Who has had laser eye surgery?

[Ridire]

Thinking about it but not yet sold on the idea.

I guess I don't really know of any downside to having it done.

Any thoughts?

 

[Homercidal]

I have a friend who lives in Ann Arbor who had it done, probably 15 years ago. I don't think he wears glasses yet today, but of course he's getting to the age where it might be useful for him to wear reading glasses.

From what I remember he had his surgery done in Canada because it was cheaper and most places were better at it back then. I do not know if that is still the case. I am fairly certain that the technology has improved quite a lot since then, or at least is more commonly available.

I did ask my friend not too long ago how his vision was and he was still very satisfied with it.

 

[Homercidal]

Oh, forgot to mention that the one downside I am aware if is the possibility to need close-up correction after laser surgery. It's essentially the same as having permanent glasses inside your eyes. If you wear glasses now, and things seem unfocused up close, that's what it will be like all the time with laser surgery. A lot of people make that trade off though. It's more of a concern for older people who start losing the ability to focus up close due to age.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

The only downsides I've heard of are the potential for issues at night (stars around lights), and depending on your eyes you may need to have it done again or start using glasses again. It depends on how much of the problem is your vision degrading. If your lens prescription has been the same for a long time then chances are you would be happy for many years to come.
I have one friend who had it done ~15 years ago and is considering getting it again as his vision has gradually degraded recently.

 

[Ridire]

I remember everyone around here going to Canada years ago, too (I could literally see Canada from my front porch as a kid - for real, not like Palin with Russia). But now I am hearing that there is a guy in Oakland County who is supposedly one of the best in the nation. As far as costs, I see it as a long term money saver. Couple grand now to not buy glasses or contacts, etc. for years.

 

[broadbill]

No downsides other than with any other surgery (chance of it not working, infection, error, pain, etc. etc.)...I'm sure the incidence of those things are published somewhere, you can read up and make an informed decision on that.

The biggest drawback is what others have mentioned, that over time you might need vision correction again. But again you can make an informed decision on price vs. value (i.e. what value do I put on not having to deal with contact or glasses? How much do I save on vision correction? What sort of activities would I enjoy/enjoy more if I didn't have to deal with glasses, and what is the value of that to me?)...Decide for yourself if you will "make your money back" so to speak...

As for the technology, etc...my impression is that it is "there" and practically foolproof, if you seek out the reputable clinics. I don't think I would go "bargain" for this sort of thing!

 

[Homercidal]

The only downsides I've heard of are the potential for issues at night (stars around lights), and depending on your eyes you may need to have it done again or start using glasses again. It depends on how much of the problem is your vision degrading. If your lens prescription has been the same for a long time then chances are you would be happy for many years to come.
I have one friend who had it done ~15 years ago and is considering getting it again as his vision has gradually degraded recently.

I think the potential for seeing stars was for the old fashioned method of actually cutting the eye with a star-shaped knife, not with the laser surgery.

From what my friends said, another downside is the smell of burning flesh during the procedure...

 

[Ridire]

.

From what my friends said, another downside is the smell of burning flesh during the procedure...

 

[johngaltsmotor]

What would I enjoy more without glasses... you mean things like being able to look into a steaming keggle without my glasses fogging up... hm... I should look into this...

 

[Hello]

I got it done in 2005. It was the best $5k (the price at the time) I have ever spent. I'd do it again and will likely do it again once my vision degrades again. They say after a certain age your vision can degrade and a "touch up" may be necessary.

 

[Subsailor]

I have been thinking about having it done. My Mother got it at 64 and was still doing without her glasses until about the time she turned 70. She needed reading glasses then but there were other problems that contributed to that.

I'm 55 and I am very tired of fogged/smeared/scratched glasses. I used contacts in my youth but about the time I turned 40, I found them uncomfortable.
I am tired of going hunting and fixing to peer through my scope for a shot and my glasses fog up because my breath just got put into my face because my coat bunched up, or it's raining so much that, even with my hat they are covered in water droplets, or working through the willow thickets and an errant branch smacks them off kilter on my head.

I plan on getting it done after we are moved and settled later this year.

 

[Rockn_M]

I had it done a few years ago and was one of the best decisions I have made. My eye surgery was a little different in that I had a procedure called PRK done instead of the traditional Lasik. The difference is that instead of cutting the cornea then doing the laser, I had my cornea rubbed down with what felt like 20 grit sandpaper, then they did the surgery. And ya, one eye was a little worse so the laser took longer and I could smell it after a few seconds.

It sounds gross but after a day or so of healing I could see things better than ever!

 

[Einberger1]

I had it done about 2 years ago in Denver and an thrilled with the results. Perfect 20/20 vision in both eyes. I had some nighttime driving issues with halos around lights for the first month or two, and after that they went away.

I actually had a very bizarre experience with it. I found the best doctor I could (only have 1 set of eyes after all), and I saved up to pay top dollar for it. 95% of the way through doing my first eye, the laser machine emitted an ominous noise and stopped working. They had to finish my other eye on a different machine than what it was mapped for, and they overshot the correction level. I had to go back in 6 months later to have that eye corrected. The eye that the machine broke while lasering was perfect. The Dr. was sh*tting bricks over the situation.

That snafu aside (literally a one in a million happenstance), I would absolutely do it again. It was an uncomfortable day or two after it was done, the operation smells more like burning hair than burning flesh, and you have to be religious about using the eye drops when they tell you too and keeping your fingers away from your eyes while you heal. The coolest part is you instantly see better than you did when you went in for the surgery. It blows your mind.

 

[Ridire]

I had my cornea rubbed down with what felt like 20 grit sandpaper, then they did the surgery.

 

[Beernik]

I know one person who had a bad one done. I think it took her 6 months to get it completely fixed.

I tried to have it done but I was a bad candidate: more than +2.5 astigmatism, family history of keratoconus, and thinner than normal corneas.

 

[drainbamage]

My wife actually works for an optometrist's/ophthalmologist's office, and she and her sister have both had laser surgery done there. Yes, you most likely will need a "touch-up" surgery every 10 years or so, and my SIL has had issues with halos around headlights and such at night. On the other hand, my wife has had 20/15 vision since she had hers done. She was pretty uncomfortable for the next 2 days or so after the surgery, but she doesn't regret it at all.

If you have any (not overly technical) questions, I could probably ask her.

 

[sikkingj]

I got this done for my 40th b-day 3-years ago and it was the best $4k I ever spent. All I could think was I should have hone this 15 years sooner. The procedure is a snap, follow the instructions for your recovery, about two weeks worth of eye drops and you are good to go.

As far as halos, sparkles, etc. I had that when I used glasses, it was all corrected with the surgery.

 

[Santo]

Never had it done but in my neck of the woods it's about 600.00 or 700.00 bucks and only takes about 45 to 65 minutes. I know two people that had it done and haven't complaint.

 

[banesong]

Both I and the swmbo had it done. Neither of us are looking back. I have minor nighttime driving problems, and black lights bother me a bit, but not much worse than they did before.

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Sent from my mobile device, pardon my brevity.

 

[OkashiiBrew]

LOVE it. A former Miss Nebraska was my sales pitch spokesperson
They treat you great to get you in the door and under the laser. When
I needed a slight correction, Miss Nebraska was nowhere to be found but
they took care of me without fuss. Mono vision is a little odd but you get
used to it.

 

[gillsrob]

I worked as an optometrist assistant for 3 years, all the problems that have been mention, are pretty well possible any surgery, the most common thing is the fact you'll need reading glasses, or will in the next couple years. Its trading quality distance/medium vision, sacrificing near vision, which can be slightly or greatly affected. Theres problems and complications with any medical procedure, but I have met very few people, eligiable for it that did not appreciate the differences in day to day life it made

 

[autobaun70]

I had it done in February 2007. It was blade free, and done through a TLC facility. The dr that did mine went to work for TLC immediately following school, and was on the development team for the blade free procedure. He is a good friend of my fathers, and I was able to do most if my Q&A at the golf course bar. I was very skeptical, but over time I got much more comfortable with the idea and had it done. Zero regrets.

A couple of things that I did learn in my research. If you have an astigmatism but otherwise decent vision, get in the car and head to the Dr. You won't regret it. This was my case. For those of you not familiar with astigmatism, it is essentially an eye that isn't round. To wear contact, you have to wear toric (weighted) lenses to keep them in the correct position. This is no issue until you lay down to watch TV on the couch, try to work under a cat, under the house, etc. I am always very active, so glasses would get scratched, and contacts were annoying.

On the other hand, I was told that if my vision changed over time prior to surgery there would be a good chance that a follow up would be required. This was not the case for me. I do know one person that it was the case for. We had our surgeries around the same time, and she has had hers touched up recently. She didn't seem to complain though.

I did have a few minor halos for a month or so, but they went away. This was most common in the boat when traveling at night (dark with a few bright lights).

 

[Hang Glider]

Had it done about 7 years ago. I was given two options - LASIK and PRK (?)
Lasik is when they peel back a flap and do the laser then put the flap back - you return to work the next day...and keep an eye patch on at night for a week or so to keep you from rubbing your eyes at night.
PRK is done directly to the surface, and you're out of work a couple of days because everything's hazy, until it clears up.

If I had it to do over, I'd choose the PKU - my flap tore, and caused me discomfort for a month or two... All good now, but it wasn't fun.

I had 20/600 vision - and one of the neat things about my nearsightedness was that I could pull out a sliver without a magnifying glass - I could see the details of my fingerprints by holding my finger close - I just couldn't see anything past 2 feet without glasses. That is gone, and I do miss it. Slivers of wood (or metal) require a magnifying glass and bright light and sharp tweezers... sometimes they require the assistance of someone else. I had to keep in mind, however, that MOST PEOPLE never had this close vision, so now I'm more 'normal' (in the vision sense anyway).

Other than giving up that near vision, I wouldn't trade it for anything else - I love not poking myself in the eye every morning with contacts, nor fumbling for my glasses to see anything.

Another thing I did that took some getting used to - I did the "monovision" thing - I have my right eye set to "computer screen" distance, and my left eye set to normal distance. THAT takes some getting used to - but given time, it's good. At my age (55) I can read without reading glasses when in good light, (I do carry around a 1.0 set of readers)...distance vision is great - I can see my golf ball land, and roll under the leaves...(now WHICH leaf was that???) The splash of a missed short shot over water is crystal clear. At work, the computer screen is sharp. My "near" eye sees the dashboard fine, while they both see the road fine and the left (distance) handles the signage...(I guess).

I did buy a pair of prescription glasses that make both eyes the same - I call them my "movie-glasses" - otherwise a 3D movie is lost on me because of the dual focus.
I have an identical twin (same DNA) and he has heard all this from me and chooses to keep his glasses -

My thoughts - you won't regret it, but understand there may be trade-offs - like your super near-vision, if you have it.

 

[mbobhat]

Almost 4 years now, I feel like my night vision actually has gotten better since right after with a reduction of the halos everyone talks about. I think it has to do with small scar tissue diffracting the light but do your own research.

My eyes before were like 20/50 so they said I had like 13 sec under the laser, not enough time to smell any flesh burning . Actually I barely noticed it.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I know one person who had a bad one done. I think it took her 6 months to get it completely fixed.

I tried to have it done but I was a bad candidate: more than +2.5 astigmatism, family history of keratoconus, and thinner than normal corneas.

I actually went in for a consultation last Monday. Unfortunately I am not a candidate for the Lasik or the PRK, but they did mention the ICL, which I am considering. Apparently I have thin corenas so they say that if they were to try to lasik or PRK it would thin them more and cause bigger issues.

ICL is kind of a implantable contact lens, which goes behind the cornea and is replacable if there are issues. Only problem I have is that the FDA has not yet approved the ones that are for astigmatisms and that it usually costs twice as much as the other procedures.

Lasik with the halos at night I am told happens more due to the blade cut rather than the laser cut (when they peel back the cornea to reshape the eye). PRK apparently is not as effective or something as the laser version.

It cant hurt to get a consultation, they can much better tell you what the down sides are. Personal experience though, both my mother and father have had it done (mother both eyes, father monovision) and they both have had no issues whatsoever. Only bad experiences I have heard of was a former coworker had it done earlier in the technology and has watery eyes as a result, and my cousin has the night halos though she had the blade cut rather than the laser which is more prevalent.

 

[masonsjax]

I was basically blind in one eye (20/400) and got the laser surgery done just on that eye in 2001 for about $1500. The surgery was quick and painless, I could read the smallest print immediately after they finished and was in the car heading home 15 mins after arriving.

The night halos went away after a couple of weeks, no big deal. I haven't had any problems at all since the surgery and my vision is as good as it was when the surgery was first done.

Not everyone is a candidate, but it's one of the best decisions I've I ever made, I love it. I am pushing 40 now and will likely need reading glasses at some point, but now I can get cheap glasses at Walmart instead of needing custom lenses.

 

[timcadieux]

I had it about three years ago, it was even covered by insurance. I've been wearing contact lense for 20+ years and was sooo fed up. Very minor pain (sensitivity to light) for 2-5 days and then, voila, I have no regrets whatsoever!!

 

[hunter_le five]

I had it done to my eyes a couple years ago. One of the best things I ever did. I was essentially blind without corrective lenses before hand (running into walls without my contacts), and now I have 20/20 vision.

The only downsides I can think of:

1) My depth perception at night is crap. Worth it to me.

2) There was a few days immediately following the surgery where I was still blind and couldn't leave the house really. I was so zonked out on drugs I didn't mind much, just sat in the dark and listened to audiobooks.

3) Even after your eyes "heal" from the surgery enough to function, it may take a few weeks for your vision to fully reach 20/20. I was able to go about my day-to-day, even drive, but I had a hard time reading for a few weeks. I was convinced my surgery didn't work 100% during that time, but after a while my vision came back better than with glasses.

If you can afford the cost of surgery and a few days down time, I say go for it. They say older people may still need reading glasses, but I really feel a profound sense of freedom now not having to depend on corrective lenses just to function.

 

[axmdr40]

I had it done in February 2007. It was blade free, and done through a TLC facility. The dr that did mine went to work for TLC immediately following school, and was on the development team for the blade free procedure. He is a good friend of my fathers, and I was able to do most if my Q&A at the golf course bar. I was very skeptical, but over time I got much more comfortable with the idea and had it done. Zero regrets.

A couple of things that I did learn in my research. If you have an astigmatism but otherwise decent vision, get in the car and head to the Dr. You won't regret it. This was my case. For those of you not familiar with astigmatism, it is essentially an eye that isn't round. To wear contact, you have to wear toric (weighted) lenses to keep them in the correct position. This is no issue until you lay down to watch TV on the couch, try to work under a cat, under the house, etc. I am always very active, so glasses would get scratched, and contacts were annoying.

On the other hand, I was told that if my vision changed over time prior to surgery there would be a good chance that a follow up would be required. This was not the case for me. I do know one person that it was the case for. We had our surgeries around the same time, and she has had hers touched up recently. She didn't seem to complain though.

I did have a few minor halos for a month or so, but they went away. This was most common in the boat when traveling at night (dark with a few bright lights).

Did the blade free method in 2008. TLC was really great to work with. I've got touch-up covered in the deal I got if anything goes down hill. When my six month required check-up was due, I was on three month trip to the Seattle area for work and I just called the local TLC center and saw them. I have to do yearly check-up with my family eye doctor now and everything is pretty good. Actually went to 20/10 ~3 months after the surgery and slowly leveled back to 20/15. I've actually fooled a few optometrists who didn't look quite well enough and could not tell that I had the surgery.

 

[Ridire]

So, what you are all basically saying is "don't do it"?