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Just in case anyone out there is contemplating Lasik surgery, I just had it performed on Monday to correct nearsightedness and things are looking good! No pain at all during the procedure and since then the only discomfort is from my eyes being dry. My vision was 20/20 the day after, and may still improve. My wife was able to watch the surgery on a big screen (she was a little squeamish) and was so impressed with the procedure, facility, doctor and my progress that she has already schedule her surgery.
If anyone is on the fence, go to a consultation and learn about it. I'm very pleased, and love the fact that I'm not going to have to wear glasses again (hope). |
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I can vouch for Lasik surgery!
It has been 1 1/2 months since my wife and I had the surgery done. She is at 20/15 and I am at 20/20, no more fumbling over things in the middle of the night and no more contacts to put in your eyes in the morning when you're half awake!
We would do it all over again, without any hesitation! |
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| Yep, Lasik as fantastic! Had it done 3 years ago and still am amazed at the clarity of my vision. Still at 20/15 |
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Got mine in January. Love it. Just renewed my License and for the first time ever did not have a restriction that noted I needed vision correction!
To those recovering, my doc said the more you can keep the eyes closed that first 1/2-1 day the better healing. Mine are great and no dryness.
Good luck to all! |
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Scotty and others:
Congrats on the great outcomes of your Lasik procedures. There are a great many success stories out there. They are the rule, thankfully, not the exceptions. However...
Be wary. In much research I have found the following issues to be concerned about.
1) Make sure you are a candidate for the surgery according to the manufacturer of the laser. Some surgeons will perform the surgery for patients who fall outside the envelope, with results varying from good to tragic.
2) Not all lasers are created equal. Some are 69 Impalas, some are 01 MDXs. Make sure the surgeon has the latest laser. The industry is making leaps forward in technology at staggering rates. The latest Visx laser has far better outcomes with fewer complications than lasers from just a few years ago.
3) Make sure your surgeon has performed many procedures. Sources say at least 500. Ask. Period.
4) It is advisable that you use a surgical group that has their OWN laser. Many doc-in-the-boxes share the (sometimes less than sterile) laser with other groups of doctors. Do you let all your friends borrow your MDX?
5) Make sure the surgeon that does your procedure is the one who will you will see for follow up visits. Many surgeons "roam" from city to city to perform surgeries, and your after care may be done by optometrists (not surgeons), or worse, office staff. You may never see your surgeon again...
6) Visit http://www.surgicaleyes.com. Yeah, this site has all the train wrecks, but it is an informative primer on the stuff your surgeon does not want you to see. (For those who went through the surgery, do you remember the possible complication "death" on the consent form?)
Good luck to all who choose the surgery. In the coming years it will get even better.
Ed
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Ed,
Thank you for the surgical eyes website. I find it rather informative and will have my wife visit the site before her surgery scheduled for 2 weeks. You bring up some very interesting points in your message. I had my surgery at TLC Eye Center, a good quality facility. The expense was greater than a lot of other facilities offering the procedure, but their reputation and experience was worth it to me. My Brother had his surgery just under a year ago at the same facility, and we discussed all the research into the surgery and facility at that time.
My follow-up is with an external optometrist, as my surgeon is based out of PA, and travels to Ft. Laud twice monthly. (He runs a TLC facility in PA, and performs surgery in Manhattan as well as Ft. Laud) Since my wife will been using the same surgeon for her surgery, I think I'll schedule a follow-up appointment with him for that same day... thanks for the tip. TLC provided a bio on each of their 3 surgeons, in case I was uncomfortable with my choice. My surgeon was actually different from my Brother's, based on my available schedule and discussions with the staff at TLC. Naturally, each of the surgeons are highly regarded by the staff at TLC, however, a few did suggest a preference for my surgeon.
My wife and I have a friend that did have some of the complications discussed at the Surgical Eyes website. She went to a local Dr. that was about half the cost of my surgery. I believe her primary problem (starry light effect) passed with healing, yet it illustrates the need to understand the possible complications and to perform your homework up front. We're not talking about drilling a cavity that any qualified dentist (no disrespect whatsoever to the profession) can perform... this is your vision.
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ScottyB,
I am taking my wife tomorrow, in the MDX of course, to have her lasik surgery. She has been bugging me about it for years and I finally gave in. The surgeon is local and has his own facility and will do the follow up examination Saturday morning. |
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quote:
Originally posted by remery
ScottyB,
I am taking my wife tomorrow, in the MDX of course, to have her lasik surgery. She has been bugging me about it for years and I finally gave in. The surgeon is local and has his own facility and will do the follow up examination Saturday morning.
Best of luck Remery. It's really an enlightening experience that I'll soon take for granted. I'm looking forward to going out and finding a cool pair of cheap sunglasses... have to dig out the old ZZ Top cassette to jam in the MDX! |
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quote:
Originally posted by ScottyB
...I'm looking forward to going out and finding a cool pair of cheap sunglasses... have to dig out the old ZZ Top cassette to jam in the MDX! [/B]
Go get the Eliminator CD which is loaded in my MDX six pack!!:D:D |
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I gave one of my married daughters a gift of lasik surgery about three years ago. The California blonde has had to endure these Coke bottle type glasses since she was in junior high. What a difference it made in all regards, vision, convenience, looks etc.
To anyone contemplating the surgery - do your homework, find the right surgeon and I think you will be pleased with the results. |
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Had the surgery done by Dr. Filatov in NYC at the end of February. Was seeing 20/15 the next day. The best thing I have ever done. Wife and brother-in-law got it done a week later. I was the guinea pig.
He said if I can get 5 people to do it, he will give me my money back. I got 2 so far. If anybodywants it done - please use my name as a referral. The cost is between 1500-2500 dollars depending on your site and stigmaism.
Check out http://www.diamondvison.org
Tell them Arun Malhotra recommended you and let me know if you did it and what you think about it. |
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| laborlitigator |
| Anyone have this done in the NY area? |
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| rvehock |
quote:
Originally posted by ScottyB
Just in case anyone out there is contemplating Lasik surgery, I just had it performed on Monday to correct nearsightedness and things are looking good! No pain at all during the procedure and since then the only discomfort is from my eyes being dry. My vision was 20/20 the day after, and may still improve. My wife was able to watch the surgery on a big screen (she was a little squeamish) and was so impressed with the procedure, facility, doctor and my progress that she has already schedule her surgery.
If anyone is on the fence, go to a consultation and learn about it. I'm very pleased, and love the fact that I'm not going to have to wear glasses again (hope).
My wife was considering Lasik until we notices that the doctor that was to perform the surgery was wearing glasses. When I asked him if he was willing to have the same Lasik that he endorsed and performed, he said "no". That is were we stopped and opted to not go through with the surgery as there is no "guarantee" at all when it comes to Lasik!!!!!!!!!! |
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| darkhelmet |
I had been done my TLC in Annapolis 2 months ago. I was 20/20 the very next day. Both my normal eye doc and the doc doing the procedure had LASIK done.
My eyesight has changed with each visit but they say that is normal for the first couple months. At my last check up I was back to 20/20 in my right was a little off on my left (but that's a whole different story with my lazy eye and 2 surgeries to correct that)
I waited 2 years before finally doing and this year I maxed out my flex spending account, so the procedure was basically with tax free money and I was able to get an additional $1000 off due to by Vision insurance. |
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| laborlitigator |
quote:
Originally posted by rvehock
My wife was considering Lasik until we notices that the doctor that was to perform the surgery was wearing glasses. When I asked him if he was willing to have the same Lasik that he endorsed and performed, he said "no". That is were we stopped and opted to not go through with the surgery as there is no "guarantee" at all when it comes to Lasik!!!!!!!!!!
Did he say why he wouldn't get it done? |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
Did he say why he wouldn't get it done?
Yeah, really. I would think everyone would ask him why he wears glasses. It is possible his vision can not be corrected that way.
But he should say that.
Either that or he has no interest in making lots of money doing it, and does it because other doctors do. None of any of this makes much sense.
Let's hope his glasses don't fall off while he is doing surgery on others. :eek: |
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| rlm32 |
| I know a ER doc that used to work with me that had Lasik done, and now has severe retina damage and has been found legally blind!!!:eek: His disability insurance was really crappy, plus his corporation was paying for it, so he is being taxed on a really small monthly amount. He had to sell his house, his wife had to go back to work, had to "downgrade" cars, etc. Really sad story. |
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| norcalchuck |
quote:
Originally posted by darkhelmet
I had been done my TLC in Annapolis 2 months ago. I was 20/20 the very next day. Both my normal eye doc and the doc doing the procedure had LASIK done.
My eyesight has changed with each visit but they say that is normal for the first couple months. At my last check up I was back to 20/20 in my right was a little off on my left (but that's a whole different story with my lazy eye and 2 surgeries to correct that)
I waited 2 years before finally doing and this year I maxed out my flex spending account, so the procedure was basically with tax free money and I was able to get an additional $1000 off due to by Vision insurance.
Were you at all concerned with possible complications. I've researched it pretty thoroughly, and although the risk is slight, it is not insignificant--I recall something like 2-5 % of people get halos around lights at night. Did you experience any of that? |
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| darkhelmet |
quote:
Originally posted by norcalchuck
Were you at all concerned with possible complications. I've researched it pretty thoroughly, and although the risk is slight, it is not insignificant--I recall something like 2-5 % of people get halos around lights at night. Did you experience any of that?
No halos or any side effects, beyond the first 30 minutes. Felt like I had sand in my eyes but you can't rub them. As soon as I got home, I took a nap. I was able to watch TV 2 hours later which shocked my Doctors when they called that night to check on me.
I was concerned as one should be for any procedure involving one's eyes but I figured the procedure has been out for awhile now and most of the "bugs" should be worked out of it. I have had eye surgery twice in the past to correct a lazy eye and that is much worse. All I will say is that they had to shorten up the muscles behind my eyeball so they would be stronger, you all can figure out how they got to them.
As for LASIK, my recommendation is go for it!!! Just do your homework and find a Doctor you trust and feel comfortable with!! |
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| JMT2003 |
I wear glasses and often played with the thought of corrective surgery.
But.....:cool: the surgeons that I have had the pleasure of assisting in ophthalmic procedures all wear spectacles....:13:
When I see a trend in the surgical arena that indicates that these surgeons truly believe in their service by loosing their glasses, then... will I be a true supporter.
:awais: |
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| octavian |
Man, I am struggling with this thing....I would LOVE to do it and get it done right, but far too many of my friends have done it and have had problems. Just last week I was in Boston and one of my admin assistants had it done. One eye is fine....the other not so good. She will have to go back again to see if they can correct the problem.
My tennis partner can't play at night under the lights (only way to play in Texas) because of the halo effect.
My ex-boss went thru months of worrying if he would be able to see better than before...dry eyes, halo, etc. etc.
I am happy for those who came thru OK with this procedure, but when 40% of my friends have had problems, those ain't good odds, even in Texas.
:mad: |
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| rvehock |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
Did he say why he wouldn't get it done?
Because the actual outcome of the surgery cannot be totally predicted, as you know outcomes of this surgery can vary from very successful to disastrous:eek: :eek: :eek: |
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| renov8r |
And this all about scars. Don't let the "laser" aspect fool you, that thing is not like a "light saber" in Star Wars -- it is more like a very fancy, very focused 'heat beam'. Every time it "cuts" it is really HEATING.
The guy who first had some success with "corrective vision surgery" was a Russian who developed tools & techniques before lasers were around. Yes, lasers are more precise than the old tools (generally glass edged scapels -yikes!), but the 'correction' is STILL based on "cut here & ODDS ARE that the scar will form in such a way to reshape the lens properly".
I know fewer than a dozen folks that have had vision correcting surgery, and the majority have had good results BUT those they have NOT are CONSTANTLY bothered by lights, itchy eyes, halo, side-glare...
My uncle is a retired opthmalogist. He performed thousands and thousands of cataract surgeries in his life, as well as corneal transplants and repair or traumatic injury. He is not an 'evangilist' against vision correcting surgery, but he has simply stated "you can always buy a different pair of frames if you made a poor choice in your eyeglasses, I've yet to met a surgeon that can reverse time if your before surgery vision had less complications..."
Good enough for me :cool: :eek: :cool: |
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| DaleB |
| I believe surgery should always be the last resort in any kind of corrective medical treatment. Likewise, vanity, the worst reason to pursue it. |
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| laborlitigator |
| Thing is DaleB, lasik is not a true "vanity" type of procedure. |
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| zman |
To those of us with poor vision I think vanity has nothing to do with it. After 28 years of wearing glasses I simply grew tired of it.
I had mine done in January and for the first month or so I had quite a few issues with halo's and fluctuating vision. The doctor said it may take a few months to subside. It actually took about 5 weeks to go away. I am now 20/15 and am very happy. Like anything else there are risks associated with the procedure. And the fact that it is your vision makes in somewhat scary. Each person has to make an educated decision that they are comfortable with.
It is loosely analagous to getting a lemon vehicle. If you do your research and pick a good brand/doctor, odds are that you will be OK. But there always is an exceptiont to the rule..... |
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| norcalchuck |
quote:
Originally posted by zman
It is loosely analagous to getting a lemon vehicle. If you do your research and pick a good brand/doctor, odds are that you will be OK. But there always is an exceptiont to the rule.....
Don't know about that analogy. I can always buy another car. Can't buy new eyeballs. With the 20/15 vision , which is slightly farsighted, do you now have presbyopia? Must you use glasses to read? I have a friend with 20/200 vision. I think about a -7.0 diopter correction. Someone like that is in a world of hurt if they lose their glasses. Could even be life threatening in an emergency. I could see the equation more balanced for someone like that taking the risks of surgery. |
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| octavian |
| norcal...you bring up a good point...according to my oph, if I do lasik, I lose the contacts, but have to use reading glasses. Without lasik, I keep the contacts but don't need reading glasses. No easy answers out there.:mad: |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by laborlitigator
Thing is DaleB, lasik is not a true "vanity" type of procedure.
DON'T LIKE VANITY? TRY NECESSITY.....
It certainly may be VANITY if the vision correction needed is minimal and the person just does not like how they look in glasses or they are just 'tired' of glasses, and wearing glasses is a NECESSITY.
All medical treatment includes some risk. You need to find where you are on that continuum as far as health vs. need vs. desire against any risks.
There are several factors to consider, is my point. Even given the best physician, and money is no object, it is not something to jump into with much consideration. |
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| laborlitigator |
| Don't you just love 2 year old threads? |
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| zman |
Norcal wrote:
Don't know about that analogy. I can always buy another car. Can't buy new eyeballs. With the 20/15 vision , which is slightly farsighted, do you now have presbyopia? Must you use glasses to read? I have a friend with 20/200 vision. I think about a -7.0 diopter correction. Someone like that is in a world of hurt if they lose their glasses. Could even be life threatening in an emergency. I could see the equation more balanced for someone like that taking the risks of surgery.
OK, I did say loose analogy, but your point is taken. I figured someone would call me on the analogy I picked. Anyway, I am now slightly farsighted. I function fine 95+% of the time, but if I have to read small print on a medication bottle or something I struggle. No issues at work, etc. The doctor told me to hold out for six months or so and then if I still feel the need for reading glasses I could purchase them. For someone who was -5.25 with astigmatism, and couldn't function without glasses, the trade-off is well worth it to me. |
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| norcalchuck |
quote:
Originally posted by zman
[B]Norcal wrote:
For someone who was -5.25 with astigmatism, and couldn't function without glasses, the trade-off is well worth it to me.
Absolutely. I think the key is simply a risk-benefit analysis. If one has a -1.50 /-1.75, the equation is different. Same thing when I decided against surgery for a separated shoulder in an old skiing accident. I think the decision is a lot easier to make if you could not function without your glasses. (What did cavemen with bad eyesight do?--Guess Darwin took care of that--they got eaten and hence were eliminated from the gene pool) |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by norcalchuck
(......they got eaten and hence were eliminated from the gene pool)
Apparently not enough of them...(as I read this through my glasses)....
Seriously, I would agree, if you are really in a world of hurt if you lose your glasses, you are approaching those who may even be classified as legally blind. So I am not sure where you would draw the line. If driving at night would be a major problem without glasses (beyond just reading street signs) then I would say that person is an excellent candidate and would consider it myself if my vision were that poor.
Everyone else with better eyesight can make up their own mind. They would just be advised as many have done here to be very careful in their selection of physician and be armed with all the facts. |
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| Happy_MDX |
I would say Lasik is nothing short of a miracle,
I was -3.25 / -3.35, was I nervous before the surgery....YES !, almost walked out,but...... I'm glad I stayed
today i'm today I'm 20/ 19.75, and my vision is very stable now for 1 year after the procedure. |
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| DaleB |
Congratulations! Glad it worked out well for you. Hope they threw in some plastic surgery so you look better too, than your avatar would suggest...
but if you can be Happy, and Dead Sexy (?) you must have a lot going for you, but for the life of me I don't know what it could be!!!
:2: |
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| Happy_MDX |
lmao :6:.......Dale I have had some plastic surgery done in the last few weeks:25: , I'll be sure to replace my avatar with something more up to date.....:bootyshak
lol |
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| MtnMDX |
Hey guys, just thought I would share my experience.
I used to have a -4.50 correction and just over six years ago, had lasik performed. I have to say that I am very pleased to have had the procedure. My recupery was very quick and nearly painless. And for many years, my vision was near perfect. (OK, now you've sensed the 'but....')
My vision has fallen off in the past few years. I am now uncomfortable driving at night without glasses and sometimes, especially at night, wear them to watch TV or live performances. For most of the time, usually many days of the week, I never wear my glasses. And, I can still enjoy all of the sporting activities that were such a drag wearing heavy glasses or contacts.
Yes, I'm disappointed that my vision is no longer perfect, and I have considered getting a 'touch-up'. The cost is much cheaper this time around, but I weigh the risk/benefit factor even more now, especially since I'm still only 36.
And finally, it boils down to this: Would I do it all over again? Yes. |
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