Any Advice on LASIK / Laser Eye Surgery?

I had LASIK correction done to my eyes-
Listen carefully:
its the best money I have ever spent in my life.

The internet is a wonderful tool for things like this. Look up your Doctors history(If hes screwed someones eyes up, it will be documented), educate yourself as much as possible, ask around (like here) and make an educated choice. I did, and I still get misty eyed when I think of how much it improved my life.
I would have paid double...

Good luck!

 

iam a professor of ophthalmology with 25 years experience with eye surgery and 15 years with refractive surgery...first of all both the herzig and tlc tend to be excellent places depending on who the doctor is....your refraction is easily with in the range for good results but complications can and do happen!!!!! i am currently working on several law suits where i am the expert witness..nothing is 100 %!!!!!...a good md will asses each patient very carefully to see if he is a candidate...we do not know the long term complications 20 years out!!!!the procedure is diffently better for people under 35....

 

I did it 8 years ago, and it was the best thing I ever did. The procedures are even more advanced now. I would never hesitate. For those that say "nothing is 100%", they are right. However, you can have risk of complications with ANY type of surgery, no matter how simple or complex. If you research your doctor, and pick a good company (not the cheapest company), you will not regret it.

 

Careful screening is the key. I sat down with a Della Rossa rep a few years ago to discuss the possibilities when they came to my office complex. She introduced me to one of their Drs who proceded to encourage me to come to their open screenings. They also suggest haviong the surgery done on the spot. I begged off on the idea til I could talk to my own opthamologist.

My long-time Opthalmologist advised me that I have a condition (Keratoconis) which Lasik cannot correct. It could infact make my vision worse. If this was not revealed during the clinical screening, I would be mighty regretful.

 

Joe,

I had Lasik (St. Louis, MO) last Feb 19. I was myopic and we have almost the same measurement prior to my surgery. To cut a long story short, my recovery was by the book (I followed their instructions post-op religiously). I am VERY pleased with the result. My vision is now 20/15, both eyes (measured 2 weeks post-op).

My surgery was done by the same ophthalmologist that
did my wife's Lasik almost 2 years ago. My wife has no regrets to this day. This made it easier for me to decide.

In a nutshell, when you have made sure that that Lasik center has a good reputation, I'd say go for it.

 

As long as you can easily correct your eyesight with glasses or contacts why risk it!!
Im 42 and have been wearing contacts since i was 16. I would love not too, but the downside is too big. I have met many who have had this done.
Most seem to have some issues, nightime halos driving or something.
My wifes friend is legally blind, has had vision problems most of her life.
She would gladly wear contacts or glasses to see 20/20 or even close.

 

My wife and I had ours done about one year ago. I have worn glasses for 40 years and had the surgey done at age 47. We both had about 20/400 vision with astigmatism. We agree this is one of the best things we have ever done.
We didn't research for long. I just got recommendations from several people in the field and checked out the doc's track record. He had the latest equipment, acted intelligently and had done MANY procedures. He told us where we could go to get the surgery for half of what he charged and gave his opinion of why we wouldn't want to.
We have had zero complications, and I now have 20/15 vision with no halo no side effect. If you check out the statistics, the complication rate is low.
Best Deal in the world for $3500 as far as I'm concerned.
The fact that you can have you eyeball mapped by a machine and the topography digitized, corrections calculated by computer, your cornea sliced off (temporarily), a laser beam shot at your eyeball to burn it to shape and then have the cornea flap layed back down (no stitches required) with the whole surgical procedure lasting about 4 minutes is amazing to me. Better than science fiction.

 

I had mine done 2 years ago in NYC, by a Dr. whose name i could look up; he is in the Galleria Bldg on 57th St. and apparently well known. My wife was resistant to my doing it; her uncle, who is an eye surgeon at Wills, not only knew the Dr. i used, but had only good things to say about the procedure, allaying her concerns.

My eye dr. monitored and measured and monitored for several weeks before i showed up for the surgery. The surgeon was reluctant to do one of my eyes the conventional way because the tissue was too thin; therefore, rather than cutting, he abraided the surface. It took longer to heal (Lasek,v. Lasik, i think). My vision has not been this good since i was a child. I experienced discomfort only for a couple days immediately after the procedure, owing to the method used. I must now wear reading glasses but its a positive trade-off for having to wear glasses to function in every other respect, apart from reading.

Oh, yeah, for the first month or so, my eyes were very sensitive to car headlights driving at night, but that subsided.

 

Anyone remember the Simpsons episode when they are in the future 30+years and everyone that had lasik in the past was blind?

 

Hi..

I work in the Laser Eye Surgery sector in Toronto....am happy to help you with ANY questions, or issues, that you have...

email me if you like....

[email protected]

Regards;

hps

 

I had mine done about a year and a half ago and like others have stated, it is the best money I have ever spent. The only side effect I have is every once in a blue moon one of my eyes get a little dry. This I am told is normal and really such a minor issue it's almost not worth mentioning. I am still amazed by how well I can see. I do a fair amount of hunting and my friends always comment on how well I am able to spot game.
Definitely research your surgeon and be certain that he is certain that you are a very good candidate for the procedure. Pre-op I was -4.75 in both eyes with mild astigmatism in one eye and essentially blind without lenses. Now I am 20-20 in one eye and 20-15 the other.

 

I live in Colorado and have always suffered from dry eyes. When I had the laser done I also had the doc insert a tiny silicone plug in the little duct in each bottom eye lid. These ducts are actually drains, I can't even feel the tiny plugs and now I don't suffer from dry eyes.

 

I'll keep my glasses and buy a Bugeye Sprite or a Browning Diana grade Superposed!

 

lol, all these replies and no one gives any real answers to the actual question you asked.

Basically I'll keep it short for you, just make sure your Doctor's office has the latest VISX machine, complete with HiDef, active sonar mapping, etc. It's been two years for me, so I've long forgotten the details, but you can easily go an read the press releases complete with model numbers and upgrade notices at www.visx.com.

Then just ask your doctor's office what VISX machine he's using, and see if it's state of the art.

Frankly there hasn't been any major major improvements to the VISX machines since year 2000, when they introduced the last big one, which I believe was the automated sonar. However they have done two smaller upgrades (probably more marketing than anything) and you should be aware of them.

As the rest of these Tony Little testimonial whores have posted already, Lasik is better than sliced bread, hell it's almost better than sex! Go get it and thank the gods that you were born in the latter half of the 20th century as I do.

 

I had mine done in December. I was very near sighted and had bad astigmatisms in both eyes. I've worn coke-bottle lenses all my life.

Despite the advertising, you won't pop out of the surgery with clear vision. You'll be able to see, but the rest of the day your vision will be clouded and blurry. It's just an artifact of the surgery, nothing to worry about, but be aware of it. I really wasn't expecting that side effect.

The next morning I could see! Not perfectly, but I didn't need glasses anymore. Follow the recovery regiment religiously.

The vision will fluctuate quite a bit for the first few weeks. Sometimes it will be better, sometimes worse. It does stabilize 6 weeks in or so. I had my 2 month followup in February. I'm at 20/30 in both eyes right now. I have some haloing at night in the left eye -- nothing major, but noticable. When I'm tired my eyes lose focus, but they did so before the surgery too. No dry eye, etc.

If my eyes are still at the same measurement in April as we expect, then I'll go in for the touch-up surgery that should bring me to a 20/20 or better vision. The doc says the haloing should also be reduced or eliminated with the followup.

It hasn't been perfect (yet) but even at the current level I'm fully functional without glasses. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

As far as picking a doctor, I decided to go with a clinic I'd heard of, but not the biggest mill in the area. It didn't feel like an assembly line, which was the most important thing. If you get any sort of wierd vibe, run.

My mother had hers done at a large expensive clinic here, and she felt very uncomfortable with the lack of personal attention. Her eyes came out fine, but she didn't like the experience. A friend had hers done at a large cheap clinic. Her eyes came out fine, but once again it was an assembly line. That may work for you, it's your call. All of us effectively got the same surgery.

Hope this helps somewhat.

 

in 1998 I had eye surgury and couldnt drive my ferrari for over 3 weeks! so that was the only negative thing I can think of. My eyesite before was -5.50 and -5.75 I was blind as a bat! Now it is 20-20. It was the best 4k I ever spent, when I was in l.a. last week there was a place that does lasik for $399 an eye I dont know if I would go to them though. good luck! Just do it you will be happy you did.

john

 

Lol, Lol. So Mako: where in your answer (LOL) is the success rate? LOL. I guess in your case (LOL), surgery probably is better than sex. But, i don't think Lasik has been adapted for lobotomies, yet. LOL. On the other hand, there are some surgeries that have been known, in cases like yours, to be asstoundingly effective. See http://www.symposion.com/ijt/soc_2001/soc_12.htm

 

Sir.....I don't know where you are getting your information from , but there is no such thing as "sonar" when considering Laser eye Surgery.
We use VISX systems at our facility, and they are good....but there is something better. And there have been SEVERAL improvements to this system since 2000. Perhaps the problem in the US is with the FDA not allowing updates to be implemented as quicky as here in Canada, but there have been significant updates to the VISX lasers. I will refrain from publicising my place of business, as this is not the correct forum to do so. Rest assured I have privately email-ed Joe, and answered all his questions.
Good to see that you had a good result however, as not all do.
Laser eye surgery is not for everyone. But if you are a good candidate, and the surgeon is reputable, then it can make a huge difference in your life.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify.

hps

 

Is there any way to correct colour blindness? I can see the light I just don't know what colour it is.
On the subject;
I heard a few stories about the docs making the wrong cut and then doing another one without time for the 1st one to heal. But I guess that would boil down to character and history of the doctor.
Good Luck.

 

Joe V: I found the following website which focuses on the downsides. Among the various studies and reports are differing views on the risks incident to the surgery, some of which may not be readily apparent. http://www.lasikinfocenter.net/Webpages/Articles%20of%20General%20Interest%20Webpage.htm

I would not necessarily be put off by this, but it would auger for using a trusted consulting doctor, and a first class surgeon. (Even the doctor i used, who is considered a first rate practitioner within the profession, and in the lay press, has been the target of a number of malpractice claims).

 

Agree with you Whart. Like his reply was more helpful... .

 

i had LASIK done in 1997 both eyes at the same time.. am very pleased with the results i was 25 at the time. no night vision problems or any other complications. DR M. IMHOFF did mine, he learned from the Russian doctor(s) that pioneered the laser technology for the procedure to be most effective. best 4k i ever spent on anything. i was able to get rid of most of my scopes on many of my rifles!!!! i can see! i can see!