I work for a law firm back home, i remember a client went blind from some kind of eye surgery, i'm not sure if it was this though.
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No more eye glasses lazer correction ?
- Thread starter MAJOR METAL
- Start date
I just did this a few weeks ago. I can see more or less perfectly now. It's pretty damned cool. The doc said an ethical doc will screen patients on suitability. They can predict pretty well who might have complications. Things were in my favor. He also explained the history of the technology and procedure to me, which explained the higher rate of complications in the past. It is the second best thing I ever spent kilobucks on, after bass gear.
Hey MM, you're in the NY vicinity, correct? I use a Dr. in Great Neck who's a fantastic surgeon. I wouldn't trust my sight to anyone else; that's the kind of confidence I have in her. PM me if you'd like the number.MAJOR METAL said:
Tom
< See!!!
I had this done about 1.5 years ago and am *very* opinionated on this topic, as I'd done a ton of research on it before having it done. And now, after having first-hand experience, I feel compelled to share my findings.
I was very nearsighted for 20+ years and was pretty much convinced by my wife that I'd be better off without glasses. In my situation, it wasn't for vanity's sake. I used to wear either bi-focal glasses or contacts, and have had several occasions where my lenses would either be damaged or lost (don't ask!) and I was not able to drive home from wherever I was. In time, I was pretty much convinced that the lesser of evils so to speak, would be to have great distance vision so that I'd always be able to drive/swim/ etc.. without lenses, even if it meant having to sacrifice "near-range" vision. So... eventually, I had it done.
Well...... here's the "real deal". Assuming you're even a candidate for this surgery (which only a qualified doctor can tell), you need to consider a few very important factors. And, the factors vary with age. If you're near-sighted and say, 20 years old, then... LASIK may very well provide you with about 15-20 years of absolutely wonderful vision without lenses of any kind. But, if you're 40 or older, and your motive for the surgery is to *not* wear glasses..... forget it! By age 40, people *generally* tend to develop conditions that create the need for bi or tri focal lenses to accomodate visual clarity at near, middle and distant ranges. So, if you have LASIK in your 40's or later, you'll likely have wonderful distance vision and won't need glasses to drive, swim, etc.... but, you won't be able to read your watch, read text on a computer screen, newspaper, or even see the numbers on your cell-phone. As a bassist and computer professional, this has created a real hassle for me. I now require glasses to clearly see the fingerboard and my sheet-music, and also to read and use my PC. I also need them to view my watch and cell phone.
Also, after LASIK, you no longer have the ability to "squint and focus". Meaning... that if you get an eyelash hair in your eye or a sliver in your finger, there is absolutely no way to see something that small that close, no matter how much you squint, ever again. So even with magnifiers and reading glasses, "finite" close-up work becomes very difficult.
In contrast.... I can now drive and watch TV without lenses of any kind, yet I still need a few sets of reading and bi-focal glasses to make it through daily life. I wear reading glasses while at a computer, and wear bifocal reading glasses while watching TV and driving. I don't *need* them to watch TV or drive, but... what happens is that since you can't focus up close, you find yourself wanting to be able to drive *and* be able to see your dashboard, radio, wristwatch, cellphone, etc, so you wind up needing glasses anyway. If I'm watching TV, I can see the TV clearly, but can't see the buttons on the remote, nor read a TV guide, so I wear bifocal reading glasses.
As you can likely imagine by now, I frequently find myself wondering why I bothered. Previously, I *required* a set of bi/tri-focal glasses to do virtually anything, and now, I can do some things with no lenses, yet require at least two different types of glasses at all times to accomodate most situations. Personally, I believe it's a mistake if you're nearing or past the age of 40. Another side-effect that I hadn't mentioned earlier is that having LASIK can interfere with your ability to wear contact lenses. The LASIK procedure creates surface irregularities (abblations?) on your corneas that make it difficult for contact lenses to conform to. So, if you're considering contacts as an alternative to glasses for near vision correction (after age 40), you may very much be out of luck.
Well.... sorry if I've rained on anyone's parade so to speak, but vision is such an important subject that I felt obligated to share this with you.
In a nutshell, my advise is this..... "If you're over 40 and want LASIK because you hate wearing glasses or contacts..... well..... sorry.....", but if you're 20 and would like to spend the next 20 years without having to wear glasses or contacts, then LASIK is a wonderful procedure.
Take care all,
Best of luck to anyone who chooses to undergo this procedure.
I was very nearsighted for 20+ years and was pretty much convinced by my wife that I'd be better off without glasses. In my situation, it wasn't for vanity's sake. I used to wear either bi-focal glasses or contacts, and have had several occasions where my lenses would either be damaged or lost (don't ask!) and I was not able to drive home from wherever I was. In time, I was pretty much convinced that the lesser of evils so to speak, would be to have great distance vision so that I'd always be able to drive/swim/ etc.. without lenses, even if it meant having to sacrifice "near-range" vision. So... eventually, I had it done.
Well...... here's the "real deal". Assuming you're even a candidate for this surgery (which only a qualified doctor can tell), you need to consider a few very important factors. And, the factors vary with age. If you're near-sighted and say, 20 years old, then... LASIK may very well provide you with about 15-20 years of absolutely wonderful vision without lenses of any kind. But, if you're 40 or older, and your motive for the surgery is to *not* wear glasses..... forget it! By age 40, people *generally* tend to develop conditions that create the need for bi or tri focal lenses to accomodate visual clarity at near, middle and distant ranges. So, if you have LASIK in your 40's or later, you'll likely have wonderful distance vision and won't need glasses to drive, swim, etc.... but, you won't be able to read your watch, read text on a computer screen, newspaper, or even see the numbers on your cell-phone. As a bassist and computer professional, this has created a real hassle for me. I now require glasses to clearly see the fingerboard and my sheet-music, and also to read and use my PC. I also need them to view my watch and cell phone.
Also, after LASIK, you no longer have the ability to "squint and focus". Meaning... that if you get an eyelash hair in your eye or a sliver in your finger, there is absolutely no way to see something that small that close, no matter how much you squint, ever again. So even with magnifiers and reading glasses, "finite" close-up work becomes very difficult.
In contrast.... I can now drive and watch TV without lenses of any kind, yet I still need a few sets of reading and bi-focal glasses to make it through daily life. I wear reading glasses while at a computer, and wear bifocal reading glasses while watching TV and driving. I don't *need* them to watch TV or drive, but... what happens is that since you can't focus up close, you find yourself wanting to be able to drive *and* be able to see your dashboard, radio, wristwatch, cellphone, etc, so you wind up needing glasses anyway. If I'm watching TV, I can see the TV clearly, but can't see the buttons on the remote, nor read a TV guide, so I wear bifocal reading glasses.
As you can likely imagine by now, I frequently find myself wondering why I bothered. Previously, I *required* a set of bi/tri-focal glasses to do virtually anything, and now, I can do some things with no lenses, yet require at least two different types of glasses at all times to accomodate most situations. Personally, I believe it's a mistake if you're nearing or past the age of 40. Another side-effect that I hadn't mentioned earlier is that having LASIK can interfere with your ability to wear contact lenses. The LASIK procedure creates surface irregularities (abblations?) on your corneas that make it difficult for contact lenses to conform to. So, if you're considering contacts as an alternative to glasses for near vision correction (after age 40), you may very much be out of luck.
Well.... sorry if I've rained on anyone's parade so to speak, but vision is such an important subject that I felt obligated to share this with you.
In a nutshell, my advise is this..... "If you're over 40 and want LASIK because you hate wearing glasses or contacts..... well..... sorry.....", but if you're 20 and would like to spend the next 20 years without having to wear glasses or contacts, then LASIK is a wonderful procedure.
Take care all,
Best of luck to anyone who chooses to undergo this procedure.
Rumzini said:
Heh heh.... well no.... there's no toothpicks, and you *can't* blink because your eyes and lids are "seized" in a sophisticated fixture while the procedue is being done, but, it's still pretty scary since they ARE cutting radial "flaps" in your corneas prior to "blasting" you with the laser. THAT worried me..... cutting both corneas! No subsequent problems.... but WOW was I scared!
My wife had it done a week ago today. The doctor that did it has over 22,000 procedures under his belt. You would think he wouldn't have the enthusiasm to even go to work but he was really cool and took the time to really make us(her) feel comfortable about everything. The operation went fine and she has 20/20 for now. 
The Doc did say that the only complications that he had heard of where from post operation infections that lead to blindness. He told us that it was very rare for that to happen. My guess is that these places are going to pump you up with all of the good news and not shed a lot of light on the risks.
mjw, sorry it didn't work out so good for you. You give great advice. Although my wife is only 29, I probably would have done some homework had I read your post. I knew she did a lot of reading about it so I felt OK with it. I guess I was excited for her and didn't consider the risks.
The bad thing is, now she knows what I look like and will soon be leaving me
The Doc did say that the only complications that he had heard of where from post operation infections that lead to blindness. He told us that it was very rare for that to happen. My guess is that these places are going to pump you up with all of the good news and not shed a lot of light on the risks.mjw, sorry it didn't work out so good for you. You give great advice. Although my wife is only 29, I probably would have done some homework had I read your post. I knew she did a lot of reading about it so I felt OK with it. I guess I was excited for her and didn't consider the risks.
The bad thing is, now she knows what I look like and will soon be leaving me
- Jan 11, 2002
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- Artist: JAF Basses, Circle K Strings
odie said:
Absolutely true.
My stepmom is an opthalmic photographer and works with people's eyes all day. She said she would never get laser surgery if her life depended on it, because a) all it takes is one small mistake during the procedure and you're screwed; and b) the long-term effects have not yet been studied, because the technology simply hasn't been around long enough.
Although, I still remember when my Laser Design prof went and got the surgery... spent a whole lecture telling us all about it!
Edwcdc said:[snip]
mjw, sorry it didn't work out so good for you. You give great advice. Although my wife is only 29, I probably would have done some homework had I read your post. I knew she did a lot of reading about it so I felt OK with it. I guess I was excited for her and didn't consider the risks.
The bad thing is, now she knows what I look like and will soon be leaving me
Hi,
Well, to be honest, it's not so much that it didn't work out for me as it was that I chose to disregard the advice of my incredibly experienced doctor. One of his *first* questions was "what's your motive for wanting this?". And he was the first to advise me that if my motive was to no longer wear glasses or contacts, that because of my age, this procedure was definately not for me. He added, that regardless of this, many "older" people (lol!) still get it done because the advantages (which vary with each patient) outweigh the hassles. Well, I considered myself "warned" and had it done anyway. In all fairness to my doctor, he did a wonderful job and I've had ZERO complications and healed perfectly. No infections, no "starring", no problems with night-vision, etc. In hindsight, to coin an old phrase... "It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature". Maybe I should've just accepted the fact that I'm not as young as I used to be. But who ever wants to do that?!?!? <grin>
Anyway, best of luck to your wife!
Actually, this is why I offered my Dr.'s number to MM in a previous post (PM on the way, MM). She is not one of those "laser surgery factories." I asked her about the vision correction and she told me exactly why she wouldn't recommend it for me.Edwcdc said:
Tom
I just returned from Montreal where I had "Custom Lasik" done. It's been two days and I have 20/15 (left eye) and 20/10 (right eye) vision. I think it is some of the best money I ever spent and would do it again in a second. 
The group I went to is called Laservue, and it consists of 2 opthalmologist who have each done over 30,000 of these procedures. The new "custom" aspect allows for correction that is even better than one might attain with contacts or glasses.
I agree with much of what has been posted here. Namely:
1. All surgical procedures carry risk. But, if you examine the risks they are pretty low. For example, the risk of infection is about the same as chronic contact use and these guys have never had someone lose sight.
2. You'll still need glasses later in life. Again correct, but loss of accomadation (the ability of the lens to focus on objects up close) will eventually get us all and now with my laser eyes I can hike, bike, play ball, hunt, etc. without worrying about my contacts or glasses. I'll get reading glasses in 10-20 years but that's less of a concern to me.
3. It's not for everyone. Do the research and get your eyes examined and then make the right decision for you. Just like breast augmentations and tummy tucks lasik is considered a cosmetic surgery and so the risk is voluntary.
And while there have been plenty of nay-sayers here, stating that their optometrist have advised them not to get lasik, I'll pass on a fairly strong recommendation. When I was in medical school the director of the Moran Eye Center, a renowned opthalmolgist, gave us the lecture on RK, lasik and the other corrective procedures. She carefully went over risks, benefits and technical aspects of the procedures. When the lecture was finished the final question from one of my classmates was "Knowing the risks would you have it done?"
Her response: "What do you mean would I, I already have."
The group I went to is called Laservue, and it consists of 2 opthalmologist who have each done over 30,000 of these procedures. The new "custom" aspect allows for correction that is even better than one might attain with contacts or glasses.
I agree with much of what has been posted here. Namely:
1. All surgical procedures carry risk. But, if you examine the risks they are pretty low. For example, the risk of infection is about the same as chronic contact use and these guys have never had someone lose sight.
2. You'll still need glasses later in life. Again correct, but loss of accomadation (the ability of the lens to focus on objects up close) will eventually get us all and now with my laser eyes I can hike, bike, play ball, hunt, etc. without worrying about my contacts or glasses. I'll get reading glasses in 10-20 years but that's less of a concern to me.
3. It's not for everyone. Do the research and get your eyes examined and then make the right decision for you. Just like breast augmentations and tummy tucks lasik is considered a cosmetic surgery and so the risk is voluntary.
And while there have been plenty of nay-sayers here, stating that their optometrist have advised them not to get lasik, I'll pass on a fairly strong recommendation. When I was in medical school the director of the Moran Eye Center, a renowned opthalmolgist, gave us the lecture on RK, lasik and the other corrective procedures. She carefully went over risks, benefits and technical aspects of the procedures. When the lecture was finished the final question from one of my classmates was "Knowing the risks would you have it done?"
Her response: "What do you mean would I, I already have."
You know, with all this laser surgery going on, whatever happened to that eye corrective surgery where they used two semicircular pieces of metal (think small, like these parentheses) to reshape the cornea for better vision? It was touted as completely reversable by removing the metal pieces from the (outside of) eye.
Anyone else remember this?
My coworker had laser eye surgery done a couple years ago. She sees fine now, but the first two to three weeks were bad for her. I don't know what happened by she was seeing spots of color and her eyeballs were all bloodshot. She's happy with the end result now though.
Anyone else remember this?
My coworker had laser eye surgery done a couple years ago. She sees fine now, but the first two to three weeks were bad for her. I don't know what happened by she was seeing spots of color and her eyeballs were all bloodshot. She's happy with the end result now though.
Surgeon said:I just returned from Montreal where I had "Custom Lasik" done. It's been two days and I have 20/15 (left eye) and 20/10 (right eye) vision. I think it is some of the best money I ever spent and would do it again in a second.
The group I went to is called Laservue, and it consists of 2 opthalmologist who have each done over 30,000 of these procedures. The new "custom" aspect allows for correction that is even better than one might attain with contacts or glasses.
I agree with much of what has been posted here. Namely:
1. All surgical procedures carry risk. But, if you examine the risks they are pretty low. For example, the risk of infection is about the same as chronic contact use and these guys have never had someone lose sight.
2. You'll still need glasses later in life. Again correct, but loss of accomadation (the ability of the lens to focus on objects up close) will eventually get us all and now with my laser eyes I can hike, bike, play ball, hunt, etc. without worrying about my contacts or glasses. I'll get reading glasses in 10-20 years but that's less of a concern to me.
3. It's not for everyone. Do the research and get your eyes examined and then make the right decision for you. Just like breast augmentations and tummy tucks lasik is considered a cosmetic surgery and so the risk is voluntary.
And while there have been plenty of nay-sayers here, stating that their optometrist have advised them not to get lasik, I'll pass on a fairly strong recommendation. When I was in medical school the director of the Moran Eye Center, a renowned opthalmolgist, gave us the lecture on RK, lasik and the other corrective procedures. She carefully went over risks, benefits and technical aspects of the procedures. When the lecture was finished the final question from one of my classmates was "Knowing the risks would you have it done?"
Her response: "What do you mean would I, I already have."
Congrads, happy to here it worked out for you. Do you know if your going to need any after tweaking?.
Shouldn't. Things look great so far and most folks who need adjustments need it because their corneal flap isn't laying flat.
I should be all done. Nothing left to do but look around and be amazed at what I can see!
Surgeon said:
Beautiful!. Could you share with us how much your correction cost and did your insurence cover any of it?.
