Six years or so ago I went to the opticians for a check up and was told I was (borderline) in need of glasses for driving. I am far sighted and in recent times I needed reading glasses, and bought ready readers. The prescribed glasses had additional anti-glare, multi-focal, all singing and dancing and cost a considerable amount of money, I didn't mind wearing glasses my dear father always wore glasses and so did my mother from about fifty onwards, so I was grown up. One of the things that was a bit of an issue was that over the next few years the rate at witch my vision was changed meant I would need to change glasses at least once a year or make do. As an artist and art teacher I found I needed to use different lenses for close work and different glasses for looking at the students down the class and at there work, and I was squinting. Eye Laser Treatment is something I had heard about for years and years and recently had seen adverts on television, so I thought I would take them up on the offer of having a free consultation and evaluation to see how viable it was for me. At my first consultation I was delighted to know that happily I could have the treatment done and that the consultant was quite confident it could meet the criteria and expectations, it might mean that I may still need glasses for close work, but so does Jerry Springer apparently (though I don't know if he has had any laser treatment done), so I could live with that. It seamed as well to have a further consultation so after some research went with Optical Express and was even more convinced that I would benefit from having the procedure done. There were some other considerations for me to make. Number one who would I trust with my eyes? could I afford it? could I afford not to do it? where would I go for the surgery and after care, and so on. Having weighed it all up I opted for Optical Express, caught the train and went to Southampton, I even enjoyed looking around the shops and the market, bought myself a pair of sunglasses. At the clinic I was greeted by a lovely receptionist, offered coffee and had a quick questionnaire and document to sign, then I was ready. Well as ready as I could be. I do relaxation techniques so I thought this was one of those occasions where it might come in handy, a bit like the dentist. The surgeon was a bit miffed, as were the other staff as to why I had gone on my own to have the treatment? well it never crossed my mind and if it did I decided to go by myself on the train, and was quite confident I would be fine to return home the same way. The surgery it's self took a few seconds and the whole procedure about ten minutes as I recall, but the first thing I noticed was that my vision was not blurred any more even though I was looking through the gel put on. The staff were fantastic and helped me to adjust while I made my way out of the clinic and said my goodbyes, I then made my way out of the Mall and bought some Tom Thumb wallflowers for the garden at the market and made my way to the station and home. The following day I was taken to Horsham for my first after op appointment and knew the procedure was very successful One of the things that I expected was that I would probably need glasses for reading and it would take some time to heal and adjust. The procedure was done in October 2011 and thus far I do not require any glasses what so ever. I am amazed each day, as I look around the room near and far and as I type need no glasses, What a result! I highly recommend Optical Express and have been more than satisfied with all the staff locally and in Southampton. Best wishes Leslie Martin