Incidentally, there is no shortage of people saying that given their high prescription only LASIK was suitable. The major prospective randomized trial, using 200 eyes from -6 to -15, with an average prescription of -9.5, could show no difference at thirty days between LASIK and PRK. Or rather a few of the LASIK patients were in serious trouble with flap problems, the PRK group could see slightly better uncorrected (although this was statistically insignificant) and the LASIK group had slightly better best corrected vision (although this was also statistically insignificant. Since that trial LASEK, the use of vitamin C before surgery and the use of mytomicin after surgery have all made surface treatment the choice, assuming that any treatment is a good idea. LASIK reduces the amount of aggravation for the companies because they can do both eyes at once and it results in more patients who recommend it to their friends. As many of you are doubtless aware the comparison between LASIK and PRK is actually frightening. If your cornea is 500 microns thick and your prescription is -7 then PRK with a 6mm zone means you lose 84 microns from the very centre of your pupil, reducing to 42 microns 1.5mm from the centre, and 3mm from the centre your cornea is full thickness and full strength. Two thirds of your cornea (roughly) is untouched. LASIK will shear the whole cornea down to 130-180 microns, and it will never be strong again. You will then on top of that (or rather underneath that) lose the same 84mm deep dish from the centre.

This is the kind of thing you need to think about, not whether someone went to some particular place and presently likes the outcome. Smoking was thought by many people, including many doctors, to be an innocent practice for the first half of the twentieth century, with tarmac roads the chief suspect for the explosion of lung cancer. Be very cautious of testimonials.

If you look at the Optimax literature they are very keen to retain the "old-fashioned" surface procedure, and tell you quite plainly that for most people the results will be the same, with "Epiflap/PRK", the simpler, safer and cheaper option.

My only experience of Optimax staff was Dr Anwar in Glasgow, who not only said that he couldn't help me but recommended someone in a competitor who might be able to.