WOT: lasik eye surgery, anyone have it done? Options

[mattillac]

i hear it's awesome. i'm nearsighted and i hate wearing my glasses. just wondering if anyone here had the operation done. it's supposed to be quick and painless with instant results. it also costs about $2,500.

survey says.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

[lapuwali]

My wife had it done a few years ago. It is very quick and painless. Most of the job is automated. You often see "star" patterns (like water drops on your glasses) for a day or so afterwards. One downside is you tend to lose your close-up vision. If you're used to being able to focus on small items up close, you'll lose some sharpness there. It also doesn't last forever, and chances are good you'll start to suffer the usual far-sightedness that affects most people in the late 40s and 50s, and you'll end up having to wear at least half-moon style glasses to read or see up close at all.

Frankly, it scares the hell out of me, and I won't do it. The failure rate is very low, but not so low I'm willing to risk it. 30 years of wearing glasses now, and I'm comfortable with that.

[JerryP]

I had it about 5 years ago when it was even more expensive. Luckily, Dr. Frederic Kremer(who founded the first laser eye center in the U.S.) was located a couple miles from my house. For me it was probably the best money I've ever spent. I'm still grateful every day that I can wake up and see.

[Joe Bob]

About a year ago....I was a -7.00 in both eyes. BE SURE to get complete rest after the surgery....I would recommend a sleep aid for the first 12 hours.

I had some degradation as my eyes decided to go far sighted after the proceedure....had to go for a tune up. One eye is set for distance the other for reading....

[Trekkor]

My neighbor had it done and is way bummed.
She used to play softball in a league. Had to give it up because depth perception loss up close kept leading to grounders getting through or catching the chest or chin. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

I'll pass.

KT

[groot]

I had it done last thursday. Cost $990 for both eyes. I had a pretty mild prescription, so the risk was lower. I never wore glasses or contacts, even though I was supposed to for driving (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

Anyway, 1 week later and my vision has improved enough for me to say it's worth it to me. My distance vision is probably 20/25 or 30 now and my near vision has degraded a bit. I still have halos around bright lights. The docs say both the near vision and the halos will clear up within another week. Even if they don't, I'm happy I did it.

[bondo]

My dad had it done a while back and his only regret is he can't take out his contacts to relax, like he used to do (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) (kinda like turning off your hearing aid when you're tired of listening to the world)

[mistro]

I have not had it done, though I've considered it. My problem, is that at my age, 50, they could correct for today, but gradually over the next 5 to 10 years as my sight contiues to worsen, I'd be in bifocals. I could get one eye done to see far and one to see closeup, as I wear my contacts now, but still over time, I'd have to go back to glasses. Contacts work for me, why screw it up?

[JerryP]

I've heard more than one of those type of stories also. For a while there were centers opening up everywhere as well as traveling lasik centers going to rural areas. I think lots of people got the surgery that probably shouldn't have and in conditions less than ideal. That is definitely scary. You have to be really careful to make sure you are truely a candidate. Do the research and go to a reputable center even if its not in your area. And for god's sake, you can't be cheap about it. It's your freakin' eyes!

Since my surgery, I've played 3 years of softball, flag football and now I play in a hockey league.....with no depth perception problems. There is a reason so many pro athletes do this. I guess there is always a risk though. For my parameters, they measured the risk at between 1 and 2% I think. I hated glasses and contacts enough for it to be worth it. Fortunately it worked out for me.

[mattillac]

i didn't know that lasik causes up close sight loss. that sucks. i think i'd rather just wear my glasses. i can see up close pretty well. my sights not that bad. it's only a pain at
night when it's raining or if i have to read street signs in the city or something.

[groot]

mattilac,

Not up close sight loss, but some degradation while the healing continues.

My vision problem sound similar to yours, couldn't read the signs unless I was close in low light conditions, night or rainy.

The risk is proportionate to how much they have to correct.

[skline]

I have a client that does it. They have an excellent success rate with no failures at all. I had it doen for my wife back when she first came here from Russia and she is very happy.

[mattillac]

groot,

so you can read the signs and see the damn lines on the road at night now? i'm 24 and i've been told that i should wait till i'm over thirty till i get the surgery cause my eyes will still be changing up until that point. but i'm sure they'll probably change after 30 too, so i'm not sure how valid that is. if you don't mind me asking, whats your age groot.

[7391420]

If it really only lasts a few years and then gradually gets worse, than I dont see the point? I thought that people that had it first had to be checked to see if their eyes were stil likely to change and if so they wouldn't recommend it? it would suck to pay all that $$ (which out east I think is closer to 4k for both eyes) and then it fails after a few years?

[mistro]

QUOTE

If it really only lasts a few years and then gradually gets worse, than I dont see the point? I thought that people that had it first had to be checked to see if their eyes were stil likely to change and if so they wouldn't recommend it? it would suck to pay all that $$ (which out east I think is closer to 4k for both eyes) and then it fails after a few years?

It's not that it fails, its that it corrects your vision as of right now. If you are of the age where your close in vision is degrading because your eyes are losing their ability to focus (its called getting old), then in a period of time you will need to get glasses, contacts or have the process done again, although I don't think you can do it more than twice.

[Toast]

QUOTE (mikez @ Mar 4 2005, 12:50 PM)

I had some degradation as my eyes decided to go far sighted after the proceedure....had to go for a tune up. One eye is set for distance the other for reading....

My boss had it done, and he also had one set for reading and one for distance. After a short while, he was not able to adjust to the differences in each eye, so he went back in, against their suggestion not to, to have them try to correct that.

Now he can barely see! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) He has to cup his hand over his eye (like a telescope.....I call it pirate-eye) and close his other eye just to be able to read Anything!

He also keeps his right eye closed all the time because his vision is now so bad in it that it gives him headaches.

He cannot read any print unless it is very large, therefore, he cant see his cell phone, book text, handwriting, ect. without magnifying it.

Its really an inconvience for the secretary....me! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif)
.........well, im sure for him too. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)


**oh, just a little side not, he never took care of himself or did the procedures or drops that he was told to after either surgery.**

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (mattillac @ Mar 4 2005, 01:05 PM)

groot, so you can read the signs and see the damn lines on the road at night now? i'm 24 and i've been told that i should wait till i'm over thirty till i get the surgery cause my eyes will still be changing up until that point. but i'm sure they'll probably change after 30 too, so i'm not sure how valid that is. if you don't mind me asking, whats your age groot.

I'm nearsighted, which is very common. My vision changed pretty much yearly until I hit about 25 or so. It then slowed dramatically, and I basically have the same prescription now I had when I was in my late 20s (I'm 40). It's now beginning to change again, but not in the same way. I'm slowly becoming more farsighted. I used to be able to (without glasses) focus on and read very small type or other really small things. Now, I'm having a hard time doing that w/o a magnifier (but NOT regular glasses). This will almost certainly get worse over the next 10 years or so. This is pretty typical, I'm told. Some people don't start getting the farsighted changes until they're in their 50s, so I'm a little early.

So, vision does change with age, and the rate and type of change is different as you age. If you did it at age 30, you'll likely be glasses-free for 10-20 years. Then, you'll likely need glasses again to read or do anything close up. $2000 over 10-15 years isn't so bad, esp. if you get new glasses every couple of years. If you don't normally do anything that requires really close-up vision, it's not much of a loss.

[Joe Bob]

QUOTE (Toast @ Mar 4 2005, 01:49 PM)

QUOTE (mikez @ Mar 4 2005, 12:50 PM) I had some degradation as my eyes decided to go far sighted after the proceedure....had to go for a tune up. One eye is set for distance the other for reading.... My boss had it done, and he also had one set for reading and one for distance. After a short while, he was not able to adjust to the differences in each eye, so he went back in, against their suggestion not to, to have them try to correct that. Now he can barely see! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) He has to cup his hand over his eye (like a telescope.....I call it pirate-eye) and close his other eye just to be able to read Anything! He also keeps his right eye closed all the time because his vision is now so bad in it that it gives him headaches. He cannot read any print unless it is very large, therefore, he cant see his cell phone, book text, handwriting, ect. without magnifying it. Its really an inconvience for the secretary....me! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif) .........well, im sure for him too. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) **oh, just a little side not, he never took care of himself or did the procedures or drops that he was told to after either surgery.**

That's probably because the dumass did his wrong eye....I'm a converted lefty, Catholic school ya know....I'm "left eyed" meaning my dominant eye is my close in one.....the right eye is along for the ride...depth perception and long distance....

Monocular vision has it's minor drawbacks but works for me....I couldn't see dick with glasses and contacts were not tolerable anymore....I was close to shooting myself with reading glasses....

[Randal]

Best money I ever spent. Now going on 4 years.

Only problem I had was low light conditions and night, with the star burst effect, which I was warned about.

It took about a year and all that went away.

The side effects I understand are much less now with the technology enhancements they have made.

[joea9146]

My wife had it done about 4-5 years ago..... Thats when they did one eye at a time.
One eye is tuned a little diffrent from the other for reading issues. She has no compliants
and very happy. I also got to watch the procedure on a TV screen which was pretty amazing to watch.

I suggest you go talk to a doctor that has done the procedure and after your eyes have been examined they
will give u all the details that pertain to your case