Bloody eye

Hello. I'm so happy I have come across this site as I wondered whether I was the only one. I wish I was as I cannot believe Optical Express have destroyed so many people's lives!!!!

I had Laser Eye Surgery in 2009 at Westfield. I was around -8 prescription and so excited to not need glasses/contacts anymore - I had saved up the £4000 for the treatment (which I originally thought would be under £1000) so it was a big expense for me.

I was only 21, however, the surgeon assured me that my eyes were stable and I was ready for surgery. They also guaranteed a lifetime of eyecare, until "natural degradation" in my older years. I remember double checking this with the surgeon, however it was only AFTER the surgery I realised there was a limit of 4 years. The surgery itself was fine, yet despite them saying I would be fit for work just 2 days after the procedure, I was not! Not for weeks! I could barely see and was in a lot of pain, partly because an infection had developed in one of my eyes. It soon healed, however scarring, dry eyes, and big black floaters started to dominate my vision. I had an episode when I lost vision in my left eye and had to go to hospital.

I kept returning to Optical Express for tests as my vision was blurry (this was during my years in Liverpool at University), but they continued to assure me I had 20/20 vision. This had to be impossible as I couldn't read bus numbers or text from medium distances, and it was very uncomfortable to read or use a computer.

Eventually, after about 6 appointments they admitted my eyes had in fact regressed to -1.5 and so I asked about top-up surgery. They told me I was just on the cusp of my guarantee, so would speak to 'management' and for me to wait for them to contact me. They never did, so after a couple of months I went back in. I was told I would have to pay for surgery. I said I couldn't afford it and I would just have to have glasses, and they gave me a free pair of glasses as an apology.

The glasses gave me headaches as they felt too strong, so I didn't wear them. The optician even advised me not to wear them as they would make my eyes worse, so I thought I could just live with it. Now, a year later, my new job in a school is getting impossible with my blurry vision as I can't even read the board. I went in today for a test and they said my eyes were now stable (warning sirens!!) and my best option would be top-up surgery. I said it depended on price, and whether I could get a reduction. The optician came back, and said it would be £3,900, even though my prescription is tiny in comparison to before! I laughed!!

I'm just going to go with glasses now, but I'm so annoyed that the surgery was such a waste of money that I'd worked so hard to save, and has left me with terrible floaters, blurry vision, halos and dry eyes. They say it only happens to 5% of people who have surgery. I think they lie!!

Where did you have surgery Neave?
I had this treatment and am very unhappy with the results. The surgeon I went to was full of himself and as good as guaranteed me perfect vision straight away afterwards. This was a couple of months ago and I'm still waiting for the wonderful result I was sold to kick in!!

Was hoping to find out how the outcome of others who have had the relatively new Relex SMILE procedure? Two weeks post op and still very blurry and hazy...

Lasek victim also. I've been to hell and back Karl since having this surgery. I can tell you that if you go ahead with this surgery and end up with recurrent corneal erosions like me you wont know what's hit you. Horrific pain, temporary blindness on top and blurred vision for up to 6 weeks later until it heals, the list goes on. This is no joke. It's unforgivable for these companies to take our money and not warn you of the proper risk and life changing disasters that go with this surgery. There's been times I wanted to put a gun to my head and end it all. Don't go there, keep your precious eyes and love them right now, mine have never been the same.

My eyes are so bad 4 yrs on after lasek and I still can't believe I let someone do this to me!

Do yourself a big favour and spend the money on something safe that you can look back at with pleasure. Don't risk ruining your eyes like I did. I thought surgeons weren't doing lasek anymore and even if it's not OE you need to be careful!

Karl, please listen to the good advice you are being offered here. I have been in terrible pain, ever since my lasek 7 years ago. Nothing has improved, my eyesight is terrible and getting worse, and only a corneal transplant could hope to repair some of the damage; this would lead to more complications and is not an option. The endless physical pain, wears me down, and at times I wish I could end my life. I was not treated at Optical Express. Even surgeons at Moorfields have left people with serious complications and been sued.
You could be the next victim!Do you really want to risk your precious eyes?

I implore you not to go ahead with any elective eye surgery with ANY surgeon! Were you told that PRK/lasek permanently destroys the Bowmans layer (google it) of the cornea? I'll bet you weren't.
There are cases where Bowmans layer grafts have been put in to strengthen eyes affected by Keratoconus, so removing this layer must be detrimental. Also, do not underestimate the awful disruption to your life that the extended 'recovery' from these ops may cause, and that your eyes may actually never recover, and you'll be in a daily living nightmare like countless others. I had contact with a man in the USA who suffered horrendously (and may still be) from lasek. He said his surgeon was educated at Harvard, but I had to gently point out that that this doesn't really mean anything as far as to what the result of the ops could be. You have the benefit of viewing all this warning material that most damaged patients didn't, and remember this vital fact - once your eyes are ruined, they will stay ruined!

I went to OE and they told me I was suitable for LASIK surgery. Then I found this website and decided not to go ahead.

I went to an independent surgeon instead and had over 3 hours of extensive tests, on at least 9 different machines with other manual tests, compared to 3 machines at OE and all done in less than an hour.

The verdict was that I am not suitable for LASIK eye surgery due to the fact that my cornea layer is too thin and the risks of LASIK could result in a haze in my vision afterwards.

This was not picked up by OE who were keen for me to have LASIK eye surgery.

The surgeon has recommended PRK/LASEK surgery and was honest in saying that there will be some post op discomfort and the healing process takes longer than LASIK.

I have now booked my surgery with this surgeon at a total cost of £3550 compared to OE's quote of £4600 for the incorrect proposed treatment.

Thanks again

Hi everyone,
I'm 27 years old and underwent Lasik surgery a month ago at Optical Express after being given the 'hard sell'.
I was concerned that I wouldn't be eligible for the surgery as my prescription changes every 6 months, but I was initially quoted £5000 which could be reduced to £3000 if I had the surgery within two weeks of the consultation.

£5000 was way out of my price range so I felt like I had to go with the cheaper option.

Mr Muhammad S Kazmi was my surgeon. After he'd done a few quick tests and I was walking in to the operating room he casually said that due to my unusual prescription there was a chance of the surgery not working as well as it should. I was really nervous about the surgery so didn't question it further like I would if he'd told me before that point.

A month later and I'm really struggling at work and socially. My vision is blurred, I find it hard to focus on mid/distance and everything seems to 'swim'. I come home from work exhausted and feel so anxious that i regularly have to hide in the loo and calm myself down.

At my one week follow up I was told that everything was fine and that I was just taking longer to heal than usual. Since then nothing has improved, if anything I feel worse.

I was also told after the surgery that I had a lazy eye (I didn't know this) so I'm really concerned that
a) I shouldn't have had the surgery
b) things won't ever improve
c) i've lost my life savings!

Does anyone have any advice for me at my next check up on Saturday?

Thanks in advance, and I'm so glad to have found this site

I originally had Lasik in December which wasn't very successful and had an 'enhancement' in July, which didn't work either.

This has also left me with a 'haze' in my left eye. I went for (yet another) check up today and left with a pair of glasses!!!!

They told me to come back in a couple of months when they would see if I was suitable for yet another 'enhancement'!

Do I take a chance on having surgery again our just count my losses (£3,000) and stick with glasses??

Or can I get my money back if it didn't work? Don't know where I stand on this one. Anyone have any suggestions?
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