Has anyone had eye laser surgery done?

[teenster3]

I've been thinking very hard about getting this done. I know people who have had it done & hear different stories about it. Only 1 has been bad....he couldn't see very good at first & was hurting for a few days afterwards.
I've had glasses since 5th grade & I'm so tired of them. I'm now 28 & hoping the doctor's will say that it would work for me. My husband tells me I shouldn't in case something went wrong like blindness is his biggest concern.
Does anyone else have an opinion on this???

[jenluckenbach]

My only opinion is based on fear. I personally would be too afraid to attempt surgery on my eyes as long as I still have eyesight that can be corrected with lenses. If on the other hand, I had little or nothing to lose, then ....maybe. I have had glasses since the age of 7, so at the age of 41 years, that is a long time! :eek:. And even though they are inconvinient, they are a necessity of life and because of them I can see. i would hate to lose my precious eyesight in the search for perfection (life without glasses, in this case)

[micki76]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
My only opinion is based on fear. I personally would be too afraid to attempt surgery on my eyes as long as I still have eyesight that can be corrected with lenses. If on the other hand, I had little or nothing to lose, then ....maybe. I have had glasses since the age of 7, so at the age of 41 years, that is a long time! :eek:. And even though they are inconvinient, they are a necessity of life and because of them I can see. i would hate to lose my precious eyesight in the search for perfection (life without glasses, in this case)

My feelings exactly, Jen.

[catnapper]

I'm one of those nervous nellies too! I know a few people that have had it and love the results... me? I just know somethign would go wrong! If I ever did it, I woild only do one eye and then return a few months later for the second eye. No sense in going blind in both!

[G.P.girl]

my mom had it done. i think she can see fine now. she sadi it hurt a little though

[Glacier]

My husband had it about 10 years ago. I think it had just come out. He now needs reading glasses occasionally, but that's just been in the last few months. I put them on and cant' see any difference! He has had no problems since the surgery. My sister had it too, more recently and her eyes have been fine.

I'm considering getting it done when I can afford it--it can't be done in the Yukon so I have pay not only for the surgery, but a trip to the South somewhere too. I kinda like my glasses, I have quite a collection. (I do usually wear contacts though)

[robinh]

I was very nervous too before I had my surgery 3 years ago. Before I had it done, I was legally blind without my glasses and had worn glasses since the 4th grade. Family and friends referred to my lenses as coke bottles - that'll give you an idea of what they looked like.

My dad and I went to a seminar together to talk about it. After watching a video and a long question/answer period, we made appointments to have our eyes checked. My dad was told he was not a candidate. I was told I was a candidate but that right up until I had the surgery the doctor had the right to elect not to do the surgery unless he was very confident it could help me. He asked me what my expectations were and I told him "to watch TV at home at night without my glasses". He said a lot of people come in with unrealistic expectations and are terribly disappointed after the surgery. I had 3 eye exams before surgery just to make sure all the measurements were right.

The day of surgery I checked into the clinic at 7:30 a.m. and was home by 9:30 a.m. Before the surgery they took my glasses and asked me what time it was - there was a clock on the wall less than 6 feet from where I was sitting. I couldn't see the clock, let alone tell what time it was. Right after the surgery they asked me the same question and I could read the clock so easily.

Because my eyesight was so bad, my eyes have regressed some (I was warned they might), but I can work, watch TV, do just about anything I want without my glasses. I could probably drive without them, but I choose not to.

I am so glad I had it done. It took a while to get used to the wind blowing on my face, but I love it.

[sirrahbed]

I am blind in one eye and because of that, doctors refuse to do anything to the remaining eye. It has very little remaining sight anyway. I have been told that laser could have prevented the initial loss!!! (retinal fluid leak) Too much risk. I have heard nothing but praise from my friends who have had the procedure though!

[cali]

my uncle had it done, but he is also rich lol my eye sight is REALLY bad, glasses since 3ed grade, now going into grade 12 and eyes worse then my 48 year old dads, basicly both sides of the family have bad eyesight my brother got off with some of the best eyes in the family lol I got the worst, I muct have high index lenses other wise they were be half an inch thick, AND I need new ones I got these less then a year ago, and already all I see is blurs it drives me insane.

[Blustang24]

My grandfather had it done, and he didn't wear his glasses for a long time, and even now only occasionally for reading small/fine print. He was very happy with it, and I don't believe he had any problems with it.

[Twisterdog]

I would not do it, I'm too afraid of something going wrong. I've been wearing glasses since I was ten years, so I'm quite used to them by now.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I was very near sighted and had to start wearing glasses in the 3rd grade to watch t.v. and to see the blackboard at school. I then started wearing contacts when I was in the 6th grade. As I got older my eyes would become red and irritated by the end of the day so I had to take them out when I got home and put my glasses on. I couldn't see as well with my glasses.

In Jan. 2000 I decided to have lasik surgery on both eyes. I selected a doctor who had performed many surgeries and one with a very good reputation. He has even performed this surgery on some famous actors and actresses. It only took a few minutes and then I could see everything much clearer. I could even drive back to the doctor the next day without any glasses or contacts. The pain was very minimal since I was already used to wearing contacts.

My eyes were 20/20 at first and then became more like 20/40 or 20/60 so I had to go back after 3 months for a touch up. Now my eyes are closer to 20/20 and on sunny days I can see much better. I have to wear glasses with a lite prescription while driving at night. My right eye is also much better than my left but I'm still very pleased with the results. Now I hardly even remember what it was like to have to wear contacts all the time.

I think that now they've come out with an even better lasik procedure. Some doctor's won't perform it on people with vision greater than a -3.00. I think I was a -6.00 or -6.50 before the surgery. The main thing to do before you have surgery is to do some research and find a very good doctor to perform the surgery.

[lynnestankard]

I've worn glasses since I was 8 years old and Don for the last 10 years so when friends of ours had lasik eye surgery and were thrilled with the results, we decided to give it a go!
So we went along to see the surgeon our friends had attended and asked loads of questions - we were given free consultations to see if we could actually go ahead and have the surgery.
Don was the lucky one - he was fine to have it done. Poor old me couldn't though - my cornea's were too thin!!! I ask you - with a body like mine and I have THIN corneas!!! :eek:
Don was very nervous - he's always had a fear of things around or in his eyes - he cannot wear contact lenses!
I went with him and was astonished how quick it was and how well he was afterwards - he was told before he had the surgery to take along a pair of non-prescription sun glasses - and he wore these on the journey home.
He was given eye shades to wear in bed - so he wouldn't rub his eyes while asleep and he had to put drops in his eyes three times a day for a week - to combat any infection. He was fine!
No problems at all.
He now only has to wear reading glasses for fine print and the computer.
Believe me if someone as nervous as Don - who doesn't 'do' pain at all, could have lasik eye surgery - anyone can! Oh just to add - during the operation he didn't feel a thing - he just saw a moving red/green light.

Course I'm as sick as a parrot because I'm still in glasses and lenses - while he struts around without specs!!
:D :D :D


Lynne

[ramanth]

I'm not thinking about it. I want to have it done...


Originally posted by lynnestankard
Poor old me couldn't though - my cornea's were too thin!!! I ask you - with a body like mine and I have THIN corneas!!!
Yep, that's my problem too. When my eyes were tested, my corneas were found to be too thin. :(

Both of my parents had it done successfully. Dad only wears glasses for late night driving or watching a movie.

They are still in the testing phases of a procedure that will correct vision without cutting the cornea. I'm looking forward to when it's available!!

[Barbara]

I wear my glasses since I was 7 and am very used to them. Now I am no longer just VERY shortsighted but also longsighted as well, so I have these glasses with the sliding thingie- no idea how to express it in English.

In addition there is a cataract developping which means I will need surgery one day.

I noticed that most of these methods get better and easier all the time- a lot of development has happened here in the last 20 years or ten years. So I guess if I wait a little longer it may be easier and less problematic.

On the other hand I agree with everyone who is afraid. I am soooo nervous. I can't look at them when they take blood from my finger. I can close my eyes quicker than any photographic lens when the doc tries to look into them. I don't allow the dentist to inspect my teeth without local anesthesia (well, nearly):D And if I didn't need any glasses I definitely needed a new nose as everyone would see how long the old one is:D

[catlover4ever]

My husband had it done about 3 years ago and while he was nervous the day of his surgery every thing went perfectly. H e actually had a different procedure due to the fact that he has large pupils. I guess your pupils have to be in a certain measurement and his were just too big, so he waited and had what his doctor called "In-tacts". They are very, very tiny half circles that are placed above and below each pupil to help resize the pupil. They procedure is done the same was a Lasik eye surgery. To date he has not had any problems and has 20/20 vision again.

His mom had Lasik done a year after him and she was legally blind without her glasses. She did end up having to have 2 surgeries to correct her vision but she now has 20/30 vision and she is so happy that she had it done.

I have to say it took only 10 minutes from the time my husband went in to the time he came out of the procedure room. After that it was about 30 minutes before they released him.

He said that the part of the procedure that bothered him the most was the knowing that they are doing something to your eyes. It was not the procedure itself BUT the THOUGHT in his mind about what they were doing.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision and just make sure that you have a reputable doctor doing the procedure.....ask for references, talk to some of his/her patients and ask them what they thought of the procedure and what they think of it now.....always do your homework when it comes to your health.

[lizzielou742]

I'm dying to do it - I have one 20/20 eye and one 20/200 eye (weird I know) so I'd just get the one eye done. Cheaper!! I am thinking about doing it in Toronto - some Canadian doctors have more experience (it's been practiced for longer there than it has in the US) and supposedly it's cheaper there (since my insurance won't cover it anyway). I'd stay with my aunt who lives up there - a good excuse to visit! Hoping to get it done in the next 2 years. I've been told I'm a good candidate.