Sky Diver Jakob Anguiers has ReLEx SMILE
Back in 2017, Jakob Anguiers, skydiver and amateur Youtuber, found himself jumping out of an aeroplane and hurtling to the ground at a speed of around 125mph. While this in itself might sound incredible to most of us, it was actually pretty routine for Jakob. But, this time there was one difference: this was the first time he had jumped without contact lenses.
You see, just one week before Jakob embarked on this latest jump, he had undergone ReLEx SMILE Laser Eye Surgery at London Vision Clinic. The result? A routine skydive – in what he describes as “Ultra 4k definition”. All without the niggly worries about his contact lenses.
Just imagine it: You’re all geared up with your helmet and parachute. You’ve gone through all the safety checks and have just boarded the smallest plane you’ve ever seen. The adrenaline is already pumping as you start to get higher and higher. Just as the plane starts to plateau at around 12,500 feet, one of your companions starts screaming, “get ready to jump!”
The nerves are really kicking in now but there’s no time left to think. But, wait – what’s that? One of your eyes starts to feel funny. It’s drying up. The contacts you are wearing are failing but it’s too late. You’re now tumbling out of the plane, spiralling towards the ground… and you can’t see a thing. Sounds pretty terrifying, right?
As you can imagine, Jakob was fed up with having to rely on contact lenses – and being at constant risk of their shortcomings. As he explains, Jakob was well aware that, if anything happened to his glasses or contact lenses, he was pretty much stuck.
Jakob had finally had enough. He decided to take his independence back and learn more about Laser Eye Surgery.
Is it Worth the Risk?
Understandably, Jakob had some initial concerns regarding the risks and safety of the procedure – but just like our other patients, his mind was soon put at ease when he was given all the information.
In fact, he puts it pretty well, himself: Laser Eye Surgery is like anything else – skydiving, driving a car, even crossing the road – it comes with a certain (extremely low) level of risk – you just have to consider whether it is worth it.
It is also worth mentioning that Laser Eye Surgery has been around for almost four decades and has been performed on over 60 million eyes! During this time, it has been constantly refined and improved – consistently minimising the associated risks.
Skydiver Jakob tells of his experience with ReLEX SMILE and tests his new vision on a jump just one week after the treatment.
Importantly, the level of risk is directly correlated to the way you manage your action. For example, if you jump out of a plane with no parachute, reserve parachute, or guide – then the risk is (obviously) going to be pretty high. But, if you head out in all the correct gear, safety equipment and an experienced team… who knew skydiving would make such a great analogy for Laser Eye Surgery?
Just as your risk is greatly reduced in the second skydiving scenario, choosing an expert surgeon and specialist clinic for your Laser Eye Surgery treatment makes the already low-risk Laser Eye Surgery even less risky.
For this exact reason, Jakob went to London Vision Clinic and chose Professor Dan Reinstein, an internationally renowned Laser Eye surgeon and pioneer in the world of vision correction – oh, and our founder – for his surgeon.
Heading into Surgery
Due to the extreme nature of his sport, Jakob underwent ReLEx SMILE Laser Eye Surgery due to its minimally invasive nature. While SMILE is, in many ways, similar to the more common LASIK treatment, it does not require the creation of a flap in the cornea.
Instead, a series of pulses create a tiny connecting tunnel from the surface of the cornea to the underlying corneal tissue. Through this tunnel, the surgeon is able to remove the required amount of tissue, effectively reshaping the cornea. One of the major advantages of this ‘keyhole’ procedure is the drastically reduced recovery times.
For Jakob, this meant he was able to return to his sport in a matter of days as opposed to weeks.
In the video diary of his experience, Jakob walks us through his journey from start to finish. From the comprehensive consultation process, where his eyes were screened and checked three times, to his 24-hour post-op check-up, where his eyes were already nearly 20:20. Finally, we see his first – and practically, last – week of recovery.
We also see the rather terrifying and exhilarating footage of his first jump after his treatment, after which he thanks Professor Dan Reinstein for performing the procedure that changed his life.
So, would he do it again? Well, in his own words: “One hundred per cent. Definitely.”
Do you want to learn more about how Laser Eye Surgery could change your life? Get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators who can talk you through the process. Alternatively, Book your Consultation today!
