Talk to me about Lasik

sarawifenow · July 2014

I have had to wear glasses for about a year now and HATE it! They are annoying as hell. I am too much of a pansy for contacts, though. So...lasik. Anyone done it? Recommendations? Warnings? I want all the facts!

KatieinBkln · July 2014

I've done it. Love it!

I wore contacts for years but they never quite got my astigmatism corrected properly, which was not great. Glasses fixed me up but were less than ideal for sports/peripheral vision.

If you do it, you'll have to go in to get an exam to make sure you're a good candidate. I don't remember all the criteria, but your Rx has to have remained the same for a certain amount of time, your pupils need to be within a particular size range, and you have to be able to focus on a point for a certain amount of time.

The surgery itself is COOL AS HELL and also kind of gross. You will smell burning hair (well, it smells like burning hair. It's actually burning eyeball). If the idea of touching your eye/contacts grosses you out, LASIK might gross you out too.

My procedure was 7 years ago so things might have changed, but the idea is the same: Doctors cut a flap in your lens, open it up, then use a laser to re-sculpt your eye so that it sees properly. They can fix near- OR far-sightedness (not both!) and astigmatism with this. My procedure was a dual-laser one, meaning they used a laser to make the flap and another to do the actual re-shaping. The flap laser is SUPER NEAT because it actually creates little bubbles in the lens, then you sit in a waiting room for a little bit and the bubbles pop, forming the flap. I don't know, I thought it was fascinating.

The actual re-shaping laser took all of 3 minutes. They hold your eyelids open with prongs (yep, like in Clockwork Orange) and put in tons of numbing drops (there was also Valium before the procedure). Then I just had to stare at a red dot, and while I did that, the laser made a sound that I don't recall, the smell of burning hair emanated, and I was done, really. I think they had to go in and "close" the flap, but you can't actually see anything when they're that close to your eye. Then you go home and take a sleeping pill and pass out for 14 hours.

What is more involved is the recovery. You have to put a different kind of drop in your eyes every hour, on the hour, for a good 3-4 weeks. (The first two include antibiotic/anti-inflammatory drops and tears, and then you transition to simply adding tears for the rest of the time). It's a pain in the ass, for real. You can't really see the first 3 days while the flap heals. You have to sleep with eye shields taped to your face so you don't accidentally rub your eye in the night. You can't rub your eye in the daytime, either--no scratching, no rubbing, no makeup, certainly!

You can go about your life, though. It's just a LOT of drops. I don't remember how soon I was driving after the surgery, but it was at least a few days. I did not have a lot of pain, personally. I just took one Percocet (they only gave me one) on day one after I woke up, but after that it was mostly just a gritty, itchy feeling that surprisingly I got used to (it also faded, of course.)

I still have 20-20 vision. I got the surgery when I was 21, and they did warn me that if I get pregnant my eyes may change again--something to do with hormones. We shall see!

sarawifenow · July 2014

Thank you! Yeah that procedure sounds gross, but I think that it would be worth it. I need to look into the cost and eveything and talk it over with FI.

jennyleigh16 · July 2014

My dad had it done a couple years ago. The company he went with was better than most. Some companies are relatively inexpensive but if you eyesight changes you have to get it done again at your own cost. The company he went with was a little more expensive but it has a lifetime guarantee if it needs to be done again. You aren't eligible for the procedure until your eyesight (or prescription) hasn't changed in a year or more. They sit you in a chair and point a laser at your eye. You keep your eyes covered for a few hours afterwards. Some people have perfect vision within hours, and some have some blurriness for up to a few months. It took quite awhile for my dad to have fully clear vision, a couple of months at least, but now he loves it. My advice? Find a reputable company and go in for a consultation. Your eyesight is not something you want to cheap out on. Hope that helps!

flyingfoxes · July 2014

I had my procedure in 2006. They cut my flap with their little cutting tool (no laser for me, and no Valium).

It was fascinating, and I could see better almost immediately on the drive home afterwards (you're supposed to keep your eyes closed and protected and they are REALLY sensitive to light). I couldn't keep the goggles on at night, so I gave up after 2 nights of waking up to finding them randomly in the bed somewhere. I still have almost perfect vision - totally worth the cost!

csuave · July 2014

I did it 13 years ago and eyes are still fine. Relatively quick and easy. It is worth planning ahead to get pricing and then put the money needed into a flexible spending account.

KatieinBkln · July 2014

Oh, and I agree with others about going with a respected practitioner. You'll see ads for $500 procedures, but I wouldn't go with that, frankly. My doc specialized in LASIK. That's all he did, every day, and he had done thousands of surgeries before mine.

flyingfoxes · July 2014

I actually went with a GE credit card - Care Credit, I think? Anyway, they offer interest-free financing, I think mine was for 2 years.

ohannabelle · July 2014

KatieinBkln:

"The surgery itself is COOL AS HELL and also kind of gross. You will smell burning hair (well, it smells like burning hair. It's actually burning eyeball). If the idea of touching your eye/contacts grosses you out, LASIK might gross you out too."

Aaaaaagh! Ohmygod, the smell of burning eyeball! I can handle my touching my eyeballs, but oh, God, no, I don't think I could handle the smell of singed eyeball. Ack! No. I am so never doing LASIK. Unless they give me really damned good drugs. Oh, that so freaked me out. Burning eyeball smell. No.

KatieinBkln · July 2014

ohannabelle said:

KatieinBkln:
"The surgery itself is COOL AS HELL and also kind of gross. You will smell burning hair (well, it smells like burning hair. It's actually burning eyeball). If the idea of touching your eye/contacts grosses you out, LASIK might gross you out too."

Aaaaaagh! Ohmygod, the smell of burning eyeball! I can handle my touching my eyeballs, but oh, God, no, I don't think I could handle the smell of singed eyeball. Ack! No. I am so never doing LASIK. Unless they give me really damned good drugs. Oh, that so freaked me out. Burning eyeball smell. No.

SIB

Hahaha, yep, it's a real thing. (Now I'm feeling like I should have put "Trigger warning: GROSS" on my post.)

luckya23 · July 2014

How old are you?

I had it done when I was around 20 or 21, and had to wear glasses again around age 26.

I was just speaking to my optometrist about this, and he said the best age to get it done is late 20s to early 30s, so you get the most benefit before your sight starts declining again in your 40s.

sarawifenow · July 2014

@Kelani23, I am mid 20s now. That is really good advice. Maybe I will go in for a consulatation. A couple of years of saving time would be welcomed, too!

KatieinBkln · July 2014

SaraBrideSoon said:

@Kelani23, I am mid 20s now. That is really good advice. Maybe I will go in for a consulatation. A couple of years of saving time would be welcomed, too!

Plus if you've only been wearing glasses for a year they might make you wait a certain amount of time to ensure your Rx isn't actively changing.

hellosweetie1015 · July 2014

...after reading @KatieinBkln's description, I think I would have to be legit sedated and practically blind for me to even try LASIK.

I do need to get to an optometrist eventually - macular degeneration runs in both sides of my family, so it's something I need to be aware of. But right now, the optometrist is $90 for an exam plus I need glasses (I know) which are crazy-sauce expensive even when you go with the cheap-looking frames... America's Best may be an optometric (? I may have just made that word up...) money farm, but if they can give me two pair of nice-looking glasses and a decent once-over for $100, it's worth it to me short term, until I've got the money for a more in-depth exam.

KatieinBkln · July 2014

CaitTDid23 said:

...after reading @KatieinBkln's description, I think I would have to be legit sedated and practically blind for me to even try LASIK.

I do need to get to an optometrist eventually - macular degeneration runs in both sides of my family, so it's something I need to be aware of. But right now, the optometrist is $90 for an exam plus I need glasses (I know) which are crazy-sauce expensive even when you go with the cheap-looking frames... America's Best may be an optometric (? I may have just made that word up...) money farm, but if they can give me two pair of nice-looking glasses and a decent once-over for $100, it's worth it to me short term, until I've got the money for a more in-depth exam.

Oh, if you're practically blind you won't be a good candidate!

(seriously, a friend of mine who is legally blind without her glasses was informed that...no. Just no, sorry. You're too blind).

ElcaB · July 2014

After 20 years of wearing glasses/contacts, I had Lasik this summer & am so happy I did.

It was a lot of money, but I calculated the cost versus my contacts and Lasik ended up being cheaper, provided the results last at least five years (which is highly likely).

csuave · July 2014

ohannabelle said:

KatieinBkln:
"The surgery itself is COOL AS HELL and also kind of gross. You will smell burning hair (well, it smells like burning hair. It's actually burning eyeball). If the idea of touching your eye/contacts grosses you out, LASIK might gross you out too."

Aaaaaagh! Ohmygod, the smell of burning eyeball! I can handle my touching my eyeballs, but oh, God, no, I don't think I could handle the smell of singed eyeball. Ack! No. I am so never doing LASIK. Unless they give me really damned good drugs. Oh, that so freaked me out. Burning eyeball smell. No.

Yeah, I took a Dr. prescribed valium and I believe it did the trick. I don't remember any smells and was very (drug induced) relaxed about it, especially considering I freak out whenever the eye Dr. does that air puff thing.

chibiyui · July 2014

Somebody post the octopus nope guf. Cause I just can't with this. I can't touch my eyes to put contacts in, have a hard as hell time doing the air puff glaucoma test, I. I. Just. Can't.

msuprincess04 · July 2014

I had it done 11 years ago. I've been back in glasses for 3 years. So, there are no guarantees. That said, I'll do it again once my eye stabilize.

ETA: Yes, you need to wait a full year without a prescription change before they will do it. And, you can't wear contacts during that time.

flyingfoxes · July 2014

Also I believe it will do nothing to prevent you from needing reading glasses once that time comes - early 40s I believe?

sarawifenow · July 2014

So much useful info! Also, so much to consider. I am going to go ahead and ask that rude question that I am not supposed to ask, can anyone give me a ballpark for how much it cost them?

emmyg65 · July 2014

I've considered it, but just reading about the procedure makes me want to curl up into a little ball. Plus, I've read about issues with long-term success and side effects. I've had glasses for 20 years and it's not a big deal anymore. They're a fun accessory!

KatieinBkln · July 2014

SaraBrideSoon said:

So much useful info! Also, so much to consider. I am going to go ahead and ask that rude question that I am not supposed to ask, can anyone give me a ballpark for how much it cost them?

I want to say $2,000, but it was long time ago and my parents graciously paid. Costs might actually be lower now that the technology has been around for a while.

flyingfoxes · July 2014

I went cheap (bad, I know!) and mine was around $2400 in 2006. I got an estimate from a second place and it would have been $3200 I think? Somewhere around there.

Chipmunk415 · July 2014

I actually won free lasik for dh right after we got engaged via a write in contest. I got to watch the procedure through a glass door and close up on a tv. I was more grossed out than he was, but he was also high on valium.

He loves not wearing glasses and im considering the procedure for myself. The only part that scares me it he admitted he knew when they sliced his corneas because he went from seeing the equipment and red light to utter black- literally blind for 3 minutes because of the procedure

mellowmarshmallow · July 2014

I had mine in 2012. After wearing hard contacts for 20 years, I was done! Rather than having the traditional LASIK where they cut a flap on your eye, I had Advanced Surface Ablation. They put a liquid on your cornea that takes off the top few layers, then they do the laser correction. Your eye heals like any other corneal abrasion. My dad had LASIK years ago and has had problems with the flap they cut in his eye moving if he gets bumped in the face (hockey) or just if he rubs it too much. The LASIK flap never fully closes/heals.

CONS:
It takes longer to get your good vision. Your eye has to heal so it takes 2-3 weeks until it settles down.
It hurts like hell for 2 days. If you have ever scratched your cornea, you know this pain.

PROS:
There is no permanent flap, your eye heals good as new.
The doc gave me vicodin for the pain. Wheeeee.

ETA- the place I had it done has a waiting area outside the treatment room where DH could sit in an overstuffed leather recliner, watch 3 giant flat screen TVs or watch my procedure through the glass wall including a view of the monitor that the doc was seeing. He loved it.

jenajjthr · July 2014

I had it done and I have a huge issue with my face being touched. Such an issue I asked about being sedated, fully. Nope that's not an option. So, took the valium and they let H be in the room and hold my hand. If I can get through it, anybody can. The procedure is fairly quick so that helped.

Cost...you get what you pay for. So get estimates, talk to the Dr.'s, read the reviews. Eyesight is not something you can get back if they screw up. I paid $255 through H's insurance, total bill was over 3k. Highest Dr. In our area charges over 5k and of course you can get the $500 an eye "specials"

How I feel about it....I love it. Love love love it. Totally worth having it done despite my panic inducing fear.

WinstonsGirl · July 2014

I got mine done about 5-6 years ago. It was the best decision I ever made. I went to 2 places and the first was the surgery factory, and was pretty high pressure. The second was highly recommended. He actually only did it 1 day a week, the rest of the time doing cornea transplants, etc. Price at the first guy was about $2800 I think, and I paid $4900 with the guy I went with. I wasn't willing to cheap out on this, and he didn't even know if I would be a good candidate. He said if I wasn't, he would refuse to do the surgery. First guy, didn't even bring it up.

According to regulations here, they can only do each eye a max of 2 times. After that, if your eyes get worse, you're done. My left eye had so much tissue taken out that it was a 1 shot deal in that eye for me. My eyes are still getting worse and I was given a prescription last summer, though I didn't fill it cos the Dr. said it was only if I felt I needed it. I hate that I am going to have to go back to glasses and contacts soon. It makes me so sad cos I love being able to see. I have bad astigmatism and have worn glasses since I was 7 or 8

Dignity100 · July 2014

I had mine done in 2012, my FI just had his done earlier this year. Everything was blurry after the surgery - some people can see right away, I could not and neither could FI. The day of surgery your eyes will water like nobody's business - but you get to sleep all day. It took my eyes about 4-6 months before it everything evened out and I no longer had halos. My eyes were EXTREMELY dry - I don't know how many boxes of the eye drops I went through. My eyes are fine now, a little dryer in the winter than I remember. FI's was done in April and he'll use drops every once in awhile right now. Light sensitivity! First few months EVERYTHING is bright. I went to Disney 1 week after having my LASIK done and thought 'oh sunglasses will be enough' - I ended up buying a baseball cap to help out more. My eyes were light sensitive before the surgery though - but not THAT bad! FI wears his sunglasses, he doesn't complain too much if he forgets them though (if I forgot mine, I'd be running to the nearest dollar store not caring what they looked like). We were both told that we will need reading glasses as we age. We both used Care Credit with 'same as cash for 12 months'. We both opted for the 'Custom' over the 'flap' and I think it was around $3200 total. Honesty - The first 2-4 months I was like 'Why does everybody think this is so great' - I had the halos, light sensitivity and was annoyed with the 'instability' of my eyes - plus I wanted to be super human and get better than 20/20 vision like some people. Now, I'm glad it's done and I don't have to deal with contacts/glasses. I LOVE being able to look at the clock in the middle of the night and know what time it is. I love not having to look for my glasses to take my dogs out in the morning. The surgery center I went to would not allow you to wear contacts 2 weeks prior to surgery to make sure they were not molding your eyes. I work staring at a computer screen all day - right after the procedure I had to take frequent breaks (not a big deal). My first week AFTER surgery was rough. One of the medicines irritated my eyes and made them feel scratched and itchy beyond what I thought I should be feeling. Sorry I'm all over the place - I was going through my notes.

FiancB · July 2014

Considering it for DH. Not sure if he'd qualify as he's pretty blind, but then so is my BIL and he did fine. DH is a big baby though. But we will probably start pumping money into an HSA for real.

holyguacamole79 · July 2014

I had it 10 years ago and am SO glad I did!!!

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