BootsnAll Travel Community

I've finally made the decision to have lasik. Anyone else done it? Anything to be aware of as far activities such as bungee jumping, skydiving, etc...?

Hey Chuck,

I did not have lasik, but I did have PRK done, which is lasik's predecessor. (I was in the military at the time en route to becoming a pilot and that was the only procedure they approved of for vision enhancement.) I have nothing but positives to report as a result, except that sometimes my eyes get a wee bit drier than before the surgery. I regularly participate in sports such as wrestling, boxing, and snowboarding, and have experienced no ill effects.

I say go for it as it is well worth the money and pain. Just think...no more hassle with glasses or contacts! Only thing is, I would ask your surgeon about the possibility of the incision opening up under high pressure (in lasik, the surgeon makes an incision in the outer layer of your eye to expose your lens and with PRK, that tissue is scraped off with a razor). If there is a chance of the incision opening, you may want to explore PRK. It's a bit more painful, but may be worth it.

Just had my Lasik done on the 14th..... eyes burned like hell right after, but now all is good..... I'm glad I did it.

I'm thinking about getting it done myself, but I've heard that one side effect is night blindness-has anyone experienced that?

I'd like to have it done as well... but am worried about them finding major side effects down the road. It hasn't been around that long... what happens 20 years after you had the proceedure done? I'd hate to get it done and find out that you go blind 30 yrs afterwards. I know, I'm paranoid. But my eyesight, albeit imperfect, is important!
Liz

Actually, alot of places have been doing the procedure for the last 17-18 years...... I'd just make sure to find a place that uses a computer-tracked laser instead of a blade.....(nothing like an old-fashioned cigar-cutter on the eyeball)......

Anyway, I woke up the next day and had 20/25 and 20/20 in my eyes and it might improve alot more once the swelling subsides.

It is pretty amazing to be able to see again.... To be able to tell what colors birds are, read signs from a long distance, and tell time from across the room... It's amazing. Now I really can't wait to hit the road and see what I was missing.....

It has now been 4 weeks since my surgery. I was 20/15 the next day and am still 20/15 and I can actually pick out a couple of letters on the 20/10 line. I know people are concerned about long term effects, but when you think about it, all they are doing is:

1) Cutting a flap in the cornea which will completely heal.
2) Removing the corneal tissue underneath to refocus the light (the actual lens is not touched).

So, I guess I can't see any long term effects being an issue (the eye surgeon says that, too). But there is always the unknown. Anyway, I recommend the procedure - just make sure you spend the $$$ and go someplace reputable.

Oh yeah, I have not noticed any difference in my night vision either.

I've only heard good things about it, but like you Liz, I'm still concerned... my plan is to wait another decade or two, then get it done.

Besides, contact lenses have come a long way! I love the newer ones, they feel great. But they do suck sometimes (dry out, peel off eyeball) esp in dry or cold climates (for me at least) including airplanes ack which is why I have to travel with the jumbo size bottle of eyedrops. And my glasses of course, just in case... hmmm... the surgery sure is tempting tho....

I am thinking of having mine done this weekend before heading to China, Vietnam.

Although, the surgeon said that lasik is less painfull than PRK (takes 3 or 4 days), i will be able to see the next day. I still wonder which technique is better? Ok, lasik is less pain but the risk of expose your lenses, can you be blind? and PRk is applied only on the surface of the cornea.

What do you think?

My boss had lasik a few years ago and he still has to wear glasses sometimes. His vision is better but not perfect.

I can't see a thing without glasses and contacts hurt my eyes *so* much. I'd love lasik, but it is scary to mess with your eyes and I've heard some horror stories.

I've heard some horror stories as well, but I'm seeing 20/15 in both eyes now, so I guess I can't be too critical..... I think it was a great great investment!

To everyone who's scared - go to the doctor and have the free evaluation appointment. This will help you make a decision.

I've gone to two doctors and I'm a good candidate - I have a very high degree of nearsightedness (-8/-10) so to me the chances of having perfect vision aren't as good as if you're below -6 or so. However, I do have a thick cornea which is good since lasik will cut away some of your cornea to reshape it.

All in all I'm not worried about the surgery - seriously considering doing it before I move out to europe for 6 months. I'd recommend doing custom/wavefront lasik because it has less chances of creating aberrations (starbursts) at night. Cost for me will be between $3k(regular lasik)-$5k(custom lasik).

If you get it done before travelling, just be sure you have a month to stay within, uh, sight of the place you had it done.
If by some extremely rare chance there should be a complication, another American opthomologist won't go NEAR you for fear of litigation.
Also, its way cheaper to have this done in Canada-- in the US the Laser surgery company charges the opthomologist something like $500 for EVERY patient, because the Dr. has to submit the measurements to them and then pay for the computer instructions guiding the laser spefically for your particular eyeball.
In canada, companies are not allowed to charge businesses in this way (buy a laser surgery machine, buy the technology to run it). So the Canadian docs can pass on the savings to their patients.
At least this is what a Florida eye doc told me two months ago when I inquired.

tracy

I had LASIK done in early 2002 and have been quite happy with the results.

My vision went from 20/400 (damn near legally blind) to 20/30 (almost perfect).

My eyes do dry out a bit, which I've been told is a common side effect. I use drops 1-2 times a day to moisten them.

For a few months after the surgery, it took longer than normal for my eyes to change focus when switching from an object far away to one up close (or the reverse). I haven't noticed this happening in quite some time, so I guess either my eye muscles or the optic center in my brain learned how to use my new improved vision.

I'm always happy when I hear of people w/ positive results, however...

On the flip side, a family member of mine had LASIK done in his early-to-mid 50's (ca. the mid-to-late 1990's) and went back for multiple correction surgeries over the span of a few years. No dice. He's one of the horror stories and now has to wear BOTH contacts AND glasses simultaneously to be able to do many basic things--whereas previously he just wore the odd pair of reading glasses. (Actually, now, reading a book is pretty much not going to happen.) He also has problem with dryness, night vision and multiple images. And, believe it or not, his surgery was performed by one of the premier LASIK doctors in the country...and he was supposedly a fine candidate.

I've got terrible vision, myself, but I would (personally) never touch LASIK (or similar) based on my family member's experience. I don't know what the statistics are, but trust me when I tell you that they won't feel that great if YOU become one of the "negative outcomes"...

Good luck to you guys

quote:

Originally posted by first mate smee:
Also, its way cheaper to have this done in Canada-- ... At least this is what a Florida eye doc told me two months ago when I inquired.

I can confirm that there is a big price difference. I used to work at the US/Canadia border, and it seemed like every day we'd see some folks coming back across the border with their eyes bandaged up after Lasik.

So, if you need an excuse for a trip to Canada...

I had it done 3 years ago and it was the best money I ever spent. I was pretty much blind before and it is so liberating to not have to worry about losing a contact or your glasses. It makes things like scuba diving and windsurfing so much more enjoyable too. It's so great to be able to see the clock in the middle of the night!

I had no complications and see better now than I ever did with glasses or contacts. Since it was my eyes, I didn't take any chances and went to the best of the best in Canada, Bochner Eye Institute. I paid a lot (about 4K US), but I know of reputable companies that will do it for $800 per eye now. I don't have light sensitivity or dry eyes. When I'm tired at night, I sometimes see halos around streetlights, but that's it!

Go for it!

I paid $1600 total 5 years ago in Louisiana when I was 21. I saw 20/10 right after the surgery and now see about 20/17 in each eye. I have not had any problems as far as dryness or night vision after the first week. My eyes will blur every now and then when they get really tired but I don't know if that's normal or not as I wore glasses most of my life. One of the most important things about LASIK is to wait until your eye prescription has stabalised.

Lasik surgery in singapore has quite high success rate and minimal complications.. i have quite a few friends whom did it in singapore and it was all praises!

check out http://www.singaporemedicine.com website regarding healthcare in singapore