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Has anybody had their eyes lasered? Did it hurt? Anyone know anywhere round here who does it (painlessly!!!!)
Merci

Kate the Medipole at Cabestany do it and I also think the Rousillonaise near the airport do it too. Have you seen an optho? I did and I cannot have it done He said I could have the lens implants though..........I think I shall have to work a little longer and harder though for that

So back to searching out the best deals in thin and light lenses for blind people

What are those? Are they more expensive? Do they hurt???????

Don't know anything about how things work out here but my husband and I both had our eyes lasered in South Africa about nine years ago now and we have been delighted with the results.

The laser surgery was pretty much painless - my eyes felt a bit scratchy right after the operation but felt quite normal when I woke up the next morning. And my sight was perfect when the eye patches came off the next morning.

My husband had the implant in one eye - a corrective lens is basically inserted in front of your own, it resembles the operation they do for people who have cataracts but your own lens isn't zapped. It's done if you are too shortsighted for the laser operation to be feasible. It is more invasive and potentially risky, and my husband had it under general anasthetic so there was a much longer recovery time. They also did some preparatory work to mark his eye before the operation, without anaesthetic, and he found that very painful. Having seen what it involved I don't think I would do it, but he thinks it's wonderful - he had been blind as a bat since early childhood and wore glasses with very thick lenses, and he was starting to need reading glasses as well.

Thanks Jayne (and Opas). That's really useful. I now know what NOT to go for!
When I made my appointment yesterday, I was asked which surgeon I wanted - a shock as I thought it was just a matter of setting a computer with laser co ordinates.... and the word surgeon says surgery! How do you know whether a surgeon is going to be good or bad? Are there any questions I should ask (like 'are you any good at this'?)

Know this is not much help but according to our doctor the best eye surgeon is in Toulouse! A friend of ours used him for the removal o his lens which had cataracts and the insertion of new lenses. Very pleased with his treatment.

Thanks Sue. But I wonder how you find out this info. I suppose it's only by recommendation, and I don't know anyone round here who's had it done.

What about your doctor. It was Dr Sautai in Argeles who recommended Toulouse chap

That's a thought. Merci

More on the subject
http://forum.anglophone-direct.com/seto ... ipole.html

Went to see a man about this today. It is apparently painless apart from the price - the implants that is - and once you have it done you no longer need glasses for either long, short or intermediate sight. I think it's the same op you have for cataracts. Delving deeper and will let you know how it goes, if it goes.

Have decided to go for the implants as I am not a suitable candidate for laser - too old and too blind I got the impression!
I have had quite a few emails asking me to keep you informed if I go for it, so I will start a blog on the main site and let you all know how it goes, with some photos if poss.

The surgeon is called Serge Zaluski and according to internet research, has written papers and was a forerunner of this kind of eye correction. He speaks excellent English for anyone who wants to learn more.

You can contact him at the clinic - centre Vision Sud Santé via Nelly 04 68 67 67 67 or via his secretary Régine on 04 68 35 92 72

All very friendly and lovely and have promised me it wont hurt a bit! First eye scheduled for end of March.

Although it is certainly not cheap, it is nevertheless cheaper than Angleterre, and considering the price of a decent pair of glasses, sunglasses, varifocals etc, should pay for itself quite quickly.

Kate wrote: Serge

.....are you sure, and done in a shed...

I was hoping it would be an improvement to a poke in the eye with a pointed stick (nudge nudge, say no more) but you've got me worried now! You don't think it's all an evil plot to lull me into thinking I'll be able to read the labels on the wine bottles correctly do you, then give me grape juice??

Kate wrote: varifocals etc,

How does it work if you suffer from Presbyopia and need varifocals?

Do they fit you with a focus control?

Russell

It makes me feel quite ill!!

Here is a link to an article written by le docteur.
http://www.oteurope.com/ophthalmologyti ... ail/701559

Apparently everybody eventually gets cataracts, and having this done now also means that you never get them, so two birds...

Sue... me too. It's local anaesthetic too so I've asked for a large dose, and no needles cos they make me cry, which might make the job a bit more difficult. He tells me he has a steady hand when he is sober....

Let's hope he is sober, mind you at times it would be nice to have eyes in the back of your head!!

Good luck Kate...you will be leaving our 50 something club and join the 30 something club, you will be looking just tooooo good..

Bit worried I might not like what I see when I look in the mirror! Ignorance is bliss!

With all these sort of things it all comes down to a matter of personal circumstances and preference. In the end,asssuming money is not an issue,it seems that it's a question of whether your eyesight really is bad enough to warrant these procedures,or is it being done purely for cosmetic reasons .

I know several people who have had the laser treatment done,with very varying results. In several folk they report a halo effect around light after it,which,apparently is quite common. Have had no reports of the other treatment to be fair.

Speaking personally,as someone who only favours invasive surgery when it's really needed,my eyesight would have to be a hell of a lot worse than it is now to take the risk ( because that's what any surgical procedure is). I find varifocal specs fine,and I do not consider them to be that expensive.

I thoroughly agree with you John. I only require glasses for reading etc although when I was working I did have varifocals so that I could look at papers on my desk and then up at clients without having to take my glasses on and off. But unless there was a real medical reason I wouldnt take the risk of this op and there are lots of really nice glasses on the market now.

I guess that sums it up perfectly Sue. Whatever,I'd certainly be looking to speak to an independent expert (ie someone who does not have a vested interest in recommending any particular course of action) and look at some clinically proven evidence before going any further.

Eyesight is not just like a telly or a settee purchase,as its pretty hard to put right any mistakes later !

My sister has had the operation, or similar and doesn't regret it, although she has to wear glasses for reading now, but used have to wear them all the time. If your happy to have them done Kate for whatever reason, do it, its what makes you feel happy. (Just do your research like you are doing)

I agree with you too Marguerite, if it is what Kates wants and is happy with her research then go for it. Its just that I couldnt do it myself. Having my sight is precious and I personally wouldnt risk tampering with it.

Marguerite & Steve wrote:My sister has had the operation, or similar and doesn't regret it, although she has to wear glasses for reading now, but used have to wear them all the time.

This would be a monofocal lens, just like wearing distance vision glasses.

This is how the multifocal lenses work: http://www.google.co.uk/patents?hl=en&l ... nt&f=false
Rather than being true varifocal, they have several focal points. So the image at any given distance will have a sharp central part surrounded by a slightly fuzzy part. The degree of fuzziness. will depend on the range of focal lengths required.

Following is an abstract of the results and the conclusions from a paper published in Ophthalmology a few years ago:

Results
The mean intermediate VAs and contrast sensitivities at all spatial frequencies in the multifocal IOL group were worse than those in the monofocal IOL group, whereas near VA was better in the multifocal group. In the multifocal group, smaller pupillary area was associated significantly with worse near logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) VA (r = 0.636), but not with far or intermediate VAs. When pupil diameter was 4.5 mm or greater, near mean VA reached 20/63. A greater degree of IOL decentration was associated significantly with worse far and intermediate LogMAR VAs (r = 0.460 at 5.0 m and 0.527 at 1.0 m) but not with near VA. When decentration was 0.9 mm or greater, distance mean VA did not reach 20/32. However, the correlation between tilt and VA was not statistically significant. In the monofocal group, no significant correlation was found between pupillary area, IOL decentration, or tilt and the VA.
Conclusions
Smaller pupil size is correlated significantly with worse near VA, whereas greater decentration is correlated with worse distance and intermediate VA in eyes with refractive multifocal IOLs. Specifically, a pupil diameter of less than 4.5 mm cannot provide useful near VA, and decentration of 0.9 mm is the maximum allowable limit for adequate distance VA. However, pupil size and IOL decentration do not influence VA in eyes with monofocal IOLs

Another study showed that over 50% of patients still needed reading glasses for small print..

I would follow John's advice and get independent expert advice before proceeding.

Personally, I'll stick with my varifocals. Not ideal, for example when doing close work above eye level, but at least they are easy to change.

Russell.

P.S. Don't believe everything you read on internet forums!

russell wrote:

P.S. Don't believe everything you read on internet forums!

Kate, you know Susan , she had her eyes done, I wouldn't know what it was called, but she just needs glasses for reading now, (could be an age thing) which she didn't mind as preferred that to having to wear them all the time, i.e shopping ,driving etc

I've actually found varifocals far easier since I've needed to wear specs all the time than I did when I just needed standard ones for reading only.

Basically,it's a pain in the neck keep having to carry reading glasses around with you and keep putting them on/off . Obviously,it's a personal thing. Perhaps Marguerite's sister finds it OK,but I find it a bind,and am much happier wearing mine all the time.

Russell's report on the study is very interesting,but for those without an opthalmology degree,it's a bit tricky to understand ! But what it does prove is that this is a very serious matter and a decision that should not be taken lightly.....

I would rather not need glasses at all but I am at that age.. where I need them for reading (only) so having them in my handbag isn't a problem.

until recently i lived opposite an eye surgeon,He is actually a professor, He wears glasses and during a conversation i said that i would like at some point in the future to have laser eye treatment and he advised me as a friend not to, Pointing out that he wears glasses because his eyes are his business and if he lost his sight through surgery and the unknown long term implications then he would be out of work.

But i feel like others on here it's up to the individual, even though he has advised me against i am still toying with the idea if my sight should start failing in future years