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Testimonials

"I don't know what I was so worried about - my laser eye surgery was a breeze"

Mrs Letitia Buckley
Patient Liaison Officer
Perth Laser Vision

"I couldn't stop smiling because everything around me was so crystal clear and colourful after my laser eye surgery. There was absolutely no pain, it was all over so quickly and there was no reason to be squeamish. Many people say that I am more friendly, my confidence at driving is improved, my time at the beach is better and going to concerts is a new experience. Although I have assisted many patients, I put off my own surgery for nearly 4 years and finally got myself organised and had it done and I would be happy to tell you how easy it is, so call me."

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"Laser eye surgery turned back my clock more than 30 years"

Barry
Business Consultant

Look and feel better and have more fun without glasses or contacts.

"It was truly amazing to get better than 20/20 vision without my glasses as I previously had more than 30 years ago! What a fantastic feeling that is literally impossible to express in words alone. Clearly, laser eye surgery has given me renewed youthful passion for life and it was worth the effort. I go about my very active days differently now without the worry of my glasses for the majority of my daily activities such as business meetings, computer work, driving, having fun with my family, golf, tennis, bicycle riding and more. Yes, I do have to wear reading glasses on occasion, but - so what. By the way, one extra bonus is that my golf handicap has improved! It is so interesting to learn that many people that I speak to about my surgery."

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"You are no longer short sighted ... !"

Neil
England

I will never forget hearing the words of Dr Philip McGeorge when I visited him on the day after my treatment at the Perth Laser Vision clinic in Murdoch. And I will always remember the thrill of seeing him so clearly as he spoke to me from the other side of the room. Normally, if I had sat there without the thick glasses I had worn for the past 40 years, his face would have been nothing but a shapeless blur. That morning his face was crystal clear - and yet my glasses were back at my parents home in Willetton!

I had decided to invest in laser eye surgery as a 50th birthday present to myself after a lifetime of wearing spectacles. Glasses had always made life difficult in lots of different ways. There was the constant fear of loss and breakage, the difficulty in playing sports and the cost of frames and lenses which went up steeply every year. Like many others, I had tried contact lenses but found them time-consuming, expensive and uncomfortable to wear.

When I first heard about laser eye surgery it seemed like a dream come true! I was eager to learn more and curious to discover whether I would be a suitable candidate for treatment. At the same time I felt hesitant to take the first step because the advice I was given over and over again was "Laser surgery is wonderful, but you must choose your surgeon wisely!". But how do you choose? Like most people, I had no experience of eye surgeons. The breakthrough came when I mentioned my plans to my mother. She reminded me that she not only knew an eye surgeon but one who specialised in laser surgery!

Several years previously Philip McGeorge had operated on cataracts in both her eyes. Her treatment had been so straightforward and successful that I had actually forgotten all about it! Mum had certainly not forgotten. She had been delighted not only with the results of Dr McGeorge's work but also with his approachability and friendly manner. His credentials and 'track record' were certainly very impressive. Mum had no hesitation in recommending him to me and she began to send me regular news items featuring Perth Laser Vision. I began to dream of the day when my story would appear in the paper too!

So, although I live in the UK, I decided to consult Dr McGeorge next time I visited my family in Perth. My mother was right! I immediately felt at ease with Dr McGeorge. He was willing to spend time discussing my personal expectations and concerns as well as explaining the technicalities of LASIK. We even spent some time laughing about our respective golf handicaps although unfortunately he could not guarantee that laser treatment would help to improve my own!

My decision was made there and then. I resolved to have my eyes 'lasered' on my next visit 'Down Under'.

Before I knew it, I was back at Murdoch on the morning of my 'procedure'. I had spent time the previous day being comprehensively 'measured' and examined by the clinic staff before meeting Dr McGeorge again. Confident that I was in safe hands, I had slept well the night before. Nevertheless, as I entered the clinic I naturally felt a little apprehensive but from the outset I was reassured and put at ease. I don't know if it was the friendly and supportive conversation or the lightly sedating tablet, but I felt remarkably relaxed by the time my name was called.

When I am asked to describe my experiences in the laser suite that morning I am sometimes surprised to hear myself describe them as 'pleasant'! But it is true. There was no pain. No needles. I just remember seeing patterns of coloured lights and feeling 'distant' feathery sensations and occasional mild pressure on the surface of my eyes. The anaesthetic drops had certainly done their work. In what seemed an instant, it was all over and I was back in the reception room, sporting my plastic eyeshields. When the waiting patients looked at me expectantly I could honestly tell them that they did not have to worry!

Twenty four hours later I was being driven back to Murdoch for my first check up. My eyes were slightly bloodshot and the brilliant spring sunshine seemed glarier than usual but I still felt no discomfort. Through the small holes in the eyeshields I could see glimpses of a new and sharply focussed world and I knew already that something had dramatically changed. When the eyeshields were removed I looked around the room in amazement. I could see everything so clearly. Furniture, pictures and even waste paper baskets had never looked so good ! Shortly after this, Dr McGeorge stated those simple words. "You are no longer short sighted!". It was a moment to treasure.

Outside, the world appeared totally transformed as I walked across the car park proudly wearing my complimentary non-prescription sunglasses! I could see birds, leaves and the distinctive skyscrapers of the Perth business district far away in the distance! Everything suddenly seemed so bright, so colourful and so clear.

The change in my vision really 'came home to me' on the long flight back to England as I stared out of the aircraft window at the landscape way below. I could see rooftops, roads and rivers in perfect detail. I smiled as I thought of my glasses packed away in my suitcase in the hold. Today those glasses are mounted as a trophy in my office ...

It is now several months since my 'Miracle in Murdoch' but I still have to go through one amusing little ritual when I tell friends that I have been 'lasered'. Firstly they push their noses against mine and stare deeply into my eyes, desperately to see the evidence for themselves. They step back a little disappointed when they discover there is nothing there to find.

Then they always ask the same two questions. "Wow. Did it hurt ...?" and "OK ... but did it work?" I will always be grateful to Dr McGeorge and the staff at Perth Laser Vision that I can honestly give them the same two answers. "No, it didn't" and "Oh, yes ... it certainly did ...!"

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"From making enquiries about 'laser' and going one step further by having implanted lenses, life couldn't be much better. The operation was a breeze, painless and stress free with only minor discomfort and a quick recovery - to my amazement, and your theatre staff and nurses were excellent.

Thank you Dr McGeorge for giving my 'lifestyle' back - good eyes and no glasses!"

Moira

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MATHEW CARR

MATTHEW Carr can barely remember what it was like when he was unable to see properly. The Fremantle Dockers footballer said he now takes perfect eyesight for granted. "I can now see exactly who has the ball, whether it's my team or the opposition," he said, "and what's happening unfolds a lot quicker for me."

Matthew had laser eye surgery at the Perth Laser Vision Centre at the end of the 2002 season to correct his long sight. He said he now finds it easier to anticipate what is going to happen and where the ball is going to end up. "It's a huge help at training as well," he said, "and my form there has improved massively."

He said he previously had to rely on his team mates to tell him what was happening when he didn't wear contact lenses for training sessions. Matthew said he felt much more confident with his skills now and his ability to judge depth and distance had vastly improved. "And the coaching staff have noticed the change," he said.

Driving his car is now a completely different story because he can now see street signs well before he gets to them. "Before having the LASIK procedure at the Perth Laser Vision Centre I would have to count off streets as a I drove past to make sure I turned at the right place," he said, "but now I am able to read all the signs with no problem."

Matthew's social life as has also changed because he can now instantly recognise people. "I would keep my head down before," he said, "because I would often think a stranger was a mate and I would greet them and be embarrassed when the mistake became apparent. Several times I thought someone was waving at me and I would wave back only to realise that they weren't waving at me but at someone near me." He said he can now see clearly and has no trouble recognising people and knowing instantly if someone is trying to get his attention. "Some people must that thought I was a snob when I didn't recognise them," he said, "but that doesn't happen any more."

He said some footballers lick their fingertips when they see the ball coming towards them because they believe it will help them to hold the ball. "In my case I would appear to scratch my eyes when the ball came my way," he said. What he was really doing was moving his contact lenses to position them so that he could see properly. "Because of all the movement when playing, my lenses would move," he said, "and they would get out of focus." After laser eye surgery last week Matthew no longer needs to wear contacts.

Three times during the past five years he was told by optometrists that nothing could be done to fix his problem and that he was stuck with contacts for life. "Tony Lockett and John Worsfold had their eyes fixed by laser surgery and I was disappointed that I couldn't have my eyes fixed,&uot; Matthew said. When he got the chance to have his eyes checked by Dr Phillip McGeorge at Perth Laser Vision Centre he jumped at it. The check and assessment at Subiaco took less than half an hour and within a week Matthew had the procedure done.

"It didn't take long, there was no discomfort," he said, "and I could see clearly the next day."

Matthew said he was impressed by the way things happen at Perth Laser Vision Centre. "From the initial contact, assessment, consultation, the operation itself, post-operative care and ongoing check-up, Dr McGeorge and his team were totally professional," he said. "The standard of care and the way they treat people were really great - friendly, informative and they put me totally at ease." Matthew was impressed by the fact that Dr McGeorge was involved right from the start and that he had a very down to earth manner and answered all questions frankly and honestly. "Although the assessment tests had been done before I saw him, he checked everything at the end to make absolutely sure," Matthew said, "which I found very reassuring."

Matthew Carr
Fremantle Dockers FC

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ABBY

Without contact lenses I couldn't drive, couldn't put make-up on, couldn't read people's expressions. Even with contacts I couldn't drive at night, because I would have shadow phobia - shadows looked like they were moving on the road.

"I wore lenses for 15 years and always suffered from dry eyes, because Perth has a very dry climate. By 2pm every day they would be puffy and sore to touch.

I lived in the USA for 2 years and did a lot of research into LASIK. But I found out Australia is at the forefront of eye surgery. So when I came home I went to see Dr McGeorge and found I was a perfect candidate.

There was no cutting, no blood, no injections, just a couple of drops and that's it. During surgery the hardest thing was to concentrate on the red light. When they said not to look away from the red light, of course, that's the first thing I wanted to do.

Afterwards I was in a bit of pain - scratchy pain. I wanted to itch my eyes and they were weeping. But by the next morning I had perfect vision, 20/20, and there was no pain anymore.

When I looked at objects, at first everything was so clear and bright and colourful that it actually hurt my eyes. It's changed everything. Now I've got so much more self-confidence driving. And so many other little things have also changed - like, now I can sit up the back at the movies and still see the film."

Abby
Attadale

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To the PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE

I look at my life in terms of BEFORE and AFTER, the dividing line being my treatment with the LASIK procedure. The difference between a typical day before and after LASIK begins from the second I open my eyes and can see the time on my alarm clock. The next drama I now avoid since my LASIK treatment is the time wasted fiddling with solutions and practically invisible contact lenses. My other choice was to rummage through the blur of bench top debris to find my glasses as the minutes ticked by and I grew later and later for work. Apart from the frustration and daily inconvenience of my dependence on glasses or contact lenses to get around, safety and freedom were great deciders in my choice to have LASIK.

After I was found to be a candidate for the LASIK procedure at PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE, I counted down the days towards the surgery. I'll admit there were a few nerves on the morning, but I had not realised just how easy it would be. My part in the operations was to relax and look at the red light. It was all over before I knew it and I was going home again. No stitches, no needles and no pain - my kind of surgery. I was amazed as I began to notice the effects the same day, even through the clear plastic shields I wore to protect my eyes. The next day I returned to PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE to get my shields removed and have my new eyes tested by the surgeon. It was a big moment and an emotional experience to read those little lines on the wall charts that I would never before have hoped to read without visual aids.

Even now I can't believe that I have 20/20 vision with no assistance. You'll have to excuse the pun, but my whole "look" towards the future has lifted. To have life improve in every aspect of my day, from applying make-up to playing sport, from finding my towel at the beach to noticing people's expressions, these are the benefits I'll never take for granted. There are some things that those little glass windows just can't replace, but the team at PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE did and I can't thank them enough.

Melinda
Willetton

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BRETT

To the PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE,
I have endured a very real hardship of being short-sighted and being totally reliant on both glasses and contact lenses since the age of 13 (I am now 34).

The experience I had at the PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE was totally professional and everything was explained by a caring, sincere and expert group of people.

The actual procedure was a "breeze"; I felt no discomfort during or after. It is now exactly 3 weeks since the correction was performed and I liken it more to a miracle than an operation.

To anyone considering this procedure, I would say "DO NOT HESITATE - act now. I hope you are as happy as I am with the results."

"Thank you" to Dr McGeorge and the entire team at PERTH LASER VISION CENTRE.

Brett
Kalgoorlie

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To Dr Phillip McGeorge and the LASIK Team

"It's a miracle, a new lifestyle starts, thanks a million for everything."

Virginia
Wattleup

"Well worth the effort, the technology is amazing. The career of my choice is now possible - no worries about losing my contacts thanks."

Nicole
Margaret River

"A miracle for me. 40 years of wearing glasses - no more. Fantastic! Many thanks to all the staff."

Margaret
Mandurah

"I found the staff very pleasant and friendly, and they answered all my questions, fully explaining what happens and how"

Lisa
Gosnells

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Dear Dr McGeorge

I write to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr Phillip McGeorge and staff at the Perth Laser Vision Centre for their wonderful work in giving me perfect natural eyesight.

My story is as follows:
"Early one morning my young son and daughter came running into my bedroom with a small gift wrapped box saying "Happy birthday mummy". Upon opening my gift, after finding my glasses on the bedside table, I found a video and brochure from the Perth Laser Vision Centre (PLVC), my husband then tells me I am booked in for surgery one week from today. You can imagine my surprise, . . . elation, . . . confusion and . . . fear. He had organised, nine months previous, for local doctor referral, consultation with PLVC, surgery and accommodation (as we live in the country). The best part was I really had no time to panic or worry about the surgery, and before I knew it surgery day was upon me.

The staff at PLVC were absolutely wonderful, they were helpful, thoughtful, professional and caring. The procedure of surgery was explained to me carefully and I was fully aware of what was to happen. To my surprise it was totally painless and I felt at ease throughout the entire procedure. I knew I could see clearly the moment I sat up and peeped through the holes in the plastic eye shields.

I am still adjusting to the fact that I no longer need glasses or contact lenses to see perfectly. That I can roll around on the floor playing with the kids without fear of breaking my glasses.

I am sincerely grateful to Dr McGeorge and his team for this once in a lifetime experience and to my husband for giving me this wonderful gift."

Kind regards
Leanne

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Des

The main reasons for having my LASIK surgery were to be free of glasses, not having to worry about cleaning them of dust and to be able to wear a comfortable pair of sunnies when driving or enjoying a walk in the bush. Now I am able to read the newspaper without glasses for the first time in 30 years. I can go for a swim and still enjoy the scenery at the same time. I even enjoyed dashing through the rain without drops all over my glasses!

The friendliness and professionalism of all the staff at Perth Laser Vision Centre throughout the procedure was second to none. I would encourage anyone thinking of it to at least have a check-up, if you are not suitable you have lost nothing trying.

Des
Albany

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Steffen

It's just over a year since Steffen Bruse experienced a dramatic improvement in his eyesight.

Bus driver Steffen, 57, lives at Padbury and decided to look into having laser surgery on his left eye after reading a story in The Sunday Times. "My right eye was badly damaged and I thought I'd look into it getting the left eye fixed," Steffen said, "and I called Perth Laser Vision Centre to make an appointment." His initial assessment took about half an hour and he was then examined by Dr Phillip McGeorge. "He said I was suitable for the procedure and I decided to have it done," Steffen said.

"I took a tablet and around half an hour later it was done and it seemed to be very quick, with my wife watching the whole thing through a window in the wall."

Steffen said the actual work on his eye seemed to only take a couple of minutes.

A wearer of strong glasses for 17 years, he was unable to go swimming and jogging. "My glasses fogged up and bounced around when I tried to go jogging," he said. "I had to juggle clip-on sunglasses and they would come off as well, whereas I can now wear regular sunglasses with no worries."

Steffen was very impressed by the way he was treated at Perth Laser Vision. "The people were very friendly and helpful," he said, "and they put me completely at ease." He said they answered all his questions in plain language. "Dr McGeorge was very down to earth," Steffen said, "and he explained everything, so that I knew what to expect on the day the work was done."

Steffen can now ride a bike again without worrying in case his glasses fall off.

"My left eye is working beautifully, only needing non-prescription magnification glasses for reading in poor light," he said. He said he was very satisfied with the service he received at Perth Laser Vision Centre. "The operation was completely painless apart from some dryness in the eye for a couple of days afterwards," he said.

Steffen said he would have no hesitation in recommending the procedure to anyone who wears glasses. "I am now able to work without glasses, I can read my worksheets and operate the ticket machine without glasses," he said, "and I would recommend the operation to anyone."

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Elaine

Elaine's only regret about her recent laser eye surgery is that she didn't have it done a lot sooner. "I hesitated for years," she said, "when I could have had perfect eyesight years ago."

Elaine wore glasses for 35 years before switching to contact lenses 30 years ago. "For the past five years I have had problems with the contacts, with irritations and infections," she said, "which I had to have treated by a specialist who put me on eye drops." Realising things would get worse as she got older, Elaine was prompted to act after reading a story in The Sunday Times. "The story was about a lady whose life changed after the operation," Elaine said, "and the fact that she was really happy made me decide to do something about my eyes." She had twice previously almost signed up for the operation after talking to a specialist and getting information from another centre.

"I found the people at Perth Laser Vision Centre wonderful," Elaine said, "and their attitude was friendly and confident. "The fact that they explained everything in detail and answered all my questions was great." Elaine's husband Michael, who went through the assessment process with her, said he was impressed by the attitude of the centre's staff. "They were very down to earth and not all superior," he said, "which I found really refreshing."

Dr Phillip McGeorge told Elaine her eyes were in a really bad way. "I already knew I was short-sighted and had an astigmatism problem," she said, "and I was really happy when Dr McGeorge told me he I would be able to see as well after the operation as I could wearing my contacts. "And I was ecstatic when, after my post-operative assessment, I was told that my vision was better than 20-20."

Elaine said she started using contact lenses for vanity reasons and that he would get really upset when they irritated her and she was forced to wear glasses. "It was awful," she said, "and I avoided swimming, which I love, because of the risk of the contacts being washed out if I was splashed and water went in my eyes."

She said the events of September 11 last year also had a bearing on her decision to have her eyes treated. "I thought about being in a situation where I was wearing glasses and they broke," she said, "so that I couldn't see what was happening and even the chance of being in that situation terrified me."

She said being able to see properly without glasses or contacts for the first time in 35 years was wonderful. "I didn't really appreciate what I was missing until I was able to see properly," she said.

Asked about the day of the operation, Elaine said she was apprehensive and nervous. "But the nurse put me completely at ease, giving Michael and I coffee and again explaining exactly what was going to happen," she said. "The nurse gave me a tablet to calm me down, then I put on a pair of paper booties and hat and went to the operating room." Michael watched the operation on a TV screen in the next room and found it fascinating. "I saw the whole thing up close," he said, "and I was amazed as how fast it all happened, she was in and out in 30 minutes."

Elaine, who wore clear protective goggles for a day after the procedure, said she was woozy and a little sore immediately after the operation. "I went home and slept on the couch for an hour," she said, "and when I woke up I could see clearly without pain and no wooziness." Elaine said when she went for her post-operation assessment she noticed some people in the waiting room who looked apprehensive. "I felt like telling them how wonderful it was and not to worry," she said, "and I would definitely recommend the procedure to anyone - I cannot speak too highly of the way things were done."

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STEVE

STEVE reckons the best thing to come from having his eyesight corrected by laser is that his UK family members got a huge shock when he visited them in July. "They've never seen me without glasses," he said, "and it was a huge surprise for them." Steve, who was short-sighted before his procedure at Perth Laser Vision Centre, decided to have his eyes fixed after seeing the effect it had on his son's fiancé. "She had it done and the outcome was amazing," he said, "and it caused her no discomfort at all."

Steve, a real estate company sales manager who recently sold his own real estate business, said he had always wanted to have good eyesight "I'd had glasses since I was 11," he said, "and I couldn't remember what it was like not to wear glasses." He said he now has completely clear 20-20 vision and he can see everyone.

Before getting into the real estate business Steve was a welder for 26 years and wearing glasses caused him a lot of grief. "I would wear welding goggles over the top of my regular glasses," he said, "and I would still have burn marks on the lenses of my glasses." "I loved soccer, but I couldn't see what was happening at the other end of the field or when the ball was heading my way." He was also concerned whenever he went on holidays in case he broke his glasses. "I was worried because if I broke them I could have been stuck in a strange place and unable to see," he said.

Steve said he is now much more confident and that it's great not to have to worry about the discomfort caused by wearing glasses. "When I'm out socially now a lot of people don't recognise me," he said, "because I look totally different. I used to have indentations on each side of my head where the arms of the glasses created a groove as well as similar marks on each side at the top of my nose."

Steve couldn't do anything without first putting on his glasses. "I couldn't even see the digital clock next to the bed in the morning," he said. Steve said he was very emotional when he came out of the surgery. "Even looking through the temporary protective lenses the change as amazing," he said, "and for a start I just could not believe it. When my wife was driving home I could read rego numbers on other cars and could clearly read street signs without glasses for the first time."

Steve said a lady in the waiting room when he was on the way home was very scared. "She was petrified, shaking and frightened half to death," he said. "I told her there was nothing to be frightened of and that I would be happy to go back in and have it done all over again."

He said for the first couple of days after the procedure watching TV was like looking at a blinding light, but that soon settled down. "One positive aspect is that I can now choose sunglasses," he said, "where previously I was restricted to wearing clip-on dark lenses over my regular glasses."

The people at the Perth Laser Vision Centre were wonderful according to Steve. "I knew from talking to my son's finance that there was nothing to worry about," he said, "but I was surprised at how simple the whole thing was. The people were very friendly and helpful," he said, "and they put me completely at ease." Steve said they answered all her questions in plain language. "Dr McGeorge was very down to earth," he said, "and he explained everything, so that I knew what to expect on the day the procedure was carried out on my eyes."

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TARA

I had laser surgery on both eyes in June. I was a little scared before the operation but all the staff were lovely and very professional and caring, it was all over very quickly and painless. The interest free loan was fantastic as we probably wouldn't have been able to afford the operation without it.

On the drive home I could read all the street signs and number plates without glasses, which was amazing. We recently holidayed in Bali and I didn't miss a thing now that I have perfect 20/20 vision. I could also buy a few pairs of cheap sunnies!! It has made a huge difference in my day to day life, I'm so glad I had the operation.

Thanks very much to everybody especially Dr McGeorge.

Tara
Waikiki