[UPDATE 1/6] Going in for LASIK this month... any last words for me

[John Connor]

...RIP = rest in peace... So Rest in Piece in peace?

Let the force be with you and shit?

 

[OutHouse]

had it done in 2009. right eye was good after one procedure, left eye took 3 times. it took about a year for the starburst to go away. distance is perfect but now due to age need reading glasses.

would i do it again? yes.

 

[Red Squirrel]

After a few years I find I still get halo/starbursts too. The first year it was mostly halos now it's mix of both. But it's a small tradeoff, as it only happens at night. I don't like driving at night to begin with, but given it's night all the time in winter I kind of just have to suck it up.

Now if I could legally fire an RPG at HID headlight users that would be great. But those are bad even without Lasik.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

My Dad had a cataract(spelling?) removed and he paid a little extra for the distance vision correction. Worked perfectly for him. He said colors are brighter, distance vision is best he can remember and he is more confident driving at night.
Good luck OP!

 

[KMFJD]

After a few years I find I still get halo/starbursts too. The first year it was mostly halos now it's mix of both. But it's a small tradeoff, as it only happens at night. I don't like driving at night to begin with, but given it's night all the time in winter I kind of just have to suck it up.

Now if I could legally fire an RPG at HID headlight users that would be great. But those are bad even without Lasik.

You'd love driving at night in DR, it's almost a gimme that they leave their brights on, and if they aren't they will turn them on just before they go past you.

 

[Zeze]

T-minus 24 hrs.

 

[brianmanahan]

LOOKATTHEONESYOULOVEONELASTTIMEOP!

just kidding you'll be fine

 

[gorcorps]

T-minus 24 hrs.

Have you been practicing your braille?

 

[Bubbleawsome]

Good luck! Hope your New Years is super clear!

 

[SearchMaster]

My wife did it 8 or 10 years ago. It was great for a few years, now she's horribly far-sighted. She needs to have it done again but that won't happen until she finds another job.

 

[Murloc]

Getting water in them was always a pain in the ass. If you have nothing to wipe it with and end up smearing etc. Was just overall super annoying.

Or trying to go to a water park or beach without them and not seeing anything. It's not as bad if you have at least one friend who can see though but I've gone with friends who were all in the same boat as me, it was pretty much the blind leading the blind.

Another time I went on this giant swing/bungie jump thing, but you could not wear glasses for safety (might fall off and hit someone) so here I am on a 150 foot tower and I can't see a damn thing, not really as enjoyable as if I could actually see.

In general I just found glasses to be more limiting but especially in situations where you can get wet.

I just have a pair of very cheap prescription sunglasses I use in those situations.

 

[brshoemak]

Keep us up to date on how things go/went.

The best advice I can give is to do everything the doctors tell you. Eyeshields - eye drops - etc.

- Right after the procedure everything will be cloudy and your eyes will water like they have never watered before and they will sting - my wife's stung much more than mine.

- Go home, sleep for an hour or two with eye shields on. ALWAYS sleep in them using medical paper tape to keep them on. You'll look like Spiderman.

- When you wake up, things may be a little hazy or may be perfectly clear. Looking at lights will give you a MASSIVE starburst effect. Totally normal.

- Showers are annoying, just face away from the shower head and be careful while washing your hair.

- I was a massive eye rub-er before, so I ended up wearing sunglasses even around the house for a good portion of the time during the first few weeks so I didn't touch my eyes.

- One other thing, lights will seem REALLY bright initially. It will be too bright to look at your computer screen so turn that brightness down. The same will apply to and screen including TV.

- The starburst effect will last for some time but it went away eventually. Someone earlier said it took about a year to go away and that sounds about right. The only thing to be concerned about is night driving for the first month or two (not 100% sure if it's that long or not). The starburst effect is so great at night at the beginning that I would try to avoid night driving if at all possible.

I had Intralase LASIK (bladeless) performed on both eyes a few years back by a great doctor who has done easily 5000+ LASIK procedures at his private office. I was 20/10 on both eyes initially, which eventually settled to 20/10 on one eye and 20/15 on the other (that eye was terrible before - 20/400). It was not cheap but it's got a lifetime guarantee and it's the best investment I've made in my life thus far.

I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[Fritzo]

 

[Linux23]

Good luck man. I can't remember when I had mine done and where but it was well worth it. some issues years later but oh well. no more shitty glasses or abrasive contacts.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I got LASIK back in 2011. Best money I ever spent. Being able to see the world in perfect clarity is life changing.

 

[brianmanahan]

@Zeze can you read me?

 

[paperfist]

I had it done about 6 years ago. My vision is slightly worse than 20/20 now, but many times better than it was pre op. It was a great experience and I don't regret it at all. I do know someone who has had chronic dry eyes after their surgery, but they still recommend it.

Why would your vision worsen after surgery?

I always thought about having it done, but then I learned that you will still need glasses to read with when you get old so that kinda prevented me from doing it. I'll stick with contacts a little longer.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Why would your vision worsen after surgery?

I always thought about having it done, but then I learned that you will still need glasses to read with when you get old so that kinda prevented me from doing it. I'll stick with contacts a little longer.

Yeah hopefully they can eventually have a surgery for "old" bad eye sight too. I was told that by 40 I would probably need glasses again. So basically I got 10ish years of no glasses to enjoy, by getting it done.

I think you only need them to see close though, so don't need them on all the time.

 

[Zeze]

update in OP

 

[TennesseeTony]

My pre-surgery vision was estimated to be about 20\800. During a check-up, they'd ask what was the smallest line of letters I could read, and I'd ask them where the chart was. And no, I couldn't find my glasses if I misplaced them. For someone like me, surgery was/is a no brainer, not just a cosmetic improvement.

That was about 15 years and $1000 ago. (New doctor in town trying to establish himself) I came out surgery immediately being able to tell the time on a analogue wall clock. At my check up I was at 20/15, better than 20/20.

Depending on how "bad" that one eye is, I wouldn't worry about it just yet. I do remember my eyes being a bit different at first and found it quite aggravating. I've not had a check up in forever, but will have to soon, as the last year or two seeing close up has been problematic without bright lighting. I can still see my finger prints from less than a foot away. But it's variable. Some days I have difficulty focusing closer than arms length. That is to be expected, as you know, as we age, and I'll be 45 this year.

The halos lasted a while, and faded so slowly that I can't say how long it took for that to go away. A year maybe. My procedure included the circle blade cut, not sure how it's done these days, and the "loose contact" scratchy feeling lasted a few days. Other than those nags, I have had zero issues. By far the best $1000 I've spent.

With inflation, and considering you went to a well respected facility, I'd say you most certainly got a steal, and congratulations!

//rant// The ex-wife on the other hand had decent vision, 20/70, and spent $5500 a month after my procedure, insisting on using "the best" (or, the one who advertised on the radio about every hour). //end rant//

 

[Red Squirrel]

Would not worry too much but do mention it when you go for the check up.

One thing I did notice is my "contrast ratio" was poorer after the surgery. It's hard to tell if it still is and I just got used to it, or if it's improved. I think it's improved. Basically when I would look inside a bag, or under an desk or car etc, I could not make out shades very well. So like if I dropped a pen under my desk it was hard to see it if the pen was a dark colour. The day after the surgery I was digging in my luggage for something and had trouble seeing stuff inside and that's when I noticed. But in light, everything was still clear and still is. So not sure if that's what you're noticing too when you say one eye is more dim.

I still get halos and starbursts and it's been 2 or 3 years now (I lost track time goes by so fast these days lol). But I think they are getting lesser over time so I'm not that worried. Some people get them permanently and that's just that. I still think it's a good trade off vs being stuck with glasses. I was just so sick of all the annoyances associated with that.

 

[MrSquished]

This is the best thing to happen to my eyes:

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm too squeemish when it comes to eyes, even after going through the surgery, I can't imagine actually using contacts or having to actually touch the eye. *shudder*. The hardest part of the surgery was actually the eye drops. Never get used to that. But I knew it was temporary and just sucked it up. But it was not pleasant.