LASIK is awesome...

Wow, too bad. Perhaps with time your eyes would be able to correct themselves or perhaps the technology will improve so another procedure can help.

 

I actually looked into it in 1976 when I was an helicopter mechanic in the US Army and wanted to be a pilot. Pilots needed 20/20.
The Russians invented it and back then it was pretty gruesome; regrinding the cornea ( I believe ).
With todays laser technology it should not be rocket science.
Theres a doctor here in DFW that must zap 100 per day.
Nice chunk of change.

Ski-bum. Out the name of the lasic-bum.

 

I just had mine done yesterday (same place as my brother- TLC) and today I'm already seeing 20/15!! It's wonderful!

My procedure was done entirely by laser - the only time something touched my eye was when the doctor used a probe to flip the corneal flaps (less than 50 micrometers thick) into and out of place.

~20 seconds to create the flap for each eye
~30 seconds to do the vision correction per eye

All in all I was in the O.R. for about 13 minutes - and when they sat me up I could read the time on the clock that I couldn't even tell was there beforehand!

It really is incredible that with today's computer power (think of the difference between now and just 5 years ago!) that the laser treatment can be customized entirely to your own eyes.

Of course, before each procedure at TLC, files are seen and reviewed by 4 different doctors before the patient even goes to get ready for the operation.

Also - most people's vision starts declining again around age 40 - I will need to get reading glasses again at some point in my life. But I think it will be worth it.

The doctors also told me today that anyone with diabetes or any kind of autoimmune disease isn't considered to be a good candidate for this procedure.

All in all, a great experience for me so far.

 

I am sure some (possibly many) LASIK surgeon have had the procedure done personally - I did specifically point out that none my friend knew have had it done.

I do believe it is a brilliant idea and I know that it is very successful for lots of people - it is just not for me.


Best

 

I'm not much into mud-slinging. But if anyone in San Diego is thinking about it, I'll PM them the Dr.

 

I had mine done in April of 03, best thing I've ever done for myself...

At the time the Boston doctors wanted $3000-$4000, I went up to Montreal and had it done for $1500 total.. And yes, this was after extensive research on my part to make sure it was apples for apples the same procedure and equipment as in the states... Although I do get a kickout of telling people who ask me "why Montreal?" and I say "cause they had a coupon buy one get one free !!" LOL

 

Bump!

This is something I am considering. What are the stats for success rates and potential problems?

 

I've been on the fence for +/- ten years or so on this, ultimately, the decision to get it or not rests on your ability to accept risks associated with getting a major sensory organ altered in such away that an injury to it would not be repairable to any degree.

This is a major operation, and while the operation and care has progressed a lot, there's no saying what your vision will turn into when you've got an eye injury after the fact.

I've got a freakishly high diopter and thankfully still have very healthy eyes....there's no way in heck that I'm going to risk that for some comfort of not wearing glasses, and there's no way I'd trade good night vision for bursts or bleeds or whatever, especially as I am getting older...I'm not old mind you, but there is a huge difference between what I could see at night when I was 25 versus what I can see now some ten years on.

I'm not trying to sink whatever x surgery is out there to improve your vision; I'm only saying that your eyes are your *single* best sensory organ, and you would do very well to weigh the risks versus the rewards in changing that....seems to me using a laser to lop it away and trim some of it off is a huge undertaking no matter how easy or safe technology makes it seem....and there's no long term studies because the tech is so new. How well does LASIK hold up 20 - 30 years on? No one knows.

You only have one set of eyes, and there aren't good ways to fix them once they are damaged. Why push luck?

 

I had it done in 2002, still can see 20/15. No issues to this day.

 

I had it done seven years ago, when I was 27. Rx was - 2.00 DS. The procedure keeps getting better and better. I would go with Intralase (laser cutting the flap, not a blade) and wavefront. No regrets.

Mike

 

Did it one week ago. I started with vision worse than 20/400. You know the big single letter at the top of the eye chart? If that's all you can see, you're 20/400....without glasses or contacts, I couldn't even see that. Plus pronounced astigmatism. Now I'm at 20/15 in both eyes. How will it hold up in 30 years? I'll let you know when I'm 71.

 

I had it done at TLC 5 years ago. Wonderful experience. I also used the custom lasik (all laser) treatment and my eyesight went to 20/15. Outstanding! Side effects were night halos around lights which went away after about 3 - 4 months.

Now, 5 years later, I am probably around 20/20 or 20/30. I haven't kept up with the post op appointments (which I probably should schedule one.) My eyes have gotten a little worse, but not nearly as bad and not nearly as quickly as when I wore glasses. I probably will need an enhancement done in another 5 years I figure...

 

I had it done in 2000, when I was 30. Almost 8 years later and I still have 20/15. Best $ I ever spent.

 

I dunno...

Most docs I know can easily afford it, yet most of us still have glasses or contacts...

30 years ago they thought it was ok to measure you for shoe size with an xray machine...now we know it causes cancer

20 years ago, using radiation to treat tonsillitis seemed brilliant...now we know it causes lymphoma

5 years ago, hormone replacement therapy for women was a no brainer...now we sorta know it causes heart attacks and strokes

Even now we do CT scans by the 1000's...yet there is evidence it increases risk of cancer several fold...


Lets see...shoot a laser into your eyes, past the cornea...into the retina (inevitable). Hmmmm. Wonder what the fallout might be in 30 years? Who knows... My momma always said don't look directly at the sun ...

 

Agree. I'm awaiting approval of the tunable ring.

 

I'm having LASIK done on the 22nd. For reference my vision is -2.5 and -2.75, the total cost of surgery is $5,200, and I'm 23 (have had the same contact prescription for about 5-6 years now). I'm getting it done at the Kraff Eye Institute in Chicago.

 

i had LASIK 10 years ago. i need to go in for a tune up and see if i need a "touch up" my right eye seems to be a bit blurry.

i have had no issues.

without using really bad words, i cannot describe how much i despised glasses, and contacts. i had to wear the "torrid" semi hard contacts due to a astigmatism.

i would rather shave off a few years of life, than live my young years wearing glasses.

if i go blind when i am older, F_ _ _ it, it was worth having 20/20 and seeing the world.

 

What happens if you lose the little flap of shaved eyeball floating around in there? I've been told they can come out and get lost, and if they do, you're screwed.

 

I strongly considered getting Laser surgery on my eyes two years ago when I was 42, I even went to a doctor got my eyes measured, but after doing a lot of research I just didn't feel comfortable doing it, I visited some websites including http://www.lasiksucks4u.com and there are few others, it just scared me.

 

i dont mean to be rude, but you dont know what the hell you are talking about. the flap is cut during the surgury, and then closed and allowed to heal.

a "flap" by definition is still connected to something.

i think they used very small stitches in my eyes, i really dont remember, and there was NO PAIN.


Dr Imhoff was my Doctor, and holds many of the Patents in the LASIK medical field.

 

Uh, most people just get a pair of glasses for when they don't want to wear their contacts.

Believe it or not, glasses have been around even longer than contacts...

 

Hey townshend, how did it go yesterday?

 

Thank you for asking, it went very well. The whole procedure wasn't too bad at all, the 4-5 hours afterwards were a little painful for me (it also didn't help my sinuses acted up for some reason). I had my followup the next day and now have 20/15 vision. There is a slight haloing effect around lights but it seems to be improving and is supposedly perfectly normal for the first couple of weeks as the cornea heals.
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Was a Star Trek officer on duty that day?! WTF!?