Lasik Experiences?
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blybrook PE
Veteran 10k Spammer
I tried to have Lasik as my local eye doc thought I was a good candidate with my astigmatism. Went through the process with local lasik center (350 miles away & only one in the state) to find out that my eyes were not thick enough. Combined with a 10 minute appointment that cost more than it should have and the 16 hour round trip, I was a little peeved (you cannot fly after the procedure). It would have been nice to know that it was to be a wasted trip before making it; so if you must travel to a lasik center, get with your local eye doc to find out if you are truely a candidate or not.
Since my experience, one of the local eye clinics has now obtained the proper equipment and training to perform the thickness measurements in preparation for the trip to the lasik center (several complaints about it) at a lower cost for those that are interested. It's best to know all the information ahead of time if at all possible. There is a minimum thickness that your eyes have to be, I think it's 450 micrometers, and even at that thickness, it's borderline possible; I was below the threshold by 20 or 30 micrometers.
A previous co-worker had it done and is enjoying the freedom from glasses and contacts. It was by his suggestion that I looked closer at having it done as he was a similar prescription and the technology for astigmatism repair had improved considerably since it first began. Everyone that I know that has had it has enjoyed the benefits of going through the process.
Since my experience, one of the local eye clinics has now obtained the proper equipment and training to perform the thickness measurements in preparation for the trip to the lasik center (several complaints about it) at a lower cost for those that are interested. It's best to know all the information ahead of time if at all possible. There is a minimum thickness that your eyes have to be, I think it's 450 micrometers, and even at that thickness, it's borderline possible; I was below the threshold by 20 or 30 micrometers.
A previous co-worker had it done and is enjoying the freedom from glasses and contacts. It was by his suggestion that I looked closer at having it done as he was a similar prescription and the technology for astigmatism repair had improved considerably since it first began. Everyone that I know that has had it has enjoyed the benefits of going through the process.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
the whole idea of someone shoot a laser at my eyeballs is beyond scary for me.
knight1fox3
Jedi MASTER & Friend of Capt. Solo
Those are the "uninformed" opinions for this type of thing. Once you understand the engineered technology is more than just "shooting at your eye", it's really a very safe and simple procedure.
People said the same kind of things when contacts first made an appearance. "Wha?!?! I'm not sticking that thing on my eyeball!!!"
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
I've made the jump to contacts...when I can wear them...but there is still NFW on the lasik...
Never worn contacts, hate wearing my glasses, so I never do...I am considering having the surgery done because it has been improved so much over the past ten years but I don't have any idea about the cost...anyone know?
Flyer_PE
Jr. PE / Sr. Company Pilot
I'm not sure what their current position is, but the FAA was really skittish about the procedure for a long time. I'm not about to do anything that will get me crossed up with an Aviation Medical Examiner.
Rockettt
I..am..McLOVIN
It is awesome I did it back in 2005 or so. would do it again. best 2400 bucks i ever spent. well there was that one time in vegas.... but yea.... Lasik the best money every spent! hahaha
ventilator
Well-known member
My wife had it done. She had the same thickness issue so she had to wear glasses for a while so here corneas could thicken. After that in and out procedure in prob 30 min. Just an FYI to any of the ladies out there don't get it if you want to have kids. Apparently being pregnant can mess with your eyes so after 2 kids my wife now needs to wear glasses driving at night and sometimes watching TV. She is fine the rest of the time but sure wish someone had told us about the pregnancy thing before hand. I think the cost was something like 4K, I don't really remember it was before we got married.
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
I can definitely sympathize with the pregnancy messing up your eyesight. I went from having to wear glasses occassionally to having to wear them full time. The eye dr claimed the pregnancy vision issues should be temporary...but that was not my case.
wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
I had it done around 2006 or so. I had the guys with the fancy laser to cut the flap (as opposed to them putting a jig on your eye and cutting it with a razor blade). I was the type of guy that wouldn't wear contacts because I couldn't stand the thought of touching my own eyeball, but I made it through OK.
The surgery itself doesn't hurt...they numb your eyes with drops before the surgery, so you can't feel anything. I can say that it is very disorienting, especially when they open the flap to actually laze your cornea. And all the drops after the surgery were kind of a pain in the ass. But I went from legally blind (20-200+) to "better than perfect" (20-15). There are halos when you see bright lights at night, and you are a little more sensitive to sunlight after the surgery, but nothing major.
I had a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage during my surgery which was largely my own fault. After they cut the first flap, apparently I was subconsciously squinting my eyes really hard, so they had to press harder to try to get the laser jig on my other eye. That broke a blood vessel which caused the hemorrhage. It looked like hell for a week or so, but didn't hurt at all.
I also squinted too hard after the surgery and wrinkled one of the flaps. This made my vision blurry. They had to straighten it out at the day-after follow-up visit, and put a no-correction contact in to protect it for a week, but also had no lasting effects. So basically, I had all of the common adverse side-effects to modern Lasik, and I still whole heartedly recommend the process.
The surgery itself doesn't hurt...they numb your eyes with drops before the surgery, so you can't feel anything. I can say that it is very disorienting, especially when they open the flap to actually laze your cornea. And all the drops after the surgery were kind of a pain in the ass. But I went from legally blind (20-200+) to "better than perfect" (20-15). There are halos when you see bright lights at night, and you are a little more sensitive to sunlight after the surgery, but nothing major.
I had a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage during my surgery which was largely my own fault. After they cut the first flap, apparently I was subconsciously squinting my eyes really hard, so they had to press harder to try to get the laser jig on my other eye. That broke a blood vessel which caused the hemorrhage. It looked like hell for a week or so, but didn't hurt at all.
I also squinted too hard after the surgery and wrinkled one of the flaps. This made my vision blurry. They had to straighten it out at the day-after follow-up visit, and put a no-correction contact in to protect it for a week, but also had no lasting effects. So basically, I had all of the common adverse side-effects to modern Lasik, and I still whole heartedly recommend the process.
EM_PS
shining like a lighter...
I had it done about 2 years ago - best $3800 I ever spent & would do it again in a heart beat! My vision was pretty highly astigmatic, so more difficult to correct. They used the Z-Lasik procedure (all laser lasik). Painless though highly disconcerting - you feel an intense vacuum pressure during, and def burning post op. But the next day your vision's actually good enought to drive to your followup.
The main thing, besides corneal thickness, is correction stabilization - if its been changing from year to year, you might not wanna spend the $$ on what could be a temporary fix.
The main thing, besides corneal thickness, is correction stabilization - if its been changing from year to year, you might not wanna spend the $$ on what could be a temporary fix.
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This.
Also this. I won't wear contacts.
It may be "uninformed" but there is no risk to not sticking shit in your eyes. As soon as you start sticking shit in your eyes there is a risk something could go wrong. I only have two eyes and there is no such thing as an eye transplant if something goes wrong. And things have a tendency to go wrong sometimes, as any good engineer should know.
Case closed.
Now, in the case of my step-mom, who had cataracts to the point where she could no longer see, that's a different story. The risk vs reward is much different in this case.
knight1fox3
Jedi MASTER & Friend of Capt. Solo
http://www.redorbit....nsplant-083112/
Perhaps only if the methodology has not been tried and true. Which for Lasik is certainly not the case.
jeb6294
Well-known member
If you do a search I think there may already be a pretty lengthy thread about this, but....
Had mine done on February 23rd 2006, the day after my son was born. I had contacts but they had gotten to the point that they were really irritating my eyes and starting to do damage. We didn't plan it that way, our son showed up 5 weeks early but my eyes were bad enough that my wife made me go get it done so I wouldn't have to reschedule and get pushed back another few months.
The whole thing was easy and painless. My vision is just as good or better than it was with contacts. I only wish I had gotten it done sooner.
Had mine done on February 23rd 2006, the day after my son was born. I had contacts but they had gotten to the point that they were really irritating my eyes and starting to do damage. We didn't plan it that way, our son showed up 5 weeks early but my eyes were bad enough that my wife made me go get it done so I wouldn't have to reschedule and get pushed back another few months.
The whole thing was easy and painless. My vision is just as good or better than it was with contacts. I only wish I had gotten it done sooner.
Freon
Well-known member
I had it done when I was on active duty back in 2005. No complaints, but I am starting to need reading glasses
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