Lazer EYe sUrgerY

[papiocho]

Well, i got it done, I'll tell everyone all about it after this poll runs for a few days or so. 



           

[ajaxgs]

i'd love to have it done but i've heard stories about losing night vision

[natedawg120]

I can officially say that no, i would never have it done.  Not because it is a bad procedure but because i am teriffied of anything having to do with my eyes.  If and when my eyes go bad it is glasses for me, can't touch my eyes and wouldn't stay awake and participate in the surgery, i would likely pass out well before the little metal thing that they slice you cornea with touched me.  Interested in how yours went though post it when the poll is done 

[pandy]

I'd like to, but I'm squeamish, too... I have horrible night vision, and at the moment, I don't want to risk it getting even worse!

But...I have some friends who've had really fabulous results.... Maybe another five years...  

[GS500F_n00b]

Depends on which method used... the USAF allows free PRK laser eye surgery for personnel with certain jobs. One of my close friends had it done (not sure which method) so he could join the fire department, but he said it cost him $5,000 for both eyes (or 1 eye... but that seems less likely). Be very weary of promotional $1,000/eye-type deals. He didn't experience blurry vision and his recovery period was very quick compared to another fireman who took the promotional deal and had his eyes crusted during most of the recovery period and experiences sporadic blurry/poor vision. You get what you pay for I guess.

papiocho, hope your recovery goes/went well. Personally, contact lenses are enough for me so I don't have to don glasses and a helmet.

[LPC2104]

I watched my wife have it done and she said it wasn't a big deal.  They drug you up so you calm down and the entire process took about 5 minutes.  She loves and over a 1 year later, she is still thankful to be able to wake up and see, or to be able to fall asleep on the couch without her contacts drying out. 

The downside is she can see me better. 

[ajaxgs]

what is the downside in 20 years

[natedawg120]

i still say glasses for me all the way if or when my vision starts to go.  I mean i can't even touch my eye, how the hell i am going to allow someone else to cut a layer, lazer it and put it back, NOPE 

And that is a good point about what happens later.  I know people who got it done when it was relatively new and they have had great results.  I hope for them there is no problems later on in life becuase they got it done but no one really knows yet.

[CirclesCenter]

Good for you man!

I however will stick with my 

At least until it gets bad.

[pantablo]

wife and sister have had it done and they couldnt be happier.

[natedawg120]

wife and sister have had it done and they couldnt be happier.

Yeah that is how my best friend is.  We actually have a bet that if i ever have to get glasses that within two years of that day i will get over the eye thing and get contacts or go for the surgery.  I think i am going to win that one but honestly don't think he remembers lol

[jen_]

I had it done about 4 months ago, lasik wavefront with CustomVue.  No blades, the cuts are made with a laser, and tiny bubbles.  I had it done cause I was sick of my glasses under my helmet and fogging up when snowboarding.  I am also squeamish about my eyes and was too chicken for contacts.  I now see 20/15.  Night vision was halo-y at first, but they warned me of that.  After about 3 weeks my eyes were healed up and my night vision is better than it was with glasses.

The whole procedure took about 3 hours of tests and waiting around and 5,000 eyedrops.  Then the procedure took about 20 minutes.  Then they took all us goggle freaks to a hotel and I went to sleep.  Woke up in the morning and could see.  It was so wierd.  Shuttle took us back to the doctor for a follow up exam, then I was back at work by 11 am.

I didn't get any happy-drugs.  They tell you to just "look into the red light" but the procedure is super creepy.  They hold your eye open and push down on it.  Good thing is, it's fast.  Just when you think you are creeped-out, it's over.  It dosen't hurt, cause eyes don't have nerve endings.  The worst part is the few seconds after they finish one eye and you think to yourself "now I have to do it all again on the other eye".  There was a stuffed toy dog in the operating room for patients to squeeze on--that thing was so mutilated from the squeezing.  We wondered how many dogs they go through a week...

In 20 years, I might still need glasses.  Vision problems with old age are caused by degeneration of the muscles that focus they eye, not the eye itself, so the lasers dont fix that...

[natedawg120]

yeah the time i saw it done the cut a small flap off with a metal blade thing that sat on the eye, lasered the flap and put it back.  I couldn't do that mabe just the laser thing.  the thing i am worried about is diabetes cause that runs in my family on my dads side and that is what started to mess with his vision.  I am still young, 25, and if my eyes go before i'm 40 I will wear glasses and maybe MAYBE get the procedure you have jen, but i couldn't handle the knife, flap, laser and back thing, no way.

[blue05twin]

Latly I have really been thinking about doing this.  Just that I have heard some bad things about it, of course I don't know if they are true or not I have to do more research.

I have worn contacts but I get lazy and don't take them out when I'm supposed to.  Reason  I don't wear contacts while riding is under 30mph I usually have my visor up.

The main thing I have heard is that sometimes after you have it done.  Your eye's go bad and you have to have the proceedure done again.  I know 1 person that had to have it done twice.  But I have heard it from others also.

So I'm like 50 /50    Will go see lazer eye doctor and ask about it. 

[Egaeus]

Vision problems with old age are caused by degeneration of the muscles that focus they eye, not the eye itself, so the lasers dont fix that...

Presbyopia is most often caused by the lens becoming less elastic with age.  That means that when you get cataracts and have to get the lens replaced, it will also fix the presbyopia.  Woohoo aging!