Lasik/Laser Eye Surgery?

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Kirstyjem
Kirstyjem Posts: 66 Member
in Chit-Chat
Has anyone has laser eye surgery? I'm considering it but am terrified! Any stories, experiences?
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  • _Tink_
    _Tink_ Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I had it done in 2002. It took about 90 seconds per eye and my vision was 20/20 the next morning when I went for my follow up appointment. I was pretty much blind without glasses or contacts before lasik.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,470 Member
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    Best money I have ever spent. I had it done August 5th, 2005. Never once regretted it. I had PRK done in my L eye and lasik in my R eye. Would do it again in a heartbeat.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,361 Member
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    5 years for me, wish I had it done sooner,

    Afterwards I had an adjustment period for about 4 to 5 months where I needed to wear -1 prescription lenses for night time driving.
  • Nurse_Christy
    Nurse_Christy Posts: 276 Member
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    I had it done in 2007. So glad I did. My vision in my good eye was 20/400. Now both are 20/15. No problems at all, just make sure you follow all the pre and post-op instructions.
  • PurpleMomster
    PurpleMomster Posts: 71 Member
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    Had it done last September, wish I would have done it years sooner! My procedure took about 19 seconds per eye and I could already see better seconds after it was done.

    I'm 45 so I know at some point I will still need to wear reading glasses but for now, it's so great not having to wear any!
  • Kirstyjem
    Kirstyjem Posts: 66 Member
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    Thanks for your stories everyone. The thought of something lasering my eyes is terrifying!
    I'm so sick of wearing glasses though. I just want to run in the rain and be able to see!
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    I've had laser surgery. I had been seeing flashes of light and went to my doctor, he referred me to a specialist who got me in half an hour later, examined me, told me my retina was beginning to detach and rushed me into immediate surgery. Didn't have time to be afraid. It didn't actually hurt, though it was uncomfortable, but far better than losing my sight due to a detached retina.
    I didn't do it to be able to give up glasses... I didn't want to lose my vision.
  • ashleearoha
    ashleearoha Posts: 165 Member
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    I am so jealous of you guys that have had it done! If I take out my contacts or take my glasses off I am pretty much blind. I couldn't tell who was standing right in front of me.

    I am 21 and my optometrist says I want be able to get it until I am 25 because my eyes are still worsening every year at the moment.
  • nelinelineli
    nelinelineli Posts: 330 Member
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    I had laser about 10 years ago. It took 10 minutes and after a good 24h rest I was good to go. Had dry eyes for a couple of months, but after that no complaints. Had perfect vision ever since, and I'm truly happy I had it done.
    And I agree with the other posters: the thought may be terrifying but the procedure is in no way painful nor scary. Just listen to the doc and "look at the light" :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    It's been probably about 12 years now. It was worth every penny. My eyes were so bad I couldn't read the big E on the eye chart.
    The procedure was nothing, I did get two Ativan so that helped, but looking back the idea of it was more scary than the actual procedure. I could read the clock in the waiting room when I left. It took a couple of weeks for my vision to be completely normal again, which I was told was normal during healing. Some things would be clear, others fuzzy.
    They told me not to expect 20/20 vision due to how bad my eyes were but I would be able to see pretty well without glasses. I ended up with better than 20/20 vision and no problems since.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    My eye sight is bad. I'd never get this surgery.

    A) There are no guarantees. If I wind myself up into a state where I hate glasses/contacts that are as natural to me as brushing my teeth or showering daily, I'd be really really disappointed if the surgery would merely bring me closer to zero, yet I'd still have to use the glasses and contacts. And I save the money, too; glasses and contacts will never be as expensive as that surgery, in particular if I've paid for surgery, then end up paying for what I was running away from too.

    B) I wouldn't want to mess with this surgery because nothing is fool proof. If I get glaucoma later in life, I'd want to be able to have surgery rather than go blind, but if I've had Lasik surgery, the glaucoma surgery may not be possible. Rather glasses and contacts than risk blindness. Plus glasses can be quite hot.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
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    I strongly recommend visiting an opthomologist first. I have a rare disease called keratoconus that was only diagnosed about 15 years ago. If I had had laser surgery in my twenties, like I considered, I would be blind now, or would have had to have two corneal transplants from donors. There may be other conditions that might put you at risk also. It's worth it to be sure before you go ahead, I think.
  • Red_sparkling_Titania
    Red_sparkling_Titania Posts: 485
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    I like my glasses/lenses too much to consider it. I can rock the geek look!
  • lookin4gains
    lookin4gains Posts: 1,762 Member
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    I got PRK, and I can now see 20/15. Only thing bad I can't say about it is my eyes are sensitive as far as rubbing them or getting something in my eye. Your cornea is a lot thinner therefore a lot more sensitive.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,470 Member
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    I got PRK, and I can now see 20/15. Only thing bad I can't say about it is my eyes are sensitive as far as rubbing them or getting something in my eye. Your cornea is a lot thinner therefore a lot more sensitive.

    A fellow PRKer!!!

    As far as seeing an ophthalmologist... Honestly, anyone performing lasik should be an ophthalmologist. No optometrist should ever be performing lasik. I don't know their scope of practice. But, I am a nurse, and I am willing to bet lasik is not within the scope of practice of an optometrist. If you ever find an optometrist performing lasik, run far far away... Anyone performing lasik should have MD or DO behind their name.

    Edited: I said DO.. not OD (that's an optometrist)... lol
  • lookin4gains
    lookin4gains Posts: 1,762 Member
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    I got PRK, and I can now see 20/15. Only thing bad I can't say about it is my eyes are sensitive as far as rubbing them or getting something in my eye. Your cornea is a lot thinner therefore a lot more sensitive.

    A fellow PRKer!!!

    As far as seeing an ophthalmologist... Honestly, anyone performing lasik should be an ophthalmologist. No optometrist should ever be performing lasik. I don't know their scope of practice. But, I am a nurse, and I am willing to bet lasik is not within the scope of practice of an optometrist. If you ever find an optometrist performing lasik, run far far away... Anyone performing lasik should have MD or DO behind their name.

    +1

    ^5
  • sweetcurlz67
    sweetcurlz67 Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Definitely need to check with your eye doctor to see if you're a good candidate.

    Unfortunately, I'm not. Nearsighted, farsighted, & astigmatism in both eyes. LASIK can fix one issue but I'd still need glasses for the others.
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
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    Best thing I ever did, and it has been 12 years for me. Before it I could only see 2 feet away, now better than 20/20. Fixed my astigmatism too. It was really quick and painless, but you have to be very vigilant with the after care. I had no problems at all. I do have to wear reading glasses but that is from age as well as the large correction they had to make.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Bump!
  • NerdyAdventurer
    NerdyAdventurer Posts: 166 Member
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    Lasik in one eye, and PRK in the other. Had to get the PRK because of a super minor complication o0n the day of my surgery. They cut the second flap just a little too thin, apparently it happens to about 1 in 300 people. Lucky me.

    I do find my eyes are a bit more sensitive to light now, like bright sunshine, but that may just be from getting used to wearing sunglasses while recovering. But you should be wearing sunglasses when you're outside anyways, so not really a problem at all.

    DO IT :)

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