[salazark]

I've had it twice. The first time was about 12 years ago and then a year or so later. My eyes were at the very edge of what they could do then and I had a very bad astigmatism. I went to a very good clinic through a University. After the fist one my eyes regressed to where I needed glasses all the time - but still much better vision than before. After the second time I did have a complication. I had Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis or DLK - it's growths under the flaps. I had to go to the eyedoctor daily for weeks and use drops every two hours around the clock. The treatment had a threat of causing Glaucoma so it was pretty scary but it all turned out pretty good. My left eye is still pretty bad and my right eye is about 20/50. I still wear glasses to drive or watch sports or tv - but actually because my vision isn't so good, I don't need reading glasses. Would I do it again? You bet I would. Before my surgery I couldn't see to go to the bathroom during the night without my glasses. Now, I could drive someone to the hospital without them if I needed to. It isn't perfect, but I didn't expect perfection.

If my eyes weren't too bad and I was older, I would probably think twice before I did it. Like Nancy - you would be trading glasses for driving just to have glasses for anything close up. I'm not so sure that would be worth it. Also, this is surgery and there really are complications that can really dramatically affect your vision forever.

Presbyopia affects everyone. It's the loss of the ability of the eye to focus up close. If you're nearsighted already it doesn't affect you as much or as young. Monovision works on the same principal. One eye is left nearsited so that it becomes the reading eye.

The main advice I would give anyone considering it is to find a very experienced Dr. that has experience with complications and knows how to recognize them. If my Dr. hadn't picked up on what was happening with me the day after my surgery, I could have lost my vision permanently.