Have you had laser eye surgery to correct your vision?

[bertha katzenengel]

Poll question: Have you had laser eye surgery to correct your vision?

If so, what was your experience? I'm considering it. Thanks

[TNDemo]

1. I recommend it with a caveat.

It's not perfect, especially if you are 40 or over. Also I am 1-1/2 years out and my eyes still get very dry at night and I have to use wetting drops in the morning. Did not expect that.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. The dryness: Is that painful? Irritating? Inconvenient?

And, I wonder why that happens? Hmm.

I'm 42. Hmm.

[TNDemo]

8. It may be because I had such a big correction.

I was a -9 in both eyes. I had the laser only done (no knife) and he said I had 450 zaps compared to a usual 150-200 that most people have. He said the more you have done the harder it is to heal. I had some dryness and discomfort issues for a few months (not terrible by annoying) afterwards but once I used Restasis drops for awhile it quit. Now they just get very dry at night and I notice when I first wake up so I keep wetting drops by the bedside. Also the acuity diminishes a little bit with time. My distance eye (I have monovision) is about 20/50 compared to 20/20 when done. I have a friend who had it done about six months ago (another city) and hers is already 20/100. Anyway, compared to what it was it is an improvement. I can see in the shower!

[Debbi801]

13. I'm -9 in one and -8.5 in the other...

I've wanted to have this done, but have held off. Are you completely glasses free? I would not want to have this done and still need glasses.

Thanks,
Debbi

[TNDemo]

16. Nope. I have two sets now.

Keep in mind that if you are younger you will probably be glasses free. Since I am approaching 50 I have glasses for driving because of my monovision. One eye is corrected to a -2 so I can still read. I can drive without glasses but it leaves kind of a halo around letters on signs and I find that annoying so I wear glasses for distance just because I want to. As far as that up close really good vision - it's gone. I was told ahead of time I would lose it but I really miss it! I wear reading glasses for up close work.

[Debbi801]

20. I'd probably be the same...

I'm 40 now... By the time we saved up the money to do it...

I would be irritated to have to wear glasses anyway.

Thanks for the info!

Debbi

[Dave Reynolds]

24. My monovision annoys me,

I'm thinking of going back for enhancement.

[NoPasaran]

3. Not laser surgery

But twenty years ago I had Radial Keratotomy done and it changed my life for the better.

[trotsky]

4. No, but several co-workers have.

Each of them raved about it. One even went up to Canada to get it done (cheaper).

[CBHagman]

5. Some people are just not candidates for the procedure.

I'm highly myopic but cannot have the procedure for a variety of reasons.

There are a number of medical conditions and vision problems that make a person a poor candidate for the procedure. Talk to a really good ophthalmologist before you do anything.

[Lady Effingbroke]

6. Yes, with no problems at all.

No "dry eyes" or blurred vision.

I had it done 4 years ago.

No more $$$ spent on glasses, contacts, and eye exams!!!

[Rowdyboy]

7. I had the surgery 15 months ago at age 50....

I now have 20-20 vision in both eyes with no side-effects. However, I still need glasses for reading (simple $5 reading glasses-no magnification). I can see things I couldn't before, wear off-the-rack sunglasses, and even drive without glasses-just can't read without the help.

Yes, in general, I'd have to say I'm satisfied.

[progmom]

9. I wish I could.

I have a corneal problem that prevents me from being able to have laser surgery. :(

[livetohike]

10. No - surgery on the eye frightens me

and I have been wearing glasses/contacts since I was nine years old. My vision is awful and I now need some magnification for reading.

I'm too afraid of the "What ifs" of eye surgery (well any surgery), but I'm a big baby when it comes to that stuff :-).

[Ernesto]

11. My lasic went great!

I was 20-300 in my left eye. I'm now 20-30 in both eyes. Had it done 2 years ago @ age 57. It was waaay better than going to the dentist.
I wish the technology had been here decades ago. I'll surely get my son fixed up as soon as he's old enough.

[hunter]

12. I'm nearsighted.

It has always been my intention to have the lenses of my eyes freeze up at the perfect depth to view a seventeen inch computer monitor, and it looks like that is happening. Unfortunately I spent a lot of time in the sun as a kid, and my cataracts may get worse...

My dad, who is retired, had cataracts too. Now he has artificial lenses. He is so happy with his bionic lens replacements he makes me crazy. He was nearsighted all his life, but now he can see without glasses, and his enthusiasm for that just bubbles out of him.

[medeak]

14. doc said I could lose eyesight

from scarring as am a scar tissue person. Thank goodness he had the ethics to say that.

[LSdemocrat]

15. Yes, I'd recommend going to the most reputable doctor you can afford

This is not one of those things where you just want to decide on price. Spend the money and go to a highly qualified, experienced doctor who knows what to look for.

[mtnester]

21. I agree...you can get it done cheapo

but, I paid for the lifetime warranty thing, meaning if I ever slip to below 20/30 in the eye I had corrected, they do it again as long as I am alive for free. In order to qualify, I had quite a few follow up visits with my ophthalmologist as per the contract, and I did have a discount applied due to my vision insurance. However, it was still two grand. I was corrected in my left eye only, I chose the correction for nearsightedness as I had worn glasses or contacts since 3rd grade. My right eye had nearly perfect vision. I was 40 when I had it done. I still use glasses for reading, but no more losing expensive script sunglasses when they fly off my neck hanger while jet skiing. There is a great set of ladies designer script sunglasses sitting deep in the inter coastal waterway just of John's Pass south of Madeira Beach, Florida if anyone's interested.

I remember walking around that night, crying to my hubby...(who never wore glasses a day in his life) saying "look at that moon...my god, it is so pretty, I can see all the craters....look, I can see the Milky Way...OMG I can see exactly what that house looks like across the field"...etc...this went on for days...simply being amazed I could see clearly without glasses.

There was a short period of dryness, but it did not last any longer than the docs said it would. I was told to remain still during the procedure, was given a light dose of Valium, hubby watched on the video camera, and it took all of about 5 minutes, during which time I was scared to breath for fear of moving at the wrong time. However, it goes so fast, and there is so much going on around you, it was not really scary, just overwhelming.

[Beware the Beast Man]

17. No, but I'll probably need a corneal transplant.

My eye doctor diagnosed me with keratoconus a year ago. Basically, that's where your cornea becomes cone-shaped, blurring your vision. It's very similar to an astigmatism. Usually it can be corrected with a hard contact lens, but since I squirmed when my doc tried to use eye drops on me, he recommended the surgery.

[amazona]

18. yes best thing I ever did for myself

If you are a candidate, do it.

You'll kick yourself that you waited so long.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[purr]

19. I had it with cataract extraction and lens implant...

My vision is near the same/if not worse. I was lucky enough to be born w/ congenital cataracts.

I will NOT get my 2nd eye done because of the results of the first. Even after my optometrist told me that I'll have near perfect vision after it.

[likesmountains 52]

22. off topic...did the pregnant fox ever come back?

[bertha katzenengel]

23. Yes -- without being preggers. So somewhere nearby, we have

a litter of fox pups! :bounce:

[likesmountains 52]

29. I can only imagine what a newborn fox looks like...sigh...

[bertha katzenengel]

30. maybe something like this?

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/support/adopt2.php?animal=grey_foxes

'night, all!

[LilKim]

25. Yep, I recommend it

Didn't care for the smell of my eyeball as the laser burned into it, though.

[steely]

26. I had lasik / wavefront 15 months ago - no regrets.

Wife had it done 3 yrs ago, her bro before that, a few I know in work.
Some complain of dry eye and halos. I have none of that - I am sensitive to light, but I can wear real sunglasses instead of clip ons. Am pushing 50, was myopic/astigmatic - don't ask the numbers, need reading glasses but was way worth it to me - I got over the fear when I decided I had enough with bifocals. I laughed with joy on day 2 when I stayed home, and was having tea, looked out the window and saw the snow coming down flake by flake. Overwhelming. Amazing. Doc was great.

[Rowdyboy]

37. I had it at age 50 (like you, I still need reading glasses)..My epiphany

came about a week after surgery. I was washing dishes and glanced out the kitchen door into the garden. Twenty five feet away, I saw a green chameleon climbing on a large green potted plant so clearly that it stunned me. Then I looked up into an ancient oak tree in a neighbors yard and could clearly see squirrels nests and individual branches. Even after a year and a half, I'm still very happy that I took a chance.

It was everything the doctor promised and I think the money was well spent.

[Turn CO Blue]

27. Considering it. But getting new glasses SOON is good too! nt

[senseandsensibility]

28. Do they generally do one eye

at a time? Meaning one eye on one date and another eye at a different time.

[yorkiemommie1]

31. Daughter just had yesterday

she is 28 and had - 6.5. went to the same dr. that did tiger woods, sean hayes, french stewart and a bunch of others. extensive pre-exams and preparation. she did lots of research for years, too.

she had her follow-up exam this morning and was told she is in the tope 10% and will probably end up w/ better than 20/20. she also has lifetime adjustment included in this plan. she paid 5200.00 but it was her treat to herself for surviving a bad car accident. also her contacts and glasses were not working out for her . she does technical work w/ online digital photos so this surgery will be a definite boon for her.


edited to add that she interviewed several doctors and got many references first ( not awed by celebrities' pix at all )

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. You might want to read about this

KATHY GRIFFIN FIGHTING BLINDNESS

Brash comedienne KATHY GRIFFIN is fighting to save her sight after being struck down by a rare eye condition.

The American funnygirl, who is famous for her stand-up routines in which she pokes fun at Hollywood's top stars, has epithelial ingrowth in her right eye, which will render her blind unless she gets treatment.

Griffin tells US news show ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT on a programme to air this evening (11MAY05) that the condition became apparent after she underwent a third Lasik eye surgery to improve her sight.

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/kathy%20griffin%20fighting%20blindness

[RobbinsdaleDem]

33. My husband had laser surgery to correct his vision

He was 48 years old when he had it done, and it's worked out beautifully for him so far. He's 52 now, and he's had no problems other than some dryness for which he uses drops. His eyes were corrected so that one eye is for distance, and one eye is for close vision. It sounds really weird, but it works, so he doesn't even need reading glasses.

[Ladyhawk]

34. I had complications which led to a second, EXTREMELY painful surgery.

I developed inflammation beneath both corneas, which is basically the layman's term for white blood cell accumulation. The surgeon had to reopen the corneal flaps and flush the white blood cells away. I had a local anesthetic for the procedure, but afterward the pain was excruciating...especially since the protective contact lenses fell out.

I couldn't hold my eyes open, but closing them irritated the wound. Each time I blinked my eyes, it felt like someone was shoving an icepick into them. If I held them closed, my eyelids were touching the wounds and it hurt like hell. I just wanted someone to take a gun and blow me away. Really.

It took over six weeks for my sight to return. During that time I was functionally blind and at the mercy of my mother, who picked that time to confront me concerning my atheism. Oh the horror and the suckitude. I cried buckets.

Eventually, my eyes healed and my sight ended up being nearly perfect. I did have severe dry-eye. I still do on occasion. Since the operation, I have been able to do things I could never do before, like snorkeling. So good has come from it. Also, I've learned to handle all kinds of pain. The neck pain and the pain of a wide-awake colonoscopy (anesthetic didn't work) just made me stronger. I did a good job of handling my recent post-op pain.

I've also learned a sobering truth: physical pain is nothing compared to emotional pain.

[tedoll78]

35. I am scared to death of this.

If there was some way to drug me or knock me out so that I don't panic, I'd get it in an instant, but as of now, there's no way in hell I'd do something like that. :scared:

[Technowitch]

36. My experience?

One weekend of hell. Three weeks of dry eyes. Three years of freedom from high-correction contact lenses or eyeglasses -- with the exception being that I did bring on the need for reading glasses a couple years sooner than I would've needed them otherwise.

But I'll take reading glasses over the bifocals I'd be wearing in 3-4 years any day.

As with any of these procedures, consult with your optometrist to be sure if it's even appropriate for you. And be sure to go to a reputable laser surgery place.

[Bouncy Ball]

38. Nope. I'll get it done when every near-sighted optometrist and

opthamologist has had it done. And not a day before.

[katinmn]

39. I've debated doing it.

It's helpful to read the comments here.

I just entered the stage where I need bifocals and it sucks. I have both bifocal contacts and glasses.