Lasik Eye Surgery?
Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:32 pm
I've been nearsighted for most of my life and currently it has been pretty severe. My lenses are like... -9.0 in my right and -9.5 in the left. Fortunately there have been no drastic changes in my perscription in the past few years so I think my eyes are done getting progressively worse since I stopped growing.
Since my problem is pure nearsightedness, I've been considering having laser eye surgery done. I'm young, I'm nearsighted, if my eyes are going to get any more worse, I'd like to start over and not wear glasses with lenses the size of coke bottle bottoms...and I think the proceedure has become common enough for many doctors to become experianced in it. At least my eye doctor sure seems experianced.
Has anyone had this done before and if so, what can you tell me about it?
Since my problem is pure nearsightedness, I've been considering having laser eye surgery done. I'm young, I'm nearsighted, if my eyes are going to get any more worse, I'd like to start over and not wear glasses with lenses the size of coke bottle bottoms...and I think the proceedure has become common enough for many doctors to become experianced in it. At least my eye doctor sure seems experianced.
Has anyone had this done before and if so, what can you tell me about it?
Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:34 pm
Ok look, you foreign folk may have this bizarre affinity for replacing "s" with "z", but in the case of "LASER" you simply cannot do it. Laser is an acronym.
It stands for LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION
Not:
LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY ZTIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION
Please. Laser, not lazer.
It stands for LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION
Not:
LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY ZTIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION
Please. Laser, not lazer.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:46 pm
I had already realized my mistake and corrected it before you posted.
Mind also including something to add to the actual topic the next time you wish to correct spelling?
Mind also including something to add to the actual topic the next time you wish to correct spelling?
Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:06 pm
My mom had it done a few years ago and it worked pretty well. She said it was painless and the most annoying part was she had to wear ugly sunglasses for a few day to prevent damage.
A few years later her eyes started dropping again (it was the way her eyes reacted with the laser), but it did not get as bad as it was before (She was a -7 going on -8 and it only dropped to -1.5). They even offerered her to do it again for free because it dropped, but she declined because she was used to wearing glasses/contacts.
In the end my mom felt it was worth it.
A few years later her eyes started dropping again (it was the way her eyes reacted with the laser), but it did not get as bad as it was before (She was a -7 going on -8 and it only dropped to -1.5). They even offerered her to do it again for free because it dropped, but she declined because she was used to wearing glasses/contacts.
In the end my mom felt it was worth it.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:12 pm
I wouldn't recommend it, simply because it has not been around long enough for us to know all the side effects. Sure, it can work in some cases... but what if it gets worse? Worse - what if you lose your sight?
It's up to you, but I'm not going to risk it, myself.
It's up to you, but I'm not going to risk it, myself.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:16 pm
Hmm...well, I haven't had it done, but I'm going to. I'm nearly blind in my right eye (wway nearsighted) and I'll have to have Lasik if I'm ever going to be an astronaut, so....yeah.
My sight can't get much worse without my being blind, so the risk of blindness isn't much compared to being able to see and pursue a career, so..yeah. Again.
My sight can't get much worse without my being blind, so the risk of blindness isn't much compared to being able to see and pursue a career, so..yeah. Again.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:29 pm
It's become a lot safer since it began.
It only takes about 10 minutes to do the entire procedure. The most fun thing is being able to see when you're swimming at the beach.
But if you get it done, make sure you have some audiobooks ready to play when you get home.
It only takes about 10 minutes to do the entire procedure. The most fun thing is being able to see when you're swimming at the beach.
But if you get it done, make sure you have some audiobooks ready to play when you get home.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 9:56 pm
I've heard very good things about it. I want to do it myself. I don't think it's been around long enough to determine if there will be horrible side effects after 10+ years of having the surgery. People always ask "what if in like 15 years your eyes fall out because of it?" I guess one should be prepared for that incase that is a side effect .
To me it seems like it's been long enough for surgeons to get this technique down and to be able to perfom it safely, it's even gone down in price a lot because it's becoming easier to perform. I would look into who is reputable and such before going into it.
From what I've heard of those who have had it done is that it's a short procedure, you get it done and it doesn't hurt until it's over. My co-worker who did it just had teary uncomforatble eyes the day of the surgery. After her surgery she wondered why she did it, it wasn't pleasing to have her eyes tearing and such but then to her it's been very worth it. I have another coworker that did it and she loved it, she hasn't had any side effects and thought it was definetly worth it. I used to babysit these two girls and their dad did it, he had really bad vision and he liked the results.
Only bad thing I've heard so far is of one person who had it done and had clouds (like little blurry patches) form which affected their night vision. As with every surgery there are always side effects, I know this very well specially with what's happend to my mom recently, you just have to know there are possible risks and be prepared.
The surgery is not guaranteed for life, your eyesight can deteriorate as time goes by. I know my co-worker eventually would have to have it done again because she gets some type of buildup that will decrease her sight again eventually.
.
To me it seems like it's been long enough for surgeons to get this technique down and to be able to perfom it safely, it's even gone down in price a lot because it's becoming easier to perform. I would look into who is reputable and such before going into it.
From what I've heard of those who have had it done is that it's a short procedure, you get it done and it doesn't hurt until it's over. My co-worker who did it just had teary uncomforatble eyes the day of the surgery. After her surgery she wondered why she did it, it wasn't pleasing to have her eyes tearing and such but then to her it's been very worth it. I have another coworker that did it and she loved it, she hasn't had any side effects and thought it was definetly worth it. I used to babysit these two girls and their dad did it, he had really bad vision and he liked the results.
Only bad thing I've heard so far is of one person who had it done and had clouds (like little blurry patches) form which affected their night vision. As with every surgery there are always side effects, I know this very well specially with what's happend to my mom recently, you just have to know there are possible risks and be prepared.
The surgery is not guaranteed for life, your eyesight can deteriorate as time goes by. I know my co-worker eventually would have to have it done again because she gets some type of buildup that will decrease her sight again eventually.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 10:05 pm
I've heard that it can badly affect your night vision.
It seems there are a lot of rules and regulations and compliances you have to meet to get the surgery. For example, my auntie has a very slight stigmatism which means she can't get it done. And my dad is a -12 (poor bloke
) and he was told that if he got it done, he would still have to wear glasses with a milder prescription as the surgery would never fully heal his eyes.
It seems there are a lot of rules and regulations and compliances you have to meet to get the surgery. For example, my auntie has a very slight stigmatism which means she can't get it done. And my dad is a -12 (poor bloke
) and he was told that if he got it done, he would still have to wear glasses with a milder prescription as the surgery would never fully heal his eyes.
Sat Jul 30, 2005 10:24 pm
Tell her to get bad astigmatism like me , I have it and my optomitrist said it was probably no problem getting it done...well maybe he doesn't know much.
, I have it and my optomitrist said it was probably no problem getting it done...well maybe he doesn't know much.
Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:22 am
Anubis wrote:I wouldn't recommend it, simply because it has not been around long enough for us to know all the side effects. Sure, it can work in some cases... but what if it gets worse? Worse - what if you lose your sight?
It's up to you, but I'm not going to risk it, myself.
Actually, lasik eye surgery first started in 1987, but it wasn't approved in the US until 1996. Anyways, two of my mom's friends had it done (they're married), and both of their surgeries went fine. However, the wife still has to wear reading glasses, but the husband does not.
Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:44 am
I'd love to do the exact same thing. My eyesight is terrible. If you have the money, I'd go for it. My friend had it done, and she said it's fantastic.
Sun Jul 31, 2005 3:04 am
I'm not afraid of reading glasses...or even wearing glasses again if it deteriorates. I would much rather just see a small blur then a big blur. Everything just blends together...contacts have been a godsend.
But there is also a risk to contacts. I could cut my eye and go blind with my contacts. It almost happened to my sister. She's really lucky that things turned out alright.
There was a heightened risk then most that I would lose all feeling in my lower lip when I got my wisdom teeth removed but I still did it anyway. There is risk with any surgery...they just have to tell you all of them because it's policy.
But there is also a risk to contacts. I could cut my eye and go blind with my contacts. It almost happened to my sister. She's really lucky that things turned out alright.
There was a heightened risk then most that I would lose all feeling in my lower lip when I got my wisdom teeth removed but I still did it anyway. There is risk with any surgery...they just have to tell you all of them because it's policy.
Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:28 am
Well, first off I would look into comparing Lasik surgery with PRK, which is a newer and afaik slightly more-successful surgery. PRK is the preferred method of laser vision correction for the US Air Force (for potential pilots), and you can be sure that they're not going to go off all half-cocked when it comes to approving an eyesight surgery. You know, since you have to see to fly and all.
Secondly, Lasik DOES affect your night vision. For at least the first month, you will not be able to see anything at night due to haloing - light sources repeat in a circular fashion, as far as your eyes are concerned. It can last longer for some people. This occurs because the area of your eye that is reshaped is smaller than the maximum size your pupil will get at night (pupil increases in size to let in more light), so you get an uncorrected area. For persistent haloing you can get a medicine for glaucoma that prevents your pupils from dilating that last little bit, which makes you slightly less able to see objects at night, but allows you to see light sources more clearly.
Your eyes will also be very dry for a while, and you will be given eyedrops that contain medication to prevent infection and also numb the eyes a bit, as well as moisturize. Otherwise, they'll itch. You should be able to use them as needed, but that's up to the doctor.
There is a chance that you'll need a follow-up procedure to correct undercorrection or overcorrection. For followup surgeries, talk to your physician about wavefront correction - wavefront examines your eye at 200 different points to help cope with minor variations in the cornea (clear part of the sclera), rather than Lasik, which only measures vertical curvature and lateral distortion. Wavefront correction is not approved by the FDA for use in first-time patients. Sorry.
Other than that, that's pretty much it. For someone who's vision correction is as severe as yours, I can imagine you'd probably jump at any chance to improve it, even if you're just jumping up to a more minor vision correction.
Secondly, Lasik DOES affect your night vision. For at least the first month, you will not be able to see anything at night due to haloing - light sources repeat in a circular fashion, as far as your eyes are concerned. It can last longer for some people. This occurs because the area of your eye that is reshaped is smaller than the maximum size your pupil will get at night (pupil increases in size to let in more light), so you get an uncorrected area. For persistent haloing you can get a medicine for glaucoma that prevents your pupils from dilating that last little bit, which makes you slightly less able to see objects at night, but allows you to see light sources more clearly.
Your eyes will also be very dry for a while, and you will be given eyedrops that contain medication to prevent infection and also numb the eyes a bit, as well as moisturize. Otherwise, they'll itch. You should be able to use them as needed, but that's up to the doctor.
There is a chance that you'll need a follow-up procedure to correct undercorrection or overcorrection. For followup surgeries, talk to your physician about wavefront correction - wavefront examines your eye at 200 different points to help cope with minor variations in the cornea (clear part of the sclera), rather than Lasik, which only measures vertical curvature and lateral distortion. Wavefront correction is not approved by the FDA for use in first-time patients. Sorry.
Other than that, that's pretty much it. For someone who's vision correction is as severe as yours, I can imagine you'd probably jump at any chance to improve it, even if you're just jumping up to a more minor vision correction.
Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:31 am
My law boss did it. He said it was the best investment he's ever done. He now has better than 20/20 vision whereas before... it was extremely bad... he couldn't make out his daughters properly who were about 5 meters away.
For the first three days after surgery... it kinda hurt... like the light stabs into your eyes. I had to read everything for him.
Now, his vision is awsome and can read near and far. awsomeness.
He highly reccomends it.
For the first three days after surgery... it kinda hurt... like the light stabs into your eyes. I had to read everything for him.
Now, his vision is awsome and can read near and far. awsomeness.
He highly reccomends it.