Lasik candidates beware

[N1347B]

Well I guess I'm a lucky one. 5 years now, and vision is still 20:10 in both eyes individually. I wore semi-coke bottles before with astigmatism in one eye. They told me I'd have dry eyes for 6 mo to a year, they told me my night vision would take 6 mo to a year to get back to normal and it did. Realistic expectations about the side effects are important.

That said, I took care in choosing my surgeon, and paid quite a bit more than the in-and-out factories.

I could not be happier. I was constantly losing contacts in the water (waterskiing), fogging glasses while doing outdoors activities, breaking glasses, losing prescriptions sunglasses, etc.

Tim

I had Lasik in 1998 at Emory in ATL. It changed my life. I was beyond legally blind before it and 20/20 after. It was very expensive and worth every dime. I had astigmatism in both eyes. For the first time in my life I could read an alarm clock. I could see people's faces. I could read. I could see leaves on trees.

For some of us, it was more than a cosmetic decision. The ability to see was more important than the ability to fly.

Deb

 

[nddons]

I had Lasik in 1998 at Emory in ATL. It changed my life. I was beyond legally blind before it and 20/20 after. It was very expensive and worth every dime. I had astigmatism in both eyes. For the first time in my life I could read an alarm clock. I could see people's faces. I could read. I could see leaves on trees.

For some of us, it was more than a cosmetic decision. The ability to see was more important than the ability to fly.

Deb

My wife had a life changing event with Lasik as well, and she too couldn't see the alarm clock without her glasses. Now that being said, she had poor night vision before, but it has become much worse after the surgery, which happened about 5 years ago now.

I wear bifocals full time, but my vision is not nearly as bad as my wifes was. I'm just looking for a good Rx glasses / sunglass combination for flying. I just can't see myself walking around the FBO or anywhere else with the Sheyden flip-ups. I have Swiss T2 glasses with clip-on sunglasses, but it's a little fragile and would be tough to bother with while flying.

 

[steingar]

I might do the LASIK thing when I really need reading glasses. I figure if I have to wear reading glasses anyway, I least I can ditch them for distance. But we'll see.

 

[weilke]

I might do the LASIK thing when I really need reading glasses. I figure if I have to wear reading glasses anyway, I least I can ditch them for distance. But we'll see.

At the point when they need reading glasses anyway, few people are bothered enough by glasses or contacts to consider surgery.

 

[Ghery]

I think I'll stick with my glasses. I don't even have to remember to grab sunglasses thanks to the photochromatic coating, too.

 

[flyersfan31]

I'll stick with the aggravation of glasses and live with mild astigmatism. I'm not blind as a bat as some were. Everything is blurry, but not terribly so. As Frank said, too, I kinda like the extra layer of protection that glasses provide me. I have Rx sunglasses, Rx goggles for swimming.

There's something about my eyes; I don't want to take ANY chances. I keep saying I'll give them another 5 yrs to perfect the technology, and I've been saying that for 15 yrs!!

 

[woodstock]

I'll stick with the aggravation of glasses and live with mild astigmatism. I'm not blind as a bat as some were. Everything is blurry, but not terribly so. As Frank said, too, I kinda like the extra layer of protection that glasses provide me. I have Rx sunglasses, Rx goggles for swimming.

There's something about my eyes; I don't want to take ANY chances. I keep saying I'll give them another 5 yrs to perfect the technology, and I've been saying that for 15 yrs!!

You and me both. Even more so since I only have one that actually works. I wear contacts but outdoors have sunglasses on all the time. At home, it's glasses all the way.

 

[weilke]

The nice thing about a highly elective procedure like refractive surgery is well, the fact that it is: highly elective. You have to be really bothered by glasses/contacts to consider surgery. Most people do just fine with well fitted contacts, they tend to be the one less than excited about the outcome.

 

[wsuffa]

I wear contacts but outdoors have sunglasses on all the time. At home, it's glasses all the way.

Unless you're meticulous about the care of your contacts you're running a risk of contamination and infection. I've had several eye docs (including the head of opthamology at a university) warn me that contacts can be more risky than the newer surgical procedures - especially as we age and eyes become less lubricated. Glasses are safest.

I gave up contacts long ago - and wear glasses instead. My brother had laser surgery and it's worked well for him (after the initial adjustment period).

 

[woodstock]

Unless you're meticulous about the care of your contacts you're running a risk of contamination and infection. I've had several eye docs (including the head of opthamology at a university) warn me that contacts can be more risky than the newer surgical procedures - especially as we age and eyes become less lubricated. Glasses are safest.

I gave up contacts long ago - and wear glasses instead. My brother had laser surgery and it's worked well for him (after the initial adjustment period).

I have daily wear - I throw the lens out every evening. That said, if I'm not going anywhere special I wear my glasses. Some winter wkds I don't put the contacts in at all - if I am just running errands and etc I just wear the glasses.

 

[alaskaflyer]

Unless you're meticulous about the care of your contacts you're running a risk of contamination and infection. I've had several eye docs (including the head of opthamology at a university) warn me that contacts can be more risky than the newer surgical procedures - especially as we age and eyes become less lubricated. Glasses are safest.

I gave up contacts long ago - and wear glasses instead. My brother had laser surgery and it's worked well for him (after the initial adjustment period).

I also wear one day disposable lens, a result of very sensitive eyes after poor teenage contacts hygiene. Can't tolerate more than a day or two of proteins build up. I've been told that as I age I won't be able to wear them at some point at all. I don't yet need reading glasses but when I do it will remove the last real impedement to LASIK/PRK for me.

As an aside both of my parents have undergone lens replacement surgery and they both feel they are recipients of a modern miracle

 

[azure]

I had RK many years ago. One eye regressed more than the other, so I wear a weak contact lens on that eye. Over the years both eyes have gotten even less minus so the lens is mainly to equalise the two eyes now. I wear extended wear lenses, disinfect them slightly more often on average than every other day. One lens usually lasts me about two weeks. I do need reading glasses for close work and always wear them in the cockpit at night, granny style. I don't have much of a dry eye problem but do carry lens solution and a spare lens with me at all times.

With the lens, both eyes are actually slightly plus now, so at some point, I may switch to wearing a weak plus diopter lens on the other eye.