Anyone here had lasik?

motivez · 04-19-2008, 08:36 AM

Just wondering how the experience was / whether you were happy / any complaints (ie: halos at night)

I guess the technology has improved to where it's all non touch now, but I'm not sure whether or not I could stand having something slice my eyelid open, I have enough trouble dealing with it when dirt or some other foreign object gets in there

Thorgrim · 04-19-2008, 09:12 AM

yes

you just sit there stare ahead at blackness and there is a faint hint of lighting, and then when he/she tells you, you don't move your eyes and they're held open

the entire surgery, from when you sit down, until he tells you to scram, is 15 minutes...you're eyes are pretty sensitive blurry, but you can usually tell 5 mintues after surgery there's an improvement, and it keeps getting better and better with days, and then by a couple months you've either hit 20/20 or are damn near close to it...i had horrible horrible vision (coke bottle glasses if they didn't have the new thin lenses for everyone) and it went all the way down to 20/30...i don't wear any glasses ever, or contacts, and ive forgotten how either feel like, you get spoiled really fast

its all laser...no touch...no (real) cuts...

it's the best non-sexual decision ive made in my life and that was 5 years ago? i dont think the tech has changed that much, but pretty much every eye doctors is an expert at it now...(that wants to make money)

motivez · 04-19-2008, 09:24 AM

Do you get any halos at night?

Thorgrim · 04-19-2008, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

Do you get any halos at night?

i didn't have one bad reaction...just get a decent doctor...but it still a slight gamble...but hey everyone drives a car

JaJae · 04-19-2008, 09:48 AM

I know a couple people who had it and only one had major problems driving at night, but it's going away. I've been contemplating getting Lasik, and this is the reason I haven't yet.

Also if you can find a good doctor you should be ok. A good way to find a doctor is if you have a friend in the insurance industry who can look up the number of claims against the Lasik doctor. There are a lot of claims against Lasik doctors on average, but there are a couple popular doctors out here who have very low claims against them. If I were to get it done I'd go to one of them.

motivez · 04-19-2008, 09:50 AM

lots of claims compared to what other type of doctor though?

I also have to worry about any long term effects, lasik hasn't really been around all that long, who knows what happens in 30 years?

And yeah, the halos and night time driving are the reason I haven't really been considering it, but my understanding is the technology has improved with the no-touch to the point where, as long as you don't get a shitty doctor, it's usually a non issue

7960 · 04-19-2008, 10:03 AM

a friend had it done wednesday (3 days ago)

he's ecstatic. We were at a bar last night and I asked him about halos because my sister had vision correction 10+ years ago and has halos. He said he doesn't have any.

JaJae · 04-19-2008, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

lots of claims compared to what other type of doctor though?

Other Lasik doctors. Out here we have a lot of doctors who just specialize in Lasik and only do Lasik.

And I'm worried about the long term effects too. Apparently for people who have had it, they often have to go back and have it again after time. Your eyes continue to deteriorate despite the Lasik. It's just a corrective procedure, it doesn't actually cure the problems that cause your eyes to go bad in the first place. A lot of people who had Lasik some time ago are wearing glasses again.

motivez · 04-19-2008, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

a friend had it done wednesday (3 days ago)

he's ecstatic. We were at a bar last night and I asked him about halos because my sister had vision correction 10+ years ago and has halos. He said he doesn't have any.

Did they sedate him? I'd have to be seriously out of it

motivez · 04-19-2008, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Other Lasik doctors. Out here we have a lot of doctors who just specialize in Lasik and only do Lasik.

And I'm worried about the long term effects too. Apparently for people who have had it, they often have to go back and have it again after time. Your eyes continue to deteriorate despite the Lasik. It's just a corrective procedure, it doesn't actually cure the problems that cause your eyes to go bad in the first place. A lot of people who had Lasik some time ago are wearing glasses again.

Yeah, but as long as there's no long term negative side effects, it'd be worth it to have 15 or so years of good eyesight before having to have the procedure redone.. especially if it's painless and whatnot

6SpeedTA95 · 04-19-2008, 03:27 PM

My wife had it. She said the day or two after her eyes were super sensitive and hurt, but since then she's repeatedly said it was the best 5k she's ever spent.

7960 · 04-20-2008, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

Did they sedate him? I'd have to be seriously out of it

no

he said the same thing about needing to be sedated, but he said he wasn't and it didn't bother him nearly as much as he thought it would

7960 · 04-20-2008, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

... it was the best 5k she's ever spent.

one of the guys I work with had it done and isn't ashamed to admit he cried the next morning when he woke up and could see without glasses.

kinggovernor · 04-20-2008, 04:06 PM

one of the strangest experiences in my life, Thorgrim explained the actual surgery well, and it is the best decision I have made in a long time. If you are squeamish about it, I would recommend not watching one prior to yours. It might spook you out.

I had halos for like 2-3 months after, but now I have 20/15 vision. For my profession it has paid of dividends, having eagle eyes improved my shooting scores. Kinda of like baseball balls and 'roids

As far as your the cut of your eye, I went through maybe a dozen standstorms where my eyes were literally pounded with flying earth and I have no problems. I wrote a letter of thanks to my doctor so if you went to were I went you could even read about my experience

Linzyhop · 04-21-2008, 09:09 AM

my bf had it done a few years ago and he was very happy with the results. i'd love to get it done since i'm so blind, but i just need to pay off other debt before i get more.......

6SpeedTA95 · 04-21-2008, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

one of the guys I work with had it done and isn't ashamed to admit he cried the next morning when he woke up and could see without glasses.

Did they perform the surgery wrong or what? THats kinda scary.

7960 · 04-21-2008, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Did they perform the surgery wrong or what? THats kinda scary.

Um, he could see without glasses for the first time in his life. He does not remember not having glasses.

He was so happy, relieved, filled with joy, (bunch of other words to describe the happiest he's ever been) that he cried. He described it as life-changing.

6SpeedTA95 · 04-21-2008, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

Um, he could see without glasses for the first time in his life. He does not remember not having glasses.

He was so happy, relieved, filled with joy, (bunch of other words to describe the happiest he's ever been) that he cried.

OHHHH sorry, misunderstood you for some reason I thought you said "could not" see.

I have glasses, my wife wants me to get the surgery, but she should know better, I"m about the cheapest bastard on the planet, glasses work fine and are only a few hundred bucks if I DONT have insurance (and I do so they were 45). VS a few thousand? I'll take the glasses thank you!

Linzyhop · 04-21-2008, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

OHHHH sorry, misunderstood you for some reason I thought you said "could not" see.

I have glasses, my wife wants me to get the surgery, but she should know better, I"m about the cheapest bastard on the planet, glasses work fine and are only a few hundred bucks if I DONT have insurance (and I do so they were 45). VS a few thousand? I'll take the glasses thank you!

but you never have to worry about contacts or solution or getting re-occuring prescriptions..... to me it would be worth it.

Phantom · 04-21-2008, 10:33 AM

I'm scurred.

Is it hard to keep your eyes open? I had a miserable time starting with contacts since my eyes are so sensitive, but I was determined to get the in. It still took me several more months to get the hang of contacts. I'm not even sure I could hold still for the surgery.