OT - Lasik?

[pjtm]

I guess this is budget - it killed my summer trip!!

I am having Lasik tomorrow? Anyone else have it? I want to know all about it. Good and bad. And recovery. I just want to be prepared!

 

[Brer Shay]

The recovery was amazingly easy. When they send you home, they enourage you to keep your eyes closed, so I took a Tylenol PM at 11 AM (about 90 minutes after the surgery) and slept all day. Then I took another at 8 PM and slept until the next morning. When I woke up, things were clear and I wasn't in any pain. Hope all goes well for you too!

 

[mhsjax]

I guess this is budget - it killed my summer trip!!

I am having Lasik tomorrow? Anyone else have it? I want to know all about it. Good and bad. And recovery. I just want to be prepared!

I didn't have Lasik, I had PRK. Which from what I understand is much worse than Lasik. So you should be fine.

The people I have talked to said it is a breeze, they got up and could see. With mine, I could see immediatley, but then he told me to close my eyes and not open them for 48 hours.

I will say that I had horrible vision, and it is now 20/20. It is amazing. As far as feeling anything, the numbing drops are great. I know it sounds creepy, but you will be fine.

 

[kellydizfan]

I had it done 4 years ago February. Best thing I ever did. I could see immediately for a few minutes then it went blurry but went home and to bed. Slept sleeping up with the glasses on and had 20/20 vision the next day and drove myself to the checkup. My dh watched the whole thing on the screen while I was in surgery - 10 minutes if that. Good luck!

 

[mrsklamc]

Love it, Love it, Love it. Best money I've spent apart from my marriage license.

I DID wake up sooner than I was supposed to and that was pretty bad. It felt like I had a huge eyelash or something in my eye and it HURT. Only lasted a few minutes though before I got back to sleep and it was TOTALLY worth it.

 

[blanq]

Lasik (and my Sleep Number bed) is the best money I have ever spent. I had my eyes done 3 years ago. The entire procedure took probably 15 minutes, so was super quick. You need someone to drive you home from the appointment and as others have said, you need to keep your eyes closed for some time.

I had my lasik in the late afternoon. I, personally, had a rough first night and slept very little. I had waves of pain, and prickling in my eyes that felt like someone was poking at my eyes with needles. I had a hard time getting my drops in that first night because it really hurt to open my eyes. The morning following my surgery my distance vision was great, but my close up and mid-range vision was quite blurry. Also, I looked like hell. Both of my eyes had broken blood vessels. I had planned to go to work the day following surgery, but I took the day off.

My recovery after that first day went quickly. I had no pain after that first night and my long distance vision was amazing. My short and mid range blurriness was gone within a week. I did have some problems with driving at night for awhile, and experienced significant halos with lights. It was annoying.

I now have 20/20 vision. My only residual issue is dry eye, which can be fairly common after lasik. My Dr recommended Restasis, which I took for the first year following my surgery. I probably should have continued with it, but now I just use over the counter lubricant drops, like Systane, and that seems to work fine. If my eyes are really dry, I do notice halos around lights when driving at night.

The lasik plan I purchased provides for free future lasik if my eyes change over time. The only requirement is that I muct have once yearly eye exams for the plan to cover future surgery. I do know at least two people who have had lasik and subsequently had to go back to glasses because their vision changed.

Good luck with your lasik!

 

[gracie1]

What does lasik run? I have been contemplating about getting lasik, but is it in the high thousands? I am going to make an appointment and check with a surgeon. I already have very dry eyes and cannot use contacts, but he thinks I am a candidate. I would love it!!!

 

[SCADC]

Hubby had it and loves it! Sister had it and loves it! He said it was nice to wake up in the middle of the night and be able to see the alarm clock to tell what time I was. However, he now has the over 40 eyesight problem and has to wear reading glasses to read the paper, Bible, etc. This cannot be corrected with Lasik.

Hope everything goes well and you love it as much as

 

[MN Disneyfan]

It was also the best money spent for me too. I was 20/400 six years ago and after the surgery and still today I am 20/15. The surgery is a breeze. Takes less than 60 seconds each eye. It's not painful at all, maybe a little uncomfortable for a few moments but again not painful.

For the person asking about cost I paid $1600. The two health insurance companies (Healthpartners & Blue Cross Blue Shield) that I've worked with over the years have contracts with companies that offer Lasik for cheap so I'd call your insurance company and see if they offer the same.

 

[blanq]

What does lasik run? I have been contemplating about getting lasik, but is it in the high thousands? I am going to make an appointment and check with a surgeon. I already have very dry eyes and cannot use contacts, but he thinks I am a candidate. I would love it!!!

I think you will find there is quite a range in cost depending on where you go for it and what type you get. I did not go to one of those places that just specializes in Lasik, but went to a well-known opthamology group here in the Twin Cities, called Associate Eye. I seem to recall my surgery being around $4600, or $2300 per eye, but I only ended up paying $2300 total and got 50% off because of kind of a fluky timing thing. The eye clinic I went to had just received a new lasik machine and the doctors at that location needed to complete a specific number of surgeries (I think 5 each) on the new machine to become certified with it. All of the doctors at my clinic have years of lasik experience, but new technology comes out periodically. The new machine just simply was to lead to a sharper result, and the equipment, or how the surgery was to be done, was not new. Since I agreed to be a guinea pig on the new machine, they rewarded me with 50% off. Also, I opted to get the insurance policy so that I get free lasik in the future if my eyes change I need further correction, and that added to the cost. So, future lasik is really not "free" because of the insurance policy I got, but if I need future surgery the insurance will be a good investment.

Just to let you know, I did have dry eye prior to my surgery too, and could not wear contacts. I still have dry eye, and it is a bit worse actually, but I feel I can control it with lubricant drops fairly well.

 

[niclodn]

I'm on the "best money I ever spent" train too! I had it done about 4 years ago. I had horrible vision - couldn't see the clock on the nightstand from bed without my glasses/contacts. I thought the surgery was awesome -- didn't feel a thing. Vision was a little blurry after but I could still see -- drove my friend who took me crazy reading all the street signs on the way home Went home, slept for about 8 hours and when I woke up, all was good. I do have some dryness, but nothing that can't be helped with OTC drops (I personally like the gel version). I am more sensitive to sunlight than before and don't go anywhere without sunglasses.

I paid $3200 for the "customized wavefront" version to correct my astigmatism. "Regular" was about $1600 if I remember right. I also did not go to a lasik clinic, but to a regular opthamologist. They had a lasik specialist (one of the ten original doctors appointed by Congress to study/report on the long-term effects of lasik when the procedure was first developed -- he'd been doing lasik procedures for over 10 years when I had mine) come in once a month to do the actual procedure. I also have a "lifetime" guarantee should my vision change in the future as long as I keep up with annual exams.

For those who are considering it, just remember that not everyone is a good candidate. The cornea must be a certain thickness since that is what they re-shape with the laser. If your cornea is too thin, then they may not be able to shape it properly and you will see little to no improvement in your vision.

 

[buzz2400]

My brother in law had it done and my sister is going to get it done. He had no problems so I decided to would spend the money. I went to the first appointment where they give you a five second test to see if you qualify and guess what. I can't get it done. they said they could do it but then in 10 years I would probably need some kind of surgery. I tell you, I have the worst luck in the world. My son laughed when I told him I flunked the test because he knows I have such bad luck.

 

[TexasTom]

I had Lasik done in Windsor (near Detroit), Canada, 10 years ago for $1,000 both eyes. They advertised in USA Today. I was really worry and almost cancelled. For a couple of days after Lasik, it appeared like I looked through a transparent curtain.

Well, now I need reading glasses because of my age. But they warned me about it.

I'm glad I got it done.

 

[jessrose18]

also interested in this topic...always wondered about the cost might go for a consultation....

 

[AllesonWonderland]

My Lasik was super easy! The Dr. prescribed something to 'take the edge off' and instructed me to take 1 pill before surgery, then another after I got home to make me sleep. We put money in DH's flex account to pay for it...DH was so jealous of me he got his done the next year. LOL

I didn't have horrible vision to start, but I NEVER wore my glasses so this was perfect for me. Now...if I can find an inexpensive fix for my wrinkles along my nose between my eyebrows from all those years of squinting!

 

[sunshine74]

It was hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made! I was scared to do it, but finally got myself over the fear about 4 years ago and I wish I'd done it earlier.

The first day I slept most of the evening and night so that I could let my eyes rest. When I woke up the next morning, my eyesight was crystal clear. My eyes were very dry the first few weeks, but using drops took care of that fine. There is some glare at night, but i've found that has lessened over the years. Also, I do have more sensitivity to sunlight now, sunglasses all the time. But even with that, to have no worries about contacts is the best thing ever......

 

[niclodn]

also interested in this topic...always wondered about the cost might go for a consultation....

My initial consult to see if I was a candidate was free. Once I decided to go ahead, they did a much more thorough exam/testing -- that was included in my fee.

 

[PinballFamily]

What about if you wear bifocals? Are you still a Lasik (or similar) candidate? Does it just improve the distance vision, or...?

I've been thinking about the procedure on and off for a few years now, and our insurance just changed and apparently, this is covered now. I hate to spend ANY extra $, but I think it will come out even or better in the end, without having to buy glasses every other year or so...

 

[DisneyNutMic]

Does anyone know at what age they start doing lasik?? My son is legally blind and is already asking for this. His eyesight is already 20/600 and 20/800.

 

[mrsklamc]

When I had mine done 4 years ago they could only fix it one way, or the other, so you would probably need reading glasses- but the dr. told me the people working on it were actually getting close to being able to fix vision in both directions.