Anyone have an opinion about LASIK?

[paysensmom]

My husband had horrible eye sight. Couldn't even see the alarm clock in the morning without glasses! He got the PRK done and is so glad that he did. He still has to put drops in his eyes daily, but it hasn't been a year. He was told his eyes would be dry for the first year.
He just had his eyes checked on Tuesday and his vision is now 20/16. He can see better than I can now!

 

[skw444]

Add me to the list of best money ever spent! I had mine done 2 1/2 years ago and I wish I had done it sooner. My only complaint is that I still have "halos" on lights at night and is worse if it's raining too. But, a small complaint in the big scheme of things. I LOVE waking up and being able to see without having to "put my eyes in" as my kids would say. My contact prescription was pretty high and the doctor did say that there was a greater chance of me having to come back to be "retreated", but 2 1/2 years later, I'm still seeing great. If you can manage the cost, I definitely recommend it!

 

[tlbwriter]

Lasik is wonderful for some people, but for others it is their worst nightmare. Read about potential complications before you make a decision:

http://lasikcomplications.com
http://www.visionsurgeryrehab.org/

Also, keep in mind that as long as your vision according to the test chart improves, you will be statistically considered a "success story." So if you go from 20/400 to 20/20, but you can no longer drive at night, or you have to have surgery to plug your tear ducts in an attempt to treat chronically dry eyes, you will still be one of their "success stories" when they say "99% of our procedures are successful."

 

[jakoky]

My 19 year old dd had it done in december and she is very, very happy...She "had" one horrible eye and one perfect eye, meaning she could never wear glasses and 1 contact really bothered her...Her "bad" eye still has some blur when used alone, which they warned us about, but when used with her good eye, it is great!

Now, i am in canada, and i paid 2750 for ONE eye....lol... They told me one eye doesnt cost much less than 2...It was a 3 day procedure, we had to travel 4 hours away(including a ferry ride)...there was a preop, op, and post op day so it meant 2 nights in a hotel...We got a whopping 300 back from our insurance (we would eligible to claim 300 dollars every 2 years up to 1500 except that our daughter will no longer be a dependent)

Good luck in whatever you decide. In my daughters case, we had no choice but i am so glad we chose to do it.....

 

[tlbwriter]

She "had" one horrible eye and one perfect eye, meaning she could never wear glasses

I don't understand... why couldn't she have a different prescription for each lens?

 

[nexttripdisney]

I had LASIK two and a half years ago and am so glad I did it. Every day I thank my lucky stars that I can see clearly when I open my eyes!

I had astigmatism and past problems with my optic nerve so I was surprised that I was even a candidate for the procedure.

After the procedure, I felt that my eyesight was not completely identical in each eye but my ophthalmologist assured me that the difference was so slight, testing couldn't even pick it up. Over about six months, I got used to it and now feel no difference.

I am just beginning to use non-prescription reading glasses which they warned me about. Can't read the back of a medicine bottle without them.

Part of the expense should be several visits to a qualified and associated ophthalmologist who will ensure that your eyes are healing well.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

Best.thing.ever!!!


I spent $4,600 on it and it's the best money I ever spent. I've had it for almost 5 years.

 

[elcodfish]

Thank you everyone!!! I have 2 eye centers near me that do open houses each month where you go in, watch someone get the surgery, talk to people who had it done and ask questions, so I guess I will start there. I am 29 and have had glasses since I was in the 3rd grade, I hate not being able to see underwater, or read the alarm clock so I hope this is an option.

Thanks again!!!

 

[MissBritt]

I had LASIK at age 19 after wearing glasses and contacts for nearly 10 years. I went to a Dr who was at the time the foremost surgeon in FL and one of the top 5 in the country. I was myopic and had double astigmatism and was his youngest patient on record. I went from 20/400 to 20/20 in less than 20 minutes... my vision was so bad that when I read the charts without lenses, I couldn't even see the big "E"! I had a few preoperative consults and tests, a short surgery (before which I was given a sterile gown, booties and hair net, Valium, and a massaging leather recliner to relax in), and next-day follow-up. My family actually watched the procedure on TV in an adjoining room. I did leave the office with my eyelids taped shut, shield taped to my face and sunglasses on top, and returned 24 hours later to have everything checked. I was 20/20 in my "bad" eye and 20/15 in my "better" eye! I have had no issues other than some irritation with fans in the first 3-4 months (had to learn to sleep without a fan after 19 years!) and current irritation with very bright light (glare off water midsummer, etc). It's been almost 6 years and it's the best investment my parents ever made.

 

[jakoky]

tlbwriter...the reason she couldnt wear glasses was the huge difference in her eyes...her one eye is perfect, so no prescription...She would always feel off balance, things would feel weird (also would have looked very funny, and to wear glasses that looked odd is not what a teenage girl wants). That is not the reason why she didnt though, she did have the contact option but hated it and again, one contact didnt feel right. She may still end up needed glasses, but her bad eye will be so much closer to her good eye that is now possible

 

[bumbershoot]

I had all the lower level negative side-effects that the FDA is really talking about now. And it's very likely because I was allowed to have it when I really shouldn't have passed the screening. I did have perfect vision for about 8 years, but all the other complaints made it so not worth it. Low vision when going from dark to light or light to dark, extreme discomfort in bright light (when someone takes a flash picture on something like POTC it would take minutes for my vision to come back, for example), dry eyes (I still have to buy the expensive Genteal eyedrops for that), halos at night sometimes. I also have a huge nasty "bloodshot" vein that comes out from where they did the cut (they cut a flap and then use the laser under that) on the eye that they did too quickly (the anesthetic drop hadn't quite "sunk in" yet on that eye).

I had worn glasses before (gave up on contacts after a nasty bout of conjunctivitis) for years, and was VERY swayed on the whole "no glasses" thing. What a CROCK. I had to wear sunglasses ALL the time! And i live in Western WA, there's not a HUGE amount of sunlight on most given days. But I would sometimes have to wear sunglasses INSIDE my apartment, depending on the light outside. Ridiculous.


If you are screened OUT, just go with it. If you're screened IN, get some more opinions.

My sis in law had a great experience with lasik (she's had two touch-ups as well), but I didn't, and it's hard to know what end you're going to wind up on.

 

[msmama]

Sorry, I didn't read most of the responses.

I talked about it with my eye doctor and he said that depending on age, you might not be a good candidate. As we age, most everybody needs at least reading glasses. His point was that I probably wouldn't get getting rid of the glasses for good. Just maybe 5-10 years, which I'd have to decide whether or not would be long enough to pay for the surgery.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Carlyzmom]

I had it 5 years ago and it's the GREATEST!!!! I paid 2 grand an eye that long ago, so that seems like a good price for now. It is amazing to wake up every day and SEE!!! I am so happy not to deal with contacts anymore!

 

[arminnie]

I'm in my early 50's and have worn corrective lenses for myopia since junior high. I've had extended wear lenses since I was 18 and love them. I wear them 2-4 weeks at a time and sleep in them. (I know - NOT recommended.) I have never once had a problem with my lenses.

I use reading glasses now so I no longer even consider surgery...

Martin

?????? Not sure why that makes a difference?

I had it done at 60. I am so glad. Best thing I ever did. Wish it had been available years earlier. Most of the early surgery was way too risky for me.

A friend of mine was CEO of the company that makes the equipment. I was finally comfortable with where technology had grown. This is one place where I would not skimp on money at all. I picked a guy who was one of the top 100 in the country.

It cost about $5000. Gosh I could easily spend over $500 on a pair of glasses not counting that my contacts were about $450. I spent way more than $5000 on glasses and contacts over the years.

I can read (not easily) most stuff if I have enough light. In a restaurant I may take the table light or candle and bring it closer to the menu. I have reading glasses as it makes reading a novel or the paper easier, but it is so nice to be able to check a price tag w/o getting out my glasses. I don't usually carry reading glasses with me as I go about my day.

I started wearing glasses at about 10. So I wore corrective lens for 50 years. The biggest reason I did it - one word - Katrina. The thought of being in a natural disaster with no contacts or glasses (vision 20/450) was unthinkable.

I've had no dry eye at all. Every year at checkup they give me a sample bottle of the tear stuff. I've never opened a bottle. No negative at all.

 

[Praise2Him]

I had it done in 2004 at age 44 and it's the BEST thing I've ever done! I only wear reading glasses for the phone book and medicine bottles, but I don't even care if I have to start wearing them for everything, it's just so wonderful to be able to SEE!

 

[jmpellet]

I did have it done in Canada and itvwas the best $1500 I have spent. This was in 2001 and I was 33 at the time. I now may start to need reading glasses but that's expected. I live in MA.

 

[skatingmom]

I live in Minnesota and had PRK done about 6 years ago in Canada. I do think that I am about at the point of needing reading glasses, but like others, I was warned that this would probably happen. I am so happy that I did it!!

 

[allonte]

LASIK is the BEST.THING.EVER!


That is all!

 

[Avonlady1001]

Thank you everyone!!! I have 2 eye centers near me that do open houses each month where you go in, watch someone get the surgery, talk to people who had it done and ask questions, so I guess I will start there. I am 29 and have had glasses since I was in the 3rd grade, I hate not being able to see underwater, or read the alarm clock so I hope this is an option.

Thanks again!!!

LOL I started wearing glasses in 3rd grade & had my LASIK at 29. I'm 35 now & I don't regret one cent. Think mine cost $4K. I had horrible vision...couldn't see the alarm clock that was not even 2 feet from my face! Now I can see it across the room...no searching blind for the glasses on the nightstand!

If you can afford it & you're a candidate, I say DO IT! Good luck with your decision.

 

[Shelli_5]

I became moderately nearsighted in college & couldn't tolerate contact lenses due to protein build-up. I wore glasses for years & hated them. I finally had LASIK in 2005 when I was in my early 30s. I'm very happy with the results even though my eyes became very dry afterward. I had punctal plugs placed & I still need to use eye drops every now & then. My vision is 20/20 and hasn't changed at all since the procedure. Even with the dry eye problems, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Good luck to you, whatever you decide.

Shelli