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Its an unfortunate story that is all too common in this vile industry. You expect a few rogues in most industries, but in this one it seems the vast majority are just out for what they can get and don't give a stuff about the customer/patient or the life long debilitating results of what they do.

I would suggest that you get some legal advice, speak to Sasha as she can guide you to some very good legal experts.

If you were not told about all the risks or any risks specific to you (very dry eyes in your case) then you may well have a case against them. But beware that this route is a long one, I've found that most of these guys in the industry know each other and cover each others backs, if you get my drift! So it's very difficult to get a true, unbiased expert opinion.

Hi Debs,

Sadly, your story is so similar to many of those on the site - I am happy to chat with you anytime, am based in Ireland - but if I can help I will.

Sasha has my details.

I had surgery a year ago but still feel no closer to accepting the problems I have been left with.

I believed my surgeon, Julian Stevens at Moorfields eye hospital, when he told me that I was a suitable candidate for laser surgery, despite that I had dry eyes, a low tear film and MGD!

Looking back now I wonder how I could possibly have just accepted the surgeon's opinion. I trusted him to give me all the facts, openly discuss the problems that may occur and tell me if I was taking a risk, but clearly this is not the way the industry works!

Post surgery my body went in to shock and I immediately suffered chronic dry eyes, and terrible floaters. I am also struggling to deal with burning eyes and blurred vision.

I have struggled for a year now to come to terms with this, but really need the support of others who understand how this has made me feel. I have spent hours chatting to all my friends and family but it is difficult for them to fully understand the impact this has had on my life.

I am reminded of the bad decision I made every second of my day, it is only when I get to bed at night that I finally relax, but in the morning it starts all over again!

I am a mother of three small children and somehow need to find a way of dealing with this. I am so angry with the industry, as I know you all are, that allows this to happen.

When I asked Mr Stevens why he thought I was a suitable candidate, his response was that if he had said no to me he would have to say no to half of the people who walk through his door! Clearly people of my age who are becoming intolerant of contact lenses, look for an alternative to wearing glasses full time - but how many in this group are offered surgery and end up with life changing complications because of it?

I am so angry that we are given the go ahead and not made fully aware that since our eyes are not completely healthy we are taking a risk! I am yet to get any surgeon to admit to this, but from what I have read now I cannot believe this is not the case!

I would love to hear from others in a similar situation as I am hoping that through supporting each other we may be able to rebuild our lives and learn to live again.

I look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks, Debs.

The only time I saw the surgeon was when being taken through for surgery, he sat me on a chair, shined a light in my eyes for about 90 seconds and mumbled that he will see me in the next room in a few mins for the surgery, that was it, no discussion of the procedure, nothing about the treatment he proposed or anything. Worst of all he neglected to explain ANY of the huge risks to me.

Even after the surgery, I was going back to the OE branch every few weeks and asking to see the surgeon and they would not let me.

In my opinion he obviously did not want to see me as he probably knew that he had permanently damaged my eyes. The excuses they gave me each time were comical, it just shows how this awful company operate.

I asked to see my surgeon...was told he was busy, when I tried to insist, I was told to wait until 5pm, (this was 11 am) not exactly the service Schallhorn described on BBC Radio 5 Live Invetsigates...

Not sure if anyone noticed, OE changed their google search. Prior to BBC 5, they praised on their 1500+ positive feedback on google. However, if you search on OE now, they did not disclose the feedback anymore.

The net is closing in on these cowboys!

Schallhorn spouting total rubbish today got me fuming, i'd like to to know his opinion on whether I was suitable for surgery as their optoms said I was - a perfect candidate apparently)! Yet some of the most renowned surgeons in this industry are quite shocked that OE operated on me, and, in the words of one specialist, he wouldn't go near anyone with the lasers that OE use!

Its downright lies, they may well turn away some people but they put through far too many who should not be operated on, then they hope they can ride out the 3 year litigation period with false promises of fixes.

It made me chuckle when Schallhorn went on about informed consent and how it's so important - then why did I never see the consent form until right before surgery? OE has a separate extended consent form for people like me with large pupils which I was never given.

Does he think an optom telling blatant lies just to get me to sign up to surgery is informed consent, because if it were I'd have run a mile, just like any normal person would.

And as for seeing the surgeon before surgery, total crap, I saw the surgeon for about 90 seconds prior to surgery, I was never offered the opportunity or told I could see him any time before as Schallorn says is the case!

In fact, every time after my surgery when I kept asking to see the surgeon they would not let me, telling me on one occasion that he wasn't there because his house had burned down!

The clock is ticking for this company, and I really cannot wait for my day in court.

I sincerely hope they try and bring Schallhorn into things as I'd love to see him go against the surgeon who gave his expert opinion on my case - Professor Harminder Dua, President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists!

OE solicitors must be already writing the writs to serve on John McDonnell, Harminder Dua, and Sasha Rodoy tomorrow.

They'll naturally be suing the BBC as well for allowing a respected MP and the President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists to slander them on 5LIve today!!

Just because Steve Schallhorn is OE Global MD & has shares in Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) who manufacture the MPlus lens OE use for RLE surgery will not of course affect his honesty.

All the stories on this website are lies too because OE said Craig Mellor didn't have any vision problems caused by surgery!!

Mr Schallhorn is telling the truth because he works for a reputable company who wouldn't employ anyone who's untrustworthy .

My blood is boiling as I listen to Steven the Snake on BBC Radio 5 live Investigates.

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