Ultralase

I had my LASIK treatment with ULTRALASE in Chester on 22.12. and I'm more than pleased with the results. I researched for quite a while and expected at least some mild forms of side effects like glare or halo during the first few weeks - well, I did not experience any side effects whatsoever!! The day before the treatment I went onto lasikdisaster.com and got really really scared. But surgeon and staff are absolutely spot on, you couldn't wish for anything better - they are also a very cheerful bunch, which put my mind at rest that they wouldn't be "quacks". Surgery itself is not painful at all, but I was terrified when they "switch your lights off". Also to relax and at the same time "do not move while we apply the laser" was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But my "lifeline" was the frienly lady assistant's voice during every step of the surgery. So reassuring and she even praises you!! Well done Ultralase Chester and thanks for everything - I am still not getting over being able to see so well without any discomfort at all !

I had bi-lateral treatment 3 days ago at the Bristol clinic carried out by Mr David Snail. My prescription wasn't too bad to start with at -2.25 & -1.50, (though quite a high degree of astigmatism also), however I have quite thin corneas and above average pupil size. I was warned I was at a slightly higher risk of night vision problems and also could not have further corrective surgery if my sight was under-corrected, due to the thickness of my corneas. Mr Snail was pretty good though and talked all of this through with me and answered any questions/reservations I had. I decided to go ahead with the treatment anyway, as he said the risks were still very slight. The procedure itself was quick and relatively painless, although the eye clamp they put in my second eye stung quite a lot and had to be removed and more drops put in to numb the area before reinserted. I felt quite shaky afterwards (nerves probably) and my sight was blurred and extremely light sensitive (& big halo effect) for the rest of the night (I had my treatment at 5pm), but I felt no real pain, only slight discomfort. The next day I could already see quite clearly, although the edges of objects in the middle distance were not as sharp as they could be. My next-day check-up revealed that the healing was going well, though I was suffering from slight dryness - for which I was told to take some extra drops in between the anti-inflammatory & antibiotic drops. I was also given the OK to drive (I think my vision was about 6/9). I wasn't impressed with the ophthalmologist who carried out my check-up (can't remember his name, but he was white with a beard). I found him to be a bit patronising and condescending when all I wanted was a bit of reassurance and my many questions answered ( I mean, I haven't had the treatment before - so I have no idea what to expect and what is normal!). So far I'm very pleased with the outcome of my treatment. The only niggles are wearing the clear specs and really trying not to touch my eyes (I was so used to doing so quite a lot before as a contact lens wearer). I've also found that my eyelashes are a bit itchy and tickly where the remnants of the anti-inflammatory drops have clumped (it's quite thick stuff) and it's hell trying not to rub them! And the eye-guards make sleeping a bit uncomfortable - though it's a small price to play. At the end of the day, my eyes feel a bit like I've had my contact lenses in too long and I'm paranoid all the time about whether I should be putting more 'fake tear' drops in to prevent the flaps shrivelling up! Although it's early days yet, I'm really glad I've had the treatment, though slightly concerned that even after my eyes have completely healed (in a month or so?), I'll always have to take extra care of them because the corneas will never be as strong as they were. Still 'thumbs up' though.

I spent months researching this topic, probably new as much as the surgeon, or at least that what I thought... I eventually got Lasik surgery with Wavefront technology. At first I was unhappy that my left eye wasn't as good as my right eye, but the surgeon told me to give it time, something about being in the + and always stating everything is excellent. What I noticed over the weeks was that the left eye continued to get better and the right eye if anything got a slightly worse. Anyway its 6 weeks now and I believe I currently have better than 20/20 vision be not sure if its going to get better or worse as time progresses. The only side affect I have are dry eyes, I work in IT so looking at a computer all day doesn't help, this I am advised will return to normal over time but I will have to wait and see. I also am more short sighted than before the operation, something I didn't even know was a possible side affect, this 2 I am told will improve with time... Well advise is 1. Pick lasik with Wavefront, its currently the best procedure out today. 2. find the best consultant in the country to perform the operation, ask them what % of patients get 20:20 vision with your vision and what % get 20:10 or 20:30. Because I work in IT I spent a lot of time researching what technology is the best but only really realised that the surgeon plays just as big a role, after the operation. 3. Be prepared for some complication, be it dry eyes, not perfect vision, night vision problems 4. Over time your eyesight will change so if you 20:20 the day after the operation it don't mean you will be 20:20 a week or two down the road. 5. If your happy with all the above go for it, its still the best money I have spent...

I attended the Ultralase clinic in Chelmsford on Friday 24th January for a consultation. I must say, it was very thoroughly done, and I left feeling that their primary goal was patient care, rather than getting patients through the door for surgery. I was told that because of my right eye (-8.25), I was a borderline case for surgery, which was not really what I wanted to hear, but at least they were honest and straightforward with the facts. I am waiting to hear from Ultralase today, as they have referred my file to their chief surgeon, Mr Vinod Gupta, for his expert assessment. I also have another consultation with Optimax on Friday, and it will be interesting to see if they say the same things to me.

I had laser eye surgery at the Manchester clinic approximately 2 weeks ago performed by Mr Koehler. I was very short-sighted with a prescription of -7.5 in my left eye and -6.5 in my right eye. I also had an astigmatism. After my initial consultation with the optometrist and a secondary follow-up appointment with the surgeon it was deemed that my corneas were thick enough to be operated on (even though Boots said my prescription was too severe for treatment). I then went ahead with the treatment. The procedure was practically painless with only minor discomfort in the few hours after the treatment. However life after the operation can be a bit of a chore for a couple of weeks, with drops, protective glasses and eye shields at night-time, and a constant fear of getting anything in your eye; I would definitely suggest to people considering the treatment to get a couple of days off work particularly if you use a computer heavily. 2 weeks after the treatment my vision has improved considerably. The vision in my right eye is perfect. I have had some complications with my left eye. Basically there are some cells on the surface of my eye which haven't rejoined properly making my vision from this eye slightly blurry, although I have been told that this should only be temporary. I do suffer from minor glare when driving at night, particularly when my eyes are tired. However, given my prescription prior to treatment I am very happy the results at this stage. My impression of the Manchester Ultralase team has been good. They all seem very professional. I was not pressured into the treatment and the dangers of the treatment were also fully explained to me by the surgeon. I found the surgeon who performed my treatment, Mr Koehler, to be extremely professional and indeed an expert in this field. The only thing I would say negatively is that the clinic can seem a little short-staffed at times; from my visits it seems that there are only 2 optometrists and one surgeon (Mr Koehler) who only works at the Manchester clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at the Chester clinic the rest of the time. For instance on my last appointment I was unable to see the optometrist who has been dealing with me from the start (Paul) as he was too busy. I therefore had to see another optometrist who knew nothing about me or the complications I had had so far. I will post another update in a couple of weeks with regards to my left eye. Feel free to email me.

I had my treatment over 2 weeks ago at Chester, unfortunately, my eyes bled somewhat causing my corneas to be swollen & inflammed (in particular the left). my prescription before hand was -3 and -1.75. Dr Koehler was very good and saw me for the 2 consecutive days after the treatment when the vision in my right eye was good but not the left, I was assured that this would improve but take a little longer due to the bleeding. However, a week later my vision had not improved but had deteriorated, worried I rang Ultralase who fitted me for later that day. The optometrist who saw me although pleasant and answered many of my questions failed to advise me of what was happening just that I was still short sighted and required spectacles, she wouldn't give me a prescription as my sight was still fluctuating. A few days later still worried as my sight was regressing further I contacted them again, this time I saw another optometrist Vicky Price, who was a dream, very thorough, very professional she said she was not unduly worried and that the tests showed I had severe dry eye which can cause short sightedness of 1- 2 dioptre and she did give me a prescription for spectacles for driving. I have another appointment to see Dr Koehler next week and hopefully he can offer further advice as to my long term prognosis. I feel my vision is there, as first thing in a morning my vision is clearer although not perfect, but then deteriorates as the day goes on. I do feel as if I have worried unnecessarily for 2-3 days because of someones insensitiveness. All sorts of thoughts were going through my mind - Had I an infection, had the flaps moved, There was no reason given, just I needed spectacles. Other things that bothered me were that after I had the procedure, children were playing in the recovery room throwing toys etc - having had a friend recovering from the procedure who had his sight damaged by a child jumping up at him I was very concerned. Also, there was no surgeon available for nearly 2 weeks to discuss my case with. Although as I said Vicky was very reassuring. I am still concerned at how long it will take for my eyes to recover form this dry eye syndrome - if anyone else has similar experiences I would like to hear from them.

I had Lasik surgery with Matthew Starr at the Birmingham clinic on 27th February. I was very scared but felt I had done enough research over the last three years and believed I was doing the right thing. Although I feel that Ultralase is a bit conveyor beltish, on the day of the surgery I was the last appointmentof the day and felt as if I was the first.The staff were very thorough and very reassuring. In the morning before surgery, I had the opportunity to talk with the surgeon over the phone and found him to be extremely professional and he answered all my questions and my confidence in him soared.He carried out all the pre-surgery checks and again was patient and thorough over all my concerns. I did not feel at all rushed and still felt that I could have backed out of surgery right up to the last moment. I found the proceedure itself to be totally painless and was totally fascinated! I felt as if I was watching someone else having it done!It was also a lot easier to focus on the laser than I had imagined.Was slightly disconcerted to actually see the flap being drawn back. Did not expect that! but still no pain.Within about 15mins of the anaesthetic drops wearing off I had about 7 hours of constantly watering eyes, but I expected this. By the following morning this had stopped and I could see really well and apart from puffy eyes no pain or light sensitivity.I have driven at night and have no haloes or starbursts. I had 6/9 vision on the morning after surgery. My next appointment is on Tuesday and I am looking forward to knowing what my current prescription is. The only reasons for not giving 5 star is I have lost some of my near vision (although was warned of this possibility) although working on a computer is not a problem so long as the light is bright enough. The other reason is that I have some discomfort in my right eye which the optometrist at Ultralase says could be dryness and that I need to use the artificial tears. Hopefully these will both resolve themselves in time and I will give the fifth star.I highly recommend the surgeon Matthew Starr and am happy to recommend Ultralase to anybody. I would just say do your research as there are risks. I feel as if I have been waiting for this time of no lenses or glasses for the last 8 years and am looking forward to my first holiday without them.

I recently had LASIK performed at Ultralase, and I sent an email two weeks later with some critical, but positive feedback: "I had a couple of critical comments to make to the consultant, but more in the way of positive feedback, suggestions to improve the service: 1. The After-care sheet of Dos and Don'ts says that you must not rub your eyes for two weeks, but it doesn't say what you should do if you do get something in your eye. I recommended that they insert a sentence after the warning about rubbing to the effect that if you get sleep in your eye or some other foreign body then attempt to flush it out with the artificial eye-drops provided and blinking, and if this doesn't work then seek advice from the after-care help line. 2. Older patients who will need reading glasses after surgery. There is no info on when a prescription for reading glasses can be taken after surgery. The consultant said a preliminary prescription can be taken the day after surgery, I said fine, but it would be better if this was made clear in the documentation, as I struggled for the first two weeks with a random pair I picked up at Boots, and eventually I paid UKP398 for a proper pair at Specsavers (varifocal, all the coatings etc), the consultant then told me that I would probably need another prescription after the eyes had settled in approx six months time. So more info is needed in the documentation to say when a preliminary prescription should be taken, and when a final prescription should be taken. If a patient is told that they will probably need reading glasses after surgery then an eye-test for this purpose should automatically be included in the following-day check-up. Other than those two suggestions I am completely happy with the treatment and the pre-care and after-care. I have none of the possible side-effects (dry-eye, haloes and starbursts, light-sensitivity etc)." I hope these two comments help in some way. Colin Withers

Update to my original review posted 17th Oct 2002. I had a call today from a friend asking for advice on Lasik, I then remembered that I promised to update this site with the outcome of my surgery. It's been 5 months since the op, my eyes are just spiffing ! I can spot a motorway speed camera at 1000 metres and save on a TV license by watching next doors TV from my own lounge. They are so good in fact that I have almost forgotten all the bad bits of the experience, it probably took a good eight weeks before things felt right, my abrasions have now cleared up completely. My decision to go to Ultralase was based on them being probably the biggest and most experienced, I think I made the right choice and would recommend them if you really want Lasik done. Question: If I could turn the clock back 6 months knowing then what I know now would I proceed with the surgery? Answer: NO. But why ? I hear you say 'this guys eye sight is now spot on' ! Yes it is, but my scare back in October convinced me that the consequences of serious complications, however small that possibility, are too horrible to imagine.

I was operated on by Vinod Gupta at Guildford on 4 March. The staff were all friendly and helpful throughout my consultation (in Threadneedle Street) and all visits. After reading other comments on this site I was very happy to have Dr Gupta, he was friendly and open in the pre-op consultation and professional in the operating room. I was also reassured when I spoke to a surgeon on the phone about the implications of my corneal thickness, pupil size etc a few days before the op after reading up more about potential problems. My prescription was -5.5R and -4.25L. There was some discomfort particularly on the second eye due to the pressure when the flap was cut, but the laser was painless. I remember seeing the flap fold back, that's weird. The rinsing out is also a strange sensation, I felt like I was instinctively blinking but the eyelid wouldn't move. I had milky vision immediately afterwards as expected, and after around an hour my eyes became very sensitive to light. I was wearing dark sunglasses on a dull day, but still could barely open my eyes for more than a few seconds at a time on the drive home. When I woke up the next morning my vision had improved slightly, but was certainly a long way from 20/20. I could just about pass the minimum driving vision, but was long sighted for 2-3 days before I could read properly. I returned to work 6 days after the op and had some difficulty with using a VDU for any length of time, by the end of the day I had a headache. At the day after and 1 week check up I have been advised that my eyes were quite dry, I haven't felt this regularly except late at night. The dryness apparently reduces sharpness of vision. I have been assured that my eyes are healing exactly as expected and the vision is expected to vary a little for a while, it probably took at least 2-3 weeks to settle down and for me to be comfortable that my vision is back up to the best corrected beforehand (6/6). I think I had focused so much on what could go wrong during my pre-op consultations that I hadn't fully taken in the likely healing time for my degree of short-sightedness if it all went as planned! All in all, I'm glad I had it done and the days of specs and lenses seem years ago. It did take a few weeks after the op for me to be sure I was happy as I was not expecting this long with noticeably poorer vision than with specs/lenses before.