots. I was told by both companies that my eyes were good for surgery, -3.25 and -5.00 so I decided there was little point in spending an extra £1500 with Boots for the same thing - Optimax have a special of £999 currently. I saw Dr Manek Patel who put me at ease through the 10 min per eye surgery which I can describe as uncomfortable only. I'm a bit hazy today but overall I can see as well as with my contac ...  More...

See previous e-mail re damage to cornea from contact lenses. Went back to Finchley road on 17/5/02 and saw Mr Ayoubi again -v please with how eyes had healed especially right one. Decided to do PRk on right eye see how it goes and then do left in 3 months if everything ok. Said more chance of halos etc due to scar on cornea. Had it done could see quite well after 2 days but vision fluctuated - took lens out of glasses and wore them for work & driving. Suddenly on Sunday 26/5/02 realised I could see properly even reading was getting better - could have been longsighted due to age (45) Now it is Monday drove to work with only normal sunglasses and working without any glasses now. Appointment ...  More...

Following on from 30/3/02 I have now had my second check up and my eyes are now +0.25 from -3.00 (left eye) and -1.25 (right eye). An excellent result.  More...

Back again. Last week I saw Dr Saboor for the first time since i had posted my experience on this page. I also sent a copy to Optimax's head office. I got a letter back from them within 2 days. If only their Glasgow clinic was as efficient. After speaking to Mr Eugene Coyne on the phone on the Monday i got a phone call from the Glasgow clinic saying that Dr Saboor was desperate to see me...funny that it takes a phone call from his Operations Manager in London, after he has spoken to a very very unhappy patient who let rip about the overal service, before he is so keen to see me. The only problem was that i was having to wait over 6 weeks for the bloody appointment. I arrived for the appointm ...  More...

I underwent bilateral LASIK treatment in November 2001 at this clinic. The staff at the clinic were very friendly and welcoming. They were able to address most of my queries and referred me to the ophthalmologist when necessary. The surgeon was very reassuring before the proceedure and was happy to explain everything to me. During the treatment the surgeon explained what she was doing which I found very reassuring. The treatment seemed very quick and straightforward. Afterwards I went home and straight to bed to rest. My eyes felt irritated but no pain. The next day I woke up to perfect vision - AMAZING! When I went back to the clinic the next day I was told that I had 6/4 vision in my left ...  More...

This clinic is now called Advanced Laser Eye Clinic  More...

I had PFK treatment to my Right Eye last Wednesday 24th April at Croydon. I can only say everything was wonderful. Appointments were on time. The Consultant and Nurse were fantastic especially as I was very nervous. No pressure was put on me at all by the staff and I felt very much that it was my decision and they did not want to rush me. I cant wait to have the left eye done so I can finally be without glasses. I could not have received better or more proffessional treatment if I had paid triple the amount. I will post a follow up when I have had my left eye treatment and I would advise anyone to go to this clinic.  More...

Well, I just had my initial consultations at Optimax (Finchley Rd) and Accuvision. See comments under each clinic. At Optimax I met Mr Patel who is very experienced and answered all my questions, with absolutely no hard sell and in a manner which was neither patronising nor hurried. He was particularly open about LASEK, which in many cases becomes regular PRK if the 'flap' cannot be replaced - the softened epithelial layer disappears naturally anyway during healing. Discovered my pupil size is >7mm fully dilated which may lead to some post-op haloing if I proceed. They also give you a copy of their consent form right upfront - and it's absolutely required reading for anyone considering ...  More...