Lasik | Lasek Problems

Its eleven months since I had Lasik surgery with at Optical Express Sheffield branch. Disaster!! Before surgery I could read a newspaper and work at my pc etc without the need for glasses. Now my life is ruined!! Yes I agree my distance vision is SLIGHTLY better, however my eyes are now constantly dry and Im dependant on a cocktail of various eye drops and totally rely on glasses to undertake basic tasks such as preparing food, the stuff we take for granted, the tasks which matter to us. I dont drive at night due to halos and my distance is not as good as when I wore distance glasses - its blurred/fluctuates. Had the surgeon Muhammed Kazmi taken time to explain my near vision would disappear the moment after laser procedure I would have run a mile and they could have kept my deposit, but the day of surgery I met him for the first time for a rushed five minute consultation. I had explained to all the Optical Express staff the nature of my work/lifestyle, that I was just annoyed wearing glasses for driving. My near vision was great, I could read a newspaper and carry out tasks without glasses. So why did they go ahead without telling me close vision would go?

I had to complain and fight OE to provide plugs to alleviate dry eye. Life is miserable but Muhammed Kazmi insists he should do a correction because he says my eyes are now not as dry so safe to do so. Is this because its coming up to 12 month post surgery? Well why would I trust their judgement, I dont have confidence, OE perform procedures fuelled by profit and clearly do not consider patients best interest. Ive met and been treated by a wonderful, impartial/trusted NHS consultant at Hallamshire Hospital who assured me it isn't safe and he doesnt recommend correction laser. He strongly urges me not to be pressured by OE - he said "They have a duty of care" to me! I know whose opinion I trust.

Cale Phillips wrote: I was going to my surgery in January with the same surgeon you mentioned. Do you think the surgeon caused these issues to you?
Thanks a lot,
Cale Phillips

Hi sorry I've only just seen this when I came onto look for something else! I would never recommend anyone has surgery in Glasgow with optical express! Or with anyone really! I didn't discover until after my surgery that when it doesn't go to plan they have zero interest in helping you. Even trying to get an appointment to be seen turn into an ordeal! I still wear glasses & have excessively dry eyes (14 months after surgery) they have taken zero responsibility for any of this. I am currently using eye drops which cost around £200 a month, no idea of prognosis! If I want a consultation to listen to more of there lies then I have to pay to do so! That said when you read through this site I am one of the lucky ones.
There is zero compassion from optical express, they are simply not interested, there clinical director did my consulatation & lied throughout! Sadly you only find this out when it goes wrong.
This is also the point you find out that not only do optical express not care neither does anyone else and they don't have to answer to anyone which is why they get away with it.
They then only if forced refund you & try and put a gagging order on you so you can't discuss it ever again!
So hopefully you've not had surgery with them and have a good look through this site which will hopefully put you off .

A message for anyone damaged by laser eye surgery living in the North West of England i.e. Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Liverpool, Cumbria.



I have been contacted by a journalist in early stages of research for a TV feature on laser eye surgery who would like to talk to you!

This is open to ALL damaged patients in the NW region, no matter where you had surgery!

Please send me your phone number asap if you are willing to consider being part of this: info@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

One of David Teenan’s damaged RLE patients in Scotland told me last week, "I don't want to post on Facebook as none of my friends are aware that this stupid surgery went badly wrong.”!

As I repeatedly tell every person who contacts me and says how stupid they feel for having had this surgery - I.T. I.S. N.O.T. Y.O.U.R. F.A.U.L.T.

We trusted the surgeons not to harm us - how were we to know then that all they were concerned about was money and meeting targets for their unscrupulous and corrupt businessmen bosses?!

It is they - not us - who should be ashamed and embarrassed!

I miss no opportunity to inform people about the potential risks of undergoing elective refractive surgery, be it laser or lens exchange!

I hand out OERML cards to complete strangers I see wearing glasses… I ask people when I'm through to call centres, ‘btw, do you wear glasses?’, and direct them to OERML.

And it is amazing how many of the people I approach are at the time seriously considering surgery - but not after I speak with them!

In my opinion, if your eyes have been damaged, you owe it to everyone out there to warn them that if it happened to you it could happen to them!

Speak out

Hi there, sorry to reply late. My surgeon was Dr Antico and he did my procedure in Reading ( my local branch is Oxford, they only do initial consultations and follow up). In short, knowing what I know now of risk, I would not recommend laser eye surgery as an elective to anyone. Please think hard before you go ahead.

'Recently, reports from a Spanish clinic noted DLK seemed to occur more frequently after LASIK with the IntraLase 15 kHz femtosecond laser (Advanced Medical Optics, AMO, Santa Ana, Calif.) than when LASIK was performed with a Moria M2 microkeratome (Doylestown, Pa.).1

Dr. Binder added that it is not unusual to see an increase in DLK when people initially switch from a microkeratome to the IntraLase. “But if you’re seeing cells in the visual axis, it’s not the laser, it’s something in the system. The IntraLase introduced new energy, and sometimes we see cells in the periphery, but it’s not diffuse or DLK,” Dr. Binder said. “It’s primarily associated with new users and new energy settings. When you cut down on the energy used, you just don’t see it anymore.”

The bottom line for Dr. Binder? “If you’re seeing cells in the interface in the center, and you’ve just switched from one platform to another, it’s not the laser. It’s likely something else.”'


www.eyeworld.org/article-a-worrisome-complication-of-lasik

AMO of course supplied the hardware used to operate on these people’s eyes

Hi gill,

I went to the free consultation today at the optical express in Southampton; only to find that the surgeon I have been allocated to carry out my laser treatment is the same guy you had (Dr. Luca Antico). Did you go to the same practice in Southampton? I've been wanting to have lasek done for quite some time, but I think I'll save and get it done with [no advertising, but see links below for info on this clinic]. Thank you for sharing your experience, I hope you get the help you need.
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admin: I think you meant to reply to Maria as Gill's surgeon was David Teenan!
Fyi

Gill wrote: I’m 36 and in November 2015 I had laser surgery at Optical Express in Glasgow performed by David Teenan....

I really wish that I had gone with my first instincts which were to run a mile from Optical Express as I felt the sale was their first priority.

Hi,
I was going to my surgery in January with the same surgeon you mentioned. Do you think the surgeon caused these issues to you?
Thanks a lot,
Cale Phillips
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admin: I can't answer for Gill, but do suggest that you google 'David Teenan' before you let this man within a mile of your eyes! I can introduce you to more than a dozen damaged patients currently in litigation against both David Teenan and Optical Express who will be happy to tell you in person how he has ruined their eyes and lives!

Although the research methods for this study could possibly have benefited from some fine tuning, the results support my belief that at least 40% of refractive eye surgery patients (incl lasek, RLE, etc...) suffer post op problems!
www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMe.../LASIK/ucm190291.htm

'The study analyzed outcomes for two groups of LASIK patients. In the first group, which included 262 Navy personnel with an average age of 29.1, it was 43 percent reporting new symptoms. And in the second, consisting of 312 civilians at five practice and academic centers and with a median age of 31.5, it was 46 percent. In addition, about 28 percent of patients who had never had dry-eye symptoms before developed mild, moderate or severe symptoms three months after the procedure.'
www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-heal...m_term=.b3406870f3d6

We desperately need more studies like this - but not funded by the industry, who will continue to dispute findings that poison their cash cow!
www.eyeworld.org/article-ascrs-responds-to-fda-prowl-studies

In 2014, Steven Schallhorn sent an email to all OE surgeons claiming that (amongst other things), 'The recent FDA PROWL studies have shown that, on average, patients have less quality of vision problems and less dry eyes after LASIK compared to before surgery.'

No wonder Carl Zeiss wanted Stevie on board

In March of this year i went to have both eyes lasered at Optical Express in Aberdeen. Whats happened since is they have made my bad eye better for reading and my good eye for long distance worse. I have suffered a lot of starbusts and watery eyes and blurred vision since my treatment.
Last month when i went to see the surgeon Joanna McGraw she reccomended that i get glasses with anti glare lences to see if this would work. I picked a pair and the assistant in the Optical Express shop said the anti glare will cost an extra £80. I told her all my traetment is free for the rest of my life as i was told this in my consultation before my surgery. She went to check and told me she would contact head office to see if my treatment is free. I ended up emailing head office and they replied that glasses and contact lences are not covered by this agreement. I do not have any copies of the paperwork that i signed OE must have kept them all. I cannot believe how this company treats there customers and if i had seen the Optical Express reviews here and knew everything that i do now there is no way i would have had the surgery. and would have definitely not let Joanna McGraw operate on my eyes if i knew that she was the one who was sued for half a million pounds by Stephanie Holloway. incredible that she is still allowed to operate on people.

Hi
I had laser surgery in 2009 when I was just 18. I'd worn glasses since I was 5 and for most of my teenage years contact lenses and never had any problems such as dry eyes, halos or problems with night vision.

I've had numerous problems with optical express since my surgery, even been provided with two sets of glasses just 4 years later and BOTH glasses were given with the wrong prescription in them (another optometrist checked the glasses prescription for me).
I wrote a letter back in 2015 but didnt get anywhere saying it was all my fault. I still have my contract so I can refer to it for lifetime after which is apparently no longer valid!?

My mum also had laser surgery not long after me and had life changing problems she can no longer sleep without putting drops in her eyes, which optical express now forcing her to pay for them

Really appreciate anyone's help on this to take it forward as I've got all my evidence from my last compliant letter!!
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admin: Pls send your number info@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk