So I went for LASIK!

[brianmanahan]

besides, i have seen the worst case outcome of lasik, and quite frankly it is terrifying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRsznqHdW7Y

 

[Q]

still wearing contacts for 40 years, I still do not trust lasers in my eyes.

Ditto on the lazrs

 

[jpbutler]

had my eyes done about 8 years ago. left eye was made a little near sighted so I wouldn't need reading glasses and right eye is 20/20.
I still wear glasses for movies, TV and driving. Don't have to, but I like having crystal clear vision in those situations.
first year I was miserable with dry itchy eyes. after that no problems. I am extremely happy with the results. I am 56 yes old and do not need reading glasses.

 

[Wingznut]

besides, i have seen the worst case outcome of lasik, and quite frankly it is terrifying

Pretty much anything you do in life, you can find an example of a "worst case outcome"... And if that were to guide your way, you'd never get in a car or airplane, you'd never date, you'd never attend a movie or concert, you'd never do anything athletic, etc.

 

[brianmanahan]

Pretty much anything you do in life, you can find an example of a "worst case outcome"... And if that were to guide your way, you'd never get in a car or airplane, you'd never date, you'd never attend a movie or concert, you'd never do anything athletic, etc.

did you watch the video though? its super scary.

if that was my final destination in life, no thanks buddy.

 

[mikeford]

Once you hit 50 or so might as well wait and correct vision when you get cataracts.

 

[I Saw OJ]

Me get cash money me laser you eyeball.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm less worried about the surgery and more that it just won't help. My aunt still needs glasses after her surgery.

That was actually one of my fears too. Go through all that only to realize I still need glasses. "but it's a smaller prescription" and? I still need glasses! But for me the odds of it not correcting well enough was like 3%. For some people it's like 20%. Based on tests and various factors they can tell you what the odds are.

I definitely will update this in 6 months and other intervals like multiple years. (if it's not considered a thread necro and gets locked)

I pray that my vision wont go to crap, it can still happen while it heals. It can heal too fast or too slow. For me the odds are about 3% though.

I just can't handle someone doing that to me eyes. I'll stick with contacts for now they aren't too rough

I can't imagine trying to do contacts. That would probably be worse than the eye drops. If you can actually handle contacts you can handle the surgery fine. Of course, there's the associated risks and what not to be worried about too but thankfully they're very low. The doctor should be able to determine those before you go. The risks were not too much my worry, it was actually going through it. The eye drops are still a killer, tbh that's actually the worse part of the entire process.

But...you're in Canada. Don't they pay for all your health care up there?

Apparently not, so what don't they pay for?

They don't cover elective surgeries like this. General eyes and dental checkups/fixes altogether not included either. But normally you have a plan through work for that stuff. I will have to find out if my work covers part of this cost. I may also be able to claim it on my income taxes.

As for needing reading glasses I was told that I probably will, but that's regardless of if I get the surgery or not. I'm hoping that in the next 10 years they maybe figure out what causes the lense in the eye to go rigid and find a fix for it. It could be as simple as "eat more of nn, eat less of nn". The lense going rigid is what causes the need for reading glasses and has nothing to do with where the lasik surgery touches.

 

[edro]

I wish there was Lasik for ears.

 

[TwiceOver]

I wish I could afford this.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

I wish there was Lasik for ears.

So much this.

<- Suffers from 40% hearing loss in both ears.

 

[Imp]

Pff...Grade 13? I've technically had to wear glasses since grade 4.

I would love to have magically better eyes but still don't trust Lasik or any surgery in general if not absolutely necessary. Also, I wear contacts which give me an additional layer of protection from UV and random shit getting in my eyes.

Good luck with yours. Halos would be the least of my worries: I have hardcore halos and starbursts with and without glasses/contacts.

 

[bryanl]

besides, i have seen the worst case outcome of lasik, and quite frankly it is terrifying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRsznqHdW7Y

Don't worry; that happens less than 95% of the time.

In real life the LASIK machine will stop if there's any movement, but it didn't stop soon enough in the case of a patient undergoing LASIK when a natural gas explosion occurred nearby.

 

[djnsmith7]

Eye drops aren't that bad after a while. I had to use them 3x a day when I had a corneal abrasion years ago. I got used to the drops after 4 days.

 

[dr150]

Post an update after 6 months. That's when mine went to shit and had to be redone. Then it went to shit again after 6 months and now my corneas are too thin to do anything about it.
Probably the worst mistake I've ever made.

I would love to do LASIK but I'm afraid of exactly such a situation happening to me.

Wasted money.

Plus, my eye doc says that as you age you'll need glasses anyway as older people get near sighted.

If you're really young, the bang for buck is more legit (if the doc gets it right) but not for 40 year olds where most start to finally get fucked up eyesight.

 

[Strk]

I would love to do LASIK but I'm afraid of exactly such a situation happening to me.

Wasted money.

Plus, my eye doc says that as you age you'll need glasses anyway as older people get near sighted.

If you're really young, the bang for buck is more legit (if the doc gets it right) but not for 40 year olds where most start to finally get fucked up eyesight.

At 40+ it is just for reading though. It would be nice not to need glasses just to watch tv.

 

[brianmanahan]

Don't worry; that happens less than 95% of the time.

In real life the LASIK machine will stop if there's any movement, but it didn't stop soon enough in the case of a patient undergoing LASIK when a natural gas explosion occurred nearby.

so youre saying theres a %5 chance???

 

[Wingznut]

Plus, my eye doc says that as you age you'll need glasses anyway as older people get near sighted.

If you're really young, the bang for buck is more legit (if the doc gets it right) but not for 40 year olds where most start to finally get fucked up eyesight.

At 40+ it is just for reading though. It would be nice not to need glasses just to watch tv.

I got Lasik at 45, and I need reading glasses. Yes, everyone needs reading glasses starting in their mid-40's, unless they have some nearsightedness. But I absolutely agree that prior to age 40 is the best time to get Lasik.

Prior to Lasik, there was a small area (1-6" in front of my eyes) where I didn't need glasses, and now I need glasses up to probably 24". The big shock to me was computer distance, in which I need glasses. I guess it shouldn't be a shock, since I always needed glasses for the computer, but since I always had them on, it wasn't an issue. The doc was very clear on how my eyes would end up, and he was completely accurate.

I essentially traded being nearsighted for farsighted. I essentially traded wearing glasses for 95% of the time to 15-20%. And had I never been nearsighted, I would be in the exact same circumstance.

The freedom to now see distance without correction is just awesome.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah the fact of needing reading glasses at 40 kinda sucks. Though not all people do, so I'm hoping I get lucky or something. My near sightedness is very good. I can see about 3 inches, any closer then it gets blurry. Though I'm testing this now, when I'm still recovering. Computer/phone screen is kind of hard to read too, but I think it's because it's light. if I look at my speakers I can make out the individual holes in the grid. They're maybe 1mm diameter if smaller. Once I'm fully recovered I'm thinking the computer will be ok.

My focus is still a bit awkward too, when I'm looking around real fast everything seems blury but if I concentrate then everything gets into focus. I think it's just because my eyes have to focus differently now so it takes some getting used to. If my 1 week it does not improve I'll ask about that, since I have to make a post op appointment at my optometrist anyway.

Overall I'm still very happy and if worse case scenario my vision stays as it is now it's still tons better than what it was before without glasses, and not needing glasses is awesome.

 

[Leyawiin]

I'm still waiting for floater surgery to get slightly more advanced before making the leap.

I didn't know they were working on such a thing. I have big assed floaters in both eyes and being very astigmatic and near-sighted it just makes it worse. I'd happily do something to get rid of them vs. Lasik for vision correction.

 

[MongGrel]

I'm 53 and am perfectly comfortable with my contacts.

I'll probably never bother with it just for that reason unless others things pop up I suppose.

All ready need reading glasses and use others things at work for up close precision work, would be probably a bit redundant to even mess with it here.

Just a risk I wouldn't take personally for the money involved I guess.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah if you can handle contacts then that's probably the next best thing and just stick with that. I thought about it, but there's just no way I could deal with physically putting something in my eyes all the time. I rather go through something similar for a short period, and have it done and over with. I have enough trouble with drops and probably will for the rest of the week. Will be a milestone once I'm done.

I have a few floaters but they don't bother me, I had them before, and I can confirm I still have some after surgery, so LASIK wont remove floaters, but I imagine if you mention floaters they may be able to fix that too. Personally I don't find them annoying enough to go through surgery as I don't usually see them. I see them more when I'm looking at a computer screen with mostly bright/white on it, like as I type this post. But that's also because my vision is still kind of "squinty". Normally I don't see them.

 

[Gillbot]

great read. still fucking terrified. and to be honest this kinda didn't help lol

This

I'm less worried about the surgery and more that it just won't help. My aunt still needs glasses after her surgery.

And this

They want $3000+ for the procedure and can't spring for a $10 pair of glasses if they don't hit the 20/20 mark they brag about during the consultations?

 

[Sho'Nuff]

OPs story is basically the same as mine, except I was left with 20/20 vision during the day and night vision that requires polarized anti/glare glasses (w/ almost no prescription) else I can hardly see for all the halos. With glasses I still get halos at night but they are not too bad.

All in all it was still worth it IMO. I couldn't see my alarm clock when I work up before surgery. Even if it was 2" in front of my face.

 

[gamefreakgcb]

I had the surgery done in 2010. Halos and starbursts were common, especially during the night. But after a few months it went away. I'd worn glasses for over a decade and tried lenses on and off the last few years.

I had the surgery done in India, the most expensive clinic in town and the highest paid package. Was about $700 for both eyes. This clinic had been open for quite a while and had done many many surgeries prior. Best decision I ever made. Of course, I had nightmares of losing my eyesight because of all the horrible outcomes but I was checked and cleared of any complications, so at least I had that to depend on.