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Testimonials Jan 04 - June 04
Review by Daniel
Blackman - Posted on 21/06/2004 - Rating:5/5
I've worn glasses since I was 4 years old, and as far as I can remember,
Ive never been able to see at all, looking out without glasses was like
looking out of a frosted glass window. When at 18, my eyes started rejecting
contact lenses, I had to go back to wearing glasses, and being a -10 in
both eyes, (SERIOUSLY short sighted!) despite really good glasses, it
was still obvious that I had very strong glasses. Since Id always hated
wearing glasses, and wanted my freedom back I was amazed when the opportunity
came up for me to have my eyes corrected. The op itself was absolutely
painless, although an intense experience. The way I would sum it up, its
like watching a very intense laser show, I would say intense enough that
I was glad it was over, but certainly not anywhere near enough to stop
me from doing it again if it was ever needed. The second I got up off
of the operating table, I could see everybodys faces, the feeling was
amazing. One day Post-op, and although still Hazy, I was 20/20 in my right
eye, and - 0.25 in my left eye, something I don't even notice, in fact,
there are days when my left is better than my right! the staff couldnt
have been kinder, and they always remembered me the second I got in the
clinic, nor did I wait for any amount of time at all, all in all, they
give amazing service, and they couldnt be friendlier. two weeks post op,
and I can see perfectly, I can drive, watch the TV, even some of my friends
who are 20/20, can't see as well as me now, (a frightening thought!) And
now, I cannot wait until I can go and jump in a swimming pool, and not
worry about glasses or the fact I won't be able to see people in there!
Post Op care couldnt be better either, no waiting, no fuss, straight in,
straight out. So I would like to say thankyou to accuvision for restoring
my sight, I can never ever thankyou enough, it has completely changed
my life. And finally, I'd like to say thankyou to my grandparents, they
are the ones who paid for the operation, without them, Id still be wishing
I had the freedom that I have been given, Ill never be able to thank them
enough. So come to accuvision, some are cheaper, but I doubt very much
you'd get the same care and service!
Review by Ruma
Fowdar - Posted on 08/06/2004 - Rating:5/5
I have been wearing glasses for over 35 years, lenses for at least 15
years. I am a boots opticians patient/client. I have very high prescription,
-13R and -10L ,including stigmatism.Thus this makes me a very difficult
case. For the past five years or so, I have been reading about laser treatment,
at the boots opticians in Edinburgh where I live. Again and again I was
told my prescription could not be corrected by laser. I was disappointed.
Then came the magic age 40, when vari-focals would be a difficult issue
for me to come to terms with, given my high prescription. So I started
hunting again this year in march, to see if any so called more advanced
laser clinic could treat me. My husband who is very good at surfing the
net came up with 7 laser clinic in Scotland and England. 6 laser clinic
refused me (including Ultralase and London vision clinic). One clinic
did not only accepted me to be treated, but also fully corrected my vision.
today I have 20/20 vision, no glasses required, I can drive and do all
my normal activities. Its a miracle for me to be able to see with my own
eyes since the 20th May 2004. YES THE MIRACLE CLINIC IN THE UK IS ACCUVISION
CLINIC. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THE WHOLE TEAM AT ACCUVISIN IS THE VERY BEST,
FROM COSULTATION,TO SURGERY PLUS FOLLOW UP AND AFTERCARE. On 18 march
I had my initial consultation with Vikash Patel,he took all his time despite
it was late afternoon and he answered all my questions. After few minutes,
Vikash did some figures and told me and my husband that both my eyes could
be corrected at accuvision. I was shocked and my eyes were full of tears.
He explained all the figures about the thickness of cornea and residual,
size of pupil and shape of cornea. I JUST TOLD VIKASH ITS A MIRACLE IF
THIS HAPPENS. Then I booked my appointment for the 20May, yet again I
had some questions to ask, which Darius clarified with such simplicity
that convinced me to go for the surgery. I reached the clinic at 10am
on the 20 May,welcome by Vikash and other members of the team.After a
few eye test I was taken to the theatre by Darius to "rock and Roll"as
he called it. I was very nervous, but there was a wonderful nurse who
held my hand throughtout, Darius was talking to me to settle me in position
for the surgery. My eyes were flooded with solutions. Darius asked me
to look at the green and red dot, but these were patches to me not dot.Within
2-3 mins my right eye was done and he moved to the left eye which was
flooded with solutions again. Somewhere within that last 5 mins I saw
a green dot and I told myself Ruma you can see with your own eye. When
both eyes were done I sat up and could see across the room! this was about
10.30am, I could not believe what I had gone through, was it a dream or
reality. YES IT WAS REAL I COULD SEE WITH MY EYES. Darius had a quick
look at my eye and said it was very good and Nick had a look as well.
Then I walked to the waiting room where my family was waiting for me,
I saw my daughter and husband.What a relief it was to see with my own
eye. I followed all the aftercare, hourly drop and keep eyes closed as
much as possible. Friday morning went for the check up and Vikash took
the bandage lens off and put a new one,(taking the lens off in left eye
was a bit painful). Well I had to come back on sat and sun again to replace
my dirty lens. I was exceptionally grateful to Vikash who came to the
clinic over the week end. -I dont think this special care and attention
to a patient would be provided by another clinic- The surgery itself is
not painful, it happens so quickly. Now I have done my weekly check up
and my second week visit on 3 June. vision is getting better day by day.
Now All I have to say is a very Big Thank You to the whole team at Accuvision.
They are the expert in the field of laser surgery and have the most latest
technology and equipment. I would definitely recommend any person to Accuvision,
they are very good and friendly, thorough in their approach and very professional.
To have all the above under one roof is exceptional. Finally I would like
to thank aii the testimonials on this site as I read quite a few before
my surgery and they are a real boost. It is very sad that other laser
clinic tell you , that you cannot be treated when they should very well
know that Accuvision can do it. God bless the Accuvision team.
Review by Neil
Parker - Posted on 2/06/2004 - Rating:5/5
I had my surgery at Accuvision on 17th May 2004, about two weeks after
the consultant at Boots Laser Eye care said that I was not suitable for
surgery due to the thickness of my corneas. When Boots calculated the
remaining thickness as would be post op with them, it was 220 microns.
The consultant also said in response to my questioning, that despite any
future improvements in technology, I would never be a suitable candidate
for Lasik laser eye surgery. I am delighted to say that I did not quit
at this stage, but after further research visited Accuvision who were
extremely helpful and professional in their approach. They demonstrated
how they would be able to operate and leave 330 microns post op with them.
This is exactly what they have done. I had my operation at 4.00pm and
on my check up at 10.00 the next morning I had 20/20 vision in one eye
and better than 20/20 in the other, and this is without Wavefront treatment.
I would not hesitate to recommend Accuvision above all of the other laser
eye surgeries I have spoken with, and this includes Moorfields. Thank
you.
Neil Parker
Review by Fiona
- Posted on 19/05/2004 - Rating: Not Applicable
I have just been assessed for surgery by Nick - he was very patient, explained
everything very clearly and so far I am very impressed with Accuvision.
I would love to hear from other patients who have a similar prescription
to mine: about -5 in both eyes. Pupils just over 6mm. I would especially
like to hear from anyone who has a high level of *irregular* astigmatism
(coma). Please e mail me, whether you are pre or post surgery, I would
love to hear your opinions/experiences.
Review by Haitham
- Posted on 18/05/2004 - Rating:5/5
Will the Doctor recommend Wave Front Surgery and I did not even hesitate.
Why? Simply; the best equipments, the best care “PRE & POST
operation” and of course an excellent doctor. I know £2900
is expensive…but you know what, it worth every single penny.
Review by Celeste
Upshaw - Posted on 12/05/2004 - Rating:5/5
From about the age of 13 things changed, and not for the better. Not only
was I subjected to wear the most unflattering pair of NHS glasses available,
but my distinctive over bite meant I had to wear a retainer......I cringe
to think of it even now, what with being in the choir and extra curricular
activites, I never came close to being popular. Because I was a dancer
I was eventually introduced to wearing hard contact lenses, painful but
apparently necessary as I was young and soft lenses could result in infections.
About four years ago I accidently sat on my glasses and never bothered
to find another pair. I was wearing my soft lenses every day, all day.
I was constantly haunted by the thought that I could be causing long term
damage to my eyes. Everybody seemed to know about lasik eye surgery but
no one I knew had actually been through it. They were however exceptionally
keen for me to experience it and report back to them. I'd seen adverts
for Accuvision and had my consultation. The main thing that struck me
was that they didn't treat you like a number. They throughly examined
my eyes. Nick and Mike didn't fill my head with guarantees but said that
in my case it would be a straight forward procedure. The following week
I went to have the surgery done. I can honestly say that they made me
feel so comfortable and had answered all my questions that I felt fully
prepared. It was very quick and painless and there was a nurse right by
my side. Over the next few days the blurry that I was warned about gradually
lifted and I have perfect 20/20 vision!! I was even driving 48hrs later.
Its strange how quickly you become used not wearing lenses. The aftercare
was hugely important and prevented me from any discomfort or risk of infection,
there was even a 24 hour helpline that would be answered by a member of
the clinical team. I was treated as a completely new case and felt like
it was customised to my exact requirements. Right after the surgery, whilst
still on the bed, the consultant asked me "If you grew a third eye
and you needed to have it done again, would you?" I replied without
any hesitation and a smile on my face "in a heart beat".
Review by Diane
Lewis-Cole - Posted on 12/05/2004 - Rating:5/5
AccuVision has changed my life. With their knowledge,their care, their
service,their state of the art equipment, making me be a part of "their"
team and proving to me "seeing IS believing" Excellant results
excellant staff and consultants, without a doubt! I HIGHLY recommend AccuVision
as their advanced techniques allowed me to be able to see both distance
and reading. "Mono vision" as it is called, done at the PERFECT
balance, with state of the art percision, has given me COMPLETE freedom,
even though I am 55 and all the other places could not correct both conditions,
AccuVision has been able to do this.I will be eternally gratefull to them
forever for releasing me from my glasses. When I left there yesterday
after my 5 day post op one of the partners said to me "thank You
for entrusting us with your eyes," I replied "no Thank YOU for
giving me to privledge of the journey.
Review by Mina
Patel - Posted on 06/05/2004 - Rating:5/5
Excellent after care, very knowledgeable and proffessional consultants,
superb surgeon!
Review by Gill
Burgess - Posted on 06/05/2004 - Rating:5/5
I have always been very short sighted (-6.75)and wore hard lens for some
28 years. About 3 years the tolerance went and I moved to soft lens. Since
August 2003 I had repeaed eye infections and at Christmas 2003 got to
the stage where I knew I would have to wear glasses constantly. I went
to my local Nuffield Hospital and saw a consultant who treated the recurrent
eye-infections and discussed laser with me. He recommended Moorfield Eye
Hospital and I rang them. I found them to be very unfriendly and unhelpful.
At the same time a friend passed me an article on Accuvision so I rang
them and found them to be fantastically helpful. Vik did my initial consultation
and did not promise life free of glasses and explained the risks and benfits.
I booked to have it done and then my eye-infections got worst. I was using
anti-biotics went for the operation and Nick Jacobs would not do it because
of the residual infection. He booked it again for a month ahead. During
that month I went back to my own consultant and was treated with antibiotic
tablets, steriod eye drops antihistimin eye drops and I am glad to say
it cleared up. I went back on 25 March 2004 and boy was I scared. The
procedure however did not hurt - a little scary but no pain. When I got
up from the table I could see Nick Jacobs face (the first time ever to
see a face without glasses or lens). On the way back to the car I could
read reg numbers. I kept waiting for the pain but it did not come. My
eyes felt a little tired but that was all. I howeve slept most of the
day. My 7.00pm I was looking around and could see perfectly. It kept improving.
I was driving on Saturday 48 hours later. My eyes were corrected to monovision
- one was totally corrected and the other less so that I would be able
to read. I can see distance and read without glasses. I cannot recommend
Accuvision enough for the professionalism, kindness and care. Whilst I
could recommend other people to have it done I would have it done again
and am just sorry I did not have it done before and if you are going to
have it done go and see Accuvision. Thank you.
Review by Toby
Dean - Posted on 30/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
I did masses of research prior to taking the plunge with Accuvision and
taking on the surgery (March 25th). I can honestly say that I can't fault
Accuvision, they are both higly professional whilst at the same time friendly
and relaxed. You feel in remarkably safe hands. Ofcourse there are nerves
and doubts and you should only do this surgery once you have come to terms
with your own situation. Suffice to say that my vision in both eyes is
now 20-15 and bordering on being even better- crazy really. If you're
thinking about this surgery I strongly advise you to speak to Accuvision-
consultancy is free so you have nowt to lose.
Review by Karen
Darley - Posted on 27/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
Thank you Accuvision! seems inadequate. I contacted Accuvision after personal
recommendation & research, as a different clinic I had previously
attended left me with doubts. The whole team were brilliant, from the
first consultation with Vic, surgery (mar'04),aftercare,they are professional
& caring and I had 100% confidence. My sight BL was -6.5/7 with steep
corneas. It's now 20/20 or better. I keep smiling and am enjoying the
freedom.
Review by Roy
Morris - Posted on 13/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
I am probably the most cynical person in the country but had been wanting
to have my eyes lasered for some time but fear and not wanting to become
a "guinea-pig" delayed me.I have only just had it done less
than two weeks ago. I have experienced no pain whatsoever and hardly any
inconvenience at all,in fact I am writing this text with no glasses for
the first time in 30years.I was incredibly long sighted and found wearing
spectacles a drag,not from vanity,butinconvenience,when it rained I couldn't
see properly and they would steam up when I went indoors.I also used to
suffer lots of headaches but I haven't had one since the treatment! Other
companies would not or could not help my very long sight but Accuvision
did.They were so reassuring and professional right from the offset,explaining
everything in a way that I could understand.I would recommend them highly
and even more they are the most friendly bunch of people you could ever
hope to meet. Thanks for changing my life Accuvision! Roy Morris.
Review by Paul
Petsa - Posted on 15/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
I can start by saying that, like a lot of other people that end up having
their procedure at Accuvision, my eyesight was very poor. -8.5 with around
a -3.0 astigmatism. Blind as a bat.
After extensive research on the internet and in usergroups on the procedural options, the technology, the risks, the clinics and the surgeons and after three whole years of thinking about it, I finally booked an appointment for a consultation with Accuvision.
I felt the consultation, which was mostly with Vik, was very professional, unrushed and very truthful - he started off by saying that being completely free of glasses or contact lenses may not be a realistic outcome. However, after the tests, which showed that luckily I had above average corneal thickness, Vik said that they could at least aim for that outcome.
I had been wearing Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses for most of the past 20 years (I am now 38) and so had to wear glasses for a month before the procedure. I finally had the procedure on the 5th of March and I was very very nervous. Less so about the procedure itself and more about the outcome. The procedure is very scary but completely painless. The outcome though is worth absolutely every bit of research that I did and far outweighs the cost.
I will be attending my one month check up on Monday and I fully expect to be told that I am 20/20 or maybe just slightly less. It's been that way from about the second day. I have had halo's around bright lights but that was expected with my prescription and is improving day by day. It was never bad enough to impact driving at night.
I can't recommend to anyone that they should definitely have the procedure as it is very much dependent on your personal circumstances. However, I would say that if you are going to have it done, you should seriously consider Accuvision and at the very least, see them for a consultation, it is free after all
Review by Tasha
Beetlestone - Posted on 07/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
I'm 18 yrs old and have worn glasses since i was 3. I went for my consultation
at Accuvision on March 1st. Everyone was so friendly and genuine and I
felt very at ease. In the consultation, I was told that there was always
the chance that I may still need to wear glasses or contact lenses even
after the surgery if I still wanted to go ahead with it.
I was a particularly difficult case, with the vision in my right eye being dramatically worse than that of my left eye. Also, I had astigmatism, large pupils and thin corneas which would mean that the end result may not have been as good. All this was explained to me in a friendly way and it wasn't at all intimidating or scary, so I decided to go ahead with the procedure, with my hopes being realistic and being fully prepared that I may still need glasses occasionally.
I had the surgery on April 1st, and now six days later, I'm thrilled with the result! I no longer have to wear glasses at all, and everything has healed up very quickly. On the check up the day after, Vikash was very pleased with my progress so early on and so was I. I have to say thank you to everyone at Accuvision for literally changing my life. And the lovely nurse who held my hand!
Review by Shinta
- Posted on 07/04/2004 - Rating:5/5
I decided to have my eye op done with Accuvision after did my research
about them and reading their excellent reviews online. Came to Accuvision
for a consultation on March 18, 2004 and my op was on the following week,
March 25. Nick Jacobs is a very friendly surgeon and everybody at Accuvision
are great and helpful towards me that time. They made me feel relax during
the operation and tobe honest the op was painless that time. I could say,
you would feel more pain going to the dentist (to have a polish or fill)
than having your lasik eyes done . Few days after the surgery, my vision
was fluctuating and hazy a bit.This was normal as it would improve in
the next couple days. One week after the op, I have an excellent vision,
at night time a bit of haloes and starbursts but not much really, doesn’t
really disturb me at all in looking at road at night. I was a bit paranoid
at the first week with my eyes, got my eye shield cover on for 8 nights,
wearing goggles when I have my shower /bath, wearing sunglasses in/outside
the house. Now almost 2 weeks after the op. I can tell you that I am very
happy with my new eyes. I could watch the telly without my specs, driving
my car wearing my trendy sunglasses. At night time, the haloes glares
and starbursts not bad at all, they seems normal to me as far as I can
see, I cant tell you much different the glares, haloes from when I was
still wearing specs before with my new eyes now. I am very happy with
the result. Now I have a pair of wonderful eyes with perfect vision. Accuvision
have made my dream come true, thank you for all the excellent care.
Review by simon
falk - Posted on 31/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
I am an Optometrist who has worn contact lenses for 29 years. Having reviewed
LASIK at most of the clinics, there was no doubt in my mind from a professional
and personal opinion where I should have surgery. I had expectations of
only being able to see as well as I did in contact lenses, this has been
surpassed. It was painless and the sequence of events mirroed what all
members of staff spoke about. My patients who enquire about LASIK will
be referred in only one direction.
Review by Daniel
Blackman - Posted on 24/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
I went for a consultation at accuvision on the 22nd of march, 2004, and
found the whole experience very pleasant and easy going, the second me
and my parents walked in we were attended to, everyone was very friendly
and we were offered a coffee while we waited, not that we would have had
much time to drink it, the service was that good! :)
On to the consultation, which was very thorough, and Vikash was very clear,
any questions we might have had were answered before we even managed to
ask them, and I was delighted to find that despite a prescription of -9
and -10, with astigmatism, there was a 90% chance I wouldnt need glasses
after surgery.
Vikash even suggested that i wait until after i finished my finals for
my degree in June, before I have it done because the slight discomfort
afterwards might affect my studying, what a good guy.
We were really impressed with that, shows that they werent bothered about
rushing you through the door, no "hard sell" stuff, they were
bothered about me and my eyes, not selling me the "goods". so
to speak.
So, i suspect ill have my eyes done sometime in June, I already have complete
confidence on accuvision and will report as soon as Ive had them done
Thanks Accuvision!
Review by Lisa
Gantly - Posted on 11/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
I have worn glasses since the age of 7 - 17 and contact lenses for the
last 12 years and have been wanting my eyes "done" for as long
as I care to remember. I was told about wavefront by my optician and that
it could treat lower prescriptions and astigmatism etc... This is how
I came across Accuvision. I had 3 consultations before my surgery last
July and I have gone from -9 / -9.75 with astigmatism to 20/20. It is
the most amazing thing I have ever been through (even childbirth - and
I'm about to do that again!!!) NO PAIN, NO DISCOMFORT, I was done on a
Monday and back at work and driving on the Thursday. It did take a few
months for the night vision to settle but at my 6 month check up everything
was perfect and has been since. I would highly recommend Accuvision to
anyone considering laser surgery
Review by Rob
Davey - Posted on 10/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
Op Date: 26th Feb 2004, Wavefront, £2900 total. Now almost 2 weeks
since my operation and I could not be happier. The pre and post op staff
are excellent, always explaining everything well and ensuring I was happy
with the process. Service on the day was more brisk, but I appreciated
that as I didn't want to mess around. Some people may have expected more
preparation on the day but I suspect that the team knew how I wanted to
be treated and would take more time with some other patients. The procedure
was completely painless but at the same time was one of the horrific experiences
of my life. I hate things touching my eyes so maybe it was worse for me
but the array of clamps, tools and liquid that they put in your eyes was
truly terrifying. Concentrating on the green light was very difficult
while they are doing god knows what to your eye! You do smell burning
flesh but that was the least of my worries. Having said all that I could
not be more pleased with the result. Vision has been excellent since the
next day and has steadily improved over the last 2 weeks. I have always
had dry eyes in the past and vision is not perfect when they get dry but
a couple of drops solves that problem which is becoming far less frequent
now. I can read most of the bottom line on an eye chart with both eyes
together which I had not expected at all. Accuvision have been excellent
all they way, I can not recommend them highly enough.
Review by Roland
Steel - Posted on 08/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
Operation Date 16/2/04.
I had an op booked with Maxivision through Optical Express but became
increasingly concerned about the ability of the surgeons there to carry
out the op. Their continuous backtracking and uncertainty led me to cancel
the procedure. I then contacted Accuvision to whom I explained the situation
and also that I had already booked time away from work for this operation.
They promptly booked me in for a consultation at which my suitability
for surgery was confirmed. My left eye already had better than 6/5 vision
but my right eye was an unaided 6/21 and at best corrected 6/7.5-2 with
a prescription of +3.25 increasing to +6.25 with the eye relaxant drops
inserted. I am 37 and this imbalance had been in place all my life, but
for quite important personal reasons I needed this correcting as best
as possible. The surgery aimed to correct 4 dioptres of vision and was
completely painless. There wasn't even the degree of discomfort during
the procedure that I was told to expect. Following the op I rested and
returned the next day for a check-up. The op had exactly corrected 4 dioptres
and I was able to read to 6/7.5 unaided. During the following week I discontinued
the use of the antiseptic drops as directed and found no need for the
artificial tears as my eye felt completely normal. At the 1 week follow-up
appointment the surgeon was unable to even detect where the flap had been
taken from my eye such was the level of healing and precision of the replacement
of the flap following the op. Amazingly I could now even pick out some
of the letters on the 6/6 eye chart which showed that my vision had been
corrected to a degree I never expected to achieve. From being unable to
recognise faces and all but the largest of newspaper headlines I can now
read the small print on a bottle of eye drops and write this email using
my right eye. My vision has been corrected to a degree I never expected
possible and I would recommend Accuvision to anybody considering lasik
surgery
Review by carol
dennison - Posted on 05/03/2004 - Rating:5/5
13 months post-op - having purposely left my comments until now I can
honestly say that I am ecsatic with the results. My vision was -3.00 in
one eye and -3.25 in the other. I chose the monovision option so that
I can put off needing reading glasses for as long as possible. I am 39.
I now have 20 - 20 vision, my night vision is perfectly fine and I wake
up every morning so thankful that I can see clearly out of the window
without having to put on specs. I can only suggest to anyone considering
surgery that they don't let money be an issue, do as much research as
poss to know what the procedure actually does, listen very carefully to
what you're advised is a realistic outcome at consultation and follow
post-op instructions to the letter. Accuvision's level of professionalism
and patient care surpassed all my expectations, thank you so much!
Review by Tom
Padgham - Posted on 21/02/2004 - Rating:5/5
15 months post-op - I keep meaning to post comments on this site because
I remember when I was investigating the surgery that I found it very frustrating
that hardly anyone posts comments after a year or more after their surgery.
The reason I haven't done yet is that my vision is so good that I forget
about all the frustrations I used to have with glasses and contact lenses.
For a brief history of my prescription and operation see my posting of
27th Nov 2002 on page 10. Suffice it to say, I had very bad eyesight.
I now have 20/20 vision using both eyes in good conditions. Night vision
is fine. I notice a difference when I am very tired and in low light,
but much better than it was with contact lenses when they would dry out.
At first after the surgery I worried constantly about protecting my eyes
and whether I had made the right decision or not. I now only worry occasionally
and for the most part really enjoy having 'normal' vision. I know Accuvision
are expensive and other clinics are hopefully catching up on the technology,
but when I had my surgery done, they were the best. They don't have a
100% success rate, but no surgery does. It is a decision that only the
individual can make and it really is their responsibilty. My advise would
be to wait as long as you can to have the surgery done as there are no
long term examples of lasik surgery. If you feel you must have it done,
do your eyes a favour and find the best clinic you can regardless of the
money as you only have one pair of eyes, but you can buy another pair
of glasses if they break. Don't forget, I am very happy with my results,
but I might not have been. Good luck. Please e-mail me with any questions.
Review by Tracy
Lee Jackson - Posted on 21/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
I had Lasik surgery less than a week ago. My prescription was not so high,
but I did have a uneven eye shape which meant that the flap had to be
tailored for my eyes - something that wouldn't have happened at another
Eye Laser Clinic. It was quite a bit more expensive than other places,
but in the end for me I felt that the money wasn't the nearly as important
as the safety and expertise of the latest technology. I am happy I did
it. I can see clearly, although I am still technically in recovery and
my eyes are still feeling a little irritated (I have never worn contact
lenses, but this is what I imagine that to feel like). For the record:
my eyes feel better in fresh air... And I think the drops might be contributing
to the dry skin around my eyes. I will mention this at my week follow-up
on Tuesday.
The procedure itself was amazing. Very sci-fi. Fascinating that the technology is here that corrects vision in under five minutes. Honestly, took no time at all, and although I was so nervous going in (no, I didn't have the sedative) when it was complete, I was amazed that it was so easy, so painless, and so interesting. Like a laser light show. I have been talking about it to all of my spectacle wearing friends since and I think Accuvision will be meeting some of them soon!
If you want to know, the only downside was when I was looking into a mirror and saw clearly the details on my face.... Seems that my old frames used to hide my crows feet - not anymore. Oh, dear....
I am very glad I did it. I have and will continue to recommend Accuvision.
Review by Pauline
Sudworth - Posted on 17/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
I had Lasik at Accuvision in January 2003, with a relatively high prescription
of -6.75R and -5.25L. I had previously been to Boots who turned me down
due to my high prescription and corneal thickness. I had seen on this
web site the claim that Accuvision could treat people turned down by other
clinics so I contacted them and was informed that they would be able to
treat my prescription.
Due to my age, I was advised to have monovision (one eye slightly under-corrected) which would enable me to continue to read without the need for glasses as it seemed silly to replace one pair of glasses with another.
Accuvision were extremely professional throughout. Everything was fully explained and I went for my consultation having already sought out as much information as possible so I would know what to ask about. They were very patient and quite happy to answer my numerous questions.
On the day of treatment, I was like a nervous wreck and as the surgeon approached me I nearly took off out the door. The treatment itself was uncomfortable completely painless and having the benefit of not being able to see what was happening because of my short-sightedness was a bonus. Due to living 100 miles from London, I had to stay overnight in an hotel as I would need to be checked the next morning. I also chose an appointment late in the day so I could just return to the hotel and rest my eyes for the remainder of the day. My eyes felt gritty for a few hours, but by 9 o'clock this had passed. My husband had to administer the hourly eye drops, which was the only time I opened my eyes until the next morning. It was immediately struck by being able to see the clock when I woke up, something which I haven't been able to do for a long time. However, I was unable to read, but it was early days and was told this could improve. The next day I was +0.5 in both eyes. When I returned for my monthly check up, this had reduced to +0.25 and, as there was a possibility that this would be the case, I was already booked in for an enhancement to be done on the same day. I must say I went in feeling rather blasé about it all having already had the procedure once, but the downside was that I could see everything they were doing which was a bit daunting. Everything went well and the discomfort after was much less than the previous treatment due to only slight surgery. I still had to have an overnight stay so I could be checked the next morning. Anyway, the next day I had 20/20 in the right and -1 in the left which was the intended outcome so I can function without any need for glasses. I would point out that during the whole process I was meticulous about my eyes, ensuring nothing got into them and following the advice on eye drops, etc, to the letter. I even wore the eye covers overnight for an extra couple of nights as I was petrified about rubbing my eyes in my sleep.
A year later my eyes are stable and it still amazes me that this can be done at all, especially after 20 years of wearing contact lenses. It is brilliant to go on holiday and not to worry about falling asleep on the plane and getting lenses stuck to the eyes and not having to carry numerous of pairs of contact lenses with me. I can't thank Accuvision enough. It was a bit of a pain having to keep travelling back and forward to London for the regular checks, but it was certainly worth doing and I would recommend Accuvision to anyone. Obviously there are risks, but you need to weigh up the pros and cons and I feel Accuvision are one of the leaders in the field.
Review by
Dee Wallace - Posted on 11/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
I am 58 years old and have worn glasses since the age of seven. For the
last 20 years I have worn soft contact lenses. Previous enquiries about
corrective surgery had always resulted in disappointment, as my sight
was too poor for the technology available.
In December 2003 I had a consultation at Ultralase. Although they were unable to offer me treatment they did refer me to Accuvision, for which I will always be grateful to Jay.
I had a consultation with Accuvision on 13th January and was stunned to be told I was suitable for surgery. My vision was -11, right eye and -9, left eye, with a high degree of astigmatism. In addition I had thin corneas. The whole process was very clearly explained to me and the consultants made sure I understood every aspect of my treatment. I was advised that all surgery carries a risk and was given time to think it over. I felt very confident that I could trust Accuvision to achieve the best possible result for me.
I had my surgery on 5th February 2004. The procedure itself was slightly uncomfortable but not painful, and the nurse was there to hold my hand! It took about 10 minutes. I had an inferior flap (upside down), which meant I would have 'bandage lenses' inserted for one day to aid healing. It was an incredibly emotional moment for me when I sat up and found I could see everything around me.
I have been back for two follow up appointments and everything has gone perfectly. My vision is already better than it was with contact lenses and will carry on improving over the next couple of weeks. I have been given near 20/20 vision in my right eye, while my left was deliberately slightly under corrected to allow the best possible near vision. The result is excellent vision, both near and far.
I would like to thank everyone at Accuvision - the surgeon Nick Jacobs, and Darius, Nick, Mike and Vik, not only for my sight but for the wonderful care and consideration they showed me. I will be forever grateful.
Review by Kathy
Gladwell - Posted on 9/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
On Thursday 5th february, I had eye surgery at the above clinic having
been turned down twice in the past two years by Ultrlase as my corneas
were too thin. Following my first consultation with Accuvision they completely
reassured me that this would not be a problem for them using the technology
available. Three days after my surgery I sit here with perfect vision
having been minis 10 in my right eye and minus 8 in my left. The whole
procedure took a matter of minutes and was completely painless. My only
regret is not having found Accuvision years ago.
Review by Sarah
Butel - Posted on 9/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
I first had a consultation at Acuvision in September 2003, following the
very successful treatment of my cousin's and aunt's eyesight using Lasik.
I am 22 and have been short sighted for 10 years, my vision being stable
at a level of -6 and -6.5 in the right and left eyes respectively. At
my initial consultation I was told that I had a steepening of the cornea
towards the bottom of the iris area and was asked to return for a second
consultation in a few months to distinguish whether the steepening was
stable or progressive. I returned in January 2004 and was delighted to
discover that the steepening was considerably milder that origanlly thought;
as I have very watery eyes, the tears were distorting the shape of my
cornea, exaggerating the steepening. I would need to have my flaps cut
upside down, though, with the hinge at the bottom, to protect the slight
steepening, and would need to wear a pair of contact lenses for a day
after surgery to help keep the flaps in position. I decided to proceed
with surgery. Although other patients have said that the operation is
not painful, I did find the proceedure uncomfortable and somewhat painful,
but it only lasted a few minutes. Maybe I just have a really low pain
threshold! I would have been happy with a visionary outcome of -1 or even
-2, just so that I didn't have to wear glasses or contacts all the time.
However, after opening my eyes immediately after surgery I was astonished to have pretty much perfect vision - a little watery looking perhaps - but I could see I would have superb vision. I was so shocked I said "I can see perfectly!" and the surgeon replied "but of course you can see! What did you expect!" That day my eyes were very sensitive to light and I did have an aching feeling behind my eyes, which disappeared after a I slept for an hour. The next day my eyes were a little dry but otherwise I was fine. I went back to the clinic for a check up and my contacts were removed. My flaps had healed in place brilliantly and I had 20/20 vision. What more can I say. I'm delighted!
Review by Patrick
Meldrum - Posted on 9/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
I had PRK surgery on both eyes in 1993, and went from -7 / -7 to 20/20
vision following the procedure.
Over the following 6 months, as the course of steroid eyedrops was reduced,
my vision regressed to -6/-3. A repeat PRK surgery to my right eye in
1995 resulted in the same regression. I underwent Lasik surgery at Accuvsion
on September 25, 2003. It is now almost 5 months since the Lasik procedure,
and my vision is excellent. My prescription was -6 in the left eye and
-2.5 in the right eye. I now have 20/15 vision, though I have a slight
astigmatism and I would benefit from glasses if watching a cricket match
or night driving. My night vision is not brilliant, but that was also
the case pre-lasik. My vision was at it's best 1 month after the operation.
The astigmatism has worsened from December to now, but my vision is still
crisp, and I don't feel the need for any corrective lenses. I'm looking
forward to the next check up in May to see whether it has stablized. In
light of my experiences with PRK, I am very happy. Because I had corneal
damage from my initial treatments, and I needed a clinic that could handle
this. After reviewing the top rating clinics on these pages, I chose Accuvision.
The team at Accuvision put me at ease.. they had performed lasik on other
patients who'd previously regressed after PRK surgery, with good results.
I also had a thinner cornea, due to the previous treatment, so was dependant
on a procedure that used a very fine laser to reduce the amount of corneal
treatment removed. The surgery itself went smoothly, but I found the pain
afterwards excruciating. Immediately after the operation, a contact lens
was inserted into each eye to ensure better healing, as a precautionary
measure given my previous surgeries; I was told this made the eye less
confortable, but no-one else I have ever spoken to experienced pain of
this degree. This pain (think chilli paste in the eyeball, and the occassional
stab with a pin to make it really exciting) lasted approximately five
hours, and over this time, I could not open my eyes at all, except to
apply the hourly eyedrops.. And I could not take any knockout medication,
because I had to apply the drops every hour for the first six hours. After
five hours, the pain decreased rapidly, and I slept like a baby. I had
functional vision the following morning, and brilliant vision by day 2.
The pain was similar to what I suffered on the worst of the three PRK
operations I had (except that lasted for 3 days!).
So, yes, a happy customer. Thanks to all at Accuvision, particularly Vikash, who put up with me Mr Grumpy post-operative misery.
Review by Paul
Nightingale - Posted on 4/2/2004 - Rating :5/5
Thursday 29th January was D day for me, at 3.30pm I was +7.75 / -2.50
x180 right eye and +8.00 / -2.50 x 180 left eye, by 4.00 pm I could read
the time on Daryus' watch.
The procedure was painless and very fast, I got off the table and made my way to the waiting room with my eyes firmly shut, each time I opened them they streamed with tears but weren't too uncomfortable. Fifteen minutes later Mike came out and got me a coffee and administered the eye drops. I left the practice approx 20 minutes later.
The irritation in my eyes passed within 3 hours and then felt as right as rain, I watched some telly and feel asleep at 10.30 pm that evening. Next morning woke at 5.50 am and felt great I COULD SEE, though a little misty as the bandage lenses were still in. Later that morning I had an appointment at 10.30 with Accuvision and met up with Daryus, Mike and Vikash, they were all very happy to see me and were extremely friendly. Whilst I was talking to Daryus he just lent over and removed my bandage lenses "just like that" and then I could really see properly. For the first time in my life just there and then all of a sudden I could see in true 3D, it was amazing. Vikash took me for some tests and after I had finished reading the bottom line of the chart announced I had 20/20 vision in both eyes, he also showed me a computer generated picture of my eyes, the difference in the shape was amazing.
Saturday 31st January 2004, woke and eyes were a little red and sore, gone a bit sight sighted overnight but not worried at all, later my right eye is perfect but my left eye is still short sighted. Sunday I wake and both eyes are slightly short sighted, later right eye improves but left lags a little behind. Today both eyes short sighted again but I'm not worried at all, if my eyes never improve from this position they are still a million times better than they were pre-op.
I know my eyes will improve over time and I expect them to fluctuate at times, but one thing I will never forget is Friday 30th January 2004 10.30 am, I had 20/20 without contact lenses without glasses, with my own eyes.
I am 40 years old I have worn glasses from the age of 3 yrs, contact lenses since I was 16 yrs. LIFE BEGINS AT 40. NOW I CAN CLEARLY SEE MY DREAMS.
Words are not enough to express my gratitude towards Vikash Patel, Daryus, Mike, Nick Jacobs and the lovely nurse, they did a fantastically professional job for me, they really care about people and their eyes. They have the best state of the art equipment and I highly recommend Wave Front Laser Surgery.
Accuvision are the only people in the UK that could treat me, thank God they are there.
TOP MARKS PERFECT 5/5
Review by Kunjal
Shah - Posted on 6/1/2004 - Rating :5/5
I had wavefront Lasik at Accuvision on the 4th of December 2003... now,
a month on, I can hardly remember ever needing glasses! I had a particularly
difficult set of eyes - high astigmatism, thin corneas and large pupils
- you name it, I had it! The operation itself was painless but scary.
Thankfully, the nice nurse held my hand. Everyone did everything they
could to help me relax and it was over before I knew it. The following
four hours were uncomfortable, and I slept through most of them - waking
up hourly to put my drops in. I woke up the next morning and could see
the clock on GMTV!! A massive thank you to everyone at Accuvision - especially
Vik, Darius, Nick Jones and the lovely nurse. Its a shame I can't rate
them higher than five stars!!
Review by J
Rands - Posted on 3/1/2004 - Rating :5/5
After being a contact lens and spectacle wearer for 29 years, I decided
it was time to look into laser eye surgery. The final push came when my
optician advised me to wear varifocal glasses, which would mean wearing
larger frames, which were very unflattering to my face. After weeks of
research, I had a 2 hour consultation at Accuvision, Fulham and was told
that I was an ideal candidate for laser surgery.I was literally over the
moon, but also a little anxious. As I am fifty years old and took my glasses
of to read or wore reading glasses over contact lenses for short-sightedness
and the other (left) was corrected for reading. I had surgery on the 8th
December and felt very little discomfort during the procedure, I did feel
very anxious and my legs wouldn't stop shaking (it was a very cold day
and my mind was playing tricks) the nurse assigned to me was very comforting
and held my hand throughout the operation. The only discomfort I felt
after surgery was a stinging, as though I had peeled a couple of pounds
of strong onions, this lasted for about 11/2 hours. At that stage I couldn't
believe what I could see, through streaming eyes I could see the England
Rugby team on TV. It has been three weeks since my surgery and I am totally
overjoyed with my eye-sight, I am in my second year of a teaching degree
and use the computer/internet regularly, I can now differentiate between
a full stop and a comma, which I couldn't do before with or without glasses/contact
lenses. The whole team at Accuvision were very professional and supportive,
they took time to discuss any fears or anxiety I experienced before, during
or after surgery, and if I experience any problems now all I have to do
is ring and I can speak to someone first hand (not an answer phone) any
time of day. I give the whole team at Accuvision a first class grading
of 5 and a big THANK YOU! By the way my cheque didn't clear until a week
after surgery, but they didn't make a big deal about it. I feel I chose
the best after a lot of research and fully recommend Accuvision. If anyone
wants to ask any questions about my procedure.
