Lasik?

[Gruff Old Bear]

I too intentionally got monovision -- 20/20 in the one eye, and 20/40 in the leading eye, to avoid reading glasses. I was 20/2200 before surgery. I had PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), which came before Lasik and after RK (radial keratotomy). It's been seven years, and I am beginning to get a little myopic again, which would have been happening right now anyway. The doc says I can do a touch-up PRK if I want, plenty of corneal cells left for laser shaping.

PRK is like Lasik without the flap. It's done on the outer surface just below the top layer of cells, which are wiped away just before surgery. It takes a few days for them to grow back, "sealing" the eye. You wear a contact lens bandage while it does that. All laser, no blades, no flap. People prefer Lasik because it lets you skip the bandage afterward. Although it really still has to heal, the healing is all under the surface so you don't feel like you're going through a recovery at all. It seems instant. I opted for PRK because it was less invasive, even though the healing process was more of an ordeal.

I don't think anybody does RK anymore, and they never recommend touch-up surgeries with it. It leaves the corneal surface irregular.

 

[BadMoon]

Ok I have decided to do it and went to my consult today. I am having lasik using wave front technology. I think this is the same as some others who have commented. They call it costum lasik. What it does is create an exact mapping of my eyes so the computer knows exactly where to go. I am having it done on September 5th. My second appointmen (where they measure my eyes and such) is on the 27th of this month. I will let you all know how I make out. It is pretty pricey but worth it. I will keep a diary sort of like my CIGS thread. So if anyone has any questions while I am on this journey please let me know. I will be happy to share.

 

[Boba Fett]

Wow... I need to get this procedure done. I'm tired of wearing glasses for 25 years now.

But the price is preventing that. Damn health care benefits.

 

[BadMoon]

For me it was $3485 for both eyes. I think that is a little under the national average for lasik. It is pretty steep but I did financing. Plus I won't have to pay for glasses, co-pays, and other related items.

 

[gdb]

If I had to do it over again I'd practice manually blinking a couple days before hand. After my operation I had to remember to blink because my eyes weren't able to for a couple hours.

I remember my visit for my eye exam before the surgery. I've always had tough eyes appartently so when it came time for the test where they push on the eye ball with a little tool the guy was so impressed at my eye's resiliency that he pushed it further and grunted, impressed. Then pushed another half a mm, grunted again and continued a couple more times each followed with a grunt or comment on how tough they were. I didn't feel a thing. But the next day, my eye balls felt like someone had sat on them.

 

[Boba Fett]

For me it was $3485 for both eyes. I think that is a little under the national average for lasik. It is pretty steep but I did financing. Plus I won't have to pay for glasses, co-pays, and other related items.

And that's a little steep for me. Guess I better save for now.

 

[Anzik]

I paid $5500 for both eyes but it was worth it.

 

[user 1190]

I paid $5500 for both eyes but it was worth it.

I paid about that too and was the best money I have spent in a long time.

 

[BadMoon]

Ok well this will be the last time I report on this for a couple of weeks. This is my first day I must wear glasses and I hate it. I am dizzy and can't see right. That is my problem. I have 3 weeks to go before the surgery. I will hang in there but I miss my contacts allready. I will let you all know who the fitting goes. By that I mean testing of my eyes before the surgery. I am scheduled for Sept 5th.

 

[user 1190]

Ok well this will be the last time I report on this for a couple of weeks. This is my first day I must wear glasses and I hate it. I am dizzy and can't see right. That is my problem. I have 3 weeks to go before the surgery. I will hang in there but I miss my contacts allready. I will let you all know who the fitting goes. By that I mean testing of my eyes before the surgery. I am scheduled for Sept 5th.

I got lucky I went 2 weeks out of contacts before surgery, its well worth it though. What is the fitting thing, I went from consultation to surgery but I hade to wait about month and a half. The worst part was no surfing for a month afterwards.

 

[BadMoon]

Luckily water is not a problem for me right now. I can see where it would be though. I hope to spend much more time in it once this is done. That is a big plus for me. In the Marines I had to wear big old glasses. They called them prego pretection. Because as long as I wore them I didn't have to worry about getting a girl pregnant. LOL!

 

[BadMoon]

Ok well I am almost two weeks away. I allready hate hate wearing my glasses. They suck and I can't see right. I must deal with it though for at least two more weeks. I must suffer through this hell. Keep in mind guys I am used to wearing contacts. This sucks wearing glasses. I will keep you posted though. I am sure I will have many more complaints before they test my eyes. OMG I hate this!

 

[user 1190]

Its worth it, I know how you feel I had to buy glasses to get Lasic done since for about 9 years before that I was contacts 24/7

 

[BadMoon]

Its worth it, I know how you feel I had to buy glasses to get Lasic done since for about 9 years before that I was contacts 24/7

Did you end up 20/20 or better?

 

[user 1190]

Did you end up 20/20 or better?

I am 20/10 in my left and 20/15 in my right The odd part was the day after I was 20/15 in both but a week later my left was 20/10. I never had the night time halos a lot of people say they had or even have either.

 

[BadMoon]

I am 20/10 in my left and 20/15 in my right The odd part was the day after I was 20/15 in both but a week later my left was 20/10. I never had the night time halos a lot of people say they had or even have either.

Good to hear! Congrats! I am having Lasik with wavefront. That is supposed to help reduce the halo effect as well. Monday is my full work up and surgery is on the 5th.

 

[BadMoon]

Ok well as promised here is my big update. I just had my pre surgery appointment today. I am having a ***** of a time reading because they dialated the heck out of my eyes. So my close up vision is still pretty bad. Anyways I was suprised when they had 3 different people give me and eye test. Then those same 3 people did it again. They were very thorough with the eval. I also did a wave scan. I had to look at a red light for a few seconds while the took pics of my eye. They then did a pressure test. They numbed my eye and pushed on it with this thing. Hard to explain. All and all the visit went well and they said I am ready to go. I am now armed with a 5 pill perscription of valume and eye drops. They told me that after the surgery all they want me to do is sleep. They then said if I get bored to take another pill. So I figure I will have a few beers as well and that will probably knock my butt out for the day. LOL! I will keep you all posted.

 

[user 1190]

Ok well as promised here is my big update. I just had my pre surgery appointment today. I am having a ***** of a time reading because they dialated the heck out of my eyes. So my close up vision is still pretty bad. Anyways I was suprised when they had 3 different people give me and eye test. Then those same 3 people did it again. They were very thorough with the eval. I also did a wave scan. I had to look at a red light for a few seconds while the took pics of my eye. They then did a pressure test. They numbed my eye and pushed on it with this thing. Hard to explain. All and all the visit went well and they said I am ready to go. I am now armed with a 5 pill perscription of valume and eye drops. They told me that after the surgery all they want me to do is sleep. They then said if I get bored to take another pill. So I figure I will have a few beers as well and that will probably knock my butt out for the day. LOL! I will keep you all posted.

Wow thats more then I went thru. I went in like a month for evaluation they did a basic eye examine thats it. I went in the day of the surgery was given half a zanax and the eye drops and off I went. I was given a zanax to take when I got home and a bunch of eye drops to use for the next few weeks too.

PS if need those Refresh Plus (Lubricating eye drops) eye drops they have them at Costco and its much cheaper and you will be using lots of them. I went thru and box and a half after the surgery.

 

[BadMoon]

Wow thats more then I went thru. I went in like a month for evaluation they did a basic eye examine thats it. I went in the day of the surgery was given half a zanax and the eye drops and off I went. I was given a zanax to take when I got home and a bunch of eye drops to use for the next few weeks too.

PS if need those Refresh Plus (Lubricating eye drops) eye drops they have them at Costco and its much cheaper and you will be using lots of them. I went thru and box and a half after the surgery.

Thanks for the info. I was really suprised at all of the tests myself. I am glad that they do them though I guess. I hate looking at a blurry monitor but I am sure it will be better tomorrow. I will look into the drops. Thanks!

 

[Anzik]

My favorite part was just before the surgery when they give you the valium, the nurse said "I'll take your glasses because you're never going to need them again."