Lasik surgery experiences

[slk537]

I have an appt tomorrow to see if I'm a candidate for this and am really thinking about having the surgery.

Anyone willing to share their experiences...good, bad and otherwise?

 

[sbell111]

I'm seriously considering Lasik. I hope that you come back after to tell us everything (including cost, if you don't mind).

 

[Otimon]

Had Lasik done on both eyes about a year ago now and would highly recommend it to anyone considering it.

My right eye is now for distance and the other is for reading so I no longer have to wear glasses. The intermediate area is a little fuzzy around the edges but poses no problem to daily living.

I am still amazed every time I think about it. Couldn't even see the big E on the eye chart with either eye before the surgery. Now my distance eye is 20/25 and I can easily read very small print.

Several drops were put into my eyes and the surgery was painless. Couldn't ask for better than that!

Best wishes and good luck.

 

[mfd25wife]

I have an appt tomorrow to see if I'm a candidate for this and am really thinking about having the surgery.

Anyone willing to share their experiences...good, bad and otherwise?

I had the surgery 9 yrs ago and have never regretted it. My eyes are a little drier now than before, but nothing really bad. I may have ended up with that anyway since my grandmother always had dry eyes. I was blind as a bat before the surgery. I could not even see there were letters on the chart, much less be able to read them. I hate anyone messing with my eyes so it was not easy for me. I woud not even let them describe what they were going to do to me or I would have been sick. But, they did give me valium and darvocet before the surgery. That helped.

 

[GoodFairies]

I also want to hear about your consultation.

I had posted several months back when this came up with someone else.
I've been talking about having the consultation for over a year but never had the nerve to even make the appointment. It doesn't really bother me to wear glasses, but it is a hassle (needing to have a large enough purse for my cases everyday and especially when I travel) and I've starting noticing some sensitivity around my eyes in the places where my glasses hit (scaly, itchy patches). The thought of contacts freaks me out which I guess is why I haven't had the consultation yet because the thought of anything being near my eyes about sends me over the edge. I had to call the eye doctor for something unrelated yesterday and bit the bullet and made my appointment for next month. I am so nervous despite the fact that everyone I know who has had it is quite pleased and wishes they had done it sooner.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I had it done about 6 years ago....still have perfect vision!! Used to wear contacts.
Lasik was the best thing I have ever done! No side effects or pain. Perfect vision immediately.

 

[Bren's Mom]

My dh had his done at Lasik Plus 2 1/2 years ago. He is one who wore coke bottle glasses for years...and now has nearly perfect vision. He is thrilled with the results and they've held up so far.

However, this particular chain doesn't give you a painkiller or any other kind of sedation meds. They tell you to take a Tylenol PM before coming in. When dh said he can't take that, they said he'd be fine with nothing. That was NOT true. Poor man was in the most excruciating pain after coming home. I've never in my life seen him like that. Neither of us takes narcotics except in extreme situations but a friend had some leftover from a surgery in her medicine cabinet and was happy to lend us a few until I could get our own GP to call back and Rx some for dh. Thank goodness, because otherwise I was going to have to take him to the ER.

So don't let them tell you it will be nothing. For some people, it's definitely painful and those people should have access to the appropriate pain meds. (ETA: My dh had an overly thick retina or something like that, I forget the medical term they used, but that was likely the cause of the pain...I think because they had to take so much off?)

Oh, and on another note, I watched the whole surgery and it was pretty amazing!

 

[PollyannaMom]

DH is very happy with his. The actual details of the procedure freaked me out way more than they did him. There was some healing time - he was miserable on the way home and for about another day, and his eyes were very dry the first couple of weeks, but not now. He loves not having to fumble for his glasses when he wakes up any more.

 

[freckles and boo]

I also had a very good experience. It has been two years since mine. The pain was minimal, the result good, the price very fair. My biggest problem was the fact that they kept me waiting and waiting and I was getting VERY anxious. If they had just said that it would be two more hours instead of "Oh, a few more minutes" then I would have been fine.

 

[bumbershoot]

bad experience.

First eye went fine (though the half pill of valium didn't kick in until I was on my way home). Second eye, they started before the numbing eyedrops started, so I felt the cut of the little cutting tool they use to make a flap. That. Hurts.

As I left, I was crying it hurt so bad. I wore sunglasses, the blackout sunglasses, and still had to put two coats over my head while hubby (then fiance) drove home. Once home, as directed, took the other half of the valium, and managed to pass out despite the most-extreme-stinging-pain-one-can-imagine in my eyes.

Had to take off all the time I could from work (computer job).

20/20 vision since then, probably 20/40 now.

But.

The eye that wasn't numb has a HUGE "bloodshot" vein that comes out from where the flap was cut. It's big, it is scratchy, it hurts. I still have eye dryness (got the surgery in '01, by the way) and need drops every few days.

Major sunlight sensitivity.

Extreme difficulty going from light to dark or dark to light. Dark rides at Disney are hard for me, and if someone uses a flash on, say, Pirates, I'm blind. It's physical pain from the flash as well as annoyance that most poeple feel with flash pix on dark rides.

My electricity bill has likely gone up b/c I have to have lights on. I can't see well in dim light at all. Sometimes I just walk through my house with my eyes shut, because it's about the same but less frustrating, at a bit past twilight.

As my vision worsens now, if I were offered the surgery again, I probably wouldn't do it. Which means I have all the side effects from the surgery, without the benefits anymore.


You don't know who will react like I did. Friend of mine used the same guy, she was at work the next day (not computer, but cash register work), her eyes never even stung. She drove herself home, I believe (but did use the valium b/c she likes using such things). My SIL used a totally different doc in a different state, but has nothing but good things to say. She even had it done again, when her eyes started going bad again after law school.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

This is a very timely conversation for me as I just had a consult for this yesterday. The original plan was for me to be getting the surgery next Wednesday, but I have problems with dry eyes, so if I choose to have the surgery, I first need to use prescription strength Restasis eye drops for a month (and two more months after the surgery, in addition to rewetting drops about 4-6 times a day). When they do the surgery, they will also put in punctal plugs into my tearducts that will dissolve in about 3 months. They help keep the tears in my eyes longer. The Dr HOPES this will be enough to take care of the dry eyes problem, but no guarantees. He told me that instead of the normal 10% chance of dry eyes, I have a 30% chance. The good news is, even with that, it almost always goes away within 6 months.

Another issue for me is my pupil is a little larger than a normal person's, so I have a little more chance of having the halo night vision that is a possible side effect of the surgery. There is a slim chance that it could give me enough trouble that I could not drive at night anymore - which would be devastating to me as I am taking night classes 10+ miles from home for the next year and a half!

Also, my nearsightedness and astigmatism conditions are both very bad, so I have a higher chance of needing a re-treatment within the first year. Re-treatments are for if they overcorrected or undercorrected your eyes, and you got roughly 20/40 vision instead of 20/20, they will do the surgery again and hopefully you would then end up with 20/20. If I choose to have the surgery, I will definitely opt for the lifetime vision warranty for $300, because the retreatment is $295 per eye and I just KNOW I will need it. Plus the lifetime warranty means that if I need a retreatment in seven years, which after the first year would be full price again, it's paid for.

They also have to make sure your cornea is thick enough to handle some of it being lasered away. If they don't leave you with enough cornea, there is a chance you will need cornea transplant surgery sometime in the future.

I also will be choosing the monovision option, as someone talked about in a previous post. This is where they correct your dominant eye for perfect distance vision, but your other eye is left slightly weaker. This is supposed to prevent you from needing to wear reading glasses when you get into your 40's and 50s. Eyes getting weaker from age and requiring reading glasses can't be corrected with LASIK, so this is what they do to help with that issue, so you can be less dependent on glasses for more years.

One thing they made very clear to me is this: Do not go into this thinking you will be 100% free of glasses forever. the goal is to be less dependent on glasses, but there is a good chance that you may need to wear glasses for some things. If you are able to go without glasses completely, that's great, but don't be completely crushed if you still need them for things like night driving, etc.


I have already been given the valium I will be taking an hour before the surgery, and several samples of the eye drops I will need to use, as well as my prescription to be filled. I am scheduled to have the surgery on September 1, but I am taking this time to think very carefully about it, because I am at greater risk for side effects.

Oh, and someone asked about price. For me, it will be $1650 per eye, plus tax, and $295 for the lifetime warranty.

All in all, the Dr said I am not the "perfect" candidate, but he also wouldn't hesitate to do the surgery on me. I am still considering the risks and will make my decision after I've had a few nights to sleep on it.

 

[LindaR]

I will advise that this is NOT an area where you want to look for "discounted" services!!! You get what you pay for!!!! Doctors usually charge based on their experience.

I had mine done 4 years ago and my daughter had hers done 2 years ago (birthday present). We went to the top Lasik doctor in New Mexico (he teaches others about Lasik). I paid about $4000 total for mine and again for my daughter's surgery.

This covers LIFETIME. For example, my daughter did not end up with as sharp of vision as she wanted and six months after her initial procedure, she had a revision. No charge.

My vision came out more than perfect! It is THE best thing I ever did for myself!!!! My best friend had hers done by the same doctor, her son came home from Iraq and had his done by the same doc, and her daughter had hers done by him also!!!!

I was never able to wear contacts (could not touch my eyes) but I wanted this so bad that I was even willing to take drugs (never take meds that make me "out of it") which worked fantastic. No pain, no cares. Takes about 5 minutes per eye and you walk out with great vision!

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I will advise that this is NOT an area where you want to look for "discounted" services!!! You get what you pay for!!!! Doctors usually charge based on their experience.

I had mine done 4 years ago and my daughter had hers done 2 years ago (birthday present). We went to the top Lasik doctor in New Mexico (he teaches others about Lasik). I paid about $4000 total for mine and again for my daughter's surgery.

This covers LIFETIME. For example, my daughter did not end up with as sharp of vision as she wanted and six months after her initial procedure, she had a revision. No charge.

My vision came out more than perfect! It is THE best thing I ever did for myself!!!! My best friend had hers done by the same doctor, her son came home from Iraq and had his done by the same doc, and her daughter had hers done by him also!!!!

I was never able to wear contacts (could not touch my eyes) but I wanted this so bad that I was even willing to take drugs (never take meds that make me "out of it") which worked fantastic. No pain, no cares. Takes about 5 minutes per eye and you walk out with great vision!

I couldn't agree more!!!!!

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I had Lasik on both eyes 7 years ago. It was the best thing I have ever done and I highly recommend it. I agree NOT to skimp on this. I know someone that went the cheap route and had complications. I know of several people that used the same doctor I did and we all had wonderful success. It wasn't cheap but I got great results and felt I was very well taken care of. You only have one set of eyes so do the research to fnd a good doctor.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

We are planning on using part of our 2009 tax return to get Lasik for my DH. How do you research which doctors are the best? I definitely want to find the right doctor even if it costs a lot more.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

We are planning on using part of our 2009 tax return to get Lasik for my DH. How do you research which doctors are the best? I definitely want to find the right doctor even if it costs a lot more.

I asked everyone I knew if they had Lasik or if they knew anyone who had. I found someone that had a very good experience and other knew other people that had used the same doctor with good experiences as well. I googled on the internet too. I did a lot of research before I did it. Mine was expensive at the time but well worth it. I am extremely happy with it.

 

[slk537]

OP here -I went to the appt last Friday morning to see if I was a candidate and that began a total whirlwind weekend!

The initial meeting gave us a range of prices for traditional and custom Lasik. I knew the place we went would be less expensive than at home, but I was not prepared for how much less. The cost of custom lasik on both eyes was quoted $1400 less than a very good friend paid at home for the exact same thing. I realize I am talking about my eyes and you get what you pay for, but this was the same surgery, same treatments, everything. The tradeoff? a 90 minute drive each way to get there.

The pre op was also part of this appt and I went through a multitude of tests. I was a candidate for both traditional and custom with my nearsightedness and some pretty wicked astigmatism. I loved the experience - the technician and office manager were very friendly and easy to talk to and the doctor was very conservative and professional. I never felt that anyone was in "sales" for the surgery, but rather that this was a medical service they provide. After the whole process, we were told I could have the surgery on 7/30, middle of August or the next day. DH said "let's do it tomorrow so you don't chicken out."

We went home, filled the antibiotic drops, restasis and a 10 mg valium and I was back in the office the next morning.

The surgery went fantastic and the worst part was the collagen plugs in the tear ducts. The numbing drops held on until we were 10 minutes away from the office and I spent the whole trip home with the sunglasses from them covered with the sunglasses I own covered with my jacket. It was a gloomy day, but the brightness almost killed me. I had a headache and very stinging eyes for about 75 minutes. When we got home I took a nap and that night I was up and able to watch TV, run to the store with DH and DS and get to bed early.

Sunday we went back to the office yet again for the post op and I am seeing 20/15 with both eyes and 20/20 with each one alone. The dryness hasn't been as bad as it could be and I am amazed how well I can see! I work in an office filled with flourescent lights and I have three computer monitors in my office so I have had a lot of halos and blurriness there, but at home and outside it's fantastic. My very good friend who had the same surgery last October works with me and says the halos will go away in a week or so.

I am SO happy I did this and still can't believe it. I had a meeting in a conference room today with normal light and everything was crystal clear. It is like the difference between TV and HDTV. I can see better than I could even with contacts.

I am looking forward to the next few weeks and months as everything settles in and this becomes normal. I am also vain and looking forward to wearing eye makeup again this weekend

If anyone has any questions about where I did this (it's a national group of offices) or how much it cost, PM me. I really appreciate everyone's feedback and for those of you still pondering - my advice is DO IT!