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Laser Eye Treatment in Cairo
From
Dave Howarth
9/11/2005
During
my year in Cairo, I sometimes wondered about the possibility of laser
correction for eye vision. But, I was busy working and never found time
to pursue this.
I
returned to the UK in April and started making enquiries about treatment
using the internet. Laser treatment is fine for long and shortsightedness,
as well as astigmatism. The laser is able to remove microscopic amounts
of the cornea and so change its shape which corrects the eye-sight. There
are trials now to correct age-related loss of reading vision (presbyopia),
but sofar I think this is still experimental. It is also important that
your optical prescription has not changed in the last two years.
I booked
a “free” consultation with one of the companies offering this treatment in
the UK. It is necessary to have a thorough eye examination and to allow
plenty of time to discuss your expectations with a consultant. So I had
allowed the whole day for this visit. Incredibly, on arrival at the
clinic, I was told that the optician was not available, and that the
appointment would have to be rescheduled! Now the cost of this treatment
in the UK is about £2000 and this level of service is just appalling.
Needless to say, I did not return.
I spent
a gentle Summer in the UK. On the plus side, we won the ashes and
Wimbledon tennis was quite good. On the negative side, we had terrorist
bombs in London. The cost of everything had gone through the roof.
Bureaucracy had crept back into Government departments with a return to
the 60’s era.
So I was
being drawn back to Cairo and decided to book a ten-day break at the end
of October. And then I thought why not get the eye treatment during my
stay? On the internet, I discovered Dr Khalil at the Saridar Clinic in
Dokki.
www.eyecairo.net.
A number of emails later, a consultation was planned. Dr Khalil willingly
offered assistance with transportation at no additional cost. After a
comprehensive eye examination and discussion, it was agreed that I could
go ahead with the treatment the following day. The latest wavefront laser
to be used at a clinic in Mohandiseen. The cost of treatment being about
25% UK rates.
The
procedure took about 15 minutes. There was no pain whatsoever. In fact
the process was quite psychedelic and a bit like going into space and back
again. For a few hours after the treatment, vision is blurred as the eyes
readjust. But the benefits are soon realised with more improvements the
following day.
Laser
treatment cannot be for everyone. Dr Khalil does not recommend treatment
for people with high optical prescriptions or if there is any evidence of
cataracts developing. He is able to answer your questions at
drkhalil@eyecairo.net.
I am
also happy to share more details of this experience at
d.howarth2@tiscali.co.uk (regrettably back in the cold and wet UK)
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