Laser eye surgery / Cycling specs

jonnyboy66uk

Hey all, So here is my dilema...

I am 30 yrs old and have had terrible eyesight since i was 18. in my early years i hated specs with a passion so i used to wear contacts pretty much all day every day, Then about three years ago i started to have issues with contacts and now when i wear them my eyes seem to swell and leave me with very blurred vision which isnt good for cycling! My optom has advised that i stop wearing contacts for the time being.

So i have been cycling a few times in my prescription specs and i hate it, plus if i was to break them i would be stuck as i am very short sighted and i dont want to get stranded.

So i have been looking into laser eye surgery but this would be very expensive although i would love it as i also race motorbikes, Has anybody had it done and with whom?

Alternatively i thought about getting some proper prescription cycling / sports goggles, does anybody use these and can you point me in the right direction for some? My only fear with these is that i will feel the same as having prescription specs...

What do all you other sight inhibited folk do?

Royal Dragoon

There's a good discussion on this topic here:

http://www.mtbe.co.uk/contact-lenses-an ... 10792.html


Hope that helped

eztiger

I had laser eye surgery 5 years back, best thing I ever did. Being keen on cycling, diving and general outdoor activities plus hating specs, so thought I should give it a go.

I used Ultralase In Guildford and got it on interest free credit over 3 years, worked out cheaper than daily contracts over that time, so financially a great option.

Chalky76

Had it done by Ultralase too (they are all over the country) 2 years ago. Best thing ever, and although expensive you can spread the cost as stated above. Great for riding the bike but also swimming and any other sport where prescription specs are a pain. Do it!

Bar Shaker

My wife had it done 12 years ago.

She also says it was the best thing ever.

x-isle

Best thing I ever had done too.

Cost me a packet, but worth every penny. If you have options, don't go for the cheapest choice. I think it was called "Wavefront" when I had mine done which was new at the time (just over 2 years ago) and it also effectivly cleans up the surface.

I was in a similar situation. I completed in Motorsports and also did a lot of MTB. It certainly transformed both situations!

I found that even though I obviously didn't require contacts anymore, it also made my vision be able to pick out terrain far more quicker than before! When I mentioned this to Ultralase (at the time, there was no comparison, these guys were the ones to go with!) told me that it's probably down to the wavefront technique that has done this.

...and my vision now!??!?!?....... It's far higher than 20/20 and people are pretty much amazed by how far away I can read things.

jonnyboy66uk

Thanks all,

I have wanted surgery for a while now and i think this is the kick up teh butt that i need to get it done..

I have heard that the wavefront custom vue is brilliant, and the intralase replaces the mechanical cutter which scared me to death! I have another consultation booked as my previous one elapsed a few months back, so after this i have already got a voucher for 600 off so i think i am gonna get it done.

Like i said a load of friends have had it done and everyone i speak too always says its the best thing ever! I just want to be able to ride a bike without my contacts moving everywhere and i was in a race on my motorbike last year at mallory when i lost a contact and had to do 40 mins with one eye shutm was a weird sensation!

It does nark me that if your obese you can have surgery on teh NHS, yet if you have eye issues it costs a packet!! Even contacts now cost me £26 a month!!

jonnyboy66uk

Thanks all,

I have wanted surgery for a while now and i think this is the kick up teh butt that i need to get it done..

I have heard that the wavefront custom vue is brilliant, and the intralase replaces the mechanical cutter which scared me to death! I have another consultation booked as my previous one elapsed a few months back, so after this i have already got a voucher for 600 off so i think i am gonna get it done.

Like i said a load of friends have had it done and everyone i speak too always says its the best thing ever! I just want to be able to ride a bike without my contacts moving everywhere and i was in a race on my motorbike last year at mallory when i lost a contact and had to do 40 mins with one eye shutm was a weird sensation!

It does nark me that if your obese you can have surgery on teh NHS, yet if you have eye issues it costs a packet!! Even contacts now cost me £26 a month!!

jt1984

Just to add another good note for ultralase, I had it done about 4 years ago and had the whole top spec job because I thought about just how important my sight is.
Ok so its a heap of money but I worked out what I was spending on contacts and based my average on a new pair of glasses every 3 years and worked out that the cost of surgery was 9 or 10 years of buying contacts and glasses.
Interestingly the most helpfull comments about surgery were not the 'oh yeah, it's brilliant', but the 'I had a bit of infection but they sorted it really quick'. Theres always going to be a risk but it's very small and the benefits have been worth every penny.

jonnyboy66uk

Yeah i have worked out that it will take me around seven years to get my money back which in the bigger scheme is not that much.

Thats a really good point about the comment, Makes you think of it in a different light.

I am 90% sure i am going to get it done now to maximise it, No point waiting five years when i have more money and wont even notice 2.5k, may as well just take the plunge now.

Thanks all...

One quick question, what kind of recovery time did it take before you can play sports again etc?

Bar Shaker

Definitely better to get it done when you are younger. I used to work out with a girl who is a laser eye surgeon and when I needed glasses to read I asked if she could fix my eyes. My problem is muscle related and can't be fixed.

My father in law was going to have surgery but his corneas are now too thin. Young healthy eyes heal much faster and respond better to the procedure.

I would take your surgeon's advice on recovery time for sports, rather than ours.

fungus_the_muffin_man

jonnyboy66uk wrote:

It does nark me that if your obese you can have surgery on teh NHS, yet if you have eye issues it costs a packet!! Even contacts now cost me £26 a month!!

To be fair being obese is more of a health risk to your life than being blind(ish)

unless you walk infront of a bus

jt1984

jonnyboy66uk wrote:

One quick question, what kind of recovery time did it take before you can play sports again etc?

I think a couple of weeks, they said to be careful as it heals and no swimming or contact sports. I just followed their advice and was fine. All the best.

capoz77

What happens if you get the urge to "look away" just as their doing the laser?


to the OP can you not try a different type of contact, silicone, hard/soft lens?

I wear contacts riding, glasses give poor all round vision where the lens cuts off. Take a bottle of contact lens eye drops, blink or optrex brand to refresh eyes if dry out - but wear decent protective shades which are big enough to stop the airflow to my eyes.

jonnyboy66uk

Well i have tried four different sets of contacts so far and its not just when riding, but just doing everyday things my left eye in paticular jusr has a reaction and where my eye lids inflame slightly it moves the contact all over the place which results in little vision.
I have even gone down the road of trialling different solutions but no joy and hence why I am thinking of laser eye surgery.

I went out today with specs on and like you say, the field of vision is tiny as the dennis taylor specs would not look to good at work or down teh pub.

Although i have to say today was great to be out in teh perfect sun!

patto583

Just noticed that there is an ultralase advert at the top of this thread!!!

Not sure if it's intentional or just coincidental.

I'm reading with interest as I am very short sighted and have thought about getting done with the "fricking laser beam" but never really followed up on it.

jonnyboy66uk

Well i am going to optical express as its my local store and has a few of my friends have been lasered there. It seems like a good clinic but i have also heard that ultralase is very good to.

Well now i have thought about it more, I am very excited about getting it done.....

cee

i got laserphaserblaser treatment 18 months ago at optical express.....

basically...the fact that it cold be done in edinburgh and not glasgow was what made my final decision for me...cost and service was about the same....

I have never looked back...best thing i ever did.....

I might have a little discount/referral voucher for optical express if you want it.

jonnyboy66uk

Well guys,,,

Have taken the plunge and i am under the laser tomorrow morning.... Im nervous but also mega excited... Hopefully by this time tomorrow i will have good eye sight for teh first time in 13yrs!!! good times...

cee

jonnyboy66uk wrote:

Well guys,,,

Have taken the plunge and i am under the laser tomorrow morning.... Im nervous but also mega excited... Hopefully by this time tomorrow i will have good eye sight for teh first time in 13yrs!!! good times...

get someone to help you home.

My eyes were streaming after the treatment, and it was more comfortable to just keep my eyes closed.

Good Luck.

Don't worry too much about it....while it is not the most comfortable experience in the world, it is also not the worst. It isn't painful. just a bit...not right feeling.

I have said this before, but the best thing for me about having had laser surgery is that i can read the alarm clock on the other side of the room without funbling around for my specs!

Oh...and when you have had it all done...

send your old bins to these guys.

http://www.vao.org.uk/

jonnyboy66uk

Cheers buddy,,, Cant wait, I have done plenty of research and to be honest im not that worried, Just not looking forward to the recovery period... Howerver, I cant wait to get on my bike without specs!!

great tip on where to send old specs, I have about four pairs as i just didnt want to throw them away!

jonnyboy66uk

Right, I had this done last friday the 21st... Best thing ever!

Went out on my bike all weekend and it was truly amazing, field of vision greatly improved and no dry eyes.. I can even see oncoming hazards properly and only a week after surgery!!

Brilliant results, If anybody is considering having it done, then just go ahead and do it, i wish i had got it done years ago!!!

jt1984

Fantastic, glad to hear it well.

thekickingmule

jonnyboy66uk What was the procedure like? Did it hurt like hell? I think I'll stick to specs unless convinced otherwise lol

cee

good stuff johnnyboy!

sounds like you healed up much quicker than i did...no way would i have been able to ride so soon after my procedure...

kicking mule...it dosen't hurt as such...it just feels....wrong... at the time...

I had my procedure summer 2009..best thing i ever did.