amfp

First somewhat on topic, I had it done as my night vision was not as strong when I was younger even with glasses, or with contacts. Plus contacts were becoming a nuisance, and were uncomfortable to wear, even though they provided me better vision than glasses for driving.

After speaking with some GP, and optomologists I know, and lots of research reading, I decided to have it done with the "best" and highly recommended laser surgeon in the tri state NY area. Actually this doctor performs laser surgery on many high profile professional athletes, and includes recognizable professionals. To me, I can shop for lower prices on 993 parts, but cost on my well being is secondary.

Because I was both near and farsighted, I decided with doctors recommendations to have one eye ~ 20-15/20 and other eye ~ 20-100/150, so I could read somewhat well without reading glasses always being mandatory. I did not want to be a like a colleague of mine who had the laser surgery who now always needs to wear his glasses to read the newspaper, and had difficult in seeing the time on his previous small dail wrist watch. For those of us over 40 you have a better idea what I mean about reading glasses.

Anyway, had surgery done, no complications, but had migraine headaches for about 7 months. Along with a dry eye problem with recommendions for me to have plugs to increase tears. I decided not have the plugs and continued with moistening drops. The severe headaches concerned me more than the dryness. After visiting multiple specialists, it was determine the surgery was done very well, my system "just" needed to adjust to the myopic vision. Thank God over the next 3-4 months, the migrane headaches were less and finally went away after the 7 month. Also the dryness went away.

Would I have it done again. Based on what I went through with the uncertainity of ever recovering, no. Is my vision now better than before the operation, definiately.

Despite being very healthy, I was just one of the 1-2% who had complications. Just like with any surgery there are risks involved, and they all need to be weighted, as nothing is a 100%.

Good luck.

RT7

I had it done couple years ago. It was one of the best thing happened to my life. It took 5 days to recover but my eyes are 20/20 now.

No more running over cones. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

stedge

Hey, most folks seem to like it. Just remember the 2% who do not. If you end up in that group, don't complain, because - except in rare cases - everything was done correctly and you're just SOL. You made your bed...

As I said, I see primarily ocular disasters and try to put "Humpty" back together again. I am not having LASIK until I cannot tolerate contacts and/or I just give up on my glasses. Oh, and after I no longer need to do surgery - halos would kill that fast.

I find it interesting that the surgeon posting here is the conservative one (unless others of you are)! Very interesting.

Whatever you decide, best of luck.

Patricia

I had Lasik on both eyes (at the same time) just over two years ago. It took me a long time to work up my courage, but it was one of the best things I've ever done. I had worn glasses since I was about 10 years old (I would go in for an exam, they would ask me to read the chart and I would answer, "What chart?", and lost my glasses regularly, any time I put them down other than my usual nightstand spot), also had a bad astigmatism, poor night vision, and very poor depth perception. I had been wearing bifocals for a couple of years, but never was able to really adjust to them. I couldn't wear contacts because of a bout with shingles when I was in my twenties.

I now have 20/20 vision, no astigmatism, great depth perception, and acceptable night vision. I do need reading glasses - not even Lasik cures getting older - but I just keep a pair in every room, in the car, etc., so I can grab them when I need them. The only problem I have is reading a map in the car, but printing out large ones before I leave home takes care of that.

The doctor did put me on an anti-viral drug for a week before and a week after the procedure, just in case of a relapse from the shingles. And, I still have problems with dry eyes sometimes (which also started with the shingles, but got worse after Lasik). Part of that is because I can't close my eyes completely, so they dry out overnight. I have extra-heavy duty eyedrops for that, which have helped immensely.

As everyone else said, find the best surgeon with the best equipment. And follow the instructions exactly - don't take any chances! I only wish I'd had it done sooner.

Pat

swftiii

I got mine done about 4 years ago also. Great results - 20/15 in both eyes.

Right after the procedure, I experienced sensitivity to light which gradually went about over about 6 months. Ocassionally I get a littly halo effect at night.

I can't even remember what it was like to wear contacts/glasses every day. It is very freeing and I would recommend it to everyone. Like others have said though - don't look for a financial deal or to cost cut - you only have 2 eyes. Also, be sure you are comfortable with the risks and the doctor who is going to perform the procedure.

Good Luck and let me know when you can read this without glasses.

Skip

okindao

I had mine done almost 2 years ago. I only had my right eye done so I have what is called monovision. I use my left eye to read and the right eye for distance .

After original procedure the right eye was not where it needed to be. After a 4 month wait ( to see if it corrected itself) an enhancement was done. I called it a fix they called it an enhancement !!!!

Procedure was painless, no dry eyes, results have been great. Unfortunately as I am now over 50 the nead for reading glasses is rapidly approaching .

Still to not have to have glasses broken when I slept on them lost them when diving into water with them on or some other error is not without great benefit.

would i do it again ???? In a heartbeat. Only major recommendation is to choose the doctor who really has been doing the procedure for years.... nothing like experience and do not let their young learning assistant do the procedure insist on the doctor and not the assistant.

Good luck

MJBird993

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 993,951,944:
<strong>Had Lasik done three years ago in Vancouver Canada for $1K and they did my third eye for no charge. Vision was 20/200
and corrected to 20/15.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Just curious - where is your third eye, in your forehead?

<img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

Michael
(sticking with contacts until the procedure is 100% foolproof)

Brett - 1996 C4

My wife and I are waiting to get it done once the wavefront-guided procedures are available in the US. This has been approved for the Alcon lasers, but is still in Phase III trials for the VISX and B&L lasers (which seem to be almost exclusively used in the Seattle area). The wavefront-guided technique is supposed to cut down on halos and loss of night vision resulting from third-order aberrations that regular LASIK doesn't correct (or can introduce).

BTW, LASIK will NEVER be 100% foolproof. There are very few surgical procedures that are.

Brett

Bruce SEA 993

I had both eyes done at the same time. Zero complications or after-affects. I followed the Doctors recomendations as far as post operative sleep and everything else. I could have gone right out that evening after the surgery but did not.

20/15 in right eye and 20/25 in left. I do not need reading glasses (yet) but it also a function of age. I am 47 so it's coming...

As far as the decision to do it: I could not tollerate freaking contacts any more. Plus with a huge correction for astigmatism I could not get decent correction. Glasses were not great either.

The new eyes are awesome! I would do it in a heartbeat.

User 4621

I have worn contact lenses for 15 years. Without them I am -4.25 in both eyes, With them I have 20/15 or better.

They are disposable and I always have a spare pair in the glovebox, briefcase, and wife's purse. I can swim with eyes open and go camping for a week without changing them (need a good squirt of saline in the morning though.) Normally I pop them out each night. My total cost per year is around $150.

Although I looked into the surgery, I don't have a compelling reason to pursue it, especially considering the advances still being made with the mapping and tracking systems.

Maybe someday.

John H

I had mine done back in November of 1998 when it was rather new and very expensive compared to today's pricing. Still the best money I ever spent. I'll never forget laying in bed the night after the surgery and looking out the window and seeing the stars (and the alarm clock) without looking for my glasses first.

vjd3

Well, I started this thread ... and I had the surgery done on Sunday. It was a pretty amazing experience, it's true, you don't feel a thing from the laser, although there is some pressure on your eye during the minute or two, it's more uncomfortable than painful.

I have really bad eyesight ... -6.5 and -9.5 with slight astigmatism. Really blind without contacts or glasses. As soon as I got off the table I could see amazingly well, a little cloudy, which is normal, but sharp, especially my left eye, which was the worst of the two. My eyes didn't hurt at all. One watered and felt a little scratchy for about 3 hours after the surgery, the other felt completely normal, just a little dry. Took a nap, woke up and felt fine. Night vision is a little more challenging, with halos around lights, but that is supposed to fade over the coming weeks.

All in all, an amazing thing, to see clearly with nothing in or on my eyes. I slept in my contacts for 20 years, so the clock thing didn't wow me, but my vision in the bright sun is better than before, and I was 20/20 corrected then.

I had the wavefront procedure done in Canada. Reasonably priced at a well-respected clinic. It appears to have worked out for me, but I would certainly recommend that you look past the marketing and at the hard facts; if you're one of the 3 percent who wind up with problems, or the .5 percent who have serious complications, the 97 and 99.5 percent who don't won't be of much comfort to you.

Vic
95 C4

sy308

I am sure by now you have researched the Lasik procedure and you have realized this is not reversible. The flap, once raised, never reattaches to the cornea bed and can be lifted any time in the future for enhancement procedures. You should also inquire about the surgeon's complication rate. The most recent studies indicate the importance of proper thickness of the corneal bed after the keratome cuts the flap. People with higher myopia are the most at risk as their corneas tend to be thinnest. It is possible to make incorrect calculations and prepare a bed that is too thin. It is also possible to make correct calculations and get burned anyway. This results in an induced instability of the bed which results in a condition similar to keratoconus, called ectasia. Once this happens, the only solution is corneal transplant. The issue of dryness of the cornea is an interesting one. This results from the fact that the keratome cuts the flap AND the innervating nerves of the flap. The needs some sensory feedback to maintain balance of the basal tear secretion. This is the amount of tears that are responsible for keeping the eye from drying out. If you have a history of dry eyes, then you should ask the surgeon about his experience and recommendation about this potential complication. This is especially true for middle aged women, more so than men. Without proper innervation the cornea tends to get dry spots, which will limit vision if they are allowed to accumulate in the central cornea. When recalcitrant, this condition is very difficult, if not impossible to treat. Those posters who had used plugs and tears were lucky to have resolved the problem.

In the future, refractive surgery will begin to incorporate phakic IOL (intraocular lens) technology and shift away from lasik for many of the reasons I noted above. I have seen videos of similar surgery and it very impressive to watch as the opening into the eye is about 1.5mm in length. The opening is made with a diamond blade and no stitch is required. This is done routinely in Europe now, but we are still waiting on FDA approval here. Here are the advantages. First, the lens will be reversible as it can always be removed. Secondly, complications that involve corneal healing or dryness would be avoided. Third, the latest iteration of this technology is a defractive lens. This lens is in essence multifocal and will allow a person to get distance correction AND be able to read without glasses (a distince separate advantage that lasik can not offer). Finally, most ophthalmologists already have great experience implanting lenses after cataract operations so you have much more cumulative experience in the medical community and a greater selection of potential surgeons.

I sure hope you have great success with your new vision. Good luck.

Speedraser

sy,
Very interesting, and thanks for the info.

Vic,
Please keep us posted as time passes. I'm particularly interested in the halo issue.

At -7.5 in both eyes, I'd love to get something done.

Stuttgart951

I had it done 3 years ago at Kremer in King of Prussia, PA. At the time, they were considered the best (people would fly in from all over to have them do it).

The procedure is an adventure. No pain, only minor "pressure" and you get to see most of what they do through the eye not being worked on (the "smoke" coming out of the eye they ARE working on is rather unnearving, however)

I went in with 20/200 in one eye, 20/220 in another, with a minor astigmatism, and after the procedure, I ended up with 20/15 in both eyes (read - "better" than perfect).

Immediately after you are done and they sit up up, your vision is improved drasticly - everything is "sharp" but it looks as though you are viewing the world underwater. Its not blurry, but hazed.

After a few days, everything returns to normal. I would do it again in a heartbeat - not having to deal with glasses or contacts is worth the price alone... not to mention being able to see the alarm clock in the morning.

The only negative side effect Ive noticed is a combination of my eye pigment (very, very light green) and what they warned me about during the surgery: at night, bright lights have a tendency to "star," which is not that big a deal, and during the day, I find it difficult to be outside without sunglasses, as my eyes are very light sensitive.

Go for it, you wont regret it.