Laser eye correction

[TAP-A343]

Do you suffer from any type of 'halos' at night?

I don't suffer from anything at all and the reason I think is because I had very thorough eye exams done before the operation.

Not everybody is elegible to have this kind of operation done. I was told that the eyes must have an enough big cornea to be cut. That's why my eyes were photographed/scanned to determine if there was enough flesh to be cut.

I believe that people who don't have successful operations of this kind are not properly examed before the procedure and then end up with problems like hypersensitivity to light because their eyes are left with too little flesh to contract enough while exposed to light.

So my advice to you is to consult a very reliable doctor/clinic. If some clinic says to you just tell us the date for the operation that suits you and they only mention standard eye tests then they are definately not reliable.

[tommyalf]

I agree with Jordan and Joe....no way am I taking a chance on going totally blind. I wear contacts and they are fine. I don't feel them, they don't bother me, and they serve their purpose just fine. Even though my eyes have settled i don't see any reason to take a risk.

[bloodhound96]

Even though the chance of something going wrong is small, I'm just not comfortable with it. I've been wearing glasses for about 10 years, and there's no way I'd risk blindness or bad night vision. That's just me though.

[T.O.G.A.]

Think about this

Here's an excerpt from a story involve Duke Eye center and their CFO:


One of those patients is Matthew Kotsovolos, 38, of Raleigh. He was the Duke Eye Center's head of finances and received the surgery for free June 8, 2006. It gave him 20-20 vision but left him with intensely dry eyes and excruciating facial pain. He wakes up with sore eyes every morning, wears special goggles to preserve eye moisture and wonders when the pain in his face will kick in.

"I traded in my glasses for permanent head pain, eye pain and these things," Kotsovolos said, pointing to the goggles. Nine months after his surgery, Kotsovolos quit his job at the Duke Eye Center, took a 25 percent pay cut and started work as business manager in the Duke University Medical Center's gastroenterology division. He is organizing a support group for LASIK patients with complications.

For the rest of the story: http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/721249.html

[Retired]

Both my wife and I were in the -12 to -15 ranges. We signed up for a FDA sponsored program where they would pay for one eye as they were studying the effects of LASIK on severely near-sighted individuals. Both of us had our eyes corrected in the late 90’s. Both of us emerged with eyesight around -0.25. The halos and dryness subsided within a few months, Well it’s been 10 or so years, and her eyes are still fine. Mine have decided to start changing again. My left eye is back to -1.50 but the right one has a mind of its own. It was at -3.25 at my last appointment and I can tell it has gotten worse. Funny thing is that they stayed stable until 2003 when the right eye started changing. My eye doc told me that once you’re severely myopic you run a much higher risk of the eyes trying to revert back. In fact, it is my understanding that most LASIK places won’t perform the surgery on persons with eyesight like ours anymore. Now when I wear glasses and contacts my vision is not as sharp as prior to surgery with my glasses/contacts.

Do I regret it? Not really. Prior to surgery I could not even find my way to the toilet w/o glasses/contacts. I can’t tell you how many times a contact popped out while I was on the Interstate driving at high speed. I went from TOTAL dependency on glasses/contact to just some dependency. In fact as I type this I am not wearing my glasses!

In the end, it’s the buyer beware thing. Know what you are getting into. Do your research. Ask questions. Ask for references. IMO, If you are sitting there complaining about your -3.0 prescription, suck it up and save the money.

[wunaladreamin]

My wife had hers done a year and a half ago. Even though she's had to go back for a touch up, she regrets only not doing it sooner. I, on the other hand, am just fine on contacts. Oh, if you do go through with it, buy the person who takes care of you at home afterwards some beer. I had to sit in complete darkness and silence the first night because her eyes were so sensitive.

[reiko]

Well, now with the technology continually improving (femtosecond laser for exemple), the complications (dry eye, night vision) are reduced to a very acceptable level. The risk of becoming blind is also very very limited, definitely less than 1% (doctors say about 1 out of 10'000'000). Sure there is always a chance, probably bigger than to win at the lotery, but in the end I think from all the positive feedback I heard that it worth it.

I'm 23, -7,00 at both eyes, no other probem, and my doctor (she doesn't do the surgery, so no interest for her to lie) told me I'd be the perfect candidate when my eyesight wil be stable. There's no doubt that I'll do it in a few month, maybe years.

That's only my opinion though, it's true that I'll be far less enthusiasm when I'll have all the big machine above me

[Crism]

Jeez I'm at -1.25 and -1.50 and I thought I was bad. They'll probably end up somewhere around 1.5 or 1.75. The girlfriend's -5 and she can't see a thing.

[reiko]

Yes, but don't forget that dioptries are not mesured on a linear scale. The difference between -6 and -7 is far less significant that the one between 0 and -1

[yash777]

Even i am thinking of doing it as i failed my class 2 medical due to my left eye.I consulted several doctors but all had different opinions regarding my eyesight.One doc told me my left eye is 6/12 the other 6/18 and the third doc told me 6/36 .The fact is i am amblyiopic i.e lazy eye.An opthalmologist told me laser is possible whereas his brother who is an opthalmologist as well its of no use.

[reiko]

One doc told me my left eye is 6/12 the other 6/18 and the third doc told me 6/36

That's weird, specially if you saw these doctors in a short time interval, unless it's a symptom of amblyopa. I'm not specialist but I know that your sight may slightly vary if your eyes are tired or not, if it's in the morning or after a long day of work in front of a screen. But I assume it won't be that differant.

The fact is i am amblyiopic i.e lazy eye.

If it allows you to get the laser surgery, why not ? You can still get rid of your glasses or contact lenses as long as your sight is stabilized. Altough I'm afraid it won't help you to get your class 2.

Good luck !

[yash777]

That's weird, specially if you saw these doctors in a short time interval, unless it's a symptom of amblyopa. I'm not specialist but I know that your sight may slightly vary if your eyes are tired or not, if it's in the morning or after a long day of work in front of a screen. But I assume it won't be that differant.



If it allows you to get the laser surgery, why not ? You can still get rid of your glasses or contact lenses as long as your sight is stabilized. Altough I'm afraid it won't help you to get your class 2.

Good luck !

Yeah i saw the docs in a gap of 2 weeks or so.That's very very weird.Some docs told me LASER will be of no use.I dunno what to do now