Laser Eye Surgery

[Blacky]

Hi All

Well after about 15 years of wearing glasses full time I am about sick of it.
Each year I fork out about $1,000 on a new pair of clear glasses and a new pair of sunnies. Ok, I am pretty hard on them and dont treat them as well as what I should, but still, even when being careful I still only get 2 years out of a pair.

In the past I have quite liked having them, as they make you look smarter. I dont care what anyone says, put on a pair of glasses and people give you credit of 30iq points which just aren't there.
However, having hit my (ahem) 30's - they are now making me look old (I have never looked my age anyway, but its getting ridiculous).

So - my question is - has anybody had any experience with laser eye surgery? Are you happy/unhappy with the results and is it worth spending the $5-6k on?

Cheers

Blacky

ps - I should mention that I am a -2.5

 

[lizzie]

Had my eyes done (both of them) 15 years ago on the same day. Best thing I ever did.

Walked in as blind as a bat - walked out with perfect vision, and perfect ever since. Can't recommend highly enough!

Only someone who has to permanently wear glasses can understand the frustration of them fogging up when opening the oven - slipping off you face when sweaty - not being able to see when going for a swim - difficuly reading in bed - having to carry a glasses case around all the time to swap from sunnies to normal - the difficulty in finding a pair of glasses that suit ... so many little factors that are frustrating.

I admit I was a bit freaky when going under the surgery, especially the second eye as knew what was coming, but was given a valium by the nurse and just mentally zoned myself out.

 

[handyandy]

You might find this previous thread interesting.

http://somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?p=265303#post265303

 

[devank]

Had my eyes done (both of them) 15 years ago on the same day. Best thing I ever did.

That is what my wife said too. She did it about 5 years ago. She used to wear something like a glass bottle! I reckon that is the best investment we ever made!

 

[Cazo]

Hubby had procedure about 15 years ago (similar age to yourself back then) for driving/sport/distance. It worked a treat and he has been really happy with the results. He's getting older now, so has just started down the path of requiring reading specs! Was well worth doing, no regrets.

 

[Bigtone]

Hi All

Well after about 15 years of wearing glasses full time I am about sick of it.
Each year I fork out about $1,000 on a new pair of clear glasses and a new pair of sunnies. Ok, I am pretty hard on them and didn't treat them as well as what I should, but still, even when being careful I still only get 2 years out of a pair.

In the past I have quite liked having them, as they make you look smarter. I dont care what anyone says, put on a pair of glasses and people give you credit of 30iq points which just aren't there.
However, having hit my (ahem) 30's - they are now making me look old (I have never looked my age anyway, but its getting ridiculous).

So - my question is - has anybody had any experience with laser eye surgery? Are you happy/unhappy with the results and is it worth spending the $5-6k on?

Cheers

Blacky

ps - I should mention that I am a -2.5

To put simply DO IT!!!

I was an early adopter and had it done in 1996, it was a very primative method in those days.

I didn't wear glasses but was blind as a bat, couldn't read street signs or even the menu at a fast food place.

In those days you did one eye, had to rest for two days and it hurt like crazy the next two days. Then you had to wait a month for the other eye.

They used to give you super vision, you could see an ant crossing the road 1km away and slowly the vision would come back to the desired level.

For that month it was so weird having super vision in one eye and being blind in the other!

Anyway two years later i was nearly back to being blind and i had it do it again but the procedure had improved, very quick and no pain and it has been great for the last 15 years. I have encourgaed dozens of people to do it and none if them regret it.

Prior to the second operation i was playing in the 6's for my cricket club, two years later i was in the 1's, turns out being able to see the ball is an advantage!

 

[menty]

Blacky, alot of people rush in to do LASIK. I suggest you consult your optometrist first.

If you are indeed a -2.50, you might not realise it but you are in a great position for the future. As you know, you can probably read easily without spectacles. If you eyes are stable, it is more than likely you will stay roughly this prescription as you get older into your fourties and beyond, and hence always be able to read without spectacles (albeit at a 40cm focal distance)

I usually tell my patients approaching 40 or so to really consider how motivated they are. Most people will need some sort of reading correction once they reach that age. As you are only 30, you would still be able to read quite easily with or without your spectacles as the muscles in your eyes still have the flexibility to control the lens and change focus.

As I said, many young people do not really think too much into the future and their implications. Laser eye surgery is well advanced now that I would happily recccomend to anyone (provided they meet certain criteria). You can simulate the vision you get with a pair of contacts

Just my professional advice. Feel free to pm me if you would like any more information

 

[Aaron_C]

I haven't done it yet but I am seriously considering it as well.

 

[Aaron_C]

Menty are you an ophthalmologist?

 

[menty]

Optometrist, so no. But I do know many ophthalmologists and have good relationships with them

 

[missgreeneyes]

To put simply DO IT!!!

They used to give you super vision, you could see an ant crossing the road 1km away and slowly the vision would come back to the desired level.

Haha! That's funny!
I don't know too much about it. I wear glasses too.
I wouldn't do it as I hate being the first generation to do anything. First generation = 1st 25 years.
Have you read about how the corneal flap NEVER adheres back to the eyeball and how this can affect pressure testing for glaucoma?
Lots of people I know have done it too. But I'm not willing to take the risk.

 

[menty]

Haha! That's funny!
I don't know too much about it. I wear glasses too.
I wouldn't do it as I hate being the first generation to do anything. First generation = 1st 25 years.
Have you read about how the corneal flap NEVER adheres back to the eyeball and how this can affect pressure testing for glaucoma?
Lots of people I know have done it too. But I'm not willing to take the risk.

It only affects the pressure reading as your corneas are now artificially thinner. The flap adheres to the cornea when it heals. With regards to 100 percent vision, highly unlikely. Maybe 95-99percent most people are more than happy with this. The majority of people you seem the street walking around probably do not have 100% distance clarity. You would be surprised at the amount of people driving on the roads with borderline vision (standards for driving)

Funny reading what people write about their experiences. Much like my lack of knowledge when I try to talk to my builder

 

[Graemsay]

If I was going for laser eye surgery then I'd opt for PRK. It doesn't thin the cornea in the way that LASIK does, and I believe it's recommended for those who play a lot of contact sports. Plus less invasive surgery is always a good thing.

The other argument is that it's been around a lot longer, and so the long term consequences are better understood.

The downside is that it takes longer to heal, and is more painful.

 

[wylie]

We looked at this for hubby probably at least 15 years ago. At that time, hubby said to me that every optometrist he saw wore glasses and if they hadn't had lasik surgery, why would he risk it?

He reckoned that once the "glasses doctors" had the surgery he would look at it again .

Now he is 53, I wonder if he would think about it. He must be sick of wearing glasses, but at least they are very lightweight these days.

I also seem to recall that something about his astigmatism meant lasik was not the best option for him?

Menty, would love to hear about lasik (or similar) surgery and astigmatism?

 

[sunshine]

I wore contact lenses for more than 25 years. About 4 years ago I became one of those people that the optom. warns the contact lens' wearers about. I developed a very nasty ulcer in my eye. It was so severe that it was a battle to save my sight.

As contacts were no longer an option, and due to scarring my eye was not a candidate for laser so I had a lens replacement. The following week I had laser on the other eye.

I now have mono vision, one eye set for long distance and the other eye set for reading/closer and I have to say it is just fantastic.

If only I had not listened to the optom. and gone to have a consultation I would have discovered that my eyes did not have to be stable to have laser I would have done it many years earlier.

My husband is just beginning to suffer the effects of 'age' with his eyes and they are deteriorating rapidly. I have made an appointment next week to see if he is a candidate for laser.

Sunshine

 

[luckyone]

My husband wants to get his done but is scarred that he might lose his eyesight. He went to the initial appointment with the specialist a few months ago and was told he was right at the bottom range of the spectrum to qualify for the surgery and may still need to use glasses to read afterwards. I think that freaked him out a bit. We've saved the money now, but he still hasn't booked in. Trying to persuade him, but it really needs to be his choice.

Does anyone know what happens if the surgery does fail? Are there steps you can take for compensation?

 

[sunshine]

I also seem to recall that something about his astigmatism meant lasik was not the best option for him?

Menty, would love to hear about lasik (or similar) surgery and astigmatism?

Hi Wylie

Whilst having my lens replacement surgery I met 2 other who were having the same thing due to astigmatism. One lady had her first eye done the week prior and was in to have the second eye done. She was ecstatic with her results with just one eye done and couldn't wait to have 2 'good' eyes. She could not believe what she could now see as she had worn glasses nearly all her life. She said it was one of the best things to have happened to her apart from the birth of her children. Big!

Having the surgery is a more expensive than laser, but maybe available to claim on a health fund. My health fund would not pay, which is a whole different story!

I will also admit that the surgery was easier than the laser, I think it was only due to the twilight sedation though with calming the nerves and it seemed quicker. The after care was exactly the same with drops etc.

Sunshine

 

[menty]

Higher prescriptions usually end up with some residual astigmatic correction. It may be small enough that your eyes can focus it, or it could meant that you require glasses still occasionally.

With regards to laser eye surgery, PRK is quite an old method which is not used much anymore. Then there's also the different types of LASIK/LASEK, which again use different methods. Add to that wavefront guided surgery for 'enhanced' vision, and there really are a lot of options.

Most of the cheaper options are offered in practices where they have paid off their machines and equipment. The newer and more advanced methods usually demand a premium as the equipment is still being paid off/leased.

Speak to your optometrist or the ophthalmologist and see which option would suit you best. There really is no point comparing stories on the internet, as what some people think of certain conditions/ surgical procedures is laughable (if one does not really know the intricacies of it). There are also some specific conditions such as keratoconus which cannot be corrected via laser eye surgery.

I would tell everyone to manage their expectations on a case by case basis. You might be fine with some residual correction and think that is great, your neighbour could be the person who demands 100% clear vision and one who may not be happy.

Some specialists do offer a 'retreatment' procedure if they do not get it 100% the first time. However, there is only so much cornea that you can take off. Once the cornea becomes too thin, retreatment procedures are impossible, and that itself comes with another boatload of problems.

 

[Aaron Sice]

my dad had it done.

swears by it.

his eyes have a reflective gleam like a cat, now.

it's weird, but he dones't have to wear glasses anymore, can see at night in low light and isn't a danger to himself and others on the tools.

 

[Blacky]

Wow - thanks heaps for all the feedback.

I guess one concern for me is to splash out the cash, then have the operation not go 100% and end up still having to wear glasses. It would just p*** me off.

Menty - you seem to know what you are talking about. Is my optometrist the best person to speak with? I kind of always figured it a bit like talking to a finance advisor about what to invest in... they have a vested interest - dont they?

Im Perth based so are there any good clinics/doctors/Optometrists I could speak with.
The feedback from this forum has been pretty overwhelmingly positive!

Thanks heaps guys!

Blacky