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Laser Eye Surgery in the UK

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Turn the clock back just over twenty-one years and who would have thought we would be sitting here, in a year where over thirty million people worldwide have received laser eye surgery, with around half a million of these being Britons. Twenty one years ago; the story was very different. People were left reeling at the horror stories that came with laser eye surgery and would probably marvel at these vast statistics we are presented with today.

Equally, looking back on laser eye surgeries in the beginning does beg the question as to how it was allowed such freedom to become what it is today. Worryingly, a top surgeon from Moorfields Eye Hospital, Julian Stevens, describes the first few surgeries as crude and it being a case of “burn and learn.” But at what risk? Many patients were left with terrible side-effects such as; dry eyes, blurring, unable to look at bright lights and even loss of eyesight. Depending on how one looks at it you could see the progressions in Laser Eye Surgery as a thankful development or a sorry sacrifice for several people in the name of science.

Dr Con Moshegov, a surgeon known widely around the world, is himself undergoing a televised laser eye surgery early next year in an attempt to make more people turn to the surgery. This is either a self-sacrificial act to make those concerned about the surgery feel confident in their choice; or it is a fantastic publicity stunt that will bring even more money into what some have already described as a greedy, money-making market. Costing up to £400 for the surgery and with on average 100,000 Britons a year having the surgery, it isn’t hard to see that this is definitely the business to be in. However, it is still a concern, that with the surgery still being relatively new, we are still unaware of the long-term effects of these types of surgeries.

Undoubtedly, we have come a considerable way in twenty years; and many people have benefited, no more so than astronauts who are unable to wear glasses in space and pilots whose flying licenses are prolonged. And, the surgeon who pioneered some of the surgery using some monkeys, Dr McDonald, offers the hope to all concerned of the long-term effects that her “monkeys are still doing fine”. Perhaps we have to put our faith in science and deal with the consequences in order to progress so rapidly.

6th December 2009

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