LASEK diary: one year on

This is the last in a series of posts describing my personal experience of having laser eye surgery in February 2012. To start at the beginning, go back to the first post in the series.

Fourteen months after my LASEK surgery, I have mostly forgotten about it. Which is to say, my vision is at least as good as it was before the surgery (with glasses). It’s a great outcome – the one I’d hoped for but feared might not happen.

My last contact with the clinic at Moorfields was back in November for my 6-month check-up. They did a sight test and I could actually read slightly more of the chart than I had been able to with my glasses on previously. This is a major result for me, especially as my eyesight with contact lenses was never as good as with glasses.

If I had to sum up my experience in a tweet, I’d say this: the procedure is quick and totally painless, it look much longer than I thought to heal (acceptable detailed eyesight took about 3 months) but LASEK has been brilliant for me.

14 comments

  1. Hi Simon, was great to read “success story”, thanks for Your posts! It’s a bit easier to know another people experience to see what to expect next and that someone felt same or similar and is ok now. (I dont know if you are interested in this what Im writing;)) I had Lasek on friday and the vision was quite okey untill todays midday. Maybe bacause its healing or maybe I used my phone too much. after reading your posts I made decision to try not use it when not really needed. Quite hard as theres nothing else to do except listening audio book.
    By the way, mu prescription was high – right eye (which is weaker) was -9.5. I read that lasek is not recommended and there might be some complications, but I still believe that everything will be ok and vision will be totally perfect without having another surgery.
    Good luck!
    Sonata

  2. Hi Simon

    I had Lasek 3 weeks ago and have found your diary of your experience so helpful thank you. At times I feel that i will never see as I did with glasses and so frustrating at work, driving etc I hope things get better but your diary been true and I can relate just want my vision back

  3. Great Blog, thank you! Just had my eyes done by LASEK in October 2018, now 3 weeks in it’s still quite blurry, especially the left eye. Need to be patient though and hopefully by the 3 month mark it will all be much better.

  4. What a great post! thank youi for sharing your journey. Wish I had found this last week or last month! I am now day 6 post LASEK. Unfortunately I did experience TERRIBLE pain for day 2 and 3. I was feeling OH so sorry for myself, many a tear shed on my own at home thinking ” what have I done!!!” I genuinely didnt cope well with the pain those days and went back to optical express on day 3 as i thought this cant be right- very little sleep and continued pain. i needed the pain killer drops often and i dont know now if they slowed the healing but dollowing a rap on the knuckles at the clinic on friday I was told- NO MORE DROPS and go cold turkey for 24 hours and a promise I would feel much better. They didnt lie- it was liek night and day waking up saturday morning. no more pain. some grittiness yes but no pain.I was so relieved. I am back to work today. My right eye is still a bit blurry and mild double vision. Left eye seems to be healing faster. its def clearer. Nonetheless no regrets at the moment. My prescription wasnt too bad before, (-2.00 both eyes) but I am a trainee surgeon and I do a lot of sports and i just got fed up asking people in theatre to slide my glasses back up my nose. Never wore contacts to work as I suffered with mega dry eyes so never felt comfortable to wear all day. They also became a faff for putting in adn taking out exercising and costing me a fortune! Anyway, i took the plunge to be rid of glasses and I am glad I have done it but like you, I hadnt reaised how long the healing would take and I do still worry Ill never have the same ‘sharpness’ i had with glasses. Next check up in 3 weeks to see how its all going and I hope by then I will see more improvement….particularly in the sharpness!

  5. Thanks for writing this! I’m having LASEK in a week’s time, so it really helps to read someone else’s experience. I’m sure I’ll be like you, frustrated at the healing process and worrying if I’d made a mistake, if my vision wasn’t going to end up being as good as I’d hoped. I just need to remind myself to be patient and re-read your blog!

  6. Thank you so much for these posts. I had Lasek two weeks ago and I am experiencing the same as you, I’m feeling frustrated that my vision is not crisper and yes my work colleagues are laughing at my font size on my screen ?, but I’m going to keep plugging in and I’m praying that my eyesight will improve. Generally back to normal day to day life and looking forward to 20/20.

    1. Hello how is your vision now I hope the recovery was comfortable, do u have any side effects like night vision : shadows on TV, glare, halos and starbursts?
      I did my lasek 2/3 and I got complication with epithelium healing because the doctor did use bandage contacts =( I regret this surgery and feel I ruined my life?

  7. Hi Samuel – I’m so sorry to hear that. Did your doctor manage to correct this through follow ups? It has now been eight years since my surgery and I do not have any real side effects aside from a small amount of haloing around lights at night – but I barely notice it.

  8. I read this blog many, many times before my Lasek treatment (12/3/21)

    It was a great read and a good insight of what lay ahead of me.

    Suffice to say I had a slightly easier time than you, I’m at 6 weeks now and probably about 85% of the way there.

  9. Hi, thanks for the blog, I had LASEK around 6 months ago and have had a traumatic time since then. My eyesight was significantly hazy, and prescription severely over corrected. I was -2 in both eyes prior to surgery and then ended up with +8 in both eyes. Over the last 5 months this has come down to +2.5 in both eyes, but I now have mild astigmatism on both eyes +1, and still have some haze and halos. My vision is at about 50%. I would be grateful if we could discuss further as it’s been tough getting through this and I haven’t met anyone who has had an experience like mine to be able to discuss it, thanks

    1. Hey Heena, I’m really sorry to read about your experience. Your experience sounds really difficult. I’m not sure what I can say that would be useful except to go back to the provider and/or get a second opinion from another surgeon who may be able to suggest ways forward to correct your vision.

  10. Simon, good honest blog thanks.

    Just had lasek for second time 15 years after my first procedure. Only had one eye done this time but both experiences were completely different.

    First time i was in agony, but recovered quickly and had 20/20 within 3 weeks of the procedure. This time I had no pain or real discomfort but struggling to adapt with my one eye computer work driving etc (however I’m only 3 weeks post op)

    A relief to hear (for me) that others have required more time to get the best results.

    Knocked one lens out of my glasses to get by for the interim.

    Hopefully patient will be a virtue

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