Laser Eye Surgery
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- Jaline0
I had it done early last year.
One of the best things I've ever saved up for.
It cost about $4000 (CAD) for my prescription of between -7 and -8 in each eye, plus an astigmatism.
I wore glasses and contacts for about 16 years before the surgery. My eyes are very sensitive and most contacts would be rejected by my eyes after a couple of years of wearing them. They'd become very uncomfortable. I'd need to clean them 10 times before placing them in my eyes. Glasses aren't practical when you have eyesight as bad as I did. I didn't mind the aesthetics at all. It was more about comfort and needing to deal with them in the weather, not being able to see in the shower, can't wear them at the beach, etc. At the same time, they were more comfortable than wearing contacts. So I swapped them daily.
Laser surgery: I wanted PRK surgery on the assumption that I wanted to do very aggressive sports or in case I got into an accident, but my surgeon persuaded me to do the regular LASIK one instead. During PRK surgery, the surgeon uses a laser to reshape the cornea. This laser is used on the surface of the cornea, not underneath a flap of the cornea, like in LASIK eye surgery. It's harder to do any damage to the cornea itself in the long term, but the recovery time is much longer and more painful. My surgeon mentioned that it would be too much of a risk to do that particular surgery for me because of my prescription and eye problems, and most people are fine with the regular LASIK procedure. Anyway, I trusted my surgeon and did as he said. Also, I think I would have other things to worry about if a serious accident happened, and I play intensive sports but they're not overly physically aggressive. I don't get hit in the face all the time like you would if you took up boxing.
I have no fear of people doing stuff to my eye. The surgery was about 3 minutes in length, not counting the drops you have to use before and after the procedure. I could smell something burning, and everything went dark for about 5 seconds, but otherwise the surgeon was just saying numbers to his assistant and they both worked very quickly and carefully.
Post-surgery: I took many eye drops for weeks after, but everything was great after about 7 days. I can see more halos when I'm driving at night, but nothing disruptive or annoying.
I have 20/20 vision now. Hope it stays that way for a while longer!
- Hombre_Lobo0
As someone who wears contacts and is seriously blind without them (-7.5 in both eyes), I've considered it.
At first I thought it was ridiculous that eventually you will have to wear glasses again, but then I realised that's likely due to natural fatigue/detoriation of your eye/lens.
I did once speak to a random woman who recommended a guy called Bruce Lipton at Moorefields (where kingkong went as mentioned above), and she spoke incredibly highly of them.
She actually said this Bruce Lipton guy is known for doing laser eye surgery on the wives of other laser eye surgeons, as they all know he is the king dingaling. But like I say it was a woman I bumped into once so take this info with a huge pinch of salt.
- oey0
fuck that!
but if you feel you should do it then you'll have all my support and I honestly wish you the best.
it was interesting to read some things here but in my case I really can't change my mind.now pay me a ticket to go visit you and give you some support.
- yurimon0
Recommend you try this..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ti…
research more info how to do it. but also other exercises for the eyes. i know some peeps who had good results.. results may vary
- MrAbominable0
depends a lot on your age, your eyesight and your lifestyle. if you're sporty and young it makes more sense.
i haven't done it but have looked into it a couple of times. people i know that have done it have loved it. pricing seems about comparable to nyc... $6-9k.
but, you know... robots burning your eyes. so, you roll the dice.
- yurimon0
I could do it for $1K, buy your own ticket and bring cash....I reprogrammed my 3d printer with a laser. you can stay in my moms basement till you heal... just kiddin...
just a matter of how you heal, good doctor and eye moisture. if you have dry eye. forget it. astigmatisms a minus. some people have dry eye. But you know we are all Dr's here, :) <- disclaimer joke.
- CALLES0
They offer a good deal at my job. My boss did it long time ago and perhaps its a lot better know a days. But he did tell me that my eyes are how I make a living and if I can avoid it with contacts or glasses do so. I your eyes, hands, legs are things you shouldn't fuck with right?
- sine0
- dmay0
My wife had it because she is a swimming teacher and had a hard time using glasses or contacts in the swimming pool. Here in Portugal you can do it for free in the public hospital, just have to wait around 6 to 12 months. The procedure itself isn't very hard or long. The postoperative part can go from a slight discomfort to some pain, but only for one or two days. In that time you have to be inside, because the eye is very sensitive to light. After that, it takes about a month to get fully recovered. Until then your sight can be a little blurry.
- sem0
I've looked into it a few times and apparently you have to have had a recent eye test, then again after six months to a year and if there has been no or very very little change THEN you can get it done.
So if you're serious, at least book that eye test with them to get the ball rolling, then you have six months or so to bail if you change your mind.
I've wanted to get mine done as I'm fed up with glasses and contacts are major effort to remember when you come home drunk and instead wake up with eyes as dry as a granny's vagina.
Also, weird fact here...one of my eyes has different saturation that the other, only slightly...it wouldn't be noticeable if I wasn't doing design work. Its like one eye is running and older version of Photoshop than the other.
Maybe when I was born they didn't have enough monies to get two Photoshop CC eyes from the test tube lab :( DAMN YOU BROKE PARENTS!
- crazy, you'd think the brain would adjust for the difference in inputmonospaced
- Apparently there are lots of connections to your eyes and some may have been damaged in one eye, hence the slight differencesem
- fascinatingmonospaced
- I have the same thing. It's subtle, but annoying.ETM
- ETM, maybe we could swap each bad eye and have two the same? #NewPokemonTradingsem
- drgs0
I need someone to take care of you for 2 days
- monospaced0
Asked my eye doctor about it. Nice man about 55 who's been doing this for decades. He looked at me over his glasses, which were sitting low on the bridge of his nose, and said, "I'M still wearing glasses."
- Yeah but they are pain in the arse. Having to clean then, having that weight on your nose. Trying to watch 3D films etcsem
- way to miss the point entirely?monospaced
- The doctor has performed several thousand laser eye surgeries, and still won't do it himself.monospaced
- it's also in his best interest to keep you as a patientsseo
- no it's not, he would make a ton more on the surgery than in a lifetime of checkupsmonospaced
- I guess it depends on your situation. My eye doctor isn't the surgeon, and I give him ~$150-300 every year to update my prescription.sseo
- ...prescription.sseo
- Well maybe he's an awesome doctor and he can't very well perform it on himself.ETM
- once again, you miss the fucking point completely and make a pathetic attempt at an insult/jokemonospaced
- he's performed thousands, idiot, and won't have it done on himself because of the risksmonospaced
- there are just as many reasons not to do it as there are to, now unless you actually have something to contribute, fuck offmonospaced
- T-Dawg0
I got my eyes zapped about five years ago, I opted for the more expensive procedure (didn't want to cheap out on my eyes). I've had no problems, it has made playing sports much more enjoyable (no glasses to worry about), and I'm happy I made the decision.
- T-Dawg, didn't you die in Walking Dead? how are you typing?! no...no no, I can't trust this post at all.sem
- microkorg0
I've a friend that had it done years ago and still has very dry eyes because of the surgery, has to put drops in all the time to keep his eyes lubricated. F*ck doing that for the rest of your life.
Glasses or contacts are MUCH less of a hassle than that.Yes laser surgery can be great if it goes well. But as with all surgeries there are risks.
- No, glasses and contacts are MUCH more of a hassle.Jaline
- kingkong0
I did it 11 years ago.
I was -5 in each eye, and had to put glasses on to get out of bed. I was going travelling so decided to take the plunge.
I got it done at Moorfield's eye hospital, and would highly recommend doing it somewhere like that. For the extra money the experience and equipment it's worth it. I was so short-sighted it took one operation to get it to -1 and then another to correct it further at no extra cost.
Side effects have been 10 years on I need (well prefer) glasses (very weak) when driving at night and when I play tennis I tend to wear them. I could still drive without them, but It's less knackering.
It's made a huge difference, and would recommend it if you need glasses to eat.
- CALLES0
agree for my surgery is only for a life or death situation
- kingkong0
Sorry I might add that your eye surgery doesn't 'cure' shortsightedness, only that it resets the eyes. As I get older I can feel my eyes starting to need glasses to read etc.
So as someone said on here, get it done young to gain the most benefit.
- rabbit0
All i know is my brother had lasik? He is a head doctor for intensive care unit - he recommends it to anybody. Australian here.
- rabbit0
How about aasking a few GPs for a couple specialists names and if any names are duped up he/she is your man? Obviously also based on any follow up research of said specialist ticking your boxes...
Maybe how I would approach it. Also talk to people its amazing what you find out.
I am currently requiring specialist attention to my hand and had a similar experience, who the hell do i see? Well ends up talking to a complete stranger (who had just returned from Middle East narcotics intervention in the navy - actually seized 1.1 tonne of heroin) gave me a name, and low and behold my GP said same name....one week later I am at the clinic of said Dr.
Dude had a metal rod inserted in his wrist from a soccer accident few years back that GPs had mis-diagnosed etc etc.
TLDR: Talk to people, ask GP for names of specialists. It is your body take your time and find someone you can trust. Good luck
- Hue0
Thanks for all the feedback, really appreciate it