View Full Version : Lasic - laser eye treatment in Florida
Champagne
25-11-2004, 19:53
Met up with a friend in Orlando who has just had her eyes lasered with the new and painless lasic treatment. She raves about how easy, inexpensive and safe it is - I'm really tempted to see her eye surgeon on my next visit. Anyone have any info they could share? How might treatment affect my UK travel insurance?
Usually, UK travel insurance policies do not cover medical treatment abroad so you need to check whether yours does or not. If your insurance doesn't cover you, you'll be responsible for the medical bills yourself if you have any complications.
Southsider
25-11-2004, 22:58
I have seen this done on Extreme Makeover and it looks like a very painless and simple procedure, the results are instant and get better day by day, I have heard it is £600 per eye in the UK, if it is cheaper in the US, get it done over there and pay for it yourself, thankfully, I dont need glasses, but would definitely get lazered if I did.
Tricia
I have now done the follow up for several patients that have had Lasik, we are affiliated with Ultralase in practice. Ultralase's own website has a lot of information on it about the procedure and also a lot of information about themselves. They also run a 'laser eye forum' (the web addresses for both these sites is the .com obviousl of their names).
Another good site is complicated eyes dot org, which caters for those that have had treatments that have gone wrong.
I had laser treatment about 12-13 years ago now, and my eldest daughter (24) had it done 3 years ago. We both have had no problems since the treatment and found it quite painless, just slight aching like dull toothache!!!! but in your eye [msneek]. At the time I had mine done the cost was £495 per eye and Shelly's was £503 so not a lot of difference in 10 years. I would recommend it, as it's so lovely to be able to see properly, but only after you have researched it and feel at ease with having it done. I would also think it better to have it done in the country where you live because of the aftercare, unless you are able to spend 6 months in Florida [msnwink].
Jan.
Nostromo
26-11-2004, 10:58
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Usually, UK travel insurance policies do not cover medical treatment abroad so you need to check whether yours does or not. If your insurance doesn't cover you, you'll be responsible for the medical bills yourself if you have any complications.
[/quote]
Absolutely right. Travel Insurance is only for immediatly necessary treatment asociated with emergencies eg if you break an ankle or develop appendicitis making you medically unfit to return to the UK.
Under no circumstances will the Insurance allow elective treatment abroad like laser surgery. You may find that your bills are a LOT more than you bargained for if you take all the bits and pieces into consideration.
Blott's also right about possible complications. Even if you pay fot the treatment yourself - which incidentally could be a lot more than the basic charge when you add the 'incidentals' - you have to consider possible complications, follow-up etc.
LiesaAnna
26-11-2004, 11:59
its not something i would consider going so far from home! i think if i was so adamant that i wanted/needed that doing i think i would save just as we save for a holiday!
(my twopenneth worth)
Harry and Jayne
26-11-2004, 12:42
Would be interested to know which company your friend used and the total costs involved
orlandobabe
26-11-2004, 14:36
My husband had it done in Orlando 3 years ago in February and had absolutely no trouble whatsoever.
The clinic was very professional with all the latest gadgetry.
We fist of all went for a pre-op check up and watched a video. Then we went back for his op about 4-5 days later. Then he had a check up 2 days before he flew home.
All in all it cost $2000 -this was because he has astigmatism which made it dearer over here and over there. He had it done in Florida because he could have both eyes done at the same time-they weren't doing thatin the UK then.
The clinic was called the new view laser centre and the Doctor was Dr Peter Urban. It was in the Dr Phillips area of Orlando.
As soon as the first eye was done-he could read a poster on the wall. He has perfect vision in one eye-but because he was born with a problem in the other eye-the doctor explained he would only be able to correct it to a certain degree. He managed to get 60-70% in that bad eye.
Champagne
28-11-2004, 22:47
It cost her $1600 for both eyes and she visited Dr Peter Urban who has offices off John Young Parkway.
orlandobabe
29-11-2004, 03:56
Snap-lol!
ruthless333
29-11-2004, 22:27
Just a note......... I had mine done here in UK March 2004........ had thought about it for nearly 2 years and as I am hoping to visit Florida in 2005 wanted to be able to 'see' especially when swimming with dolphins etc.........
Anyway had both done at the same time - great!
Moneywise allowing for the exchange rate not much difference and also no extra for having astigmatism,which I have mildly in the left eye and to a greater extent in the right. My right eye funnily enough was the worst of the two for vision, but now after the op, is actually the stronger vision of the two.
Anyway for me I would elect to have it in the UK purely for convenience, due to the aftercare but also for the slight inconvenience you experience for a few days......... why waste valuable holiday time recouperating?
Good luck whatever you decide.......
orlandobabe
30-11-2004, 03:20
when my husband had his doen-he could not go swimmimg afterwards-so I do agree on that note.
However as we go over about 3 times a year-that wasn't such a big deal-but yes it is something to consider if this is going to be your main holiday
Ken and Julia
06-09-2006, 21:33
Had an eye exam yesterday at Florida Hospital Lasik Clinic and will be having my eyes done tommorrow, they decided I should try Mono Vision which means they will only do one eye for distance and leave the other which is OK for close up, If I dont get used to it they will do the other but it seems that most people adapt to monovision OK
anyone ever had this done?
Good luck with the op. We offered to pay for our daughter to have laser treatment 5 years ago for her 18th birthday because she is very short sighted. She didn't have the bottle to have it done. Now she has moved out and has to pay for her own contact lenses and glasses I think she is regretting not having it done.
Albert the Frog
07-09-2006, 16:39
I had it done 4 years ago at Optimax in Manchester at £495 per eye-best thing I've ever done -eye-wise!!
Driving, swimming, no problem[msnwink]
jbrinkworth
07-09-2006, 17:06
I had mine done in Optimax in Birmingham in August 2004, again, best thing I've ever done and absolutely no pain or problems. Would highly recommend it to anyone. When you've had to wear glasses for 20 years and then you don't its great. I still get a kick out of being able to see the alarm clock in the middle of the night without any problems!
Julie B
Monovision usually works okay, and if it doesn't you could always have the second eye done. The only thing to think about is that you may miss your binocular vision for certain tasks (eg driving, sports) where depth perception is important. Some people with monovision have glasses to use for these situations, especially for night driving.
Do you know what your prescription is?