Poll: Would you risk lasik surgery?

[brxndxn]

My friend (feebes on this forum) had lasik surgery performed even before he ever wore glasses or got contacts. Basically, when his vision required about a -.75 correction (about 20/40), his dad decided for him to get lasik.

His dad is a retired eye surgeon who started a chain of eye doctor businesses in Tampa, FL.

I figure that if his dad recommended he get the surgery and he is an eye doctor that it is pretty damn safe surgery to get.

My friend told me that the surgery so far has worked great and he's had zero complications from it. I'm not certain, but I don't think his eyes are getting any worse.

Mine, however, get worse every six months.. And that's because I wear corrective lenses (contacts). I heard that without wearing corrective lenses, your eyes usually stay at the same correction.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: jemcam
Not only would I, I already did. Had the surgery almost two years ago. Went from 2/600 vision to 20/15 in 15 minutes. The recovery was overnight, and pain was minimal. You've had worse if you've ever worn contacts and gotten a speck of dust in your eye.

I wish I would have done it sooner, but then again, I wouldn't have had the faith in the operation if I had done it sooner.

2/600???

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Yup. I had PRK done a few years ago.....best thing I ever did! 😀

 

[Joemonkey]

Also I just wanted to add, I paid $3000 for both eyes, which includes ANY touchup surgerys that need to be done, as well as all my follow up appointments.

I would assume those who had trouble with their lasik went to "akbar's house of the $600 lasik surgeries"

I chose to go to a corneal specialist who charged around 3x what everyone else does, but my left eye is 20/20 and my right eye is 20/15 and like i said before, i would have gladly paid much much more if i knew the outcome would be this great.

Worst case scenario to me would be that in 10 years or so i'm back where i started vision wise (-6 in left eye, -4.75 in right). Well, i'm sure i would have spent around $3000 in contacts and solution and glasses... besides, not having the aggravation of corrective eyewear for as short a time as i have is already worth it to me. If i go LAN somewhere, i bring booze and a toothbrush!

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
Yup. I had PRK done a few years ago.....best thing I ever did! 😀

and the PMs we had back and forth helped me make the decision, and i still thank you very much for it!

 

[Schlocemus]

Nice FAQ

 

[Sealy]

I know a family personally who actually own a laser eye surgery. So although I hav'nt had a need for it, I know lots of people who have had it done. Every single one of them said it's a ah heck for a week, while your eyes heal but after that...fabulous! Besides they give you eye numbing drops which help a lot!

My friend's surgery

 

[KokomoGST]

Yup, I've heard and seen good results for properly done lasik too.

We have some of the best docs in lasik in my area... I think you'd be more likely to die in a plane crash than end up with bad eyes if you had a good doc consult and do the operation. I'd do it if I had the money...

 

[LeeTJ]

since i already had it done, i guess i could vote yes on this one. :0

 

[MemnochtheDevil]

CNN story

Moral of the story, know your doctor. Be very, very sure that they aren't one of the practices that conduct large numbers of surgeries a year. Some places just churn through patients.

 

[Kaervak]

If I had the money, there would be absolutely no hesitation to do it. I can tolerate hard contacts (can't wear soft) but to be able to see in focus without having to wear contacts would be worth the risk.

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: MemnochtheDevil
CNN story

Moral of the story, know your doctor. Be very, very sure that they aren't one of the practices that conduct large numbers of surgeries a year. Some places just churn through patients.

that article pointed out people with astigmatism should not get this type of operation...whew, I'm glad I read that!

 

[440sixpack]

Not yet, my eyes aren't bad enough for the risk. However, in a few years when the process has been refined further, then maybe.

 

[eplebnista]

Yes, I would risk it.

 

[kami]

No, I just try to not take my 20/20 vision for granted.

 

[Akira13]

One of my (EE) professors does medical electronics research. He told us that during laser eye surgery, the lens is thinned quite a bit. The inside of the eye is at a very high pressure. For people with naturally thin corneas (Asians, mostly), this is very risky because the eye can burst. He said that this usually takes several years, but cases are starting to show up now.

Take it with a grain of salt. This is second hand info.

 

[yoda291]

I find glasses attractive on women and men. Obviously, moreso on women than men.

 

[Analog]

nope. glasses are just fine.

 

[Ime]

I'm still thinking about it.

I have 20/800 left anf 20/700 right with high levels of astigmatism. Sounds risky in my case.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: Parrotheader

Originally posted by: Millennium
I will have it done within the next 3-4 years. I am rapidly approaching the point to where I will not be able to have LASIK if my vision doesn't stabilize. If it doesn't stabilize I will not be able to have it. If it does then I will have the surgery within 3-4 years. It sucks being -8.00 in both eyes. I am already past the point to where there are jobs I cannot have until my vision is corrected.

I'm in the exact same boat (6.75 in one eye, 7.75 in the other) although my decline has slowed to a near crawl in the last few years. Most people with glasses who THINK they know what bad vision is usually have prescriptions somewhere in the -3 to -4 power range. I'd kill for something that moderate. At least I could make out faces from more than 4 feet away. I can't see a THING without my glasses or contacts - like reading my alarm clock with 2" tall numerals a foot and a half from my face - it's horrible. And at some point MANY years down the road I'll be too old for contacts and stuck relying on glasses with a prescription level I don't want to even think about. I'm going to HAVE to have some form of corrective eye surgery done if I want to be able to see at all when I'm 60+.

Ive got it worse than that. I'm -8.50 in both eyes and it truly does suck when I don't have my glasses or contacts in. One of the most annoying things is when people with like -2.00 say they have extremely bad vision and then they hear my prescription, they're like "Oh my god, that's horrible." Gee, thanks, I didn't know that...

I have no choice but to wear contacts now, because even the "ultralight lenses" and whatnot are too thick for me to wear. I may get LASIK as soon as I'm ready for it, but at this point, I don't know when that time is. However, what I do know is to stay away from places that say sh!t like "$500 per eye for the next 250 eyes". You get what you pay for...

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: Dudd
I think I'd do it. Does anyone know if the air force will let you become a fighter pilot with Lasik surgery? I knew a few years ago they wouldn't, but does anyone know if it has changed?

I don't think you can fly once you've had the Lasik surgery. In "Into Thin Air" by John Krauker (the book about the Everest disaster) he describes one of the guys on the climb who had corrective eye surgey and went completely blind above 17,000 feet.

 

[Broohaha]

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber

Originally posted by: Dudd I think I'd do it. Does anyone know if the air force will let you become a fighter pilot with Lasik surgery? I knew a few years ago they wouldn't, but does anyone know if it has changed?

I don't think you can fly once you've had the Lasik surgery. In "Into Thin Air" by John Krauker (the book about the Everest disaster) he describes one of the guys on the climb who had corrective eye surgey and went completely blind above 17,000 feet.

i dont think a person with your handle should be giving advice in a thread like this 😉

 

[anxman69]

Both my brother and sister had laser eye surgery (lasik procedure). My brother had his done about a month ago, and within two weeks he was pretty much back to normal, except for his eyes being constantly dry (which is normal for the first few months).

I actually got to witness the entire procedure from three feet away. It is pretty amazing stuff.

I think it entirely depends on where you get the procedure done, my siblings both had it done by people at the top of the field. I would not risk it anywhere less.

-Ankur

 

[Imported]

I'll be getting it done when I turn 23 as my optometrist said my eyes could still be developing before then. Four more years.. I'm sure the procedure will get very refined. I'd only get it performed by a top surgeon anyways.