Buggerit

[khaosworks]

The spectacle frame surrounding one of my lenses just snapped, so I'm back to wearing my spare, which is of a lower power so things are just that little bit doubly-visioned. Will trot down to the optometrist's tomorrow

*sigh*

Maybe I should consider that laser eye surgery thingy. What d'ya think?

Comments

[eviltofu.livejournal.com]

Is it safe?

Is it convenient?

Is it cheap?

[yong-mi.livejournal.com]

I myself go back and forth about laser surgery. I haven't had an easy time with contact lenses, and glasses aren't that great for sports or outdoors activities (I almost lost my glasses while rock climbing once, I was running late that morning and was having trouble putting contacts in, and don't even mention seaside activities). But then I read the horror stories. Ick.

I had it done.

[camwyn]

I read all the horror stories first; I suggest a web site called 'I Know Why Refractive Surgeons Wear Glasses' (I think - it's been a while) to get a good selection of them. I read everything that could go wrong, and I read the Navy's study of long-term effects of PRK and LASIK on its personnel, and I read several other books on the possibilities. I learned what the popping noises would be and the proper names of all the medical devices involved, which look surprisingly like they were invented by Torquemada or something. Wanted to know everything scary possible, to make sure I was ready for this.

Then I selected a doctor who performs 400 of the LASIK procedures a year, and who teaches corneal and refractive surgery at the state medical school. He'd done a friend, and he's spent his entire career making the human cornea work properly - usually after corneal ulcers or herpes-derived cornea damage.

Fifteen minutes. No Valium. Just pharmaceutical cocaine drops in both eyes, plus some steroids and antibiotics. I got up afterwards and could read the clock 20 feet away for the first time since fourth grade. The next day, I tested out at 20/15 vision under the American system. I'd been 20/400 before.

That was in 1999. I'm still seeing 20/15. A friend of mine selected a different doctor; he was around 20/150 or so, and he's 20/30 now, and has been having many problems. I think it's mostly because he chose the wrong doctor. It all comes down to the doctor - pick soeone very, very experienced, someone who's done it for years and who has few lawsuits against him. Don't choose someone cheap, or someone you know personally, the way my friend did; pick someone who's good and who can do the procedure QUICKLY (the faster he works, the less chance there is of infection or other mistake). Pick someone with a long track history of the procedure. Experience is the key.

For the record, it cost me $5300 American in 1999, and I don't regret one penny of it. But I personally think I got the best doctor in the northeastern U. S. for the job.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

This comes up on some of the motorcycling forums I participate in from time to time. Eyeglasses are a medium-sized PITA when worn in conjunction with a full-face helmet, so some riders opt for LASIK surgery. I've heard that some forms of the surgery can lead to "ghosting" or "halos" around objects, especially at night. Many riders, especially those who ride a lot at night, opt to keep wearing eyeglasses rather than risk the small vision distortion that can result from the surgery.

I also had it done

[(Anonymous)]

I had LASIK done almost 3 months ago. My eyes have regressed (meaning they weren't overcorrected enough initially) as they healed, but I still have better vision than I have ever had. I think it is the best thing I ever did for myself.

I had some glare problems initially but they have reduced as my eyes healed - mostly it was a light sensitivity.

I also always had some haloing, but it has been slightly more pronounced since the surgery. I find that polarized sunglasses eliminate the problem, so I think it is a refractive edge thing that may go away as the eyes heal.

I'll be going in for an adjustment later this month - my plan provides me with free adjustments for life - so should be back to 20-20 or better very soon.

These are my results only, yours may not be the same. Definitely find a doctor with experience (mine had worked the first clinical trials here at Emory) who makes no bones about the potential problems and what to do.

As my doctor said:

"I've done 40,000 of these surgeries and never had a patient with an infection. However, you could be the first."

Also, they've just come out with a newer laser setup called InterWave (http://64.224.84.229/iwvac/faq.htm) which is supposed to solve many of the weird refractive problems that cause haloing and glare ...

Bill Sutton