LASIK Surgery - Anyone Have Experience?
 

I made an appointment to go to a free consultation to a large eye center for LASIK surgery. It's something I've been wanting for years, but just never made the initial call. I'm a little nervous of course, because it's my eyes. But I'm also nervous because I've had Graves Disease as well as a slight astigmatism. They do not believe the Graves Disease will be an issue as I'm on no medication for it and currently (and for years) only take thyroid meds.

Has anyone had LASIK surgery? I'm interested in any experiences, pros and cons.

My cousin had it done about 4 or 5 years ago. She got tired of wearing glasses or contacts and she's very happy that she had it done.

I had it done over 10 years ago and it was a breeze. Only discomfort I had was a sensation like I had been peeling onions. It lasted just a couple of hours and within 24hours I could see etchings I hadn't seen clearly in decades! I just recently started needing glasses again and am going to see about a touchup pretty soon.

Several of my family members and friends have had it. Only one has had any issues- she went to a cut-rate clinic with a doctor who didnt have much experience, and she sees halos around lights at night. Everyone else I know has been delighted.

I would recommend that you research the clinic you're considering and follow pre and post-surgery instructions carefully.

My SIL and her 3 grown children had it done about 10 years ago. My SIL now has to wear glasses all the time again. All 3 kids now need glasses to help them read. They all had astigmatisms.

My SIL's sister had it done and hers didn't turn out very well. She went to a "cut-rate" clinic that was cheaper than other clinics.

Just research the clinics and check out their ratings. You could ask for references of the patients they have done. A credible doctor wouldn't mind giving you references, if the patients give their OK.

Good luck!

Thanks. I know 2 people who went here Eye Care Baton Rouge | Williamson Eye Center Louisiana and that's where my appointment is. I can't seem to find any negative reviews anywhere whatsoever. I nearly hit the floor when she told me the price because it's more than double what I've been hearing. However, that actually makes me feel a little better. I'm not afraid to spend the money to go to the best place.

I have always wished I could get it done. My vision is too bad I would still have to wear glasses after, so why bother. I am at -11.5

I had it done too close to 10 years ago and had that same fear as you. Mine was more like "Sorry but here's your :cool: dog and :cool: stick" as they put my onto the curb. :( My husband and I had it done at the same time~together. So if things went back we would have been in deep trouble. :eek: At the time our oldest son was 15 and he drove us home. :rolleyes: They were nice enough to offer a Xanax they gave prior to the procedure :2oh59: That night was a little rough and the dog and stick would have come in handy but the next morning was amazing! I'm starting to have trouble with very tiny print but I can see much better than my friends that are the same age.

Being serious~I too had an astigmatism that was very hard to correct with contacts. They just didn't make a contact with the toric I needed. My eyes changed after each baby and by the time I had #3 I wasn't able to wear contacts any longer. Not only did they fix the astigmatism they I had the monovision where they made one eye compensate for distance and the other for close.

Thanks. On the phone this morning, she mentioned that as I get around the age of 45 (which is really far away:eek::rolleyes:) I may need reading glasses. I can deal with that. I'm really tired of wearing contacts.

They told me I would need reading glasses right away (I was 40) but I didn't really need them until 2-3 years ago about age (cough) 52.

One thing nobody warns you about, though... You will be amazed at how dirty your shower is when you can actually see it ;)

I had mine done over 10 years ago. My eye doctor told me the worst part is the 4 hours After the surgery. And he was right. Right after the surgery, you wear dark glasses, and you need to stay away from any light. After 4 hours like he said, it started feeling better, and it's been fantastic every since. I am almost 60 (ick) and I do wear reading glasses. Cheap walgreens glasses to read. But to drive, watch tv, etc. I do not need them. I love having mine done, and I would do it all over again. I didn't hear anyone else mention how you felt right after the surgery. In fact my eyes really bothered me about 45 minutes after the surgery. I went to the darkest room in my house, closed blinds, had the glasses on, took an advil, and laid down. After 4 hours, I was fine.

This is the reason I didn't do it. I would have to wear glasses so much more than I do now. Right now it's only for watching TV and driving, but if I had it done, I would need to wear glasses for close up work and even the computer! I know many doctors say do one eye of each, but then I'd worry about driving and something getting in my driving eye. I think your wise to go to a reputable place, that's the main thing.

I had the surgery about 7 years ago. I waited for years for the technology to get good enough to work on someone with very bad vision. (-950) I admit it did hurt a little and I did see weird things for awhile in direct lights at night. But, it went away. Best birthday present I ever received - getting up in the morning and not having to feel for my glasses or stepping on them. :D

Thank you everyone. So far you are all thrilled!:)

In the initial phone consultation this morning when she mentioned I would need reading glasses, I asked if that would be with or without the surgery. She said probably either way due to age. I was under the impression that the surgery did NOT promote loss of eyesight when reading.

I had mine done 10 years ago and wish I would have done it sooner. I don't need reading glasses. I highly recommend going to a reputable clinic, it costs more but it IS your eyes...

I was told, that near sidedness and far sidedness were almost opposite conditions, and as you get older, your eye become more far sided, thus needing reading glasses. On the other hand, you near sidedness become better, if I don't ever correct my eyes, the doctor said; I probably won't ever need reading glasses. When I wear contacts now, I do need reading glasses for the computer, or to even read a price tag, so I generally just wear one contact, but again, this is scary for driving, although a lot of people do it. I can tell you, that you have no idea how much of your life is close up work; even putting on makeup is more difficult. I was around 50 when contacts had this effect, and it's great being able to still thread a needle or read a restaurant menu!

I had it done about 6 years ago and am now back in glasses since February. It was great while it lasted. I've been in readers for maybe 3 years. Not sure if it would have made a difference at the time, but I was unaware that it can cause cataracts and the new multi-focal lens replacement is not an option if you've had lasik. I have the early stages of a cataract and I'm only 51. :eek:

Best thing I ever did for myself. I also had astigmatism- it did make it slightly more expensive because I had to have a custom LASIK- but it didn't affect the results. The absolute most important thing is to go to a really good clinic- find the best clinic you can and then if you can't afford it just don't do it- that is my opinion anyway. You only get one set of eyes.

I have 20/15 vision now- before I couldnt see anything until I got my contacts in, I hated it.

I had perfect vision reading prior to my surgery, after - not so much.

I will only go to the best place. I think I've found it. I'm not thrilled about the fact that my reading vision can diminish. I'll definitely have to chat with the doctor about that.

Thats great! I always cringe when people tell me they found a good place but it is too expensive and they are looking elsewhere :eek: LASIK isn't a necessity so there is no way I would let anyone but the best slice into my eyes. The way my doctor described it, your eyes deteriorate over time, with or without LASIK- he said in 20-25 years I may need reading glasses- where before I may never have needed reading glasses but my vision for seeing things far away would have just kept deteriorating from where it was and I would need a stronger and stronger prescription over time. Basically I am trading in one problem for another (nearsighted vs. farsighted) in the future- but I am happy to take my 20 years without anything and go from there.

Make sure you take someone with you to the procedure, I couldnt open my eyes at all right after, I went right home and to sleep (with the help of the trusty xanax they provide you) for about 4 hours, once I woke up I was totally fine and never had any pain. I did have very, very bloodshot eyes for about a week- they didn't bother me at all, but everyone commented on them, it was very noticeable, the thing they put in your eyes to keep them open breaks the blood vessels. The day after surgery I had 20/20 vision already and it improved to 20/10 by my 1 month checkup.

If you end up having to have PRK and not LASIK the recovery time is longer- many doctors lump them all together and don't explain the differences- but there is a difference. Which one you get will depend on how your testing comes out- if your corneas are not thick enough they have to go with PRK.

Good Luck with your consult.

This makes sense. Thanks. I have 2 more weeks before the consult.

Thanks for your review!! This is something I've been considering as well. I'm only 25 and my vision seems to be getting worse all the time and I'm constantly needing a stronger prescription. I don't need glasses for reading but pretty much everything else like watching tv, driving, etc.
I'm just a little freaked out about the actual procedure itself. I can't stand anything coming close to my eyes. It took me years before I was brave enough to do contacts, lol.

Can anyone tell me a good average of what to expect to be paying for this?

I had both eyes done 22 years ago (radial keratonomy) before they had Lasix. Then they would cut a small incision in your eye. I had farsightedness and wore contacts and glasses. It cost $2,000 for each eye. I had excellent results in 3 days. I still have very good vision but can't see very small print but have started wearing reading classes occasionally. I am now 53 years old an in menopause :( so I would have needed the glasses anyway. I recommend it to everyone but it sounds like not everyone has been as fortunate as I was. Good Luck. I went to the Woodham eye clinic in Atlanta and he was one of the first doctors to perform this surgery.

I am 25 also and just did it this year.

I am the same way about things coming near my eyes- the actual procedure freaked me out but didn't hurt at all- I only took one xanax, they offered a second and I wish I had taken it, lol!

The place I went was $6000 total with all pre-op and post op care included. However, my insurance picked up a portion of that bill and that was my health insurance, I don't have vision coverage, so that is something to look into as well.

I had it done about 6 years ago and I have to say I highly recommend it! I had extremely bad eyes! For me, it was life changing. When I was a kid I would pray that God would heal my eyes and the surgery was like a miracle! But the procedure itself was scary and they just get you in and out like an assembly line. And for the first month or so, I wondered if I had done the right thing. It took a good 6 months maybe more before I felt comfortable driving at night. I was not one of those people who felt great the next day and even working the following week was a little hard for me although I did do it. I also will tell you that my dominant eye(right eye) did not see as well after the surgery as my nondominant left eye which was odd at first to get used to. The doctor did tell me that he could go in and adjust it but if I did, I would probably need reading glasses soon but if left alone, I might be able to go another 10 years. I'm 46 now and still don't need reading glasses and my eyes adjusted just fine. When I take my kids for their physicals, I can read the eye charts better than they can. It still amazes me and is the single best thing I have ever done for myself!

I paid a total of $3200.

I've been curious about it too. My eyes have never been all that great. I got glasses around the age of 12 but I only wear them when I'm watching movies or driving at night. Otherwise, it's not too terrible, but I hate having to have the glasses at all. It's a driving restriction on my license.

If you can see fine except for driving or movies, do not mess with your vision. I was a coke-bottle glasses kid who jumped at the chance to get the first contact lenses in the early 60's. When the 2nd generation of lasers was perfected, I jumped at the opportunity to get the Lasix surgery. Legally, I was blind at a -7 and -8.5. Before surgery, I tried out monovision contacts and chose to have my eyes surgically corrected for near AND far vision. Some brains cannot handle this, so be sure you try it out before hand. I have had my new vision for 15 years and at 66, still do not need reading glasses. I paid $5000 for the surgery and follow-up care.
There are many horror stories out there. Do your research. This procedure changed my life, but I did not take the decision lightly.

That's well over the quote i received. The place where I'm going for a consultation includes everything as well. They quoted me $1700 per eye. I'm certain there's a major price variation solely based on location.

Xanax? Pain killers are necessary? I can't take narcotics so i'll have to figure out a way around that should i do the procedure.

I wasn't sure what Xanax was so I looked it up. Xanax is not a narcotic, it is for anxiety. It is used to help calm people and it warns that it can be highly addictive.