Lasik - Any Thoughts?

Stephen Mick

Stephen Mick

Totally Usable
Okay, so my eyesight is about as perfect as it gets. (Thanks, genes!)

My wife on the other hand wasn't so lucky. So she's getting her corneas all lasered-up in the next few weeks.

Anyone here have Lasik experiences to share? Thoughts? Just curious.


--SM
 
My brother had it done about a year ago and said he absolutely LOVES it. That night he could see fine, but said his eyes felt like they do when his allergies are acting up, nothing painful, just a bit itchy. Next day he was stoked, in no pain, and was seeing 20/20 or better.

A good friend had it done about 5-6 years ago, and went through a little recovery process. Said he was in a moderate amount of pain the day of and took some pills to sleep it off. Pain continued for a few days (longer than they said it would) then had to wear those big-@ss dark sunglasses for another couple of weeks I think. Now he's more than content, but had a rough time there for a few weeks.

My only guess is that the technology is advancing, obviously, and the doctors/scientists have kinked out all the bugs. I've heard of people being absolutely fine and in no pain whatsoever IMMEDIATELY after the operation. Like, they're laying there, doc does his thing, they sit up, and BAM, near perfect vision that evolves into absolutely perfect vision within a few hours.

Me? I (and the ladies) prefer my glasses:happy: Except when I want to ride my motorcycle... then the contacts have to go in and it's a pain...
 
Brian McCann (Braves catcher) has had some problems with it.
And here.

I heard them talking about it when the Dodgers played the Braves last week.

I've thought about it but never had it done. I've also heard that if you have it done while you're young, you may have to have it done again later as you get older and your eyes change. Not sure about that, though.
 
I had it done about 8-9 years ago.
Honestly , the best decision I've ever made in my life.

I'm saying that even with the following issues I had..
-You WILL get dry eye syndrome..
when they cut and make the "flap" .. its cutting off nerve endings thats tell the eye
when to tear. I could be totally wrong but the number 80% of the endings are cut is popping in my head.
It does get better over time but not 100%

- My eyes were different from each other after the surgery. One was slightly better for far away things, the other was slightly better for close. It took awhile for my body to adjust to that. Once it did I'm fine with it. Almost like my brain had to reprogram itself.

-9 some years later, my vision isnt quite as amazing as it was after the surgery,
but before the surgery I was 20/600, meaning someone with perfect vision could stand 600ft away from something to read it and I would have to stand 20 ft away! I couldn't
see the alarm clock in bed. So the fact that its SLIGHTLY gotten a bit weaker...
who cares.
Right after the surgery I had 20/15 vision (better than 20/20)
I still live glasses free every moment of everyday and really the only time I notice it is trying to read highway signs way off in the distance.
I can tell I have to let them get closer to me compared to 9 years ago. Also I notice reading the menu on a smaller TV about 15 ft away I struggle.
Yet tiny tiny text 3ft from me is perfect.

My cornea is thick enough that they said I could have the procedure a few more times
but I see no reason nor at this stage would I.

- most people end up needing reading glasses as they get older but I was told
that having this surgery pretty much guarantees it.

I can imagine the technology has gotten way better since when I had it done.
Its amazing.

Honestly, not one of the best..THE BEST decision I've ever made.
 
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All my friends say very good things about it. I fly a lot and don't want to risk the chance of a depth perception prob so I have been putting it on hold, I will more than likely have it done down the road at some point.
 
If my eyesight was worse, I'd probably have it done. It's about 20/35 or 20/40 right now so I'll probably pass.
 
It could have changed since I got it ChipG, but
back then they really didn't want to perform it on people who were in their
mid 40's and above.
Something to keep in mind if its still that way.
 
Rippie said:
It could have changed since I got it ChipG, but
back then they really didn't want to perform it on people who were in their
mid 40's and above.
Something to keep in mind if its still that way.
Click to expand...

They told me the opposite when I looked into it, they said to wait until I'm older when my vision has changed more.

I just turned 40.
 
ChipG said:
They told me the opposite when I looked into it, they said to wait until I'm older when my vision has changed more.
Click to expand...

Yes they want your eyes to stop actively changing.
I don't know how old you are but I was mid-late 20's when I had it done.


I decided to just quickly look up "current" age limits
and the few pages I looked at does indeed seem to say as long as there are no health issues
there is NO upper age limit.

This has changed since I had it done.
Good news.
 
Figured this was worth posting from a May 27th 2010 article:

"Most age-related LASIK eligibility criteria affect patients older than 40. Again, the presence of any of the following may not be sufficient to disqualify you as a good LASIK candidate, but make sure your eye surgeon knows about these problems so that he or she can consider whether they will affect your outcome.

General Health and LASIK Eligibility - Disqualifiers

Restrictions that disqualify patients from LASIK include the presence of chronic health diseases such as:

- Diabetes
- Autoimmune disorders
- Hypertension
- Certain medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants

Eye Health and LASIK Eligibility - Disqualifiers

The list of age-related eye problems that can interfere with best LASIK results is much longer and includes:

- Dry eye
- Prior eye surgery
- Vision outside of the correctable range
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Presbyopia
- Age related macular degeneration (wet or dry)
- Ocular hypertension"
 
Rippie said:
Yes they want your eyes to stop actively changing.
I don't know how old you are but I was mid-late 20's when I had it done.
Click to expand...

I was 29 when I looked into it and flying 40+ hours a month. I'm 40 now, a family friend who is one of the leading guys in LASIK surgery gave me the advice, I wasn't just a pay check to him. This was also when he was charging $7500 an eye back in the day. Now I think it's both eyes done for $1500 ish and with massively better lasers / equipment.
 
this is going to come across as completely crazy, but it's 100% true. there is this eye surgeon in georgia that is also a weight lifter and a wrestler. he'll have on these commercials about his practice, eyesight associates, where he randomly starts talking about his weight lifting.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=24006609

and then there is this wrestling gem.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later.
I AGREE
 
Mom had her eyes lasered for cateracts a few years ago. Not sure if it was specifically LASIK. After the treatment she wore eye patches/bandages for awhile but it really helped her vision and she's never complained since. Never complained at all actually throughout the process. She can see a lot better now, pretty much as normal as anyone. Still wears glasses but so do I. That level of vision I mean. Read the papers, watch T'V, normal everyday vision.
 
my mom had hers done. She had to have it done 5 years later... but now she's good except at night she has to wear glasses (when she gets tired)
 
Stephen Mick said:
Anyone here have Lasik experiences to share? Thoughts? Just curious.
Click to expand...

My eye doctor works for Duke U's Eye Center. He does some surgery, some teaching, but mostly is a glaucoma expert. I go to him because there's a large history of glaucoma in my family.

He wears glasses. I've asked him about LASIK, and what he told me is basically this: He's waiting for his fellow ophthalmologists (in particular, the ones who perform LASIK operations [he doesn't do LASIK himself]) to start letting their daughters have LASIK. When that happens, he'll have it done to his own eyes. If he likes it he'll consider recommending it to his patients.

He's still wearing glasses. So am I. Not the outcome I'd hoped for, but I do understand where he's coming from.
 
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