Lasik

[reforger2002]

I saw the thread that ended about 4 years ago is there anything new on the topic.

I'm 54 wear, bifocals - what kind of recent experience are folks having with LASIK

[Gabriel Suarez]

I had mine in 2005. Recovery was easy and it is still going well. We are not all the same but all I can say is avoid low priced lasik mills. get a good doc. Mine was $4,000 total in 2005.

[IANative]

I had mine in 2007. My cost was $2k, but I required minimal correction (my wife wore coke bottle glasses, for instance, and her lasik cost $6k, same doctor). Now, almost 13 years later, I'm beginning to see a slight degradation in my distance vision, most noticeable when driving. I do NOT want to go back to glasses for distance. I have to use cheaters for reading now, but I'm ok w/ that. But for distance, and all the things I love to do (namely hunting and shooting), I do not want to have to rely on glasses. I don't know if I'm a candidate for additional lasik correction or not.

Has anyone had any experience w/ subsequent or follow-up lasik procedures after your first?

[Greg Nichols]

Mine in 09' for 3600. Best money ever spent

[P.D.]

My late wife and I both had Lasik in 2000. I had astigmatism and presbyopia corrected (both eyes) so that I wouldn't need readers anytime in the future. 20 years on, all is good, and I can read the fine print on OTC meds with ease, tie fishing lures on for the grandkids, and can thread a needle without needing any magnification. I still wear distant vision glasses for driving despite recently passing the DMV vision test without them.

[COG]

I also had Lasik done in 2000. If I remember correctly it ran @ $3000, but I had astigmatism along with being extremely nearsighted. I still have excellent "far" vision though I do require "cheaters" for reading. Frankly, you can't beat the return on this investment.

[Shooter Ready]

LASIK is a great procedure for younger people. If you are over 50 (or even in your late 40s) the concern is cataract formation. The natural lens changes over time and may not necessarily get cloudy but can change your prescription.

You will want to get good advice from an ophthalmologist, preferably one who does LASIK and cataract surgery. Comanagement fees for eye doctors can prompt referrals for LASIK.

[Redbug]

I have wondered about Lasik. Why not Radial Keratotomy? I don't know much about either.

I can't see the side of a barn with uncorrected vision and have been wearing gas permeable hard contact lenses since about 1974. I have had only about 5 lens correction changes in all that time. The lenses keep the the eye from changing shape somewhat and causing a vision change. I have wondered about the long term effects from vision surgery and it looks good. I am still mighty happy with my contacts. Can't swim with them though.

[Brent Yamamoto]

I have wondered about Lasik. Why not Radial Keratotomy? I don't know much about either.


RK was once common but can have later complications/fluctuations in vision. It's now considered outdated. Lasik is more precise, effective and less invasive.

I had mine in the early 2000's. One of the best things I've ever done.

[Redbug]

RK was once common but can have later complications/fluctuations in vision. It's now considered outdated. Lasik is more precise, effective and less invasive.

I had mine in the early 2000's. One of the best things I've ever done.

Thanks Brent...I didn't know that. I explains why you don't hear much about RK much anymore. Used to be in the past RK was approved for Air Force pilots for vision correction.

[mfjudge]

Had LASIK done about 20 years ago...only started low level readers in last couple years...doc hasn’t even written a script, just using from Walmart...but I have the beginnings of cataracts and my once excellent night vision has gone to hell in last few years...

FWIW, I was 20/440ish before LASIK, 20/15-20 after...

[Ryan Taylor]

I had lasik in only one eye, about three months ago.

Literally cannot see any better, at all. 0% improvement.

Apparently this happens from time to time....

[Shooter76]

I considered getting lasik but decided against it due to the loss of peripheral vision some I know have experienced...

[jesselp]

Had my LASIK 14 years ago next week. $2,800 per eye - definitely did not go with the low cost provider.

For the first 12 years my vision was better than perfect. Almost obnoxiously so.

Oddly, one of my eyes has naturally become far-sighted and one near-sighted. My brain puts the images together to allow me to see fine both near & far, but not as well as I could five years ago. Still no need for glasses.

Would 100% do it again.

[Greg Nichols]

I considered getting lasik but decided against it due to the loss of peripheral vision some I know have experienced...

say what? there is literally no reason that lasik would cause that that I'm aware of.

[Brent Yamamoto]

Weird. Never heard of Lasik impacting peripheral vision.

99% of people I've talked to have had a perfect experience with it. There is 1% that have some minor trouble. For instance I have 20/20 vision but the lasik mildly increased my astigmatism. It's not enough to notice most of the time. It does cause some blooming with red dots...but they are still an improvement over iron sights.

[Shooter76]

say what? there is literally no reason that lasik would cause that that I'm aware of.

Perhaps 'loss' was a bit misleading... I know a few people who have had it done and they've all said their periphial vision is blurrier at the edges.

[P.D.]

To which one could answer that their peripheral vision seems blurrier because their unrefracted central vision is now more acute (clearer).

[reforger2002]

Had LASIK Thursday - procedure went well other than I wasn't expecting to smell the vaporized corneal tissue during the actual laser treatment - the 45 minute ride back through new snow and bright sun was absolutely awful. Didn't consider how bright it would be, massive headache by time made it home.

Eye drops , tylenol pm and 4 hour nap cleared that up. Vision was better but not 20/20 at that point. Aggressive use of eye drop and aggressive drinking water that evening.

Minor panic the following morning - couldn't open eyes - lashes were glued shut - wife squirted a little artificial tears on them and all was good. Vision was good but not 20/20. More aggressive use of drops and fluids and vision improved during the day. Was able to drive myself to followup - even did a short drive after dark and don't seem to have the headlight halo thing happening.

Day 2 post surgery and I think my vision is at least 20/20 unless I slack off on the eye drops. I do need 1.5 cheaters for near vision.

So in all good to go so far,

[WinstonSmith]

Got it around 2008, for somewhere between $2K and $3K, and have had better than 20/20 vision since.