Anyone have Lasik or PRK vision correction performed?

[Steveo989]

If so, what are your experiences with it? I have spring break and money burning a hole in my pocket, rather spending my money foolishly I think it might be time to pull the trigger finally and get vision correction.

Does it really yield that much more rewarding of an active lifestyle? It has been such a pain having to deal with contacts in order to get prepared for a bike ride, or go swimming, etc.

I also was about to have PRK performed for free while I was in the service, but due to low-staffing, and no one to replace me it wasn't going to happen, so I left the military. PRK was a requirement for applying for SEAL training, so I didn't have any point to stick around.

I also think it would be awesome not having to reach for my glasses in the morning to read anything further than 3 or 4 feet from me. Not to mention, if I decide to go back in for BUD/SEAL training I need so many months of corrected stable vision in order to apply, 1 year, IIRC.

I also would love to get rid of my glasses since I tend to feel much more confident without eyewear glued to my face. I dunno why, but I like not wearing glasses.

[Basscase]

I had lasik two years ago. Wore contacts since middle school. It is probably the best thing I've (ok...my wife, as she got it for me for my birthday) have ever done for myself. I went from 20/150 to 20/15!

It was more comfortable than going to the dentist as they drugged me the fvck up with valuum, except the week after was pretty uncomfortable, but not horrible.

The only downside is my night vision leaves a little to be desired, but they said that could happen. It's still better than wearing contacts at night though. I have really dry eyes...always have. So night vision has always been an issue for me.

I have a youtube video of my operation if you want to see it. It's not for the squeamish though.

Just be sure if you do get lasik that it's "bladeless" and done by someone who is HIGHLY regarded. DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! I had mine done by arguably one of the best docs on the West Coast, NASA sends their people to him.

[bluerabbit0886]

I had prk done back in 2007. I chose prk due to it being the only procedure approved by NAMI; I was in the pipeline to be a Marine aviator and was tired of glasses/contact and didn't want to be a navigator...

Prk was painful. I consider myself to have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but the recovery HURT. with that being said, I would say its amazing to have better than 20/20 vision after about 10 years of 20/400 vision.

[Steveo989]

What's the going rate for this procedure these days? I was going to pay to have it done a few years ago and it was basically the same price... I think the going rate was $3500 and after discount it is $3000, but this place, Lasik Plus, is quoting $3000 basic-$4500 if you need a custom procedure or whatever. There is a $500 discount if I pull the trigger before the end of the month and it will cost $2500. I mean it's basically an investment since I spend $400-500 on glasses and contacts a year, astigmatism contacts are pricey...

What did you guys pay for the procedure?

[dunhamjr]

mine was done just over 2 years ago.
its been great other then a little eye dryness but i stare at computers all day long.

find a reputable place. its your eyes. dont let a monkey eff with your eyes.

your eyes will itch like a bitch a few hours after the surgery. take their advice and go to sleep.

no more falling glasses, no sweat dripping on them, no water spraying on them. no need for prescription sunglasses. no more constant cleaning so that i can properly see.

my vision seems fine day or night, versus basscase talking about his nightvision

cons:
reading things up close is not an option anymore, anything gets too close and its hard to focus... and by close, i mean less than 6 inches from your nose.

reading little, tiny text... like the super small security script on US currency is not possible any more.

these are minor annoyances.

[Basscase]

cons:
reading things up close is not an option anymore, anything gets too close and its hard to focus... and by close, i mean less than 6 inches from your nose.

reading little, tiny text... like the super small security script on US currency is not possible any more.

these are minor annoyances.

See, I have none of those issues.

Sounds like milage may vary.

Either way, it was one of the best things I've done medically wise.

[1inhiding]

Mine was done in 2003...at the time, it was awesome. Laser. Went from 20/400 to 20/15 overall...procedure took ~30 minutes. Weird being all doped up and smelling your eye burning away...considering I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to surgery, it all went smoothly.

But...

Here it is 2012, and I'm back in glasses. I guess you can't fight genetics...Not nearly as bad as before (I had terrible astigmatism, and that is still gone, so I can wear cool hipster glasses) but at night especially and in dark indoor areas, I can hardly see. I've thought about going back for touch ups (the company I went through offered a "warranty" of sorts) but I just don't think it's worth it...

That said - the ~3 years where I was without glasses was awesome...being able to see that well naturally was truly special.

I paid $3200 overall I believe, from this place - http://www.pcli.com/

[dunhamjr]

I've thought about going back for touch ups (the company I went through offered a "warranty" of sorts) but I just don't think it's worth it...

see this, i completely disagree with.

i don't see why you wouldnt at least consult with them to see about getting it done again on their dime.

maybe they screwed up the first time around and you could get it fixed and have no glasses for another 10 or more years.

[5309]

Make sure you do your research before choosing a place. There are alot out there that s--k! i had mine done at Ocala eye here in FL. plus they have a 0% interest rate going on. Ask your doctor about chase health advance if you cant afford it. going rate around here is $4200. both eyes

[Residentevol]

Had PRK in September of last year. I wore glasses since I was 7 years old (I'm not 31). I had the procedure done in a military hospital in Germany (fo-freeee) It's on the top of my list as the best things I've ever done in my life. The freedom from glasses is insane. The day of the surgery was smooth sailing but the week following was pretty much hell. Painkillers came in handy but it was mostly just annoying.

Still the juice is worth the squeeze on this one..Definitely go for it. And from what I hear if you have the option choose LASIK over PRK.

[GTiTOM]

Mine was done in 2003...at the time, it was awesome. Laser. Went from 20/400 to 20/15 overall...procedure took ~30 minutes. Weird being all doped up and smelling your eye burning away...considering I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to surgery, it all went smoothly.

But...

Here it is 2012, and I'm back in glasses. I guess you can't fight genetics...Not nearly as bad as before (I had terrible astigmatism, and that is still gone, so I can wear cool hipster glasses) but at night especially and in dark indoor areas, I can hardly see. I've thought about going back for touch ups (the company I went through offered a "warranty" of sorts) but I just don't think it's worth it...

That said - the ~3 years where I was without glasses was awesome...being able to see that well naturally was truly special.

I paid $3200 overall I believe, from this place - http://www.pcli.com/

This is why I've been holding out for years. My prescription was stable for about a year when I was 23 or 24, so I went in to get an evaluation. I was all set to get the surgery, but something came up with work and I had to cancel my appt and not go through with it. Since then, my prescription has gone from like -6 to -8 --- nothing abnormal, just slightly more nearsighted after almost 10 years. My optometrist had warned me about that too. He was basically like, "If you get it done this young, you're going to have to get touch-ups. Then you'll be 35 or so and have had your eyes cut up with lasers multiple times ---- who knows what that'll mean for you when you're 65".

I remember the next week the place sent me an email as well, touting their new updated lasers --- I was like "wtf, I would have been getting the old laser? So what's going to be out next week, and next year?"

I'll do it at some point. I'm functionally blind without my glasses (-8 in both eyes). I'd be happy to pay a few grand to be able to walk around my house without glasses on or to be able to wear nice thin framed glasses. Not needing glasses at all seems like a fantasy to me

[robhurlburt]

I heard if you are getting it for nearsightedness, in 7 years or so you will be farsighted and need glasses to read things. scares me a bit

[leebro61]

I had LASIK done last September after wearing contacts for half of my life (I'm 26 now...). The procedure was painless and the recovery was very fast. After about a month, I noticed the vision in my left eye had degraded slightly. I now see 20/20 or better in my right eye, and about 20/30 or slightly worse in my left eye (it has since stabilized since the procedure). It's certainly annoying, but even with this annoyance it's still better than wearing contacts. I have the option of having it touched up for free with a PRK procedure, but I'm not in any hurry to have it done. A 'touch up' still seems like playing with fire twice. It's amazing how fast you'll adapt to NOT wearing contacts/glasses.

I would echo everyone else saying to do your research and make sure you have an eye dryness test done before your procedure (although I'm sure this is standard practice these days). People with dry eye before the procedure can end up absolutely miserable afterward.

[1inhiding]

I heard if you are getting it for nearsightedness, in 7 years or so you will be farsighted and need glasses to read things. scares me a bit

This has nothing to do with lasik. Your cornea hardens as a part of aging, and this causes you to have trouble focusing on objects up close...happens to most older people...

[Steveo989]

I am choosing to go with PRK, I found a top-notch doc. Unfortunately, he has a top notch price-tag as well

PRK for each eye is going to cost $2450, but since I am "technically" still int he Navy I can get it done for $1850/eye, which is still up there.

Since vision is absolutely critical to functioning as a person, I felt I would skip the LASIK mill, if you will. You know the LasikWhoo centers with 70,000 procedures and that kind of thing. I felt like the Doc I am choosing will take much better care of me than the ones that just crank out procedures.

The reviews on him also said he calls you the night of the surgery to make sure everything is going alright with you, which tells me he doesn't view his clients strictly as a paycheck to buy his new laser equip for the office.

I am planning on getting in on Tues March 27, and then getting one eye done asap, then later in the summer, I can get the other eye fixed. This will help keeping me from financing the surgery. I can afford it right now, but I really do not like running low in my savings account. Especially since I need to budget enough money for rent for my entire summer if I choose not to do any classes.

[1inhiding]

Good luck man!

[kimlin85]

I had LASIK done last September after wearing contacts for half of my life (I'm 26 now...). The procedure was painless and the recovery was very fast. After about a month, I noticed the vision in my left eye had degraded slightly. I now see 20/20 or better in my right eye, and about 20/30 or slightly worse in my left eye (it has since stabilized since the procedure). It's certainly annoying, but even with this annoyance it's still better than wearing contacts. I have the option of having it touched up for free with a PRK procedure, but I'm not in any hurry to have it done. A 'touch up' still seems like playing with fire twice. It's amazing how fast you'll adapt to NOT wearing contacts/glasses.

I would echo everyone else saying to do your research and make sure you have an eye dryness test done before your procedure (although I'm sure this is standard practice these days). People with dry eye before the procedure can end up absolutely miserable afterward.

thats exactly the experience i had, and my left is is now 20/30 and right is 20/20 too. i'm considering a touch-up but i may way to see if it regresses more. it's been 1.5 yrs since the procedure at lasik plus.

one issue i'm having which i'm told is unrelated to lasik, is floaters and flashing. it looks like i have a hair floating across my left eyeball and there are flashes of light in my peripheral vision in that eye. i was told by my eye doctor (who is not a retina specialist) that the vitreous (sp?) sac behind my retina folded over itself in a place, which is causing the line. the flashes he is unsure about, but my retina is fully attached. i've heard ppl who have had cataract surgery being more prone to detachment, so i went in to get it checked out. he said it's most likely from impact, and i have been punched in that eye quite a bit from kickboxing since i stand orthodox.

but overall lasik was one of the best things i ever did. it aint perfect but its a helluva lot better. my favorite part is being able to lie on the couch and watch tv and not have to be uncomfortable with glasses digging into the pillow and my face. also passing out without worrying about contacts, or seeing well when you wake up. its bomb.

mine cost just over 3k with a special.

[MikeCoza2012]

If you want to improve your eyesight naturally, you should know first the eye exercises that can strengthen the muscle of your eyes & reduces eyestrain, eye exercises such as Call The Ball, Follow Your Thumb, Palming, Bead And String, Look Away. Healthy diet is very important too, eat foods like Carrot, Eggs, Milk, Apricots, Berries, Black Currants, Cold-water Fish, Collard Green, Grapefruits, Grapes, Lemons, Plums, Spinach, Fish Oil, Raw Garlic(fresh). If you want to learn more about this natural vision correction visit at http://bit.ly/HowGetRidOfYourGlasses

[Paul79UF]

I just had custom Wavefront LASIK done less than two weeks ago.

So far I'm really happy with the results which are 20/15 (slightly better than 20/20) and no night vision problems.

I've got my entire Lasik journal written here - http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/L...ence/index.htm


Definitely do lots of research. I had the flap created with a microkeratome (the blade) which can be better for people with thick enough corneas.

The laser created flaps are good for people who have thinner corneas, but it takes longer to create the flap, there can be more inflammation and recovery can be longer.

Either way, just go with whatever your doctor recommends and be sure to get a second opinion just in case. The Lasik candidate screenings are free, or should be at good clinics.

[MikeCoza2012xxx]

Lasik eye surgery is very advance tech for eye enhancing but it is very expensive & risky. That's why many are using the natural way or the natural vision correction. Like me, I had proved the effectiveness of it.


bit(dot)ly/HowGetRidOfYourGlasses

[brickfrenzy]

Lasik eye surgery is very advance tech for eye enhancing but it is very expensive & risky. That's why many are using the natural way or the natural vision correction. Like me, I had proved the effectiveness of it.


bit(dot)ly/HowGetRidOfYourGlasses

Thank you spambot for your wonderfully useless contribution!