Anyone here have Lasik done?

[Erica]

Wondering who here has had Lasik eye surgery done??

What was your outcome? Were you satisifed with it?

Looking back would you still do it? ext........

Really considering it over christmas break - yet anything dealing with your sight and eyes is a little unsettling to me, though I know I would love it if all went well.

 

[Ashley]

I havent had it done, and probably never will. While it would be great to see perfect I dont really wanna my eyes messed with as you never know.

I do know several that have had it done. It worked for some, and it didnt work for others.

 

[wade3504]

My mom had it done and everything was great for about five years, but now she's back to wearing contacts or glasses again. It might have changed since then though because it's been about seven or eight years since she had it done.

Amanda

 

[minimule]

I had mine done 4 years ago. The next day my vision was 20/10. It is now 20/15. They told me after 40, your eyes will degrade to where you MAY need reading glasses. Would I do it again? YOU BET! I hated wearing glasses and after 15 years of contacts, my vision was going down hill fast. This was one way to stop it.....so I did.

Hubby just had his done this past Wednesday. The next day he had 20/15. He had astigmatism in both eyes, his right was worse than the left. He loves the fact that he can walk outside and see the stars without any glasses/contacts. He said he woke up a couple of times at night, rolled over, and loved the fact he could see the clock again.

The procedure is so much more advanced now than when I had mine done. They used the Intralaze laser to cut the flap. It causes tiny air bubbles to form under the cornea which allows for a flap to be lifted. When I had mine done, they used the little blade that cut like a knife. Much more dangerous then than now.

They do sedate you prior to the procedure.

Yes, things can go wrong but the % is so low.

The biggest thing I can tell you is to shop around for the best Doc you can get. Ours was one of the first to do Lasik and has done 1000s of eyes. If you need a good one, this is it. His name is Dr. Stephen Coleman. He is here in Albuquerque, NM but a motel is included in the price of the surgery. He does a lifetime commitment to vision with you. What that means is that he will do the surgery up to 5 times IF you both think you need to be corrected again.

I'm willing to answer any questions you come up with. I do recommend it.

 

[Erica]

Thanks minimule

I am only 21 - but have been wearing glasses since second grade and then contacts I started them when i was oh probably in fifth grade or sixth?? My eyesight is bad - without glasses or contacts I can't see good at all. They always told me my eye would have to stop and stay at a certain prescribtion and not keep changing before they could do that and they have for the past about 8 years been the same. Contacts do irrate my eyes some as I am outside a lot and with the horses, dust ext.......and then glasses get on my nerves a lot of times.

I have an aunt that did it way back when they first started and now she also says she "could" use reading glasses, but don't have to. My eyes are at -4.75 - both are the same. I wouldn't be considering it if they weren't so bad - I could manage for things not being crisp ext...

And most people I have talked to that have had it done say the same thing that all went well and they would do it again....it is just a little scary with your eyesight wondering if you would be the one that didn't.

 

[minimule]

Mine was around -2.75 (I think), but I couldn't see more than 3 feet away without some kind of correction.

I've only heard 1 bad experience with it. My SIL had vision worse than yours. Her glasses made coke bottles look thin. She had the surgery but never really had good clear vision. It's been 3 years and she is wearing glasses......still. She never tried again.

If you do decide to do it, you need to NOT wear your contacts for 2 weeks prior to the exam. It lets your eyes go back to the shape they really are. Hubby wore glasses for 3 months before commiting to do it. They will do an exam to see if you are a good candidate before allowing it. If your pupils are too big, they won't do it. Can't remember the reasoning. They are very careful. That's why I recommend finding a good doc that has done a lot of surgeries. There were horror stories of docs going in for a weekend class and performing the surgery on grapes.

Then going out and doing it on patients. I can see where someone could screw up.

At our docs, all the staff have had the surgery performed on them. They know what it is like and are very knowledgable in it.

 

[Erica]

Yeah, Doc already said I'm the "perfect" canidate (his words).........so we will see.

And the good thing about my glasses are they are paper thin - love technology, can make my glasses look as thin as reading glasses.

I hadn't heard not to wear the contacts before surgery - but then again I haven't got down to the nitty gritty about it. But thanks for the heads up.

 

[Sanny]

My husband had it done several years ago and he had terrible vision and was practically blind without his glasses - as in couldn't walk across the room without tripping without them. The day after surgery he was 20/10 and to this day he has the same great general eyesight but he does need reading glasses for up close fine print but was told in advance by the surgeon that is very common for people over 40 and he likely would need them. We've heard recently that there is a new laser procedure that has been perfected can correct that and eliminate the reading glasses without affecting the far vision but the reading glasses don't bother him at all so he hasn't looked into it. He healed well, no complications but was a stickler for following exact doctors orders. for months afterward he used special eye drops, he took vitamins for healing and he saw the doctor on time for follow ups.

 

[Sonya]

I haven't had it done, but know plenty of people who have. There is a slight risk, but it is very minimal. The people I know have had absolutely no problems. I can get to Canada in about an 1 1/2. Windsor is where they first started this procedure and they are suppose to be top in the world for it. Plus, it's cheaper in Canada than in the states.

I've thought about it often, but keep putting it off. I have to have a medical for my job and if my eyes are not correctable to a certain degree, I lose my medical and my job. That's the only thing that stops me.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Erica you are young and fit as a fiddle- go for it.

 

[Jess P]

My mom had it done. She has never needed glasses or contacts since (About 6+ years ago). She is very satisfied

 

[Jill]

I've thought about it for years but never got up the nerve. I've never actually looked into how good a candidate I am for it (have stigmatism -- dunno if that's a factor?). Plus, I keep thinking if I get it done, then what if they have some major advancement? But I'm with Karla... I'll let Erica go first then maybe do it myself. I still remember when I got my glasses a few years ago. I was shocked that people can actually see individual leaves on trees when their driving, blades of grass, the menu on the tv screen, etc. I honestly thought about everyone my age saw as poorly as I did!!!

 

[tracyCCF]

I had it done last year about this time, and would I do it again, YES>

I actually did a lot of research,a nd found a doctor with a wonderful reputation. I drove 4 hours, to Columbus to have it done, spent the night, was the first one done at 8 a.m. had to stay till the following day for a checkup, and was home the next day. Did it hurt, I will say , there was some discomfort that day, but after that, it was the best gift I have ever given myself. I had astigmatism, -5.0 vision, and really thought , no way this will work. Worn contacts since the 6th grade.

I now get up any time day or night, and can SEE>

Do yourself a favor, have it done. Youll never regret it, and so what if sometime in the future, you need reading glasses, every day without them, is a blessing.

 

[AppyLover2]

I agree with Fizz - go for it.

I had it done about 7 years ago and was in my mid 50's. The Dr did tell me that it wouldn't last forever, as our eyes continue to change as we age (so don't expect to never need glasses again). Definitely would have it done again. My daughter had hers done a couple years later and has been very happy with the results. Obviously, (goes without saying) you need to make sure your Dr. is well experienced in the procedures.

 

[CAM]

My B-I-L is an opthamologist and when my husband was considering it he said he wasn't a good cadidate for it. He is a dentist and seeing minute detail up close is imperative to his profession and my B-I-L said with that important factor and his age at the time (late 40s) he wasn't a good cadidate.

It sounds like you are doing your research and being young has its advantages. I definitely recommend getting more than one opinion and checking the doctors' medical licensing board to be sure there have been no valid claims against him/her in the past.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[Kim]

I have thought about getting it many times, and even went for an assessment, where they told me that I am a good candidate, but that I may have the side effect of seeing halos around lights at night (which I think is a very common side effect). The only thing stopping me from getting it done is the lack of studies on how it affects people as they age. They haven't been doing the surgery for all that long, really, and I am scared that no one really knows what effects it will have on your vision 20-30 years down the road. My eyes are waaaay worse than yours (-7.75!!!), and it is so annoying having to put in contacts everyday before I can even see my hand in front of my face, lol!. The way I look at it, though, is that I am incredibly lucky that my vision is fully correctable right now, and the annoyance of wearing glasses/contacts is a minor price to pay for the blessing of being able to see properly. I don't want to risk that the surgery might jeopardize that. I do know people who have had it done that are perfectly happy with it, though. Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[JO~*]

I had it done a few years ago. No problem here except VERY dry eyes for a long time afterwards. I never had 20/20 with it but good enough for not needing glasses up until now. Now I need them at dusk to see good and I am almost to the point of needing glasses to drive safeley.

 

[minimule]

I think the procedure CAM was talking about is what they offerd my H at first. They can do only 1 eye so you can see clearly at a distance and then leave the other eye for up close vision. They said men seem to have a harder time with this one (go figure

). They said your brain puts the two together to see anyway. It justs takes a little time to adjust to it. The lady we talked to that had it done said she loved it. She is 44 and can see clearly close and distant. She said it took her about a week to accept the fact that she had 2 different "sights".

 

[justaboutgeese]

I paid for my (ex?) wife to have it done five years ago. For her it was a self esteem issue. She had worn thick glasses as early as kindergarden and was self conscious of them. She was examined and found to be a good candidate and a date was set. She came out of the surgury with better than 20-20 vision. It has been great eversince. If I thought she would talk to anyone I would put you in contact with her. But alas I seem to be on the outs just now.

 

[Sandy S.]

I had it done 6 years ago, one of those things where I hated glasses for so long and I just couldn't wear contacts, to many problems with them, and also astigmatism. Would I do it again, definetly. I tried where the one eye they left so I could see close up and one eye in the distance. Didn't work for me, made me deathly sick, which I get motion sickness very very easy. Unbalanced fluid in my ears since I was a child. (Oh well I am unbalanced anyway) I had to go back to have the one eye done again after a couple of weeks. I do have to have reading glasses now, and it does seem that lately my eyes are starting to get a little bit worse. But I was one of those that when I woke up I didn't dare get out of bed without my glasses, couldn't even see the clock that was 2 feet away. It is so nice being able to drive and work without glasses.

Will tell you this though, even after 6 years I still find myself every once in awhile pushing my glasses back up on my nose (only now sometimes I poke myself in the eye because they are not there).

I do work with a gentleman that had it done the same year I did, his did not go well, had one of those experiences you don't want to hear about when the doctor goes oops. The flap disinegrated on one of his eyes. So there is pro's and cons.