I'M SO SICK OF CONTACTS! Any one had LASIK?

[vettechick99]

Care to share your experience? Did it work well for you?

How much was it where you live? Did insurance cover any of it?

Thanks!

 

[Minnesota!]

I had it back in January of 99. At that time, it was $1900/eye - so just under $4K. No, insurance didn't cover a dime. I used my reimbursement account here at work for $3000 of it and the rest was out of pocket.

The procedure was a snap - literally 90 seconds or so on each eye. They gave me a muscle relaxer first, but I don't think I would have needed it necessarialy. My vision was really poor (can't remember exacts) but the next day I was 20/20!!!

I haven't had my eyes checked since (I know, bad bad), but I would say I am probably 20/30 or so. I would HIGHLY reccomend it to anyone. My eyes get foggy once in a while, but i just have to blink a lot for a bit, and all is good again.

I was the same way - hated my contacts, hated my glasses more. It was amazing that next day rolling over and reading the time on the clock across the room!!

 

[Lewski709]

Lasik here. 3800, no insurance coverage. No regrets, only wishing I had it done sooner. 20/15 vision. Excellent!

 

[jel0511]

I also had Lasik 2 year ago,and I also paid $3800 for both eyes. I thought the actually procedure was a little uncomfortable as were the rest of that first day. After that though, it was clear sailing. I'm now 20/20, and have almost no side effects. My eyes are more sensitive then before, and become bloodshot much more frequently then they did before.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I had lasik last April. Went from 20/400 to 20/20 almost overnight. Got checked 3x at the clinic until they released me because I was fine and needed no corrections after 4 months.
Mine was $2200 total. I don't know if any insurance will cover what is essentially a cosmetic procedure. I am so happy I did it. Even our last two trips to WDW were great without worrying about solutions, losing contacts, getting blurry at night, etc.
I still need reading glasses (they told me ahead of time they could not correct both--I'm 40 and a teacher so I read a lot and it is hard on my eyes) but I don't mind as they are only plus 1.25 or 1.5, and I can get them at Dollar Tree, as opposed to hundreds of dollars for glasses with all kinds of insurance exclusions (I had progressive lenses last time and I had to pay for that myself, plus most frames are more than the insurance will pay). I suppose next fall when I get my eyes checked at my regular place (who wanted $1000 more for lasik) they will try to hound me into expensive reading glasses, but I won't do it.
Robin M.

 

[hucifer]

I got LASIK last June. Like Lewski, the only regret was not doing it sooner. Mine cost $1200/eye and was not covered by insurance. One of the best things I've ever done for myself. The procedure is super quick and painless. Do yourself a favor and look into it.

I see you like Wallace and Grommit. Great cartoons, especially the Wrong Trousers.

 

[MickeysMommy]

I'm 28 and have had glasses since kindergarten...thank God they invented contacts, but, I, too, am looking into Lasik. I am a little leary though because it is messing with your eyes. They are your eyes, man. Can't get them back if something should go wrong. I do want the surgery though. Heard nothing but good stuff and am still a little leary.

 

[JoNo]

I've been wearing glasses since I was 8 (i'm 21 now) and I would love to do this, but as stated above, these are my eyes, and they'll be my ONLY set Does anyone know if they can do this for astigmatism?

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

I looked into it but my eye dr. told me I wasn't a good candidate. I have perfect vision in my left eye (would have left that eye alone) and am legally blind in my right (although I can see with contacts, but I still see primarily with my left eye). Would have loved to have gotten rid of the contacts for ever (have had them close to 20 yrs) but it looks like I'm stuck with them!

 

[jel0511]

Originally posted by JoNo
I've been wearing glasses since I was 8 (i'm 21 now) and I would love to do this, but as stated above, these are my eyes, and they'll be my ONLY set Does anyone know if they can do this for astigmatism?

YEP!!! My astigmatism is SO severe that glasses couldn't completely correct it, and finding contacts that fit was a nightmare. 20/20 now!!!

 

[DisneyDreamer8]

I had been wearing contacts for several years and was going to have to get expensive ones to correct my astigmatism. So my dad said he would pay for my LASIK and my sisters because he wanted it done too. I researched different clincs locally (Oregon) and in Washington. I finally found a clinic in Vancouver BC that had done more eyes than any clinic I talked to locally. I got some looked into the doctors they had on staff and they were all really great. Plus the procedure was only (at the time) $1000 for both eyes. So all three of us went up for a long weekend and got our eyes fixed for the price of one of us getting done locally

It will be four years in April and my eyes are still perfect. I can see that my astigmatism has gotten a little worse but not bad enough to get an enhancement done. The procedure went very smoothly about 10 sec for my right eye and 12 for my left. I could see better right away. You just need to make sure you follow all the directions they give you afterwards and make sure to use your eyedrops.

Most insurance won't help pay for the cost.

Hope this help a little!

 

[Melora]

I had the procedure done last year. Again, my only regret was not having it done sooner.

I was SO scared. It was expensive but I went to a very exclusive docter out here where I live because I did not trust the cheaper people. Cost over $2000 per eye. But I had VERY bad sight.. My contacts were -8.5.

At the place where I went, I was allowed to watch them doing the procedure to the other people ahead of me. Im not sure if that helped or not. A bunch of us were prepped together and sat and waited. We could see the others getting it done one at a time in the next room through a large glass window.

They numbed my eyes with drops. The most uncomfortable part of the procedure was while they put in the metal eye-holder-openers. That was kind of ouchy, but too bad. My biggest fear was that I wouldnt be able to keep my eyes open, but with those things in, you have no choice.

The procedure was quick and painless, about 2 minutes per eye if that. You could kind of feel a little pressure but nothing else. I felt the docter breathing on me more than anything.

I sat up and still could not see "clearly" because everything was a fuzzy. They give you these ridiculous looking glasses that are solid black with little holes punched in them. I went home and did not take the valium they gave me (which I realized was simply to make you sleep) because I had a toddler who was still breastfeeding. I ended up watching TV through the glasses even though I should probably have waited longer but I was bored stiff (hence them wanting you to sleep with the valium and not look at things too much). By the next day I could almost see clearly and by the end of the week I could not believe that after 20 years of glasses I didnt need them anymore.

My eyes were sensitive for about a month after that to bright light and to large vistas of lots of colors..that may sound weird but when I would go to a place like Costco, there was so much to look at and so many places to focus and so many colors, it kind of made my eyes hurt. that didnt last very long.

It was by far the best money I have ever spent!

 

[Growin'upDisney]

I too am legally blind in both eyes but can correct the sight with contacts. About 5 years ago I had to have retinal surgery in both eyes which made the vision even worse. I had to wait 6 months after the surgery for the eyes to "settle". I went to the Lasik doctor ready to put all the glasses/contact misery behind me. But alas I found out your cornea has to be a certain diopeter thickness for them to correct. The thickness it needs to be depends on how much correction needs to be done. Since mine are so bad my corneas need to be pretty thick.

They did say that they could get me to say 20/100 or 20/80 as opposed to my current sight, which for me would be a remarkable improvement. So as I took the time to decide if I wanted to pay for this and still have to correct my vision with glasses or contacts. Good thing I watied because I found out that because of the retinal surgery I had developed cataracts and that I will eventually have to have that surery, so I would have wasted the money on the vision correction.

Bottom line - make sure you eyes are healthy before doing Lasik or PRK.

 

[Otto's Doll]

Bumping for the night shift!

 

[hockeymom7691]

I'm glad you posted this thread! I have been considering it too!! I look forward to the day that I can lay on the couch and see the tv without crushing my glasses!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I am happy to report that I had the procedure done seven years ago. I had to have a retreat done a couple of years later. The initial cost was $3900. The retreat was done free of charge. The only side affects I have experienced is some slight dryness when I am on the computer and don't blink as often as I should. I would advise anyone considering Lasik to have it done by an Ophthalmologist vs. some "drive-thru" clinic somewhere. Afterall, they're the only two eyes you've got!

By the way, the worst part is having the tape pulled off your eyelashes -- ouch!!!

 

[missypie]

I had it about 7 weeks ago. My visions was terrible. As for the procedure....I could have used a lot more valium than they gave me but it went quickly. After 32 years of glasses/contacts, it's great to be free of them. My vision is pretty good - no glasses required for reading (they did monovision so I have one eye that can see distances and one close up) but I think I will probably need glasses for driving at night. When we were at DLP last week it was a bit difficult to see in the dark rides like Peter Pan. $3200/no insurance. (I put it on my Disney Visa, so I did get $32 Disney Dollars for it!)