Laser eye correction surgery

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Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

I am considering having the surgery, Lasik eye surgery to be specific.

Has anyone had this done? Please tell me about your experience with it.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:06 am

Your usual reply to most things is :-

I hope that helps. Laughing

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:11 am

@ Pastor Frank.

I wear glasses and have often considered getting this done. I have worn contacts at times but found them pretty harsh on my eyes. The idea of something like laser surgery happening on my eye whilst being fully awake has made me squeamish beyond means, but perhaps I'll get over that eventually and get it done.

I say go for it, if you have the money and motivation, it's a pretty standard procedure these days I think and has minimal risks.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

@ B&B

Ouch. Embarassed

hehehehe

Master Baiter Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 193

I've thought long & hard about this very subject but I have to say that here in the UK, I'm not convinced (yet) of how successful the operation is.
I've read the forums on pre/post victims...(I mean patients) and was surprised at the number of complaints.
But the thing that clinched it for me was that although the procedure was 100% safe, they only operate on one eye at a time.
They claim this is because of people being able to function after the op which seems fair except that the poor patients were in pain/couldn't see /very blurred etc.
On the whole...I looked at the whole thing like a breast implant, most will be ok but for the poor few, a lifelomg nighmare.
I hope I've cheered you up Wink

EDIT
Pastor: PM me if you need any links

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

^^^
That is my main concern. They say complications are rare, but what if I am the one in a million that gets his retinas fried crisp due to a freak power surge. There are always risks in life, but becoming blind is a crappy consequence.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:39 am

My Paw Paw said,

Quote:

You could walk out there on that sidewalk and get hit by a bus.

Master Baiter Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Posts: 193

Hi Pastor
Yes exactly......bear in mind that anyone can manipulate statistics to prove anything. As we all know...99% of statistics are made up.
However, I looked at this whole thing an decided against it.
You may decide otherwise but I urge you to look further than the internet, do your research and then decide.
By the way...I still look stupid with glasses but if a 6 yr old child can handle it so can I
Good luck

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:52 am

I've worn specs all my life. I'd rather go blind slowly Shocked

than pay money to go blind quickly if it went wrong. Like every medical procedure it has it risks.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:23 am

I asked my optometrist about laser surgery and she said that if you are short-sighted it can be very effective. If you are long-sighted (like me) or wear bi-focal/vari-focal spectacles then it's not so successful. I don't know about your area Pastor Frank but around here most lazer clinics offer a free initial consultation to determine whether you are suitable for the treatment. Of course they are going to tell you that you are a prime candidate so you need to do some research first.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 44

Pastor!
You don�t take medical advice from an internet forum full of strange people, do you? Wink

As i am concerned, i have plenty of dioptries now (approx. 10, short sighted) and things got worse every year. 10 years ago i began using contacts an everthing turned out fine. The dioptries stopped at the level of 1997 and i have a vision like an eagle. Man, i got a private pilots license that way!!

Tought often about laser surgery, but was never convinced to try cause of possible implications - the risk simply was to high.

Seen a documentary on TV once, they slice the top of the eye, burn the inside with the laser, put the slice on again and hope it will heal - all while your brain is up and running.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:11 am

When Homer had it done he refused the expensive eye drops, and his eyes crusted over as he left the shop.

I know someone who had it done, smelling your own burning eyeball didn't sound nice. Shocked

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1267

Quote:

Seen a documentary on TV once, they slice the top of the eye, burn the inside with the laser, put the slice on again and hope it will heal - all while your brain is up and running.

I wanted to get this surgery till I saw the exact same documentary. I'm far sighted (I can't see lettering on signs, such as speed limits!!) but I know my town very well so even if I forget my glasses, I can get home without having cops on me ^_^.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

mape01 wrote:

Pastor!
You don�t take medical advice from an internet forum full of strange people, do you? Wink

I did once, on that gender reassignment thread I posted a few months ago, I have regretted it ever since!

I was just looking from some personal testimony. As Gnasher said, the clinics that offer it obviously are the wrong ones to ask. Here in the states many, including me, get our eye exams, and glasses, at the local WalMart. We really don't develop a personal relationship with our ophthalmologist. (Edit: I think I meant optometrist)

I have been shotgunning this question all about my circle of friends. The reactions have been mixed. The biggest complaint that I have heard, from those that have had the procedure, are "halos" from outdoor lights at night. Since I work a good deal of the year outdoors, during the night, it has been a major consideration.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Oh yes, by the way, here is a screen shot of my Gmail inbox. J/K B&B Wink

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

It's come a long way since it first started and I think most of the bugs have been worked out. Wink

I've thought about it, but I'm also worried about losing my night vision, so I've never done it.

Contacts work fine- I'm legally blind without corrective lenses, but with contacts I have 20/20 (sometimes 20/15 depending on the brand).

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:47 pm

If everything goes right I am having this done on 28 September here in the US. The night vision thing is largely in the past. The issue was that they did not correct enough of you eye so that when you were out at night and your pupil was fully dilated you had some area that was not corrected "exposed". They have sorted that by using a wider laser beam.

The biggest complaint by far is dry eyes. Both my brothers and father have had it done with no complaints. My one brother uses artificial tears quite a bit, but he has always been a bit of a hypochondriac.

All in all I agree that it is a bit scary due to the fact they do both eyes at once and if messed up you can have problems. The incident of problem is VERY low however.

In my case I have awful vision (-7.25 diopters) so when I wake up I cannot see anything until I find my glasses. For the past several years I have not been able to wear contacts due to eye allergies that came on late in life.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:48 pm

I did the science behind how it works in my optics class this year. What is basically happening is the laser makes ridges into your lens which messes with the light in such a way that is compensates for it. It's supposed to be very safe and very hard to mess up.

However due to safety concerns there is a minimum distance from the edge that cannot be touched. When your pupils are dialated(for example, at night time) they can extend passed the edge of the fixed zone. To get a feeling of what this will do go outside, take off your glasses and look at a random light. Without glasses, it's a huge starburst type pattern, while with glasses it's just a dot. Now with the surgery you will see a part of the very edge of this starburst(representing the light hitting the untouched portion of the lens) in addition to what you would see when wearing glasses. As far I know this is the only disadvantage, but even then it's more of a small area that isn't corrected rather than a new problem.

Still, members of my family have gotten the surgery and they think it's the best thing ever. I am yet to hear about anyone who had a problem firsthand.

Edit: Beaten by a minute!

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:05 pm

I had it done; perfect optical result but I now suffer (3 years later so essentially permanent) from dry eye, which in short means uncomfortable eyes just about all the time, but especially at the end of the day. This is a relatively common complication...

Also remember (I don't know your age), that the surgery will not prevent middle-aged onset of presbyopia, so will still need reading glasses at some stage.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:10 pm

Mike:

Looking back on it would you have it done knowing what you know now?

The Man

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:11 pm

Nope....

Edit: although if I didn't have the dry eye, I would definitely recommend it!

Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:16 pm

I was going to have it done. I was told that it wouldn't work in my case. So I got a vasectomy instead. Laughing

True story.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

B. A. Ware wrote:

So I got a vasectomy instead. Laughing

True story.

The bride and I had 2 boys within the first 20 months of marriage. We were set for plenty more until we figured out what caused it. I had a vasectomy right after we figured it out. Laughing

Edit: Thanks for the input. I have made my decision after talking to my family doctor. He is not an Ophthalmologist but he said something I heard 20+ years ago while in the 101st Airborne Division. "Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?" That rung true to me, why mess with a good set of eyes.

Thanks again, Mods, please lock this. I have made up my mind.

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