Lasik?

[Brent Dowell]

Just wondering if anyone here has had Lasik?

Getting to the point where I wear bifocals about half the time.

I like the idea of getting lasik so that I don't need normal glasses, but could just use either reading glasses, or better yet, shop glasses with cheaters...

Just wondering what kind of experiences folks have had with it.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

17 January 2003. About 9am ET. No regrets whatsoever. Prior to the surgery I was worse that 20/200 and was a slave to my glasses. Now, I see 20/20 and 20/15 and only use glasses for reading (1.5 diopter cheapies)...which is normal for being 50 years old. And as you mention, my safety glasses have "cheaters" at the bottom of the lenses so I can accurately see measurements, etc., although I still need to mentally process them correctly...

I was borderline for the surgery due to dry eyes, but have not had a lot of issue with that in the past two years or so. I'll occasionally use drops when my eyes are tired late at night, when I wake up or when flying for many hours. But it's quite minimal.

One of the key things, however, is to select a doctor with a lot of experience. Don't choose based on price...

[Jeff Kerr]

Jim has it right. Do not choose on price. I found a great Dr. that was associated with a for profit company TLC. (The ones that did Tiger Woods).

Most expensive in my area but cam with lifetime touchups for free. 2 years later I still have 20/20 vision.

[Jim Becker]

My doc was associated with Will's Eye Hospital's local LASIK facility and also provides the "lifetime" benefits. I still use him for even regular checkups...which seem to be covered by my regular medical insurance as a surgical specialty.

[Nancy Laird]

Brent, there is a doctor here in Albuquerque who does three different types of LASIK - be aware that there IS more than one type for different types of eyes, and the LASIK procedure isn't for everyone. He also advertises that he does implantable contact lenses which are removable and replaceable in the future.

In my own case, when my cataracts got so bad that I could not drive at night, my ophthamologist implanted new lenses into my eyes which are ground to my prescription (I was at about 20/800) and I wear only the $1.00 Dollar Tree cheaters to read the phone book and the newspaper. Otherwise, I'm glasses-free for the first time since 1950!! I haven't had any vision change since I had my cataracts done in late '01/early '02.

Nancy (122 days)


Everyone I've ever heard from who has had LASIK - particularly from this doctor here in Albq. - has had fantastic results.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I'm terrified that if I do it they will suddenly discover some awful long term complication.

[Ed Breen]

Cliff,
I had mine (cataracts) done here in Muskogee at a regional clinic. My eyes are now fine. One small drawback was a tear in my left retina which resulted in some unusual floaters. I went back in they peeked and sent me to a medic in Tulsa who zapped my left retina about 60 shots to create scar tissue and stop the tear. I'm 20/20 in both eyes now and have had no problem in several years. The best thing (which I did not realize) after the surgerys white was white instead of yellow. Quelle difference!!
Ed

[Tyler Howell]

One of the best things I ever did,
Sept 2001
Almost time for a tune up but still going stong.

[Randal Stevenson]

I am offically a canidate, whose mother is a surgical nurse for an opthomologist that performs these, yet I haven't done it.
Over by my work, we have a budget Lasik place (under $300 an eye), and I used to see people waiting to go over there all the time. The doctors came in from out of town for the proceedures, and in one case we saw a guy come back a few days later, and need to see the doctor again. He had a torn cornea, and had to wait two days for the Dr. to come back into town.

Since I work in a lot of heat (dry eyes), and have both seen and heard horror stories, and know how even regular glasses have saved my eyes, I am a little leary about doing it. I don't recommend going budget on this by any means.

[Jack Hogoboom]

Had it done about 20 months ago. I was staring at a computer all the time and couldn't see it nor the paper on my desk well. Headaches all the time. It was either surgery or bifocals. Decided to give it a try, even though I make my living reading and losing my vision would have been a big problem....

I wasn't a candidate for regular Lasik because my eyes are small and beady (seriously ). Dr. was worried that Lasik would leave me with halo issues because my orbits weren't wide enough.

I had a modified procedure. With Lasik, they cut the epithelium (sp?), do the surgery and lay the epithelium back down. For me, they had to scrape the epithelium off to expose the eye.

Took me nearly two weeks to fully recover. My vision was blurry for a lonnngggg time. Very scary. Dr. kept saying everything looked great. Eventually he was proved correct.

It hasn't been life-altering for me. Sometime, like when I'm in the shop, I forget to use proper eye protection because I am so used to the glasses being there.

The other thing I don't like too much is that, apparently, Lasik sacrifies some of your up-close vision in the correction. Like Jim, I have magnifying glasses I carry around. The lack of that vision is a big pain when I'm in the shop or doing something on a small scale.

All in all, I guess it has been a good thing. I loved being able to buy non-prescription sunglasses. However, it wasn't some kind of life-altering event for me. I guess the moral of my story is that there are pluses and minuses and if you think you want to do it, fine, but don't expect it to change your life.

Jack

[Jim Becker]

Jack, I was already using reading assistance before the surgery...progressives, even...so it's not surprising I still needed some correction for close work. The Dr did intend for me to have a slight mono-vision after the laser, but my correction was a little more than was expected. When my eyes are moist, I have no issues with reading things like menus as long as there is reasonable light. But at 50 years old, most of the time, it's just preferable to use 1.5 diopter cheaters...

[Brent Dowell]

I'm not really expecting to have the vision of a twenty year old, but I've been wearing glasses basically my whole life.

I'm already at the point where I playing with my glasses all the time. I work on the computer all day, and sometimes I need my glasses to see the screen, sometimes I don't, and other times I need my bifocals.

If I'm sitting on the couch, reading catalogs and watching TV, I need to use the bifocals to be able to see the TV and to be able to read.

They say there is a direct correlation between age and the distance at which you need to hold a magazine in order to be able to read it.

I think I might just start searching for an appropriate doctor. I've been going to the same optometrist for quite a while, and I know he even had it done, so I'll probably get his recomendation on where to go.

Sounds like it's a no brainer from the feedback. Thanks!

[John Shuk]

I'm terrified that if I do it they will suddenly discover some awful long term complication.

That is my wife's concern.
I know lots of people who have had it and all are happy.
I'm better than 20/20 naturally knock on wood.

[mark page]

I am like Nancy was. Approximate 20-800. My opto wants me to due the surgery, but with a hitch that one eye will be for reading and one for distance. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE! Although I know many people that has done it that way and like it. That way no reading glasses. I currently wear bifocals too. But everytime it rains I keep swearing I'm going for it, or I'm a sweater and have to constantly keep shoving them back up on my face and swear I'm gonna do it. Still haven't done it yet. Guess too many other priorities first.

[Russ Filtz]

My doctor won't let me do it! Too many risk factors for me. Severe nearsighted (6-8 diopters), some astigmatism, my Dad had Glaucoma, I have elevated pressures as well. My eyes have been the bane of my existence! I always wanted to be a jet fighter pilot growing up (didn't we all!)