Laser Eye Surgery

Has anyone had laser eye surgery done? I'm seriously thinking about it, but I'm scared. I only know 1 person whos had it, and it was within the last month, and she's still healing. She's had a small problem, but they've told her they can fix it in the next 5 weeks. I just would like somemore feedback on it.

I would love to have it done so I can chunk my glasses and contacts for good!

I was near-sighted for a long time. I started out with glasses and soon moved to contact lenses. I developed an infection in my eyes from the contacts, and had severe dry eye so I couldn't wear them anymore. I had lasik on my left eye, which had an astigmatism (sp?), and it fixed that. I now have 20/20 vision. My right eye is a little weaker, but will help me read close up now that I'm approaching 40. I highly recommend it. The guy I went to is the top one in the area, and I personally knew about 5 people that went to him. One was my boss who was very sight-challenged.

Thanks Vabookworm. I'm having the same problem with my contacts right now. The day I went for my consiltation with the Lasik doctor he told me to stop wearing contacts immediately, because I had an infection. I only wear them when I'm going out anyway, because they always make my eyes go red after about an hour and everyone is always asking me whats wrong with them. I know I'm going to miss glasses because I've worn them since I was 11 years old, but I think I'll get over it. The place I'm going to is the top one in Toronto, and the price includes any touch ups 5, 10 or 15 years from now if my eyes change and I don't have 20/20 vision, which I think is great because thats what I was afraid of....having to get glasses in 5 years when my prep has changed enough.

My mother got Lasik eye surgery done about 8 months ago. She's near-sighted, and had to get reading glasses after the surgery, so I don't know if every near-sighted person would have to have those. But, her vision is great. I wouldn't suggest getting the surgery if you're under 30 though, since your vision can and will change more as you get older.

I know, but the place I'm looking at will do touch up surgery's if required, at no additional cost.

i would love to have it done .. how much is it?

Originally Posted by canadiangirlie I know, but the place I'm looking at will do touch up surgery's if required, at no additional cost. Whoops. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Sorry, didn't read that. The places her sadly don't do touch-ups, or else I would go have it done in a heart beat!
And LVA, the surgery is roughly $2,000. Your insurance might cover some.

I have just found out i need glasses and am interested in laser surgery myself. Does it hurt i wonder?

Joe just had this done a few weeks ago. He said that they numb out the eye and usually give you some valium...and that the laser look like some cool psychadelic disco show. He said that the first part of the surgery is uncomfortable, but not painful. The worst part was after the numbing agent wore off and his eyes felt like they were burning...but it only lasted for a few hours and then it was smooth sailing from there. The only other annoying thing was having to sleep with plastic protectors over the eyes for the first week. After that, you don't need them anymore.

He got his vision tested and before he went in he was wearing contacts with a prescription of -450 in each eye (I don't know what that translates to). After his surgery, he went to have his vision tested again and it came back as 20/15 in both eyes...he's got the same vision I do!!

He's very pleased with it and he's already recommended several friends to his doctor. Definitely do your research and interview every single doctor...get referrals...check them out, and then make your choice. Good luck!

NotOfThisWorld - hehe ... thx for lettin' me know .. wow ... i was thinking $3000 , but that's still a lotta $ , even if my insurance did cover some of it ... i'd have to stop buying Mu and shopping .....

I wish you the best for your Lasik..canadiangilie!

My bf's speciality is surgery of diseased eyes, so he does not do any Lasik

or corrective surgery, with the exception of cataract surgery.

Lasik is not as popular here in Europe as it is in the US and Canada.

It sounds like you got a good doctor, though....

Oh, I'm excited to hear the results...keep us posted!!

Thanks girls. Well my surgery would be $5,400.00 which is more than most places, but it's my eyes and I'm not looking for the cheapy way out. I look at it like, I spend $400 each year per pair of glasses, of which I always have 2 incase I loose or break one, and $450 each year on contacts. In 5 years the surgery will have paid for itself, AND I don't have to worry about finding my glasses every morning, optician appointments x 2 each year which the government now makes us pay for, etc, etc. I know I will need a touch up over the next 15 years at least because my eyes change every year, and it is included in the surgery so I won't have to pay for someone to do it again, if I so wish. I've got overtime at work right now so I'm taking advantage of that and saving up. My understanding is that they freeze your eyes with drops, not needles (yuck!), they offer you valium if you want it. They do surgerys on Thurs and Fri so you can go back to work on Monday. You have to go back the day after the surgery, the week after the surgery, then the next month, 6 months and 1 year after to make sure everything is okay. It's all included in the $5,400, plus all the medication and drops you need, I don't have to purchase them in addition to everything, which some places make you do. I don't know if the states have them, but it's called the Bochner Eye Institute

I've heard it was cheaper in Canada. I know a lot of people that work for us in the Seattle area would drive up to Canada to get it done. I think I paid about $2500 for one eye (just had to have the left one done). All of the doctor's visits were included as well as the medicine. They just numbed my eye with drops and it was over in a few minutes. I wore sunglasses home that afternoon, and I was able to see in a few hours. I just had to sleep with the plastic cover so I wouldn't scratch my eye. I didn't have to have my eyes covered or anything other than at night. It was well worth it.

Originally Posted by LVA NotOfThisWorld - hehe ... thx for lettin' me know .. wow ... i was thinking $3000 , but that's still a lotta $ , even if my insurance did cover some of it ... i'd have to stop buying Mu and shopping ..... I was actually thinking $2,000 per eye. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I was all there last night. But, I'm pretty sure my mother's insurance covered $1,500 of it, so it probably was about $3,000 per eye.

Vabookworm, there are places that advertise $800/eye on the radio, and I'm sure some other places are about 1,000-2,000 per eye, but most don't include the touch ups if needed in the future. I couldn't afford to do it again in the future. Neither of my insurance plans help pay for the surgery....it's all coming out of my mu and shoe money :<

I always remember that episode of "King of Queens" when Doug gets Carrie Lasik for her birthday. He had a coupon - buy one eye, get one free. She was furious because the doctor messed up and she had to go to another one to get it fixed.

I have EXTREMELY bad vision. I mean - I can guarantee that no one here is more near-sighted than I am -maybe as bad as me -but no way can someone be worse. Anyway - I am too scared to go for it. It's not been tested for long-term and I hear it affects night vision and glares. BUT everyone I know is pleased with it. I'll wait it out though - for my eyes -contacts works very well - I wear them and I cant even tell I am blind! haha. But I do hate that without them I am considered handicapped (yeah my doctor says I am legally blind without my contacts and glasses). It would be nice to wake-up and see.

My dad had this surgery and is probably going to pay for Alex and I to get it done. I watched the whole surgery (I mean, it's the shortest surgery EVER) and it looks really weird, but not bad. He had to keep his eyes closed all day the day of the surgery, because if he opened them it burned and he had to constantly put in natural tear drops to make sure it stayed moist (because if not, the flap that they cut off the layer of your eye can become dislodged or something. I dunno LOL), but literally the NEXT DAY he could see perfectly. He has 20/15 vision!! It's AMAZING. In Dallas, Texas, they have a doctor there that performs it for $500 an eye.

I want to get my eyes fixed in september. not long away and i still haven't research. Hate wearing contacts but vanity prevails. But I'm determined to go to the best because I'm just scared of what might happen... I'm almost blind without my contacts.

Sorry, forgot to post...I have astigmatism (I see shadows of everything) too, does that effect the procedure?