Optimax

Had my procedure at Optimax Southampton. Excellent service all round and extremely grateful to Dr Ayoubi who's reassurance prior to surgery and during surgery was very welcome. Professional to the core. Still in recovery, 6 days post op and all though I have had to adjust the computer settings to be able to view it, my vision is slowly improving! Thanks to all at Southampton

I had my surgery at Optimax Finchley Road in London by Dr Patel. The whole experience from start to finish was very professional and all the staff did their best to put me at ease. After seeing the advert on TV for cheap eye surgery, I decided to look into it and booked a consultation (£30 which was taken off the final cost of the surgery). You are taken through the usual eye tests plus a few extra to see if you are a candidate for surgery and if so, which type. My prescription was -2.25 in each eye with a mild astigmatism in one eye. I was told I could go for epi-Lasek or Lasik. I decided to go for Lasik which was the most expensive option but I felt the best. I also opted for Intralase (where they make the incision with a laser rather than manually) and had to have Wavefront as I have large pupils. However, as the Wavefront procedure is more tailored to your individual eyes, I would have taken this option anyway. The consultation was with an Optician, not the surgeon. You do not meet the surgeon until the day of surgery. On the day of the surgery, I had a few quick eye tests and then a chat to the surgeon. Dr Patel was lovely and very quickly put me at ease. Then unfortunately, I had to wait about 3 hours before my surgery took place. This was due to one of the other surgeons having to leave for a personal emergency so Dr Patel was trying to cover. When it was time, I was taken into the first room where the incision was made. You have aesthetic eye drops which stop you from feeling anything and one eye is covered while the other is being worked on so once the incision has been made, you can't see anything either. The experience was a little uncomfortable as you have a ring fitted into your eye to keep your eye lids open and slight suction is applied to the eye before the incision which feels quite strange. I was then taken into the main theatre for the actual laser surgery. At this point, it was like looking through frosted glass as the incisions had been made but the flaps had not been yet opened. During the surgery, all you can see are tiny little coloured dots. The laser is quite loud and I did jump when it first started but you soon get used to this. There is also a slight smell of burning but this is by no means over-powering and dissipates very quickly. The whole procedure from start to finish takes about 15 mins. I was then led back to the waiting room and told to sit still, without talking whilst wearing sunglasses for about 30mins. After this time, the surgeon took another look at my eyes just to check everything was ok. I was then given all my drops and instructions and sent home. I did experience some pain about an hour after surgery but it just felt like i had shampoo in my eyes and after taking 2 ibuprofen and 2 paracetomol, the pain went away. Make sure you have someone with you to administer the eye drops on the first night as I found I was unable to. You have to sleep with eye guards taped to your face for the first week which is quite uncomfortable and also have to wear swimming goggles to shower. Ladies, no eye make-up for at least two weeks either. The next day, i went back for my first after care appointment. One eye was up to 20:20 vision but the other was taking a little longer to heal which is normal. I found I was very sensitive to light and wore my sunglasses inside and outside for the first week. I was back at work 3 days after surgery. Following my second aftercare appointment, I now have 20:20 vision in both eyes and couldn't be happier. You have to go through a couple of weeks of discomfort, wearing the eye guards, goggles, sunglasses and constantly putting eye drops in, but within a month this is all over and you are left with perfect vision!!! I'm very happy with the results and very pleased I chose to go with Optimax. One good hint, you can get money-off vouchers from eBay to reduce the cost of your surgery. I got £400 taken off the cost of mine.

I had epi-lasek with Wavefront carried out at Optimax Birmingham on 10th July 2008. The surgery was carried out by Dr Massilimani. I was -5 in my left eye and -5.75 with astigmatism in the right. I also have large pupils at 7mm. An added complication was that I have a partially detached retina repair in my left eye carried out 4 years ago. My initial consultation was with an optometrist who suggested I could have IntraLasik, which I was happy with, as it is the gold standard treatment. On treatment day, I was seen by Dr Massilimani who asked more about my previous eye surgery ( who did it, where and how it happened) and then said that he would only carry out epi-lasek surgery as it carried less risk of damaging my repaired retina. This made me extremely nervous as my research on laser eye surgery indicated that quite short sighted people were more prone to haze. The surgeon was confident that I was a low haze risk but I was still very scared. The surgery itself was very quick and painless but extremely nerve racking. The worst part is when you realise that burning smell is your eyeballs!! and then you start praying that it all goes well. I had bandage lenses fitted after surgery and it was amazing that straight away I could see, a bit blurry mind, but I could see. On the way home, my eyes were scratchy and sore, and I spent the next two days mostly in bed with the curtains drawn against the light. My eyesight was very blurry. After 3 days, I was about more but always with my sunglasses on, even in the house. The lenses were taken out on day 4 and the optometrist commented how well my eyes were healing. But things were still quite blurry and I was rather scared things wouldn't improve. Once the lenses were out my eyesight started to improve steadily and I could drive after a week although computer work was very difficult for about three Comment : weeks. I'm about 7 weeks post surgery and my eyes are fine. I can see at least as well as I could with glasses with only minor halos round streetlights at night, and no starbursts which I got with my glasses. I can live with these after effects. If you are considering this surgery I would say do your homework, know the types of surgery on offer, ask questions about corneal thickness etc, but don't automatically assume that the best treatment is the most expensive. Remember Lasik will cut a flap in your cornea and eye surgeons don't know if it ever truly heals, whereas epi-lasek is a surface treatment which means no flap and less structural damage to the eye. The end result takes longer to achieve with epi, could be up to 3 months, but it does get there. I'm glad I had epi-lasek rather than Lasik for this reason. Epi-lasek has more discomfort after surgery than Lasik but I did not find it unbearable. You must take dark sunglasses for after the surgery as normal daylight seems blinding, and wear them everywhere for the 1st week to protect yours eyes. There is gallons of eye drops to use and you will get used to putting them in. Above all, remember this is a one-way procedure, whichever you have, and there is NO going back. Most people are very happy with the outcome but there are always a few where it goes badly wrong. You must weigh up the pro's and con's of the surgery versus wearing glasses/ lenses.

I am delighted I can see!!! I dont know why I didnt do it sooner. Its the best thing ever!! If you are thinking about getting it done stop thinking and book an appointment now!! After 6 hours I could see perfectly. My right eye was 20:20 by the next Morning and my left after 2 days

From the minute I entered the Surgery the staff were wonderful,I was very nervous about what to expect from the operation. Dr. Manzar Saeed was very patient and answered all my questions and informed me fully on everything that was to be done. The surgery to my right eye was carried out with very little discomfort,less than 24hrs later my husband removed the protective pad and I was able to see clearly for the first time since I was a child without the aid of glasses. One week later I returned for treatment to my left eye this also went very well, I can now see perfectly with both eyes without the need for my heavy "Specs". I would like to thank Dr. Manzer Saeed and his brilliant staff for the way they treated me and made me feel so at ease.I cannot praise them enough and will recommend "Optimax" to all my friends. I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS YEARS AGO! Once again thank you

I was -5 on both eyes and got operated on the 12/02/10. So it's been almost 3 weeks now. My vision was perfect on the first night and seems to be at a constant level. Lights are still a bit hazy at this stage, though I feel this effect is vanishing slowly. Procedure was painless. I wish however that: 1-I had been explained clearly by the surgeon or staff what they were going to do (I didn't even know until the next day they had put me contact lenses to protect the cornea - I should have known that) 2-clinic feels a bit like a fabric. they operate in group of 10 and everything goes so fast. surgeon ok though not particularly talkative (a consultation of 2 minutes at most). However, up until now I do recommend. I have no problems working, driving at night, and dont need anything to read or see from afar. and the price was unbeatable.

I visited Optical Express, Ultralase and Optimax for consultations prior to going for treatment having been considering laser eye surgery for far too long. I immediately rules out Optical Express as I didn't feel they were at all professional - it just felt like a rather thorough eye test. I would have been happy to go with either of the other two but Ultralase wanted me to travel to Surrey whereas Optimax was much more local and considerably cheaper. I had treatment to both eyes last Friday (exactly 1 week ago) and the results are absolutely astounding. The treatment was painless apart from some pressure during the Intralase flap procedure but Dr Ayoubi talked me through every step of the way. Whilst in recover I started to be able to see and by the time I got home (about an hour or so after surgery) I could see quite well although my eyes were starting to get very sore and runny. I had been given some anaesthetic drops so after using those I went to bed and slept. The next morning I woke to better eyesight than I had ever had with glasses or contact lenses. I was grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat and looking out the window reading registration numbers and signs. I had a follow up appointment at 9.20am and was cleared to drive with 20:20 vision in 1 eye and 16:20 in the other - all this only 15 hours after surgery. As the week has gone on my eyesight has got better and better and today I have not really even noticed that I've had anything done. My eyes are no longer sore, not dry and only a little red still. If it wasn't for having to put drops in I'd be totally back to normal except with perfect vision. An incredible journey that I would highly recommend to anyone considering it. Don't just sit there - you're wasting your time - get on with it - it's incredible.

I had Lasik with Intralase and Wavefront and I must admit that the results are great but I paid 3,540 for this procedure in Aberdeen and looking at this website it seems that I have paid more than anyone else. I was surprised at the price especially when after I’d consulted with the doctor the nurse then took me straight upstairs without even speaking with the doctor to discuss prices??? Was not at all convinced by their pricing strategy when it was broken down. Where do they get these figures from? They definitely have a set price regardless of your prescription no matter what they say and I think a price depending on what city you’re in!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think it’s ridiculous that because Aberdeen is seen as the oil capital of the world that they feel justified in charging more than the rest of the UK. I would like to hear from anyone else in Aberdeen on the prices they paid.

I had PRK on my left eye in 1996. I had about -7.5 myopia, and they corrected for -6.02. (Presumably the .02 is so that their statistics don't get too badly messed up if anything goes wrong!). The (sound) idea was to leave me -1.5 to allow good reading vision in that eye. I seem to remember that the laser was stopped during the op. and I noticed that the light I was supposed to be looking at moved significantly, maybe because it was difficult to see it with all the tears that were flooding my eye. Eye healed very well and quickly with almost no pain, but after about a week I noticed that light sources at night were producing an irregular flare pattern, indicating a 'decentred ablation' which happens when the eye moves during the op. (Optimax have never admitted to this and say it's because of my 'irregular healing', but on the corneal map you can see it's off-centre by about 1.75mm. and I have 'induced astigmatism' of about +2.5). After 6 months the result was stable. I can see OK in bright sunlight, but night vision is really messed up. Optimax have been sympathetic, but despite promises, never really suggested a strategy to correct the problem. Luckily a high street optician recommended a gas-permeable contact lens which is only slightly more rigid than normal (not more expensive either) and smoothes out the cornea. So at night I can wear this to get 20/20 vision with no flare. The right eye is still untreated -8.00, so normally I wear a regular contact in this eye and nothing in the left eye and despite what they say, I have no problems caused by difference in image size in the two eyes. Also as I'm over 40, I do 'monovision' which means the right contact focuses for reading and the left eye is for distance.
In general I'm still glad I had the op. I can see some TV without correction and I'm waiting for the day when a reliable method of correcting my now-irregular cornea is available. The most promising method seems to involve first moulding a collagen lens to the cornea and simply retreating as on a normal eye. 'Custom ablation' using a flying-spot scanner doesn't seem to work. Either way I won't have the right eye done until the left is 20/20. I can't blame Optimax as they were pioneers and warned me of all the risks, although I think they were understated. On the consent form you more or less sign away your eyesight.
Also I think people like to exaggerate their claims for improved vision, saying things like 'I now have 20/20 vision' when they don't say what their night vision is like. Probably a lot of people who claim 20/20 vision shouldn't be driving at night. This is a new problem which didn't arise before corneal correction procedures.

PRK treatment - A testimony of laser eye surgery

The Consultation
Thursday April 18th 2002
Somerset Eye Clinic
Somerset Place
Glasgow

My full experience can be found at www.LASIK-eyes.co.uk/reviews/pt.htm

Please visit this site to follow my progress.