Laser eye surgery review

In November I had LASIK laser eye surgery with Optimax in Manchester.  I can absolutely 100% recommend it...already I cannot believe how I managed with how bad my eyesight was before I had it done.

Here are my top 10 tips and advice...

1. Go to your own optician for advice before you consider going to a clinic.  You then get the peace of mind that you have some advice from an impartial person who you can be sure hasn't been told to try and sell you the procedure.
2. In my opinion, there isn't much difference between the "Big Three" clinics - Optimax, Utralase and Optical Express.  They all offer free lifetime aftercare, similar procedures with similar equipment.  They also all offer free consultations - go and see them, ask questions, get quotes and make up your own mind!
3. Optimax Manchester are excellent.  I felt relaxed, valued and didn't feel like I was being sold to.  The aftercare they gave me was great.  The only slight negative of my experience was that no-one really talked me through the procedure to the extent that I expected from previous hospital experiences.  I did receive sufficient information that I felt confident in my surgeon's experience though so this was more an issue based on personal preference than a genuine problem.
4. If you are getting both eyes done...don't go to the clinic alone.  Yes you probably would be able to see just about well enough to get home on your own, but if you are anything like me you just won't feel like making the effort.  I only had one eye done so thought I would be fine alone, but honestly the 10 minute walk afterwards was pretty torturous.
5. It doesn't hurt.  The procedure isn't particularly comfortable, but there is no pain.  And it is so quick.  Like amazingly, worryingly quick.  Brilliant.
6. You might want to consider carefully when you schedule getting it done.  I felt really drained for about a week afterwards, my eyes were very light-sensitive and focussing on a computer screen was really difficult.  Also my eye has a rather un-photogenic red mark on it which still hasn't completely faded 3 weeks later.
7. You might not feel quite like yourself for a while afterwards.  By about 3 pm each day, I was more than ready to lie in a quiet dark room for half an hour.  I think I found it harder to adjust because I only had one eye done, my brain had to un-learn 23 years of right eye dominance.  Considering this took one week, this is pretty amazing.  But for the first week, it was hard.  The world was so bright and fast I literally could not keep up with it.  It's very difficult to describe but I felt like I had to re-learn how to see.
8. Despite the side effects, these cons do not outweigh the pros in any way.  They are not reasons not to have it done, just reasons to consider carefully the timing of when you do it.
9. It is nowhere near as big a deal as people make it out to be.  Too expensive?  Cheaper than decades of glasses and opticians appointments.  Won't work?  The statistics say otherwise.  Not safe?  Yes, there are risks.  Read about them, understand them, but realise that risk is inherent in life and some risks are worth taking. 
10. It works.  Not only does it work, it works immediately.  Immediately.  Just wow.

So yes, I am officially in the laser eye surgery club.  Best choice in a long time!

Also...I have 2 x £500 off vouchers for Optimax treatments, if you are interested hit me up with your contact details at annapearce5683@gmail.com (UK only please)

My Exile Lifestyle Book Review

Colin of Exile Lifestyle's new book is out today!  I was privileged enough to get my hands on a pre-launch copy as I am one of Colin's trusted inner circle of gurus and confidantes (not really...I'm just on his mailing list).  Having been a fan of Colin's excellent blog for a while, I was keen to get my hands on his latest offering.  And at $2.99 (less than £2)...I thought....why not!  I think his plan to price this book low is a great idea, I am always really reluctant to part with more than £5 for some unknown book.  Doubts like "what if its only 20 pages long?"..."what if its all pictures?"..."what if its utter rubbish?" creep in and stop me from parting with my hard earned cash.  But £2?  Thats's like buying Colin a coffee, and a cheap coffee at that!  And yeah, I would be happy to buy Colin a coffee for the chance to have a chat with him about his awesome life, so I bought the book.

And I wasnt disappointed.  I got 168 pages of new and interesting stories, musings and insights from a person whose lifestyle and attitudes inspire and encourage me in my own "alternative" dreams.  This is a book about Colin and his life, it doesnt directly "teach" or explain "how to" do anything, and it isnt really about business.  It is more like a month's worth of coffees with Colin - these are the answers to the questions you would ask him, the stories he would tell and the conversations you would have!  

Colin is an American nomad...he moves to a new country every 4 months - which is chosen by the readers of his blog!  How awesome is that!  In between all his international travel adventures he manages to find time to run a branding studio, an independent publishing company and various other projects.  This committed enthusiasm to life and all it holds is definitely reflected in his new book.

There are stories about journeys, places, people, events, relationships, moments in time.  And even the odd "aha" moment like...

"Every finish line is a horizon, not an ending."

There are musings on life, love, travel and self.  Insights into who Colin is and why he has chosen the path he has.

And to me, that is really satisfying. By necessity, blogs offer a snapshot into someone's life without often exposing their thought processes, their insecurities, their humanity.  This book takes the Colin from Exile Lifestyle and expands him in your imagination into a more rounded and real person.  It feels like getting to know a new friend.  I like that.

My only criticism would be...there arent enough pictures.  I like pictures - although I appreciate that for less than the price of a coffee Im not going to get a load of unique images.  But Colin is a super talented designer - and he even has his own T-shirt store, so I would have loved to see some of his artwork in there.  And yeah, I admit it, he is pretty cute, so some more gratuitous Colin pictures wouldnt have gone amiss!

If you have never visited Exile Lifestyle, I really recommend you do.  Check out the archives, photo galleries, fall in love with Colin (as in his lifestyle, vision and writing, not literally...that would be weird and stalkerish).  And if you like what you see on there, I guarantee you will love the new My Exile Lifestyle book.

My Roaccutane experiences

Ok so I thought I would share this story because when I was making the decision whether to be put onto Roaccutane or not - a little internet research brought up so many awful horror stories that I was almost frightened out of taking it at all.  And Im glad I stuck to my perception that those stories, while true, were probably representative of a tiny minority.  So heres my story...

So my acne wasnt exactly horrendous when I started on Roaccutane. But it was steadily getting worse, I had been on all the antibiotics and prescription creams under the sun for YEARS, and none of them had made any improvement.  I definitely wouldnt have considered taking this drug if I didnt feel like any other less invasive treatment had a chance of working.

I have been on the drug for 3 months now, hopefully after 1 month more I will be finished.  I was told that my skin would continue to improve for 6 months after I finished the course, and that after 1 year there is a chance that the acne could come back.

So what are the downsides....well there are some...

• I have dry skin and really dry eyes and really really dry lips all the time - but if I didnt have them then it wouldnt be working right!
• For the first few weeks I got splitting headaches.  I honestly dont know if the drug caused them, and they have cleared up now.
• My skin damages really easily, and it takes forever to heal.
• My nose bleeds a tiny bit inside most of the time, its a bit painful and annoying but its not enough that Id class it as a nosebleed.
• I have to go for blood tests and back to the dermatologist every month - this is not a drug for busy people!
• You cant drink on these drugs.  This doesnt really bother me that much to be honest - but given this is a drug that directly affects your liver I think it is a rule that really needs to be stuck to.
• I get coldsores...and I never usually get them.

And the positives...well...it works.  It really works.  I just hope it lasts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before

 

  

Now

 

 

A Rave Review

I have decided not to do a full kitlist from my recent Greece & Turkey trip (and yes I know I said I would) for the following reasons:

1. I have unpacked...and I dont remember what I packed.
2. My selection of gear is not based on it being the "best" or even necessarily the "best deal" - so I dont feel competent to preach about what people should be using.

So how do I select my gear then?  Well I believe there is a healthy balance that you can attain between quality and cost.  While I am on a very tight budget - I dont think you should necessarily buy the cheapest item you can find on the market if it means you are sacrificing on quality.  My number one requirement is that an item does what I want it to do - and that is prioritised over cheapness.  There is also the time factor to consider, just because I know I can find a better deal elsewhere doesn't mean I can always justify the additional time it will take me to find it.  So basically  I look for the best compromise between a quality, cheap and readily available purchase that comes as close to my requirements as I can find.  And my top tip - do your research so you know exactly what you require.

And the rewards of careful shopping?  Well...you end up with an amazing incredible wonderful product like Vibram Five Fingers (I have the KSO in black) at 20% of the retail price.  Good deal, great product.  I literally cannot recommend these shoes enough - if I didnt live somewhere so cold and wet I would literally wear them every day of my life.  They are super comfortable, your feet feel fresh and unrestricted in them and they are actually the best conversation starting item I have ever possessed.  By miles.  These things bring people joy!  They are super versatile, from boat trips on the Bosphorus to wandering the marble streets of Athens to hiking down death-defying vertical rock faces in Goreme they never let me down (which is just as well or I wouldn't be here!) Downsides - if there is water on the ground your feet WILL get wet.  And they do smell.  Which sucks.  But they are washable so all is not lost.  And no disadvantage can ever outweigh the indescribably natural way of movement and intense connectivity with your surroundings that they provide.  I love them.  

Putting my trainers on to go back to work was truly painful.  I miss my silly shoes!

I got some frogs for my tropical fish tank the other day.  They are super cute and they are doing a great job of distracting me from my grandad's funeral which is on Monday.