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Lasik Eye Surgery


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Thoughts, opinions, complications from anyone?

My consultation is Friday @ Lasikplus, then I'm going to decide whether I want it or not.

If I get it, it'll be the 'works':

-Laser cut flap

-Custom wavefront

I am very interested in this as well. I would possibly need PRK (burn the cornea to desired shape from the outside) vs lasik due to some cornea scarring I did as a kid. How much was the consult?

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Consult is free. My g/f had it done a few months ago and loves it.

I made the mistake of researching this and the more I read the more it's a little scary. The ultimate Lasik-biased site (against): http://www.lasikcomplications.com/

But, really, my vision is bad enough to where even if it wasn't corrected to 20/20 (20/40 maybe), it'd still be a major improvement. The only issue is right now my contacts/glasses correct it to 20/15... once you do Lasik, it throws a wrench into "correcting the laser correction" already.

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I know one person whom has had it done, and she has to go back and get touch ups every so often, and I personally Don't like that idea, and really have no desire to risk it. Shes had it done for about 8 years now.

Cornea issues (for me) aside, this is the main reason I don't want Lasik. I've heard of the "touch ups" as well, seeing halos, shit like that.

With PRK, you're down for a week due to the fact that they literally burn the cornea from the outside in, and it will take a few days for the cells to regenerate. No flap, no bullshits. If it's good enough for aviators under high-G conditions, it's good enough for me.

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I had it done for free :) by the military. LASIK + custom wavefront. Usually i stayed away from the military healthcare while I could, but being free, I sucked it up and went for it. Wasn't bad at all. a couple uncomfortable moments during the procedure, do drops for several weeks, done. PRK used to be the only surgery approved for pilots and spec ops but newer LASIK is now approved as well.

Shortly after the surgery I had 20/20 and 20/15 where I previously had 20/100 in both. Occasional dry eye when I wake up but nothing unbearable. The dry eye the weeks following the surgery sucked sometimes.

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I have thought about it as well, but either didn't have the funds to justify it, or ran into antoher person who had it done and wasn't satisfied. My luck the surgeon has the hiccups the day of my appointment and turns my head into a bowling ball.

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I haven't done as much research as the rest of you, but I'm definately interested in getting it done. For me, a glasses/contacts wearer for 20 years, the benefits far outweigh the risks. The cost keeps going down on the procedure as well. I was told not to have it done until I'm in my 30's to be assured I wont need touch ups, but keep us posted on what you find out at your consult....seems a lot people are interested

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my wife is seriously researching it right now. she has 3 consultations scheduled, and plans to base her decision on how those go.

My take is, "they're your eyes... Let's choose the best doctor, not the cheapest." (That, in tandem with the sickeningly expensive Lady Gaga tickets I just bought for her birthday, are getting me cart blanche with trackday costs...)

personally, I think it's still ridiculously expensive, but then (last I took an eye exam), I can see well enough to drive without any corrections... I still can't stand driving without my glasses/contacts, but I don't need them to read the clock at night, or the book right in front of me. My wife does.

we (quite literally) have different views.

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just for knowledge.. my father, my brothers both of them... my mother.. and one of my wifes friends have had it done.. none of them any issues... all of them loved it.. my father was the first to get it done.. never had to have any touch ups he had his done around 10 years ago.. same with my brother... all used eye drops for a bit them perfection soon as i save up enough i'll be doing it..

they do recommend you be atleast 25 before the procedure due to the fact that eye growth and changes are far more subtle after that age

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I've had it done. best money I've ever spent, not having to deal with contacts and/or glasses anymore was totally worth it. I went to TLC laser eye centers, asked my eye doctor who he would go to, and he said this was the only place he'd go himself (also the place tiger woods went to get his lasik done a few years back) I haven't had to go back for any touch ups, but with this place they are guaranteed for life after the initial procedure. Anyway, I'd recommend it to anyone with more than just a slight vision correction.

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TLC is the place that's partnered with my insurer, but the costs are nearly identical. I get a 15% "discount" for using TLC, but really that just brings it inline with what the market is. Being an elective surgery, nothing is covered by my vision plan - this is all out of pocket (or HSA) in my case.

One thing that worries me about TLC is their stability as a company.

TLC Vision, Tiger Woods Sponsor, Files for Bankruptcy

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aR89dyLAW6X4

Going to be awful hard to honor a lifetime touch up warranty, if the company doesn't exist. I guess I don't know how that would work?

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I don't know. I've debated it for years. I just don't think I'm willing to take the risk.

Exactly my thoughts. Thought about it many times, but this is your eyes man, they work right now, they might NOT after this procedure!

Why take that kind of risk when you can just wear glasses or contacts without risk.

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Good point...you're apparently deeper into the research than I am :) - my procedure was a few years back... I guess as one of the previous posts was saying, they are your eyes, don't cheap out, go for the best doctor/recommendation and not just the cheapest price.

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Why take that kind of risk when you can just wear glasses or contacts without risk.

LASIK may be safer than contact lenses

http://www.lasiksurgerynews.com/news/lasik-safety-contacts-oct06.shtml

Of course I don't know how unbiased that site is... everything that says lasik is safer than contacts is on a pro-lasik site. And everything that says the opposite is on an anti-lasik site. There's no neutral middle ground. The FDA doesn't have that data.

I'm debating about doing one eye at a time, just to see how it 'takes' for me.

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My cousin is an optometrist, he tells me every year I should have it done.... he wears glasses....

thats one hell of a sales pitch! lol

a friend of mine had it done several years ago. he loves it but has to use eyedrops at least twice a day.

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I'm debating about doing one eye at a time, just to see how it 'takes' for me.

You know thats probably the safest way to do it but I bet it will cost twice as much as having them both done at once.

I dunno, call me a wuss but I'd really hate to have complications from a procedure that I "chose" to have, one that I consider "cosmetic" since its

not a necessary surgery, just like liposuction, people die from that shit, is it really worth it? Just go to fucking gym :p

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I know someone that had a bad experience, but if I recall, he said he doesn't regret it at all. I can ask him for the exact details of what happened if people really want to know, but I bet it's something that's been posted on some of the anti-Lasik websites. I'm thinking he said something came detatched? He said that what happened in his case is like a 1 in 10,000 case, and he was just the lucky number to have bad results.

When talking to a lawyer friend of his that guarateed he could get a HUGE settlement, he declined, said it wasn't the dr's fault, it was something to do with his eye, or something like that.

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I had Advanced Surface Ablation done by Dr. Beran. It's basically a newer PRK procedure. Had to go this route due to thin corneas. It takes longer to for your vision to completely stabilize but it worked out for me. I did one eye at a time since you have to keep it bandaged over the weekend and the time it takes for your vision to clear. Don't get me wrong, it was ten times better after the surgery just not 20/20 yet. Mine actually ended up 20/15 in both eyes. The only drawback I've experienced is some dry eye but it wouldn't stop me from having it done again.

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