Lasik surgery - care to share your experiences?

[Meeko5]

The hubs and I are both booked for lasik surgery in a few weeks. I'm nervous as can be, but I've worn glasses or contacts since I was in 5th grade and decided I've finally had enough.

I'd love to hear any and all experiences, both good and bad! Only one person I know has had a semi-negative experience, and only has to use eye drops for overly dry eyes now. Tips, advice, xanax to calm my fears?!

 

[pryncess527]

I had LASIK done in 1999. Last year I had my vision checked and it is still 20/20.

I have often said LASIK was one of the best decisions I ever made. I was very nervous about it, but found a highly reputable doctor and had a wonderful experience. I could literally see immediately, it was amazing. He did my left eye first, and when he finished and was getting ready to cover it to do the right eye, I already had clearer vision out of my left.

I did not find the procedure painful, though I did find it uncomfortable. There is a weird pressure that I was not fond of, but it did not last long and it wasn't exactly painful, just unpleasant.

And since then, I have enjoyed years of eyesight. No lost contacts, no eye drops, no fumbling for glasses in the middle of the night. Worth every penny. I wore glasses or contacts from the age of 7 until I had the surgery at 21 (the earliest they would permit me) -- it was very freeing to finally see unaided with my own eyes.

Good luck!!!! You'll be fine

ETA -- for anyone in the Atlanta area, Dr. Alan Kozarsky did my surgery. I can not recommend him highly enough! And if my recommendation isn't enough, he also did LASIK on former Braves pitcher Greg Maddox and Tiger Woods!

 

[alicat8]

I don't have personal experience, but a friend did it years ago and still says it was the best thing shed ever done.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My DH had it back in 2008, and has been very happy! He never did well with contacts, and glasses annoyed him - especially when he went swimming or when it rained. (He also has really long eyelashes, and they used to brush on his glasses.) His vision still tests 20/20.

Personally, the idea of how it's done kind of creeps me out (to the point that his dad took him instead of me) - so I've still got my contacts, but they don't bother me like his did.

 

[DIS_MERI]

I had all laser PRK done instead of LASIK. It has a slightly longer healing time, but no flap. I had it done in 2008, when I was 32. I went from 20/400 to 20/15. I am now about 20/25 at age 40 (I have glasses because they help my migraines, but have such a light prescription that I don't have to wear them, even for driving, and just got them 18 months ago). Before surgery, I could see about 6 inches in front of my face. It is in the top 10 smartest things I ever did, and probably the best money I ever spent (and mine wasn't cheap by any means). My corneas are thick enough that I could do it again if I needed to.

My college roommate had LASIK 2 years ago. One of her flaps failed and she has had an endless string of problems from it. Made me extra glad I picked PRK over LASIK.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Not sure what your contact lens history is, but it's not advisable if you've worn gas permeable or hard contacts in the past. I went for a consult a few years ago and I wasn't a good candidate because I wore gas permeable lenses for many years. The offered some information on lens transplants, but I wasn't interested.

 

[fly girl]

I desperately wish I could get LASIK.

I've worn contacts since I was 12years old (gas permeable until 18) and then 20+ years with soft lenses, my eyes have sustained what they call "corneal warpage." One of the top opthomologists in the area advised me not to do it.


I'm posting since I've read you have had corrected lenses since 5th grade. If you are a loyal contact lens wearer please make sure they're getting all the same curvature readings for your eyes. My doctor made me go without contacts for 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and checked the readings every time. The readings varied and although I bet it's not common, I wouldn't want you to get it if you could have the same negative effects I would've.


Also, not to pry but it's a medical procedure -- please go to the best your area has. It's your eyes, worth every penny! I've had friends go the cheap route and they weren't happy.

Can't leave on a Debbie Downer so I'll end by saying everyone I know who has gone to top notch doctors has LOVED it! I'm jelly. Enjoy the 20/20 life for me.

 

[Chaoster]

Had lasik done about 10 years ago. Don't go by price. Cheaper is not always better especially when dealing with your eyes. My eye sight was pretty bad so they had to laser pretty long. They did not tell me ahead of time that a burning smell would be normal. I had to go back for a touch up about 6 months later. Because vision was very blurry after first try. Depending if your doctor is aggressive or not I have heard its better to over correct because you vision will go back. Meaning if they correct to 20/20 when you heal it will be maybe 20/30. This might depend on the individual. Now if I don't get enough sleep the next day my vision is not as sharp. Of course all this is probably ymmv. Just my experience.

 

[MaleficentEvilSister]

I am also having this done at the end of this month. I am very nervous but I can not wait to be able to open my eyes and see instead of fumbling for glasses because I'm blind as a bat.

 

[gncntry]

I had LASIK in 2000. Best decision I ever made. My vision in left eye is 20/25, right eye is 20/30.
I have not had any issues with seeing at night or star bursts that others have complained of.

 

[Terapin]

I had it done about 2010 and it was a good experience. I chose a very experienced doctor who would do the procedure himself. The worst part was not wearing contacts for 2 weeks prior to the surgery! I had regular LASIK but with custom template - apparently some places choose a map that is the best fit, rather than a custom fit. I had both near-sightedness and big astigmatisms. The surgery went well and a small little pill helped the nerves. On the way home I could tell my vision was far improved, even with the scratchiness. I was rigourous about the follow-up care. Initially I was slightly over-corrected but was told in a year or so it would even out and they were right. My vision ended up 20/20 and 25/20 with some small effects from the astigmatism still present. I couldn't be better corrected, but the astigmatism brings my vision down a little, and can't be completely corrected with LASIK. For long-distance signs there is some small doubling effect from the astigmatism, but I can read the signs, if that makes sense. A thousand times better than before. I have a *small* amount of nighttime light haloing, but much much less than from dirty contacts at the end of the day, if you know what I mean. It is a pleasure and a joy to be free of prescription lenses. I am now 43 and was warned that I may need reading glasses soonish due to age, but I am doing fine and estimate I am about 4-5 years off from that, at least.

I am so glad I took the plunge. It has been awesome to be free of lenses. I was confident in my choice of doctor, and I think that really helped my nerves. He claimed a zero complication rate, with only one infection in more than a dozen years, and felt that infection was minor and unrelated to the surgery. I liked those odds. He also had no complaints in front of his professional organization, and rated high among folks who posted their experiences in social media. But mostly it was my feeling when I met him that he wasn't rushed, that he checked my stuff and tests, and ran them again to be sure the day of the appointment, and did some of the testing himself on the critical stuff. I really felt like he wanted a solid result and that it mattered to him that we have the best result possible.

 

[Skippy918]

Dh and I have been glasses free for the last 10 years. It was worth every penny. My vision fluctuates and I notice it's not as good if I am staring at a computer for a chunk of the day. If I am outside and looking in the distance, my vision is better.

 

[Meeko5]

Thanks all for sharing! Glad to hear more positive experiences.

I wore exclusively soft contact lenses from the age of 13 - 25, then when I got pregnant with my first I could no longer tolerate wearing them so I switched over to glasses. After 7 or so months of glasses, I found contacts to be intolerable and never went back. It's been over 6 years with glasses, I tried 2 or 3 times to wear contacts but after a few hours my eyes were sore and itchy so I quit trying. Now I feel "weird" without glasses, and my toddler gets upset whenever I take them off, to the point of crying sometimes. Not sure who it's going to be a bigger adjustment for, me or him lol.

And thankfully our health insurance covers the procedure (shocking, I know!) so we are going to the most recommended place in our area after doing the research. I'm just SO looking forward to seeing more than 6 inches from my face without fumbling for my glasses. And being able to see while swimming, and walking in the rain, and waring SUNGLASSES again.

 

[minniecarousel]

I had lasik done last year at the age of 60. I started wearing glasses when I was 8 and got my first pair of contact lenses at age 17. So I've worn hard, gas-permeable & soft. I had to go without contacts for a few months before the procedure. I have always been far-sighted in one eye and near-sighted in the other. So they corrected my eyes that way since my brain was already used to seeing that way. Otherwise, they were going to correct for distance and I'd have to wear reading glasses! No thank you!

I had all the pre & post op with my optometrist and went to UC Berkeley for the procedure with a highly regarded ophthalmologist. I need to use eye drops in the morning and the evening. I have no issues with night driving.

It is a little unnerving, but I was given a mild sedative before-hand. That helped. I'm very glad that I had it done! I'm in the camp of "wish I'd done it sooner"!

 

[sonnyjane]

Just another "best thing I have ever done" post. Put it off for a long time due to fear, but finally bit the bullet and am glad I did. My procedure was in 2008. As others said, eye surgery is not the place to bargain shop. Find a great doctor with a superb reputation. My surgery also included "free touch ups for life" though I haven't needed one yet. The only thing is that I do notice that driving at night has become a bit more "dark". I don't have the halos that can sometimes be a side effect, things just seem "dark" at night when I'm driving, like I wish my headlights were brighter, etc. But that's the only downside I've experienced.

 

[WDWBarb]

I can't wear contacts because, honestly, I can't get them in. I've tried. I talked to my optometrist and he says that he wouldn't suggest Lasik for me. Something about how they usually shave down the eye, but in my case they'd have to build it up and it's way more difficult. I'm not really sure what all that means, but I was super bummed. I have to carry 2 pairs of glasses - one for driving/walking around and one for using the computer. It's quite a hassle

 

[sonnyjane]

I can't wear contacts because, honestly, I can't get them in. I've tried. I talked to my optometrist and he says that he wouldn't suggest Lasik for me. Something about how they usually shave down the eye, but in my case they'd have to build it up and it's way more difficult. I'm not really sure what all that means, but I was super bummed. I have to carry 2 pairs of glasses - one for driving/walking around and one for using the computer. It's quite a hassle

Get a second opinion. PRK is the procedure involving shaving down the eye, not LASIK.

 

[monsterkitty]

I had PRK about 9 years ago. I went from 20/650 to 20/20 for about 6 months. I'm now at 20/125 so I'm back in glasses but I still think the PRK was one of the best decisions I've ever made and would do it again if I could. I was borderline then and don't qualify because of the shape of the cornea and the way my stigmatism is.

 

[markwilaoto]

I don't have personal experience

 

[Kenny1113]

Best thing I have ever done!!! Like others have posted I went with the best in my area-not the cheapest. I love being alble to see what time it is in the middle of the night without fumbling for glasses!!!


I too wore glasses since 5th grade then went to gas permeable contacts to help slow the rate of deterioration to my vision. I wore gas permeable for years but couldn't go back and forth between glasses and contacts because of the way the lenses altered my eyeball and couldn't get script right. I wanted to try soft lenses, I used them for a couple of years, but then my eye doctor told me my eyes were not getting enough oxygen with the soft lenses and I could no longer wear them. At that point I decided to do Lasik. Did it in 07 and haven't regretted it at all!!