Potomac-Greg

I'm wrapping up my fifth decade on the planet, and have the dual problem of mild nearsightedness (well corrected with glasses) and increasing farsightedness (tolerable but requiring me to remove the distance glasses to read).

Laser surgery might give me 20/20 distance vision, but then I'd need reading glasses. The surgery can be done to make one eye best for distance and the other for reading, but that seems to create an awkward compromise and (logically) less than optimal vision for sports and driving.

Or I just stick with spectacles.

Any experiences here?

931guru

Did mine in monovision (one eye corrected for distance, one eye left alone for reading) in 2001. Haven't regretted for an instant. The monovision is the perfect solution for someone who was moderately myopic until presbyopia set in. When lasik started getting cheap and reliable, I sprung for one eye, just to see what the outcome would be (why risk both eyes when you can risk only one first?) and never looked back.

My corrections leave me at 20/20 for driving (I used to have my glasses ground for 20/10 distance) and 20/20 for reading. It is a very useful combination, although sometimes the troopers see me before I see them.

My only regret was that lasik was not available 40 years earlier. That would have kept me from the jibes arising from the spectacles.

My favorite parts: sunglasses for $10 and no fogging when opening the dishwasher.

Carrera Cup

My wife had the procedure a couple of yeas ago and swears by it.

I am thinking about a consultation maybe late this year.

Greg Phillips

I did the same thing but had both eyes done at the same time with "monovision".
One eye for reading and one for distance. I also keep a pair of glasses to correct the reading eye but usually only use them on long driving trips.
Works great for me, don't need reading or distance glasses and can read all but he smallest text without issue.
Mine were done about 10+ years ago.

Greg Phillips

Circuit Motorsports

Yes. AWESOME. One of the best things I've ever done.

dp35

I had 14 power correction nearsightedness in both eyes (about as good as a bat). Because my vision was so far off, the doctor decided to do Lasik in 2 stages. Did it once to get it close, then a couple weeks later did it again to fine tune it. Had a video made of the procedure - when he was burning off my cornea with the laser, smoke was coming off my eyeball. Despite that, it was relatively painless, successful, and worth every penny. Now my vision is approx 20/30, which is fine for 99% of life, and I wear glasses for night and track driving.

Kurt R

I opted to not do it. Right now I'm 20/40 in one eye, 20/60 in the other, nearsighted. They said I was a "good candidate", even though my pupils are a little big and my cornea is a little thin. Right now I can read my computer without glasses, and I'd rather have that and slightly bad far vision than the other way around. I have glasses for driving - especially on track even though technically I'm not required to wear them, but I'm 20/15 with the glasses. Tough time seeing the gauges with them on though.

Manny Alban

Got it in 2003 and wish I had done it earlier. Still have 20/15 vision. Whole procedure from when I walked through the door to when my wife took me home was 55 minutes.

krystar

my friend did it. my manager did it. my coworker is going in for consultation this week. it's like peer pressure heh. and fear and the 4 grand price tag is what's keeping me away

Tedster

I had lasik done by my family doctor's eye doctor 10 years ago. He suggested I get "monovision" correction as he had. My dominant eye (right) was corrected to 20/20 (it was 20/80) and the left eye was corrected to 20/30. It took a few weeks to become fully comfortable but once I became acclimated it worked great. Some people I who had Lasik by another doctor complained about haloing, expecially at night but I never had a problem. It was and is great to wake up and be able to see, not have the winter blindness when I came indoors, and finally lose the red marks on my nose. One problem is that in using a camera I need to remember to use my left eye to be able to focus properly. I do not use any glasses as my brain now compensates for the vision disparity.

ZSA Motorsport

i had both eyes done a few years ago. im a big cyclists and i was always having issues with contact lenses at the most inappropriate time. same thing when whompin in the car.

the few grand on the lasik was the best thing i probably ever done. been 20/20 , 20/15 for 5 years.
and the technology has only gotten better. while you can see really well next day, you have to be careful for a bit while everything heals, and at night i had halo/glare issues for about a year, but then again, i rarely drove at night.

no brainer these days.

p-cardriver

My wife had it 6-7 years ago and I had it 4 years ago. Both lasik and both without monovision. Different docs and facilities. I have large pupils and had to wait for a machine and doc that could do me right.

Hers was perfect - great vision, exactly the results she hoped for. She had one complication with the flap and went back in for a tune up a few days after, but otherwise no complications.

Mine was perfect as far as the procedure is concerned, but the vision was never as focused as with glasses. I test at 20/20 but it just isn't there. And I struggle with night time driving (lights have a starburst quality) and eye dryness/fatigue late in the day. Have had this since day one and have been in for several "normal" checkups.

Today we both wear reading glasses, and my wife is considering a refresher procedure as her vision has slipped some. She wore a contact for a while to play with monovision. I will not do lasik again unless I have a cataract or other need driving the decision - will go back to glasses if needed.

I thought sunglasses would be cheap, but I seem to be cursed with Revo, Maui Jim, RayBan and other brands that are expensive enough that I'm not saving anything.

So, for me it didn't really get rid of the glasses or provide the excellent results my wife enjoyed. For us both it hasn't lasted a full decade, or more precisely our eyes continue to deteriorate as we age (both north of 50 now). She would do it again, which is the typical response of everyone we know who has been through it. I would not.

RonCT

I was thinking about it but asked a room full of top docs at one of my hospital board meetings a few years ago. I noticed that just about every one of them wore glasses. So I asked them, how come nobody has done the laser surgery. Man, you should have heard them go on and on...

I have fantastic close vision and right now I'm not wearing anything typing this. Reading is a breeze. I need 2.0 left and right for distance. So, I have a couple sets of glasses and shades. I figure even with laser or contacts, I'd need sunglasses, so that's no big deal. Get laser and you will be wearing reading glasses for the rest of your life. Me, I like waking up in the morning and being able to see close, or being able to relax with a copy of Excellence or Pano (or a book) and read for hours without using glasses.

I do know several people that have had significant issues and will never see the same again. I guess there are risks to be considered.

mglobe

Lasik monovision here also. Left eye for reading, right eye for distance. I have had a set of glasses and prescription sunglasses (Oakley ) made to bring both eyes to 20-15 for driving. I could not be happier with the results. 90% of the day I'm glasses free, and when I'm driving, my vision is terrific.

Veloce Raptor

Lasik, both eyes, 2003. I can see through walls. And womens' clothes.









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