Anyone had Lasik done? What was your experience? [Archive]

Lizard

08-17-2005, 07:56 AM

I've been having some issues with blurry vision and my contacts not feeling right, and had an eye appt. yesterday. It turns out that my 17 years of wearing contacts is starting to affect my corneas. :( My eye doctor, as she does nearly every visit, recommended I check out Lasik. I've poo-pooed her idea in the past because I don't mind wearing contacts, but after hearing about this corneal issue and the fact that it could get worse, I'm thinking I should at least consider it.

Anyone had it done and would be willing to share their experience, as well as how they're doing now? Better yet, anyone have it done that has a prescription of 20/700 or so? :D On one hand I really want to do it, but the idea of having a procedure done on my eyes that may or may not work is just plain frightening to me. :(

southhavenjen

08-17-2005, 08:00 AM

DiscoDiva

08-17-2005, 08:02 AM

I was 20/850!!! Way beyond legally blind without correction. I had LASIK done and it changed my life! I needed two procedures, which they said I would, because of the amount of correction needed. I had the typical problems for about 6 months afterwards (halos at night, dry eyes, changing vision as my eyes healed, etc.). But now, it's wonderful! My vision has stayed 20/20. I highly recommend LASIK. Just make sure you check out your doctor thoroughly.

HeatherFL

08-17-2005, 08:02 AM

Is it true that your prescription has to be stable for two years in a row? Mine worsens each year so I've heard I'm not a candidate because of this.

~H.

southhavenjen

08-17-2005, 08:07 AM

Is it true that your prescription has to be stable for two years in a row? Mine worsens each year so I've heard I'm not a candidate because of this.

~H.

I am pretty sure that is true.

Lizard, just make sure you educate yourself on the procedure and the possible complications. Don't just take the information the doctor gave you at face value like I did; do your own research. (In my own defense, a lot of the dry eye complications were not known at the time I had my surgery in 1999.) I recommend checking out the site LaserMyEye (http://www.lasermyeye.org)

Lizard

08-17-2005, 08:33 AM

Lizard, just make sure you educate yourself on the procedure and the possible complications. Don't just take the information the doctor gave you at face value like I did; do your own research. (In my own defense, a lot of the dry eye complications were not known at the time I had my surgery in 1999.) I recommend checking out the site LaserMyEye (http://www.lasermyeye.org)

I will definitely do my own research... I always research things to death before I act on them. :D I know 3 people here at work that have done Lasik... one went great. The 2nd one went OK, but he had issues with swollen eyes and blurry vision. That turned out to be caused by an allergy to the eye drops he was given. The 3rd went horribly and she had to go to another doctor to have several follow-ups. :(

HeatherFL, my doctor told me that my prescription needs to be historically consistent. My eyes actually got a bit worse compared to last year, but she said that it wasn't a huge increase and historically my eyes are close to what they were many years ago.

BethIrish

08-17-2005, 08:40 AM

I did. Honestly, it was the best thing I've ever done for myself and ever $ was well spent in my eyes. (hee, no pun intended.)

I don't know what my 20/# was prior to the surgery, but I wore around -6.5/6.75 in my contacts and I had an astigmatism. I now see 20/20 in one eye, 20/15 in the other and 20/15 together. In fact, we were at a stadium on Saturday night (Gillette, for any of you MA people) and from the top tier of the stadium I could clearly see our car in the parking lot!!! :eek: :cool:

All of that said, do tons of research, talk to people AND read the horror stories. If you are not a risk taker by nature, don't do it. If you can't live with some of the potential side effects, don't do it.

Good luck in your decision. I couldn't be happier with my decision to do it OR the outcome. (I had it done a year ago this past June.)

mb1197

08-17-2005, 09:34 AM

I have not done it as I have perfect vision, but I know 3 people that have had it done. One friend of mine experienced extreme blurred vision for about a week and was very scared. However, it eventually cleared up and he is thrilled with the results. My mom had it done and although she is generally pleased she does have dry eyes and still has to wear glasses while driving. Another friend of mine had it done with fantastic results and no problems at all.

hockeybrat

08-17-2005, 09:50 AM

I have some cousins that has had it done and they love it. Genetically, we all have bad eyes and all 3 of them have been able to get rid of their glasses.

Unfortunately, I went and did a consultation (a lot of places offer complimentary screenings) through Virginia Mason and found out that my eyes were beyond the allowable parameters for LASIK, LASEK, and implanted lenses.

Definitely do your homework and talk to folks in your area who have gotten their eyes done and see who they recommend. I would avoid doctors who advertise those specials you see in the Sunday paper. I probably could have qualified through them (just so they could get my money - at least that was my thought) :rolleyes:

Lanapoo

08-17-2005, 09:59 AM

A very good friend of mine had it done. At first she had about 6 months of dry eyes, blurry vision, etc. and was really scared that it didn't work for her. But it eventually cleared up and she told me that she has no regrets whatsoever.

I wear glasses and I don't think I'll be doing the surgery anytime soon. I've just got a kick-*ss pair of glasses to wear :cool: But my vision isn't that bad, I could get away with not wearing my glasses at all.

It's a tough decision, good luck :)

keska

08-17-2005, 10:11 AM

DH wanted to do it but decided not to after one of his friends had very bad results from it. He actually ended up with worse vision and basically unable to see anything clearly out of one eye. Even with glasses, which he had previously worn, his vision is not clear anymore.

cyd_96

08-17-2005, 11:11 AM

I had it done in January 2001, so it's been 4 1/2 years now. At first I was 20/15, but a few months later it changed to 20/20, and has stayed there since.

I am so glad I did it. I had horrible eyesight before with astigmatism, and couldn't survive without contacts or glasses. Now, I don't remember what life is like with those!

I was fortunate to not have any issues like dry eye, halos, etc. As everyone says, do your research. And check out your doctor thoroughly.

Good luck!

Dotsie

08-17-2005, 11:18 AM

I had it done almost a year ago to the day. I have -550 vision in both eyes. It was the best thing I have ever done and I would do it again in a heart beat. I have never suffered from halos, dry eyes, etc.

villanelle75

08-17-2005, 11:34 AM

As a side note, is there a way to tell from your contacts perscription what your vision in in terms of the 20/20 scale? In other words, if my contacts are 7.0, can I figure out if I'm 20/XXX? TIA!

hockeybrat

08-17-2005, 11:41 AM

As a side note, is there a way to tell from your contacts perscription what your vision in in terms of the 20/20 scale? In other words, if my contacts are 7.0, can I figure out if I'm 20/XXX? TIA!

Good question. I've always wondered about that too. My contacts are around -9. (something) range. What they actually looked at when I went for my consult was my eyeglass prescription (total coke bottles). It was a combination of my nearsightedness, my astigmatism, that did me in.

pixiecat

08-17-2005, 12:21 PM

I am in the "it changed my life!" camp... my contacts were -8 and -9 and I had very sensitive eyes, always had infections, etc. LASIK was by far the best thing I have ever done for myself. I had the procedure done in Jan 03 and I still see 20/20 and 20/15!

It took me about a full month to really heal, but I've had no problems ever since. I would do it again in a heartbeat :D

Lizard

08-17-2005, 12:32 PM

I'm not 100% sure on this, but someone told me that if you have, say, 7.0 contacts, your vision is basically 20/700. 6.5 would be 20/650, 5.0 would be 20/500, etc.

Thanks for all the stories and opinions, both good and bad. I really appreciate them!

kristin9903

08-17-2005, 02:46 PM

My husband and I just had LASIK done this past March. So far, so good! I didn't have a bad prescription to begin with (20/50 or a -1.25) but I am now 20/15 in both eyes. My Dr. uses an all laser approach and offers the CustomVue procedure where the computer completely maps your eyes for LASIK. Because of this, not only was my nearsightedness corrected, but the slight astigmatism I had was, too. It was also surprisingly cheap, but that could be because of my prescription. My Dr. said that because of the custom, all laser approach, he has yet to have a patient with severe complications due to LASIK in the past 5 years.

I do have halos at night, but you get used to that pretty quickly. Also, my eyes are light sensitive now, so I really need sunglasses for driving during the day. DH still gets dry eyes occasionally, but nothing really bothersome. Other than that, it's been wonderful and I would totally recommend it!

DiscoDiva

08-17-2005, 03:10 PM

Good question. I've always wondered about that too. My contacts are around -9. (something) range. What they actually looked at when I went for my consult was my eyeglass prescription (total coke bottles). It was a combination of my nearsightedness, my astigmatism, that did me in.

I was -8.5 with a severe astigmatism, and I'm now 20/20 after LASIK!

ejs

08-17-2005, 04:24 PM

A close friend of mine had it and says it's the biggest regret of his life. He is in the healthcare field so he did a lot of research and got recommendations beforehand. He has had a total of 4 surgeries and his eyes are worse than before the first LASIK. Twenty-four hours a day, his vision is blurry, his eyes burn and sting, and he is in constant pain. Nothing helps. He has been told that nothing can now be done.

He's married, works, has great hobbies, generally has a really positive attitude. But he has admitted that it is so awful that he had considered ending his life because he couldn't imagine spending the next 50 years in this pain.

I know his is a rare case, but it's enough for me to never consider it if I was in that situation.

Annette

08-17-2005, 04:31 PM

I had it done in January. I also did the Intra Lasik with Custom Cornea. My vision fluctuated a lot the first few months. Now it's stable and 20/20. My prescription was -6 to -7 with astigmatism.

hokiegirl

08-17-2005, 05:31 PM

Both my husband and I had it done this past Dec and haven't looked back with any regret since. He had astigmatism, but it went fine. Mine took 2 procedures. Best thing I ever did and best money spent!

kcjaime

08-22-2005, 08:16 AM

Hello all! I am posting because my DH wants to get Lasik done on his eyes soon, and we are fairly new to the Washington DC area. Consequently, we are looking for recommendations on where to get it done around here. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! :D

hockeybrat

08-22-2005, 10:41 AM

I was -8.5 with a severe astigmatism, and I'm now 20/20 after LASIK!

I was hoping I would qualify but my consult at Virginia Mason, they said that based on my glasses prescription which is about a 10-11+ (and the astigmatism), I was too risky.

Other factors also contributed, my corneas were too thin and my pupils were too big for Verysise (implanted lenses).

I totally stuck out on my consult that day. :(

DiscoDiva

08-23-2005, 09:22 AM

Good point. You have to have nice thick corneas, since that is what they 'remove' when correcting your vision. If your corneas are too thin, you can't do LASIK. I'm so happy I have thick corneas!

jh124

08-23-2005, 10:10 AM

I had lasik in January '03 and it has changed my life! It hurt more than I thought it would (not the procedure, the four hour recovery period afterward.) But I was -6.5 before and now I can see, I can see! I can wake up in the middle of the night and see the numbers on the clock. I no longer have to shower by braille, or put steamy glasses on to shave.

Hello all! I am posting because my DH wants to get Lasik done on his eyes soon, and we are fairly new to the Washington DC area. Consequently, we are looking for recommendations on where to get it done around here. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! :D

Dr. Whitten did Tiger Woods and his partner, Dr. Perot, did me! They are part of the the TLC chain, with a lifetime guarentee. My eye dr did my screening/referrals. She's located in Crystal City, Dr. Sapho Doan, 703-413-1400. I spent $4500 to get both eyes done, and I'm sure the price has gone up a bit. But it was worth every penny to have the peace of mind knowing that the person doing my eyes was one of the best in the country. Dr. Perot has done many sports teams and pro atheletes, and you know Tiger Woods isn't messing with his vision.

kcjaime

08-23-2005, 10:40 AM

JH-Thanks so much for the information! That is super helpful, esp. since DH loves Tiger Woods. ;)

We will definitely be checking out those names!

Asha

08-23-2005, 11:53 AM

Lizard

08-23-2005, 12:14 PM

lizard - i have a question about wearing contacts. did you wear hard or soft contacts? i have noticed since wearing contacts for many years, my eyes have become sensitive. what i mean is that if i don't wear the contacts, my eyes will water a lot when exposed to to much wind and air. also, i am now very sensitive to the sun. i am wondering if this has to do with wearing contacts for many years. i suppose i should make an appt. with an opthamologist.

I wear disposables... I think I've worn these for about 15 years, and prior to that I wore regular soft contacts for about 2 years. I've noticed the same thing with eye sensitivity... that's one reason I don't like wearing glasses anymore.

The issue that my doctor found, is that the blood vessels in my eyes are starting to grow towards my corneas (it's called "corneal neovascularization"). She said it's quite common, and can occur in people that have been wearing contacts for a very long time, for extended periods of time. Because my eyes are so bad, I wear my contacts from when I get up to when I go to bed - I don't wear them overnight though.

She said the worst case scenario is that the vessel growth continues into my corneas and I'll have some vision problems. Her recommendation was to either get LASIK, or to limit my contact lens usage to no more than 10 hours a day. If for some reason I have to wear them longer than 10 hours a day, I need to wear glasses the next day. She also gave me a more oxygen-permeable contact lens to try. I've only been wearing them a week, and I feel a BIG difference in my eyes. I think it's a combo of the lenses and wearing them for less time.

Brandles

08-24-2005, 08:17 PM

I had it done 4 years ago and I'm SO GLAD I did! I love it! NO REGRETS! The worst pain was the little pinch at the corner of my eye (that thin skin there) when they were getting ready to do it.

Yes, I was pretty nervous. They gave me 2 valium and then, a 3rd after they told me "everything would go black for a few seconds". :eek: No, not black...brownish swirls, like when you press on your closed eye lids for a few minutes. I actually fell asleep in the waiting room, waiting, after that 3rd valium. ;)

heather1029

08-22-2006, 10:01 AM

Bump!

I am seriously contemplating getting this procedure done. I HATE contacts and I look HORRIBLE in glasses. My allergies cause my contacts to fall out randomly and my life would be so much better if I could see even when allergies were bothering me (which is like all the time).

akacharlotte

08-23-2006, 06:51 AM

Had the surgery in 2001, loved it, highly recommend the surgery. Just visit a lot of doctors/surgeons and pick the best one for you. I kept going to consultations until I found the group I was most comfortable with.

DelSol

08-23-2006, 07:21 AM

I had LASIK done in 2004 and couldn't be happier. BIL had his done 2 years ago and is happy with the results also.

It was the best thing I could have done and worth every penny I spent to have it done. :)

ca_girl

08-23-2006, 09:05 AM

I had it in 2000 or 2001. I can't remember, but it was SO worth it. I still don't have to use glasses (yet). I love not having to deal with my contact falling out, or getting dirt in my eye & having to take out my contact & wash it.

I went to the guy my regular eye doctor recommended. My eye doctor even met me at the Lasik place to double check everything the other doctor was doing (even though he's one of the best in town).

jenjen0713

08-23-2006, 09:12 AM

I had it done in 2001 and it was the best decision I ever made!! The money was well spent! My vision was so horrible and I hated dealing with contacts and glasses. My vision isn't perfect but it is 20/30 or something like that at my last eye doctor appointment last year. I did have a problem with extremely dry eyes the first 6 months after the procedure but it was easily treated with eye drops.

mrs_pell

08-23-2006, 08:11 PM

My DH just had it done about a month ago. He is SOOO happy. He was also well past legally blind w/out his glasses, and had pretty severe astigmatism. They told him that if he didn't have it done, he would likely be completely blind by the time he was in his mid to late 60s. His vision is now 20/10 in one eye and 20/15 in the other eye. His eyes still get a little sore at night, especially if he's been doing a lot of coding on the computer, but other than that, he's had no problems what so ever. He's a happy man. Now I can't make faces at him in the mornings, though, because he can see me! ;)

Oh, and I'm not 100% sure on what the exact procedure he had to have done was, but I know it did take him a few days longer to recover than normal. A lot of people are at work the next day, but he was out for 3 days and wasn't able to drive until the 3rd day.

MsRo

08-23-2006, 08:22 PM

I had the procedure done 2 years ago and I have never regretted it. After about six months the dry eyes and halos were gone and really, they were never that bothersome to begin with.

The best $$ I've ever spent on myself. Ever.

wander_woman

08-30-2006, 08:25 AM

Had the surgery about 9 months ago. Best decision ever. I wish I had done it sooner. I did it because my allergies had gotten so bad that I couldn't wear my contacts anymore, and glasses have always given me headaches. I visited several doctors and it took me several months to get up the courage to actually do it (the thought of someone messing with my eyes really scared me). But I'm so glad I did! It's now hard to imagine I lived so long with contacts/glasses.

working_mom

08-31-2006, 12:32 AM

I thought about it but a friend who is a doctor is waiting herself... but now you all have me rethinking :0)

petdoc08

12-08-2006, 07:42 AM

bumping this up again... My contact imploded in my eye today for no apparent reason. After digging polymer shrapnel out of my eye for a good two hours, I am ready to seriously look into this. I would do it in a heart beat, but I am afraid of being blinding and not seeing my baby grow. Silly- I know- but still a huge fear.

If I got this done on a Friday, could I be A-ok to take care of DD on my own by Monday if all goes well? Thanks ladies :)

heather1029

12-08-2006, 07:47 AM

petdoc08: I don't have any advice for you since I, too, am searching for info. I just wanted to comment that I love your descriptive language ("contact imploded" and "digging polymer shrapnel")!!

MsRo

12-08-2006, 07:50 AM

If I got this done on a Friday, could I be A-ok to take care of DD on my own by Monday if all goes well? Thanks ladies :)

I was driving the very next day (got my procedure done July of '04). I don't have any reservations on telling you that yes, you would be able to care for your daughter on Monday. :)

strawberry4

12-08-2006, 07:54 AM

I had Lasik done in '99. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Not having to wear contacts or glasses changed my life for the better. I was fine about 4 hours after the procedure. I think you will be fine. It is amazing to wake up and be able to see the alarm clock without squinting or fumbling for glasses.

thyme

12-08-2006, 08:06 AM

I had it, it was fabulous, I would definitely do it again.

ETA that if you're near FL, I recommend the guy who did mine. Dr. Maida (http://www.maidalaser.com/about.htm)

jh124

12-08-2006, 08:16 AM

If I got this done on a Friday, could I be A-ok to take care of DD on my own by Monday if all goes well? Thanks ladies :)

You'd probably be fine by Saturday. But live it up and ask for help. After all, a mom needs a break sometimes.:)

DelSol

12-08-2006, 08:17 AM

The day of the procedure you will want someone there to help you take care of your DD. My doctor told me to go home and sleep for a few hours and that is what I did. The next day I drove to my follow up appointment. I had mine done 2 years ago in April. You'll probably have to wear protective eye glasses for a few days and when you sleep. It was the best choice I made.

Good Luck!

petdoc08

12-08-2006, 08:57 AM

You'd probably be fine by Saturday. But live it up and ask for help. After all, a mom needs a break sometimes.:)

I plan on milking it for the weekend :p , but DH would have to return to work on Monday. If there was a complication, he would be able to take the time off. I would just rather use his vacation days for fun things. There is no family close by to help us out... just me, DH, and the peanut.

After doing a quick google search it seems as though it is hard to find a doc who will preform it on a BF-ing woman. :( It looks like a CYA policy, as I can't find concrete reasoning.

ManteoChik

12-08-2006, 10:23 AM

I've been wanting this done as well. My aunt had it done (but only needed it in one eye) and she's been very happy with it.

I also know a family friend who had HORRIBLE vision. He always wore contacts but they require that you wear glasses for two weeks before hand. He's been wearing contacts so long he didn't even have glasses anymore...lol. He went to Lenscrafters and got a pair with their 30 day money back deal and wore them for two weeks and then returned them. I know its probably not exactly "ethical" but he figured there was no point in buying glasses when he wouldn't need them again. Anyway, he's become a walking spokesperson for lasik eye surgery and is sooo happy with the results.

I can't wait to get it done, but it will probably be a while since its so expensive. Does anyone know if their insurance covers it?

Neen

12-08-2006, 10:43 AM

Does anyone know if their insurance covers it?

Usually not, but some will give a discount (mine did for about $600).

I had it done about 10 months ago and I am so happy with it! The only problem I have is at night where I still have some halo's around lights. I can read signs just fine but street lights and headlights have a halo. I can deal with it!!

NotDesperate

12-09-2006, 08:50 AM

I had it done and I am the BIGGEST BABY OF ALL TIME.

I am not kidding you, the biggest baby, I was even too scared to wear contacts.

If I can do it, seriously, anyone can do it.

The biggest reason I did it, is because my eyes were so bad (20/400) and I really hated wearing glasses, especially since I am so young. I was 21 when I got it done.

I was freaked out when I went in, but they were really nice about it.

The worst part, was when they put these plastic peices under your eyelids to keep your eyes open. But since you are a veteran contact lens wearer- that should be no problem to you. I just wasn't used to things touching my eyes. And really, once they were in- it wasn't that bad.

And the whole procedure took about 10 minutes.

It was amazing how much I could see right away. I certainly did not need glasses anymore and my eyes only improved from there.

I think if you have the means ($) to do so- you really should. It is so worth it! You don't feel a thing, it is over in a flash, and you won't have to worry about glasses for a long long time.

My only advice- is go to someone who is really good, even if it costs more. Preferably someone who has done it successfully at least 50,000 times (no joke). That would be about 4 or 5 years of *only* doing Lasik. And you may even want someone more experienced than that. For example, my doctor was really good (he does lots of sports stars- even Tiger Woods!) and had only been doing Lasik and had done about 60,000 by the time I came to him. There is another who is also really good and does lasik- but mostly does cataract surgery. I would rather have someone who does JUST Lasik.

NotDesperate

12-09-2006, 08:52 AM

P.S. My health insurance paid $2,000 of it. My vision insurance would have only paid $1,000.

vwinkel

12-11-2006, 09:45 AM

P.S. My health insurance paid $2,000 of it. My vision insurance would have only paid $1,000.
Was it a mandory surgery for you? I was always under the impression that it is similar to "cosmetic" so health insurance wouldn't pay. How did you health insurance cover it?

Anyone have any doctor recommendations in the Chicagoland area?

Annette

12-12-2006, 04:29 PM

After doing a quick google search it seems as though it is hard to find a doc who will preform it on a BF-ing woman. It looks like a CYA policy, as I can't find concrete reasoning.

It's probably due to the medication they give you afterwards. I was on 3 different eyedrops after the surgery.

I used my tax free flex plan to pay for it since insurance didn't cover it.

ETA: For me, they gave me Valium day of surgery and you can't take that while your breastfeeding.

Lizard

10-17-2007, 01:43 PM

Dotsie

10-17-2007, 05:19 PM

I had the wavefront lasik. It's still the best decision I've ever made. I still sit and stare at things across the room and am amazed that I can do it.
I have never suffered from halos, dryness, etc.
I say go for it.

diam124

10-17-2007, 05:35 PM

My DH had it done in May. He was originally signed up for the Intralase method, but during the surgery the suction cups kept coming off his eye because his astigmatism was so bad. The doctor came out and said that he couldn't perform the Intralase surgery (the first time he's never not been able to do it), but he could perform the traditional laser surgery. DH opted for that. Because they had so many problems with the suction cups, I think his recovery was more difficult than most. He had severe "bruising" on his eyes - basically they were bright red for weeks.

The worst part though is the on-going dryness he has. It got better temporarily and then got worse. He is currently on a prescription eye drop and it has marginally improved. His vision is great, but he said he doesn't think he'd do it again because the chronic dryness is so bad. I'm hoping it eventually goes away.

Fenway

10-17-2007, 05:39 PM

So was searching for a thread on Lasik, and realized I was the OP of this thread over 2 years ago. :D I have been re-visiting this idea again, because DH changed insurance companies and the new one offers a substantial discount for Lasik. Anyone done Wavefront Lasik? Apparently it causes less "halo" issues.

I might actually be able to talk myself into it this time - I'm definitely gonna get an evaluation at least.

When I had LASIK in 2004, Wavefront wasn't an option. I have terrible halos and glare at night. I just ordered a pair of glasses that is supposed to help with the problem.

Even with the halos and glares, I'd do LASIK again in a second. Wearing glasses at night while driving, rather than needing contacts or glasses every waking moment is totally worth the trade off for me.

AmandaLeigh

10-21-2007, 07:45 PM

DH had lasik done a few months ago. He said it was the best money he ever spent. He actually had to get one of his eyes done twice because he wrinkled the cornea when his eye protector fell off. His doctor came into the office from accross town just to fix it. Now DH tries to convince everyone he knows to get the surgery done.

shebestova

11-20-2007, 04:53 PM

I had the Wavefront laser done a year ago and I would do it again in a heartbeat! It was one of the best moments in my life and I am still amazed at the results.

My vision was absolutely horrible and I was severely nearsighted (I wore contacts). My vision was so bad that there was not even a number to classify it (i.e. 20/20). My doctor summed it up as that I could see two fingers if they were two feet from my face! :eek:

I did not have any complications or side effects whatsoever. Even to this day, when I wake up in the middle of the night and I am able to see the alarm clock, I am still in awe.

AmyE

11-21-2007, 12:56 AM

everything shebestova said. I LOVE it, and it's been 18 months. My contacts prescriptions was -9.5 and -9.25. Now I'm seeing 20/20. truly amazing. Dry eyes for the first month, but not bad and not after that.

vjel

11-21-2007, 04:14 AM

smile78

11-26-2007, 10:38 AM

I had it done in 1999 and my eyes have been uncomfortably dry ever since. I now have to use an expensive prescription eyedrop that costs $80 a month just to be comfortable. If I had to do it over again, I probably would not.

I like being able to see when I wake up, but after a few years my vision regressed, and I do have to wear glasses while driving now. My vision is about 20/40 now. I don't wear glasses the majority of the time, though. That part is nice.

This was my experience exactly!! I was legally blind as well, had it done (twice as well) and couldn't be happier! I had worn glasses since kindergarden and was 27 when I finally got the surgery. Best decision I have ever made!! My vision is 20/20 and I don't wear glasses at all.

jesvet

11-26-2007, 10:46 AM

oh, i didn't know there was a lasik thread! I am so doing this next year after I am done BFing my ds. Like others, I just want to be able to wake up and SEE w/o having to put my glasses on. Or if I fall asleep on the couch w/ my contacts in, I won't wake up w/ the contacts GLUED to my eyeballs!

Someone mentioned they didn't know why lasik wouldn't be done on a BFing mom. I was told that I couldn't be BFing either when I inquired about it earlier this year. I didn't think to ask why at the time. I was talking to some friends about lasik and one of them said it's probably b/c of wacky hormones. She had mentioned while pg w/ her 2nd DD, she had to wear glasses b/c her vision changed. Then after her dd's birth, her eyesight was normal again.

I haven't done any research on lasik really. What is the difference between Wavefront and regular lasik surgery?

I was told that breastfeeding hormones can alter your prescription. I went in for a consult while still BFing and they told me to come back after my period returned...and they were right, my prescription did change! I got my initial LASIK after I stopped BFing DD number 1. I was due for a touch up at 6 months post op, but I ended up pregnant again so that was delayed by a year and a half. The total process took 2 years but it was SOOO worth it! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I had a bad astigmatism so I did the wavefront custom LASIK. That procedure allows more fine-tuning of how the laser is applied to the eyeball as opposed to the same amount of intensity across the whole surface, which isn't an issue unless you have a particularly irregular cornea (which I did.) I also had the...what is it called...hmmm...intralase? It's the one where they make a flap with the laser as opposed to the keratome blade.

I'm not quite 20/20 but I didn't go in with that expectation. Being able to function without glasses is a godsend, even if I do end up needing reading glasses or whatnot. I think people with moderate prescriptions end up more disappointed than those of us who had TERRIBLE ones since the difference is so much more vast!