Lasik eye surgery

BeanMan · Feb 19, 2018

I've had great vision most of my life but it has gone downhill the last few years. I got my first set of glasses a couple of months ago, I hate wearing glasses and am thinking of getting Lasik done.

Does anyone here have any experience with Lasik, good or bad? I'd love to hear it.

264mag · Feb 19, 2018

I am 64 and been using readers since I was 44,but my distance has been great. I will go as long as possible before I have any surgery on my eyes and continue seeing my doctor.

heywouldya · Feb 19, 2018

I to am starting to wear glasses for reading, however my "long distance" sight is still 20/20. With that being said, if you're only needing glasses for reading, I wouldn't have surgery.
As for lasik, my wife had something like 20/400 vision, had the surgery and could see 20/20 in 2 days. That was over 10 years ago. So I'd say if you're struggling to see far, I'd definitely look into it.
Hope that input helps!

eelgrass · Feb 19, 2018

Several family members have had Lasik. They all say they are glad they did. I'm thinking about it too. I don't mind reading glasses for close up work but losing distance vision sucks.

3blade · Feb 19, 2018

I had prk, a form of lasik, about 7 yrs ago. I love the way the vision turned out but now I suffer from whats called corneal erosion. Basically the layer of skin that covers your cornea/eye peels off for no damn reason. Usually happens at night and when it does, I fly out of bed screaming in pain! After the incident, 9 times out of 10, you will make a trip to the eye doctor to remove any dead or hanging tissue and have a contact bandage placed in your eye. You will return in 4 days to remove the bandage and make sure it healed right. I repeat this process every 3 or 4 months. There is so much scar tissue in my eyes now my night vision is shot because the scars reflect light scattering the image. During the day the scars are not an issue.

I live in an area that has about 50k people. My eye doctor is now seeing 4 of us with the same problem, all prk patients. He does have an additional patient that had lasik done that is having problems as well, the flap won't stay down and the skin is trying to grow back underneath.

So, when it works it works well, when it doesn't.... well

Blank · Feb 19, 2018

My wife has been doing the chair side assisting and laser operating for two fabulous eye doctors here in our area since the 90's. Well over 20K cases in the last 25 years, and overwhelmingly successful procedures. Are there problems sometimes, sure, but the chances of that happening are minimal. You need to go speak to the surgeons and get a free screening so that they can tell you exactly what can be done, and any problems or complications which might arise.

She knows the entire process inside and out and elected to have both of her eyes done here at 62 years of age, and has been extremely glad she did. Great distance vision and no more readers!!!

BeanMan · Feb 19, 2018

Thanks for the replies, I am going for the initial screening consultation tomorrow. I am ok with using readers but not being able to see a coyote or an elk well at 200 yards stinks. I used to able to see extremely well, getting old sucks but if i can get a few more years of good eyesite out of it I will be very happy.

Hasbean

jgriffin82 · Feb 19, 2018

I had lasik August 2014. I was 32 with a moderate to severe astigmatism and had been wearing specs for 25 years. I had something like 4-5 diopter. I couldn't see near or far. I hated wearing glasses. They were a nuisance in my everyday life. I had my surgery performed by a highly recommended and skilled doctor. Dr. Mark Mandel. It was definitely a strange feeling while getting the surgery. But, 15 minutes later I was done. I remember on the drive home I was able to see highway signs for the first time in as long as I could remember. My recommendations are to make sure your doc has a great reputation,talk to his past patients and be realistic. I had 20/15 for the first 6 months after surgery. I've leveled off at 20/20. It's awesome when your hunting in cold weather and your breathing doesn't cause fog on your glasses. And, it's also nice to see what you've been missing while hunting! Overall, I highly recommend lasik. Make sure you get the latest technology available. You can get the few generation old stuff cheaper but, I feel, the advanced eye mapping technology is worth every penny. With lasik, you get one free lifetime touch up. Of course, that's only only if your cornea is thick enough.

Jim

feddoc · Feb 20, 2018

I had surgery in 2001. My vision was corrected to 20/15.

Last summer it was still 20/20. Pretty good deal for me; no complications, no headaches, nothing except clear vision.

Shadow · Feb 20, 2018

Pretty amazing what they can do. My wife had the prk done and went from 400 to 20/25. I would like to have it done but not sure I have the courage after watching the doctor do hers and seeing smoke rolling off her eyeballs! I was pretty cool to watch it done though.

mozey · Feb 20, 2018

My parents are both 80, and both got it done about 15 years ago. My did still loves his, but my mom, not so much. Her vision started deteriorating immediately after the surgery, and it's since proven to not be correctable. To be honest though, I don't exactly know why hers didn't work.

Both my wife and I considered it a couple years ago, but we consulted our ophthalmologist first, and because our vision is easily correctable with contact lenses, he recommended against it in both our cases.

Mine is especially easy, because I'm a good candidate for Air Optix Night & Days (extended wear contacts). I'm never aware these are in my eyes and can go six months or longer without changing them out. Because most of my outdoor time is in NM winds I think that's pretty amazing. Both my distance and close-up suck, so my right eye is corrected for distance and my left is corrected for reading. I've been doing this for about 18 years now, and it still seems ridiculously easy and relatively inexpensive. It doesn't work for my wife though, so I know it's not for everyone.

Tomichi · Feb 21, 2018

Every one I know who has had it.. GREAT SUCCESS.

At 53 I am still 20-15 at distance but I HATE the SOB with Colo Department of Revenue who changed the font on the new Colo Drivers License's!!!! Got to have readers to write a ticket.

I tell my wife my vision is 15 by 56....she doesn't get it.

Founder · Feb 22, 2018

My first wife had lasik, she was super happy. My current wife had lasik, and she's super happy about it. I had lasik a few years ago and I'm so happy I got it done. Glasses and contacts suck horribly. I never wore my glasses much, but used contacts everyday. I did not like messing with them everyday.
Lasik was one of the best choices I've ever made. All is still great. Dr Hoopes did mine. Best few thousand dollars I ever spent.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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Longun · Feb 22, 2018

had mine done back in 97 and don't regret it one bit...I had bad astigmatism since I was 7 years old..glad to get rid of those friggin glasses....but recently I have to have reading glasses..I can handle that...P.S. you'll have to re-sight all your scopes again....

mmwb · Feb 22, 2018

Not lasik, but PRK, about 9 years ago. My vision was still 20-15 last year. I do need readers for close up stuff. One of the best investments I ever made. Seeing things out there, crisp and clear, is still like a miracle every day.

BeanMan · Feb 22, 2018

I am scheduled to have my right eye done Tuesday morning, only need one eye done.
Thanks for all your help.

Hasbean

Blank · Feb 22, 2018

Great news. Best wishes for great results. Think you will be Happy with results

MT_55 · Feb 23, 2018

Greatest thing I ever did..

Hawkeye · Feb 25, 2018

I had Lasic three years ago. It is the best money I've ever spent!

-Hawkeye-

Ringneks · Mar 2, 2018

If you guys would mind sharing, what is the average cost of this procedure? And who would you recommend in Utah? Sorry but not trying to hijack this thread, just looking for more info. Thanks

feddoc · Mar 2, 2018

> I am scheduled to have
>my right eye done Tuesday
>morning, only need one eye
>done.

I hope your surgery turned out well.

Deerlove · Mar 2, 2018

My bro is up next week for 3500$ in Ut.

3blade · Mar 2, 2018

I paid $4k an eye using the latest and greatest laser technology by a doctor that taught other doctors how to do it. That included 1 year of follow up care per eye. The problems started in year 3, go figure.

Slimchance · Mar 3, 2018

I had both eyes done about 10 years ago. No regrets. I was at the eye doctor for a check up a couple of days ago, he said I was 20/20 in both eyes. Make sure you go with your eye doctors recommendations. Not all Lasik surgeons are reputable. Good luck!

Slim

The road goes on forever and the party never ends..

BeanMan · Mar 3, 2018

So far so good. Distance sight is great, I just went for a walk in the wind and the wind made my right eye very uncomfortable. Doc says at least a month for that to change. $2100 for one eye.

Hasbean

WVHUNTER · Mar 4, 2018

I had this done about 20 years ago. Your eye will be dry for a while, maybe a few months, use wetting drops. Your eye has probably dried out in the wind. Cutting the flap cuts the nerves that send signals to the brain to make tears. But it does usually get better.

I was a -12.00 diopter , I saw 20/20 for two years then had to get glasses again. Couldn't have it done again, said since my eyes were so bad I didn't have enough cornea left to take any more off.

I'm still glad I had it done. I can see about 20/40 (without glasses) during daylight although my low light vision isn't as good. My eye doctor told me they do a better job today than they did then on the low light thing, they treat a larger area of the cornea.

If you have progressive myopia(nearsightedness), meaning your eyes get worse every year, they will still get worse. The surgery doesn't do anything to fix what is causing it, just cuts a permanent contact lens out of the cornea of the eye.

My next eye surgery will be for cataracts, LOL, so not too concerned about my Lasik.

I know a lot of people that have had Lasik and they all love it.

The good places around here are about $4,000 for both eyes. My wife and I had ours done at Duke University. Some may be as low as $2,500 but I would stay with the most experienced doctors. Some of these doctors have done more than 10,000 of these procedures.

jgriffin82 · Mar 4, 2018

+1 WV Hunter. The dry eye thing plagued me for about a year. I always had a bottle of thera tears in my pocket. It's an annoyance but, it gets better. I paid $3800 for both eyes. As mentioned before, that includes 1 year post op exams and one free lifetime touch up,if cornea thickness allows. It is money well spent.

eelgrass · Mar 4, 2018

That's good to hear Fred. Glad it's working out, and sounds like it will get better.

A couple weeks ago my eye doctor told me to wait. I'm getting close to the age when cataract surgery may be a possibility. They can fix both at the same time....I'm confused.

BeanMan · Mar 4, 2018

Eel,

I only needed a correction in one eye, at least for distance. I use readers for all close in stuff, it's an adjustment. I just went for a hike and got a text, I couldn't read the darn thing since I am not in the habit of carrying readers, yet.

Hasbean

WVHUNTER · Mar 5, 2018

Eel, you and I may be in the same situation.

The lens in our eye adjusts automatically to close and far distances. When we get older the lens gets stiff and won't adjust to close distances.

Cataracts are when the lens gets cloudy, glasses or Lasik won't help this. The lens has to be removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. They have all sorts of these lenses now that correct for reading, nearsightedness and astigmatism. So the one operation can correct multiple things.

The FDA hasn't approved lens replacement for people who don't have cataracts although some are done in certain circumstances. This surgery has too much risk for people who just want to get rid of reading glasses. It isn't a risk for people with cataracts because you are going to go blind anyway.

Insurance usually doesn't pay for the fancy new lenses. I think they cost $1,500 to $4,000 per eye.

Still confused?

Paul_Crawford · Mar 5, 2018

Hell, guys I have a sharp knife. Fred, I could save you a lot of money on that other eye! Just sayin'. PC

kilbuc · Mar 5, 2018

Just had cateract surgery last tuesday. One eye. My surgeon only does one eye at a time. Won't need the other done for another year or 2. Next day vision was basically 20/20. No post-op problems.

There are several lens available, depends on your need.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"