Corrective laser eye surgery - yay or nay?

Question

It seems to have come down alot in price. Do you know someone who's had it done and would recommend it for someone with -1.5 each eye? What are the perceived risks and disadvantages?

Answer 1

Both my wife and I had Lasik surgery this spring. My eyes were much worse than you (-7.00 with astigmatism in both eyes) My wife was not as "blind" as I was, with a -4.00 in one eye and a -3.50 in the other.

We both had the full laser (no blade) procedure done. There was no pain, just a bit of pressure on my eye during surgery. My vision was cloudy after the procedure, but after a nap (which is what they recommend) it cleared up quickly.

I was able to drive that same night, but I did have halo effects around lights. (The surgery center said that I was not to drive until after my first follow up appointment) I also was able to drive myself to the followup the next morning. I did need sunglasses, as my eyes were a bit sensitive to light!

At my 6 week follow up exam, I was 20/20 in both eyes. I can see better now than I ever could with glasses or contacts. My only regret is I did not have it done sooner!

My wife had her surgery 2 weeks after me, and is also now 20/20


Not everyone is a good candidate for the surgery. If your perscription is still changing, you may want to wait for your eyes to stabilize. Do not go with the cheapest price.

Find a qualified surgeon with a good track record. My surgeon will not do the surgery on someone, unless he feels they are likely to have a good result. When I had my initial evaluation, the person who was before me was rather upset. The doctor had just told him that the surgery was not a good idea for him!

There are risks with any surgery. There may be infection or other complications. If you take care of yourself, and use the antibiotic drops as recommended, you can minimse the risks

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I say YAY!

I had it done about a month ago, and have never had any regrets. I was about -2.75 in each eye, and I now have 20/20 vision.

With regards to price, it varied depending on where you go and what type you get (lasik or lasek) I went to a place called Kirkwood Fyfe who specialise in this type of surgery and it cost £3k (+ £100 for a test to see if I was suitable - they check cornea thickness etc), but I do know that other places can be approx £400 per eye.

The procedure only took about 10 mins, then I was told to go home and sleep for a couple of hours to help the healing.

There are risks involved and there are side effects. My eyes are a little dry at the moment because the nerves have been damaged, you can see halos around street lights etc (tho personally I have not experienced this). There is also a risk of infection.

Beware of the possibility or either over- or under-correction, which could leave you either slightly short sighted or long sighted. If this happens you should get corrective surgery at no extra cost. At the moment for me, I have one eye that is not quite as good as the other, but I have been told that it should catch up.

I hope this has been helpful to you, if you need any other info please email me and i'll try to help.


Addition: I've just read comment from Jax below. I'll also add that my optician has had laser eye surgery himself, I find that reassuring in itself because they'll know EVERYTHING that can go wrong!

Answer 4

It's a big YAY from me! I was -2.25 in one eye and -1.75 in the other when I had it done four years ago. My vision is better than 20/20 and it's the best money I ever spent! If you're only -1.5 in each eye, then there's more than a good chance of an excellent result - especially as the technology has progressed since I had mine done.

I can honestly see no disadvantages with laser eye surgery but as far as risks are concerned, the clinic that I went to did mention the fact that if it goes horribly, horribly wrong then you can lose your sight. OK, it's a bit dramatic and the chances are extremely remote but I'd say the biggest risks would be as a result of you moving your eye whilst the laser is firing or maybe getting an infection ofterwards. If you were REALLY worried, you could have one eye done and see how it was before having the other eye treated.

Answer 5

I work for a comany that provided laser vision correction in the UK.
The price does not differ according to prescription.
I've had it done so i'd say YAY!
If you have any questions just email me

Answer 6

I dont know how blind he was, but my colleahue had it done and now he has 22/20 vision ( I thought the best you could have was 20/20 but apparently not) he is very appy with it.

Although the price has come down, if it was me I would still pay extra and go to the best eye surgeon I could, my friend went to somewhere in cambridge I think, he's not working today but if you want me to find out where he went, let me know

Answer 7

LASIK eye surgery is generally considered to be a safe and effective method of treating near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism and millions of people undergo this procedure every year throughout the world.
No surgery is without risks or complications, however, and this must be understood and accepted before making the decision.
The most common side effects of LASIK eye surgery are dry eyes and glare. The incidence of these are debated between proponents and opponents of the surgery. The FDA considers the risks to be low enough to approve the technology required for LASIK (microkeratomes, excimer lasers, etc.)
Safety can be increased by selecting a skilled surgeon using the best technology. Studies show that experience is one of the most important factors in selecting a surgeon.

There is a really good San Diego Lasik website that has lots of info and some very informative Lasik articles. See the links below:
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/lasik-eye-surgery-san-diego.htm
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/lasik-san-diego-north-county.htm
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/lasik-san-diego-east-county.htm
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/lasik-san-diego-south-bay.htm
http://www.lasik-surgery-san-diego.info/laser-eye-surgery.htm
http://www.inkjet-cartridge-source.com

Answer 8

My friend had it done recently. She found the process quite painful - well, extremely uncomfortable and was sore for a couple of days after. That was a few weeks ago but now she says she's so happy she had it done. Her eyesight is fantastic now. Before this, she couldnt see anything without her glasses. I know she had to use a lot of eyedrops for a week or more after but I dont hear her complaining about dryness any more.

One thing to note - you cant drive at night for a few weeks after so if you are having it done, its good to get it done at this time of year when you are less likely to need to drive after dark.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Answer 9

I work with Ophthalmic surgeons and they wear glasses, they have said they won't have it done because of the risks involved. I do know people who have had it done and can see much better now, but there are always risks with any procedure.

If you are gonna have it done, see a professional practitioner, it's worth paying the extra cost to make sure it's done properly.

good luck with it, hope it works for you

Answer 10

Laser eye surgery is very safe nowadays. My cousin got her dental implants and lasik surgery in India by a company called Forerunners Healthcare. The Price for dental and lasik surgery is very less in India. She paid 25% of the price she was quoted in America.

Forerunners Healthcare is very famous in India They arrange Dental surgery, jaw surgery, lasik eye surgery, Dental Implants etc for foreign patients in India. I read a lot about them in the Newspapers and magazines- about their patient stories.
They arrange financing for USA, Canadian, UK and other international patients who plan to have surgery abroad for low cost, as dental and eye surgery is not covered by insurance. They also have photos pasted of their International patients. You can checkout their website. There are huge cost savings. As a doctor I personally believe that surgery can be easily handled in India, as the quality of healthcare available In India is simply best in the world. The surgeons are USA/UK trained and facilities are 5 star.

http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com
Hope this helps.