Moorfields Eye Hospital Private Clinic

had LASIK on Weds 19th March with Miss Linda Ficker. My previous concerns about pain during the operation were needless. the process can be best described as "wierd", with evrything happening quite lierally, in front of your eyes, but with no pain or even discomfort. Miss Ficker was very good in keeping me informed and we talked all the way through the procedure, which takes about 2 minutes in total, for each eye. Laser time was about 12-13 seconds for my prescription of -2.5 per eye. My follow up visit the next day was with her "fellow" Tom Poole, who described Miss Ficker's work as "beautiful". Even with my natural cynicism, I have no pain, no bloodshot eyes, fantastic vision and even under close scrutiny, there are no marks on my eyes whatsoever. I am absolutely thrilled with the results. It won't be the first time that you have ever heard this phrase, but you get what you pay for. Thanks to Linda Ficker and her team.

I had laser surgery at Moorfield Eye Hospital on both eyes on Tuesday 25th March, 2003. My surgeon was Mr Bruce Allan. I am in the early stages of adjustment but can report a very positive experience. I thought that the pre-surgical testing & consultations were thorough & efficiently conducted with the surgeons being at pains to provide explanations & respond to questions. I raised an enquiry about pre-existing night vision problems & was referred for further tests before surgery was confirmed: Wavefront analysis. I believe that the data from this test was used at least in part in my eventual surgery. Going in I had -3.75 vision in both eyes with an astigmatism in my left eye. The procedure is completely painless & surprisingly short. That said it is not something on which I would choose to reflect upon at any length. Main point is that it is of short duration & I felt absolutely no pain. It is worth resting up immediately afterwards until the drops & procedure has settled. Get collected by a friend/ partner if you can as this will be one less thing to worry about. I had surgery mid-morning & my vision was starting to come back by the early afternoon. It is a joy to be able to see vividly after years of dependency on contacts & spectacles. By the next day I had good vision: car number plates; shop fronts; posters all seeming clearer than I had enjoyed for years. My eyes felt a residual tiredness though as if the adjustment was creating a bit of a strain. My three day test was uneventful; I was clearly in excess of the standard required for driving & was also told that I would not require any further surgery to improve my vision. It was fun to race through the sight chart & make out rows that had previously been incomprehensible to me. The surgeon told me that my vision would shift about for several days after the surgery and that my eye tiredness was to be expected. I will revert with news & reflections on the next 5 weeks. 6 week test is the next assessment & I hope

I recently had LASIK surgery performed by Mr Gartry on 22nd March and am extremely pleased with the results. My prescription was -6.5 and -7.5. It is now to very nearly the same as it was corrected with glasses/lenses. Two days after the op I could read the second from bottom line with my right eye and the third from bottom with the left. I am suffering from hazing around any bright lights (especially at night) but I understood this could happen and it will hopefully clear up in the next few weeks. The procedure was really quick and completely painless. I was nervous before surgery but was reassured seeing the person in for surgery before me. He walked out of the theatre with a smile on his face and his eyes only looked slightly red. During the procedure Mr Gartry talked me through exactly what he was doing and how long things would last. I had about 45-50 secs. laser treatment on each eye. Everything was pretty blurred for the rest of the day, although I did manage to watch the rugby on TV! The next day things were much better (probably around 90% of how they are now) and improved slightly every day for the next week. I'm so glad that I've had LASIK surgery, it really has made a huge difference to my life. I just wish I'd had it done it earlier!

I had Lasik surgery with Dr. Gartry on Monday 7th April 2003. My presciption was -7.25 with 1.25 of astigmatism in each eye. I researched both Moorfields and Dr. Gartry beforehand and decided that if anything was to go wrong it was the right place with the right surgeon for fixing things up. I had my consultation with Dr. Gartry at his Harley Street surgery. I concur with a number of postings on this site. You have to go with a list of questions. He does not readily offer information but answers any question in a straight-forward and clear manner. I went to Moorfields for the operation at 08:15. They did the scans and tests 15 minutes before the operation. Two things to consider here that I was not ready for. 1. Dr. Gartry relies on the eyetest that you take with you from your optician. I just assumed he would do his own test as well so you need to be happy with the prescription you take with you. 2. As the corneal scan was done only a few minutes before the surgery I was actually lying in the laser machine chair before I was told that due to my prescription and the corneal thickness results (500 and 520) he was not able to fully correct my sight. He was able to correct -6.5 of the -7.25 which would leave me with a residual prescription of -0.5 to -0.75. I then had to make a snap decision whether to go ahead or not. I had not prepared for this eventuality. I recommend you decide what you would do if this or something similar was sprung on you. I decided to go ahead. I could end up needing glasses for close work but should be able to drive, play sport, etc. The operation was painless and not as bad as I had feared. It took less time and was less uncomfortable than getting a tooth filled. Dr. Garty was very good. He was obviously very competent, talked me through everything and conveyed the general air of someone who spends their life doing complex corneal surgery (which is his main job) and who performs laser surgery for light relief. Very comforting ! My sight was very hazy straight after the operation and I could not have hailed a taxi and caught a train without assistance. The haze cleared after a few hours leaving blurred vision. I sorted out the drops (3 different ones in each eye every two hours). Some prickling sensation in my eyes but no pain or other discomfort. I spent the rest of the day mainly resting with my eyes closed. The next day my sight was much better but still with some blurring. However I was able to train and taxi it back to Moorfields for the checkup on my own. Dr. Gartry proclaimed himself very happy with the results, said I was able to drive (not sure about this yet myself) and sent me off after about five minutes. Again he was happy to answer any question but did not volunteer a lot of information. He said my sight would continue to improve over the next month. As the correction was quite a lot it will take longer for my sight to settle down then if I had had a smaller correction. I went stright from the consultation to work for a three hour conference call. In retrospect this was probably too soon. This morning (2 days after the operation) my sight was less blurred again and is now good enough for me to post this article. I decided not to go into work but am able to pick up email, etc. from home. My eyes are not up to a day at the computer yet though. I may consider driving tomorrow. I'll post an update at the one week mark when the drops and the "sleep-inhibiting" goggles are done.

Now 12 days since Lasik with Mr. Gartry. My sight continued to improve for the first seven days (see last posting for day 2). I was comfortable to drive after a few days and have experienced slight halos at night although nothing to cause a problem. The only side-affect left is dry eyes but I was warned by Mr. Gartry that this affects around 20% of patients. I'm using Minims Artificial Tears about every hour and this fixes the problem. They seem to be the cheapest without preservatives and are easily available from chemists. My vision gets slightly blurry when my eyes are dry (worse the morning after a few beers). Apparently the dry eyes will last around a month. I'm still not up to reading for long periods or using the PC for more than a few hours at a time. This continues to improve.

I had surgery on 7th May, carried out by Mr Julian Stevens. The treatment is quick and painless with no problems afterwards. I even drove back to the hospital the next day. I had been to see two other clinics for similar surgery and cannot recommend Moorfields and Mr Stevens enough. It may be more expensive but you get the best treatment and consultant in the country and you only have one set of eyes.

Now over six weeks since Lasik surgery with Mr. Gartry. I had my final check up today and also had an eye test last week for a second opinion. I can read the 6/5 line unaided with each eye which is an execllent result (apparently this is the requirement for a commercial pilot). My left eye is +0.25 (very slight over-correction) and my right eye is -0.25 with -0.25 astigmatism (very slight under-correction). Pretty much as near perfect as you could get considering I was -7.25 with -1.25 astigmatism in each eye before surgery. There are a couple of minor issues remaining; dry eyes sometimes particuarly with airconditioned offices but this is getting better by the day (I still use artificial tears a couple of times a day). Also slight halos at night but this again is improving. Mr. Gartry expects both issues to be resolved around the 3 month mark. I am also resisting using reading glasses until the 3 months is up although my optician reckons I will need very mild lenses for this. Unfortunately this is an age thing ! This is only a problem when my eyes are tired. Computer use and TV watching is not a problem at all. I absolutely recommend Mr. Gartry and Moorfields. It costs more but you get the expertise and results. Email me if you would like more info or to talk.

Had Lasik Wavefront on 14 July at 12.30 with Mr Gartry at Moorfields. Left eye was -4 with an astigmatism and my right eye was -6. After 2 days it would seem that my left eye has probably 20/20 vision and my right eye is even better. I am extremely pleased. The operation was painless and efficient and slightly production like which was strangely reassuring as so many people were having this surgery done. Mr Garty told me I should not have spoken to him whilst the cornea flap was being cut, being an important part of the operation. However I was not really too aware that this was being done as I felt at ease with everyone there. The initial drops prior to the op sting a little but nothing too much. You can see after the op but it is a bit like your glasses are slightly steamed up. By the evening I could see very well, enough to have been satisfied even if it never got any better. There was a slight haziness but this was probably due to a bottle of wine being downed whilst relaxing and watching a movie.By the next morning my sight was very good. Slight dryness in eyes and slight halos around lights but nothing serious. As a previous person mentioned Mr Gartry does not offer much information without being asked but when asked he answers questions fully and you are aware of his knowledge and experience. I didn't want a sales person, I wanted honest and realistic advice and felt that I got it. Like every thing else you have to do a bit of your own research to satisfy yourself that you have amde the right decision. I wasn't that bothered with wearing glasses before but felt confident in the procedures, Mr Gartry, and my own research regarding my suitability.

I had my Lasik in April with a prescription of approx -2.25 in both eyes. I did a lot of investigation prior to choosing Moorfields and basically chose them for the reasons usually cited...ie the consultants there are world class and likely to be of use if things did not go well. This was one occasion when I did not feel like economising. The surgery has been described often enough; indeed i felt as if I knew exactly what would be happening next ! Some reflections on Moorfields (Miss Ficker carried out my surgery) would include the following: They do NOT hold your hand...either physically or metaphorically. This is for people who do not want masses of reassurance and TLC. The service is brisk and matter of fact. I was kept waiting for a long time before the op but was stumbling down the street within about 15 minutes. Take someone with you! My sight did not improve instantly. The next day I could see outside for long distances very well but could not read at all which was scarey and my vision in artificial light was pretty poor for a couple of weeks. I now have almost no prescription, so a good result. However, my main issue with the care at Moorfields is the aftercare. One appointment the next day with a junior colleague who clearly had the remit 'check the flaps'. When I mentioned my inability to read he said 'Oh, maybe you will need reading glasses'. This isn't exactly wrong but he should have advised me to wait and allow things to settle instead of frightening me. The appointment lasted around 5 minutes and he was unable to answer my other questions. The next day I developed a scratching sensation in one eye and became worried so rang the numbers provided. there was no reply on 2 of them and i left a message on the 3rd. I didn't get to speak to someone until 5pm having trid all day. This advice was useful but too much trouble to obtain. The next time they want to see you isn't until 3 months and even then it is fairly hard to coordinate a time and date. All that said I am pleased with my results although the dryness can be a problem. One issue that I would welcome any advice on is that twice I have been away for weekends by the coast in hot conditions and despite wearing dark glasses and using the wetting drops my eyes have become very sore, red and irritated. As I am due to go for 2 weeks in the south of France next week this is a worry and would love to avoid this. If anyone can help please email me. I have found this site invaluable as a resource for information and support, in what has been a really big deal for me. I would have awarded 5 stars if the aftercare had been better.

I had Wavefront Lasik with Mr Gartry on Sat 9th June at 3.30pm. Pre-op I was –4.25 and –5.5. My qualms about the op were unfounded – for me it was a walk in the park. I’m very pleased with the results after two days. The bad bits of the whole process were: - During the op the equipment made various noises, not loud, but made me start a few times which I don’t think they appreciated. You need to keep still. - I unconsciously kept screwing my other eye hard shut, which apparently makes the open one harder to work on. Kept gently being reminded to ‘please open your other eye’… - Post op I had a small red bruise on one eye which I was not prewarned about – but its tiny and fading fast. Apparently some people have bruising on both, from the suction used to hold the machine on tight. No pain from it though. - No-one showed me the best way to put in eye drops. A minor point. As you can see, the bad bits were not very bad. The many good bits: - I had various questions after the consultation, and decided to write to Mr Gartry before booking the op. He wrote back promptly and carefully answered each question fully which I really appreciated. - His assistant who did the Wavefront scans two weeks before the op was very helpful, friendly and explained each part carefully. - The actual op took just 20 minutes, my dad timed it. Incredible. - Mr Gartry was a very calming presence in the op room, talked calmly through what was happening which helped relax me. He even held my head gently to stop me twitching although the headrest ‘clamps’ you in. - I assumed there would be a big scary machine to get under to have the flap cut, and there isn’t. Whatever it is, its not big and the surgeon simply pops it on your eye and then off after less than 30 seconds. You can’t see anything or feel anything at that point anyway. - There was no pain at all during or after the op and right away I could see quite well. Not good enough to drive, but fine to go on the train if accompanied. Eyes got slightly ‘itchy’ after two hours but the first set of self-administered eye drops fixed that. By the evening I had good sight and watched TV, read etc with no problem. Itchiness had gone. By the next day sight was noticeably better, and the next day (today) also. - Today, two days after the op I have probably 97% vision compared to what I had with specs. Very slightly misty. Today I drove, used public transport, caught up with emails with no problems. Have to set an alarm to remind me to put in the drops. - The 48 hour check up was this morning with Mr Gartry. He was reassuring and confirmed my eyes were healing nicely and are already better than ‘driving test’ standard. Nothing like the bad experience the last writer had. Also unlike the last writers surgeon, Mr Gartry sees all his patients again after one month, not three. GENERAL INFO Throughout the op you are reclining in something like a dentists chair and the surgeon sits behind your head. There is also a nurse putting in eye drops and wiping your face, plus a third person. They all wear scrubs and masks but you don’t, just walk in and sit down. They put a hairnet on you and tape back your eyelashes on the first eye and start. The aftercare drops they give you must be refrigerated immediately after opening (which is two hours after surgery). That’s easy if you are going home to somewhere with a fridge. I was, but as the day after I was then traveling home 200 miles I had to go shopping (on the hottest day of the year!!!) to try and find ice packs to keep the drops cool on the journey. At this early stage of my recovery I would completely recommend this op & surgeon. The last writer I hope was unlucky. Check out Mr Gartrys experience on the web, I did very carefully. Although it cost more I have no regrets choosing him rather than some ‘high street’ provider. I look forward to writing here again in a month or two to confirm the last 3% of sight has resolved. If it does not, I would be slightly disappointed but not terribly – its hugely better than it was and no more specs or contact lenses!!! Woo hoo!!! BTW, one of the reasons I had the surgery was that I am a keen runner. In November, I am running the New York marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. If you appreciate my info maybe you will consider sponsoring me here www.justgiving.com/nickbellnyc …. Cheers!