Have you had or are you thinking about getting laser eye surgery?

[chip75]

Have you had or are you thinking about getting laser eye surgery?

I'd like to hear folks' thoughts and experiences. How was the process? Did you have it for long or short distance? did it affect the opposite? what type did you have?

Thanks in advance.

[Cremildo]

I had it in 2006, for long distance. I didn't feel a thing during surgery, although you can't help but see some of the stuff the doctor is about to do, which might be unpleasant. Recovery wasn't traumatizing at all - the first hours post-op may be a little uncomfortable. The best thing to do is to lie down and keep your eyes closed.

[JackSkellington]

I had it done in 2017 (the all laser version). It cost me roughly $5600 (that was for both eyes), and it was the best damn money I've ever spent in my life. Before the surgery, I was 20/125 in each eye; I couldn't see more than 5-10ft in front me (pretty bad, I know). I went years bouncing back and forth between glasses and contact lenses, until I had some really bad experiences with contacts (the last straw was when a contact lens folded and nearly went around the side of my eye ).

This might seem a bit freeky at times, but it was painless. Here's my story:

[Show spoiler]When I had the consultation, the doctor ran all kinds of scans and tests on my eyes. On the day of the procedure, he put them into the computer. This allows the laser machine to know what/where to carve away to improve my vision.

The procedure, not including the wait time before I got there, was only about 15mins or so (that included both eyes and the prep work). BTW, they will NOT do the procedure if you don't have someone waiting for you in the waiting room (in this case, my brother was there, and they had to verify it). When I arrived and checked in, they called me back to a smaller waiting area and gave me half a pill of Valium (for relaxation purposes). After a 20min wait, it hadn't kicked in, so they gave me another half pill. Still, nothing. So I had one more half pill, and after that didn't kick in, they asked if I wanted to go through with it or reschedule. I was already calming myself down, so I proceeded without the Valium's help.

Next, they took me into the room with the laser machine and laid me on the bed like at a doctor's office. They repeatedly placed numbing eye drops in my eyes for several minutes, and used a couple of small clamps to hold my eye lids open. Next, they swung one machine over me and brought it down over my face. The doctor said I was going to feel a little pressure on my eyeball for a few seconds. It was a small, cylindrical shaped object that pressed down on my eyeball for a few seconds. I could hear loud clicking sounds as the machine made the incision around my cornea. A bright light flashed several times from inside the cylindrical tube, and my vision went blurry. This happened in both eyes.

Next, they swung a different machine over my face, and the doctor carefully moved the flap of my cornea back. This machine, with it's loud ticking noise, was essentially carving away the parts of my eye that caused the bad vision. Think of it as knocking the cobwebs away. This occurred for each eye, and lasted approximately 15-17 seconds each (depending on how much was to be cleared). After that, they doctor moved the flaps back into place, and sat me up.

At this point, I could see a little bit, but my vision was fuzzy. The doctor gave me a series of eyes drops and safety glasses to use. I had to put multiple eye drops in several times a day for the next few weeks. I only had to wear the safety glasses for the first day/night, but I accidently misunderstood and wore them for a week. lol. On the car ride home, the Valium decided to kick in, and from what my brother tells me, I was quite crazy.

After that, it was just follow up appoints every so often to check progress. By the time I woke up the next day after the surgery, I could already see things I could never see without my glasses on. I got a little emotional because it was so nice to be able to see without needing glasses or contacts.

This past September was my final follow up appointment (it'd been 2yrs since the previous one), and I'm still seeing 20/15 in each eye. My vision is solid. The doctor did say that some point, I'll need reading glasses like some people do, but the distance vision is permanent.

TL;DR - Best damn money every spent. I have 20/15 vision, now. Painless (but a little freaky). Valium is a hell of a thing.

[JDub1]

I had Lasik about 11 years ago and it is fantastic! But, they say you should wait until you are in your early 40's to have it done because your eye sight still changes up until then. Worst part of it is when it's done you have to wear these plastic eye covers that you tape over your eyes while you sleep for about a week (keeps you from rubbing your eyes while you sleep.) No more contacts or glasses and you save money.

Alao, if you have it done, over time you will need reading glasses.

[meremortal]

I'm fine with glasses. Oddly enough, I actually have around eight eye surgeon friends and all of them wear eyeglasses and none of them has had lasik. Not a knock at all on lasik; just found it kind of amusing.

[Monterey Jack]

I had Visian ICL done in 2014. Best money I ever spent.

[chip75]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your feedback (especially JackSkellington's post). I don't mind wearing glasses, but to see without them would be fantastic. I'm concerned about the reading vision, but I might end needing help with that anyway.

[JackSkellington]

Originally Posted by chip75

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your feedback (especially JackSkellington's post). I don't mind wearing glasses, but to see without them would be fantastic. I'm concerned about the reading vision, but I might end needing help with that anyway.

My pleasure. If you do decide to go through with it, make sure it's an all-laser procedure. I think most doctors utilize that form now. Originally, it used to be a small device with a blade that made the initial incision. When I heard how it works, I cringed so bad I pulled a muscle. lol. I went with the doctor that did my procedure because he used an all-laser treatment since it provides much better results and less healing time.

Best of luck with your decision.

[edmonddantes]

I have very poor far sight, which i can partially fix with contact lenses, but lately I can barely read a book with contact lenses, and if I take off my contact lenses and try to read a book, the strain its too much on my eyes. I was hoping out of desperation and ignorance that the latest in eye surgery would be a surgery that would fix both far and reading distance problems, but for what you tell me you can only fix far distance but you still need glasses to read a book, right?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by edmonddantes

I have very poor far sight, which i can partially fix with contact lenses, but lately I can barely read a book with contact lenses, and if I take off my contact lenses and try to read a book, the strain its too much on my eyes. I was hoping out of desperation and ignorance that the latest in eye surgery would be a surgery that would fix both far and reading distance problems, but for what you tell me you can only fix far distance but you still need glasses to read a book, right?

From the opticians I've spoken to, it can depend on the person. Some have improvement with distance/reading and some see gains with both.

Best to get medical advice for specific concerns, I think some sites have options to put your prescription in to see what's expected, but I'm like you, hoping they can fix both! or fixing one won't make the other worse.

[JDub1]

Also, when I had my Lasik done, you go blind for a short bit just during the procedure. I remember when it happened it was really weird, everything went black but I could also see these blue like dots. It felt like I was in outer space and the blue dots seemed like stars.

After I had my done, I was on valiume and I crashed at home for a few hours. When I woke up it was just amazing to see clearly. I looked out into my back yard and it was a great feeling and it is so nice to wake up and be able to see my alarm clock and be able to read the time.

[JackSkellington]

Originally Posted by JDub1

Also, when I had my Lasik done, you go blind for a short bit just during the procedure. I remember when it happened it was really weird, everything went black but I could also see these blue like dots. It felt like I was in outer space and the blue dots seemed like stars.

After I had my done, I was on valiume and I crashed at home for a few hours. When I woke up it was just amazing to see clearly. I looked out into my back yard and it was a great feeling and it is so nice to wake up and be able to see my alarm clock and be able to read the time.

I remember my vision just blurring out when they created the flaps. Everything is severely out of focus. I remember staring right at the (blurry) light, and just as they moved the flap back, my vision shifted right so I moved my eye to follow the light. They told me I was off center and needed to look back at the light. lol. I'm all, "I am; it moved." It was just an illusion, though. Weird stuff.

[DetroitSportsFan]

I had it done in 1999. No issues during all of this time. But now that I’m getting older, I’ve noticed things aren’t as sharp as they used to be and I might get some reading glasses in the near future.

[scififan73]

I wear glasses for near-sightedness. Besides the cost, and a fear of surgery in general, i've sometimes heard that this kind of correction can mess with your night vision, of which mine is actually pretty good.

[JackSkellington]

Originally Posted by scififan73

I wear glasses for near-sightedness. Besides the cost, and a fear of surgery in general, i've sometimes heard that this kind of correction can mess with your night vision, of which mine is actually pretty good.

When I went for my LASIK consultation, I asked the doctor about this. He told me problems related to this were more frequent with the blade version of the procedure, not with the laser version (that I got). When your eyes are super dry, lights have a star effect at night. This is what I see frequently while driving home at night after having worked all day. On a regular night off, my vision seems perfectly fine.

Originally Posted by JDub1

Another thing that the eye doctor told me and is true and that I now have to use eye drops every now and then, especially during the colder months. Eyes get dryer easier after the surgery

This is true, and the severity is different for each person. I suspect mine has to do with all the years of wearing contacts. Depriving your eyes of oxygen is the worst thing you can do, so my eyes were already dry before getting Lasik. After having the procedure done, I do notice certain times where my eyes feel dry and tired at the end of the day, but I think it has more to do with exposure than the Lasik (for me, anyway).

[JDub1]

Another thing that the eye doctor told me and is true and that I now have to use eye drops every now and then, especially during the colder months. Eyes get dryer easier after the surgery

[thejoeman2]

Before my Lasik surgery, I had pretty terrible eye sight, like 20/120. After I had my surgery, it went to 20/12 vision, and I was able to perceive things better in the dark and see colors more vividly. To be specific, I had IntraLASIK, which they used lasers to shape my eyes instead of a blade.

It felt like an upgrade from CRT 480i to 4k HDR.

Paid around $3500 total for both eyes, no regrets.

Before surgery, highlights would smear together, star bursting, making it hard to drive.

Below was a typical night drive before surgery.
https://visionsimulations.com/starbursting-example.png

Now? No smearing and the lights look normal and tight. BTW, I believe this was a separate condition as I had astigmatism, which the surgery fixed.

[fighthefutureofhd]

I had it done when it first hit the market. That was back in 1998. 24 years later and I am still seeing fairly well. But my eyesight is weakening. However, that is due to age. I was blind as a bat without glasses. Couldn't see far or near really. Now, I see just fine. I didn't feel anything and the procedure only took 30 minutes. No one under 24 can get it done though. And be sure to go to an actual doctor and not these doc in a box places. People had their eyes done at those places and it ruined their eyesight. You need to go to a professional.

[SlaughterX]

Thought about it... then decided not to since I have so many designer frames. I did just cop 4 pairs of Gucci sunglasses though, and I have been wearing my contacts more lately, so it might be time to reconsider, I guess. We'll see how much my insurance is willing to pay.Also thought about having surgery to add lasers to my eyes but I haven't been able to find a doctor who can do that, yet.

[Chris_MD]

I'm 45 years old. My prescription is -7.00 for contacts, and a little higher for glasses. I've been thinking about it laser correction myself. I've maintained this prescription for a few years now. I also wear -6.50 contacts because I don't want my eyes getting used to -7.00. I would like to do it, I guess just a little scared and not sure if I should spend the money.