Laser Eye Surgery

[lambchops]

First off...I am getting this regardless of what ya'll think but with that said I thought it would be an interesting coversation. I have worn glasses for twenty years. You can check my age and realize that I've worn them since childhood. I'm sick and tired of not being able to see past the tip of my nose. I'm tired of not being able to fall asleep comfortably in the car or on the couch. I hate having to put my glasses on in the middle of the night to go pee...

You get the picture. Anyway...what do ya'll think of the procedure? Would you do it? Why? Why not?

My consultation is tomorrow and I'm hoping for the surgery ASAP. I've waited for years (trying to convince my husband of it's necessity) and have finally just decided "to do it."

Can't wait to see...can't wait to read without the aid of glasses or contacts. Can't wait to go swimming without the damn lenses rolling up into my eyes. I just can't wait.

I'm a glutton for punishment.

[drmomentum[$]]

I don't know the details, but my BIL just had the procedure a few months back His vision was very bad, and he went to Canada where some doctors use a procedure that is supposed to yield better results (fewer incidences of haloing and such). He's been very happy with the results.

I'd urge you to sinply get familiar with the different procedures out there, talk to some people who have had them, and find out which one is best for you.

-JP

[mtomm[$]]

My corneas were too thin for the amount of correction I need. My brother had his surgery last week. He is hoping the next few days bring him better vision, it wasn't what he expected 20/25. But that sounds pretty good to me. Good luck.

[slick4591[$]]

My wife had it done this past summer. She says it's the single best think she has ever done for herself. 'Cept marrying me, that is.

[murasaki]

I've worn glasses or contacts since I was 7, and I'm signing up to have the Army do it at Walter Reed. Several cadets have already done it and all of them just rave about it--and so has every person I've ever talked to who's had the procedure.

Ditto with JP's advice.

--naomi

[lynnzop[$]]

I'd do it in a heartbeat except my eyes aren't "bad" enough, and my doc says it wouldn't last long enough to make it worthwhile. Everyone I've talked to says it's the greatest thing in the world.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!!!

[cristina1]

Add my dad to the love it crowd. Not sure of the specifics of vision, but he was thrilled with his results.

[taurusmoon]

I've looked into it and learned that (at least for the time being) I'm not a candidate. My pupils are naturally too large and I'd just be begging for a halo problem.

Plus, I'm at the age when my vision is changing by the minute. I'd be concerned about continued change. So, the best case is that I could correct for distance and still need reading glasses. (My eyes don't handle monovision correction well either so that's not an option )

That being said, everyone I've known who has had the surgery has been pleased with the results except for two. That's not bad odds. Except, of course, if you're one of those two. I'll third JP's recommendation. Research, research, research.

[amykhar]

I'd love to do it, but since it's not covered by insurance it isn't going to happen any time soon. I am as blind as a bat without my glasses and am not very fond of contacts for various reasons.

[thinkerlady[$]]

I have thought about looking into it--but I am at the same point as Sara. My eyes are changing too rapidly right now. I am getting used to the idea of bifocal lenses.

[drmomentum[$]]

BTW - take it from someone who has had mild iritis multiple times. Halos are annoying as heck.

But I could see how someone with very bad vision, it would be a relief to get rid of the glasses. Halos or not.

-JP

[erik_kosberg]

I wouldn’t do it, I’ve only got one eye. No margin for error.

[lambchops]

Consider everything researched. The place I'm going does two procedures. Lasik of course but also the "Custom" variety of the same thing which is, from what I can tell, the one said to reduce the incidence of halos. They recommend the latter to folks with astigmatism (or just plain wonky eye shape). In any case, I'm not shopping around really. The price could be less, but after speaking to an incredibly anal nurse who had hers done and did more research than I could ever hope to accomplish she recommended a location that's only about 30 miles away from my home...

I really, really, really am hoping it all works out (as far as being given the go-ahead by the docs to do it).

I'll also add that my eyes haven't changed much at all in the last 8-10 years. It seems that my bad eyesight probably had a lot to do with my rapid rate of growth as a kid. Actually, that was what the docs told my mum when I had to get glasses when I was so young.

Anyway...thanks for the discussion! Cross your fingers for me.

[theworm[$]]

Good luck! Everyone that I know who has had it, swears by it. I had one friend who initially had problems, and had a bad scare for a few weeks, but her problems cleared up, and now even she swears by it. I keep toying with the idea. My eyesight is horrible, and I'd love to be able to wake up and "see", but I'm a big chicken. I know its a common procedure, but it scares me - not for any rational reasons. If you're not scared - GO for it! It sounds like a great thing!

[frazzledspice]

I am really thinking about it (have been for years...)

But my husband is 56 and found out he has the very beginnings of cataracts. Now they take cataracts off (putting in an artificial lens which gives you 20/20 vision) the minute they pop up.

And of course cataract surgery is covered by insurance....

I'm two years younger than him, so now I'm wondering if I may get baby cataracts in a few years, too, and would it be worth it to get lasix and then have to get cataract surgery anyway?

But my Dad is 87 and has never had cataracts...and my Mom didn't get them till she was well into her 70's.

I think I'm just still chicken.

[drmomentum[$]]

Frazz - if you want to speed up the process, high doses of prednisone and lots of UV exposure will increase your chance to get cataracts.

-JP

[jgibson2[$]]

Frazz,
UV light is one of the cataract triggers. Toss your sunglasses and you just might get those cataracts.

OTOH, you could also get 'wet' macular degeneration or retinal melanoma, so maybe you don't want to toss them after all.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Hubby was diagnosed with cataracts last year. But the docs here are still of the "they aren't bad enough to do the surgery yet" school.

Re: laser surgery - I've thought about it at times but it just didn't seem worth it for me. My eyes are in the put-on-glasses-to-get-up-and-pee category, and with the astigmatism and such I've been told that I would still need some sort of corrective lenses after surgery anyway, and that because there would be so much to correct, there would be more "incisions" or whatever. But honestly, I'm not that seriously irritated by my glasses or contacts often enough or to the point where surgery seems to be a sensible thing to do.

[lambchops]

Well...good news! I'm a candidate. Not just that, but I scheduled "Custom LASIK" for March 5th. I'm so excited I think I might just pee my pants Thanks all for the discussion.

[theworm[$]]

Try Depends.

And good luck! Can't wait to hear about your 20/20!

[lynnzop[$]]

Yay!!!! Report back on how it goes.

[jankp]

Good luck, Shelly! I've thought about it if my eyes get worse. Interesting there's two types of surgery. I'd get custom too, so will be interested in how it goes for you.

Jan

[lambchops]

I'm FIXED! I'm FIXED!

My eyes the day following surgery had improved to 20/25. The total recovery is between four and eight weeks. They expect my eyes to get better than 20/25. I'm so excited. It's incredible. I can't get the thought that I've got contacts in out of my head. I guess that's what I get for wearing contacts for so long (and glasses for even longer).

Woo-hoo!

[theworm[$]]

Yeah you!!! Did it hurt? Did you have bad eye itch? Was it scary? Were you sedated? Do tell all, please!

Wormie - who is jealous of Shelly's good eyesight, but who is still scared to do it.