Have any of you undergone Lasik surgery?

[Kriz]

Sorry to necrobump this thread but I didn't want to start a new one. I just got my LASIK done on Thursday and I can safely say that it is one of the best things i've ever done. I can already see almost perfectly. My eyes are still pretty dry but I've already gone down from using drops every 15-20 minutes to once an hour. And I've only put them in twice today for the past 5 hours. My only complaint so far is the halo/starbursting for lights at night. I asked my doctor and they said that it's extremely common while your eye is still healing, and when the flap is properly healed in 4 weeks (or before then) that it'll go away. I read and confirmed this over the internet. I was just wondering what anyone else's experiences have been with the halos/starbursts after their surgery?

I've been sheepish about getting the second pre-lasik consultation. I'd like to know more about what happened. Who'd you get it done with? Did you get the fancy bladeless, or even fancier bladeless and computer eye-modeling? My understanding is that you have the blade version, the laser blade version, and then some weird computer guided custom-sculpted version instead of a generic fix. I'm so on the fence about it.

How long did it take, really just 1m per eye?

[ertyu]

I've been sheepish about getting the second pre-lasik consultation. I'd like to know more about what happened. Who'd you get it done with? Did you get the fancy bladeless, or even fancier bladeless and computer eye-modeling? My understanding is that you have the blade version, the laser blade version, and then some weird computer guided custom-sculpted version instead of a generic fix. I'm so on the fence about it.

How long did it take, really just 1m per eye?

I had it done on Dello Russo Laser center here in NYC. Really expensive but worth every penny (was about 4 grand) I had it done with the custom eye mapping. Basically they put me on this chair, they put this suction thing on my eye, quite a bit of pressure but no pain on my eye at all (they put anesthetic drops on your eyes), that took about 3-4 minutes each eye which was used to create the flap. They had the computer map me for about 30-40 seconds, then it started lasering and it smelled like burnt hair as others have stated. The laser itself took maybe about 45 seconds each eye? And then I was done.

It hurt like a fucking bitch afterwords, I took 3 aleve and went to sleep, woke up the next day and felt a whole lot better. Just relaxed and watched some TV. Today my vision is even better. I have hemorrhages on my eyes that look pretty bad but those are supposed to go away within 1-2 weeks. Everything is still abit blurry and like I said, my night vision isn't great but it isn't horrible. Light sources seem to have a "halo" around them so its a little disorienting, but the doc said that was supposed to go away within 4 weeks time as the flap healed over. I really hope so, I would hate to be stuck like this for the rest of my life >< It was totally worth it overall, I can get up and see perfectly, and right now just having a hard time seeing detail at a small level, especially if it deals with light. It's kind of hard to see stuff on the computer screen because its kind of luminescent but again, I've been assured this is all temporary while the flap heals itself.

[Kriz]

I had it done on Dello Russo Laser center here in NYC. Really expensive but worth every penny (was about 4 grand) I had it done with the custom eye mapping. Basically they put me on this chair, they put this suction thing on my eye, quite a bit of pressure but no pain on my eye at all (they put anesthetic drops on your eyes), that took about 3-4 minutes each eye which was used to create the flap. They had the computer map me for about 30-40 seconds, then it started lasering and it smelled like burnt hair as others have stated. The laser itself took maybe about 45 seconds each eye? And then I was done.

It hurt like a fucking bitch afterwords, I took 3 aleve and went to sleep, woke up the next day and felt a whole lot better. Just relaxed and watched some TV. Today my vision is even better. I have hemorrhages on my eyes that look pretty bad but those are supposed to go away within 1-2 weeks. Everything is still abit blurry and like I said, my night vision isn't great but it isn't horrible. Light sources seem to have a "halo" around them so its a little disorienting, but the doc said that was supposed to go away within 4 weeks time as the flap healed over. I really hope so, I would hate to be stuck like this for the rest of my life >< It was totally worth it overall, I can get up and see perfectly, and right now just having a hard time seeing detail at a small level, especially if it deals with light. It's kind of hard to see stuff on the computer screen because its kind of luminescent but again, I've been assured this is all temporary while the flap heals itself.

Wow, thanks for the feedback. That sounds pretty much like what I'd get (custom wavelength is what they called it). Would you say that getting it means you'll be out of commission for like a week, work wise? I'd love to hear how things heal up in a few weeks too, I'm thinking about going in for the second consultation before September.

[ertyu]

Wow, thanks for the feedback. That sounds pretty much like what I'd get (custom wavelength is what they called it). Would you say that getting it means you'll be out of commission for like a week, work wise? I'd love to hear how things heal up in a few weeks too, I'm thinking about going in for the second consultation before September.

Nope, going back in on Monday. I could have gone back the next day but I just didn't want to. All in all it depends on what you do but I work in an office. The doctor told me to just make my text bigger and to take breaks every hour or so while keeping my eyes wet and i should be fine.

[Serif]

When did Lasik first start being done? Just wondering how long it will take to see the long term side effects of this procedure.

I just don't see the annoyance of contacts/glasses ever making me get this.

[Jotaru]

How the hell do you do this anyway. I have extreme problems staring where I need to to put eye drops in, or (when I used color contacts for fun) putting those in... I can't imagine looking straight up at a device like that, or a blade, or anything. How do they keep your eyes from moving? I know they have clamps for the lids, but still..

[ertyu]

When did Lasik first start being done? Just wondering how long it will take to see the long term side effects of this procedure.

I just don't see the annoyance of contacts/glasses ever making me get this.

Lasik started being studied in the 1950s, and the first patient was done in 1989. Bladeless LASIK is a lot newer, but is just basically refining technology. There is now even newer LASIK technology being developed that doesn't even need to make a corneal flap, or damage the eye in any way, but that's probably 10-15 years in the making.

And trust me, the annoyance of contacts/glasses is well worth it. Maybe not if all you do is sit on your ass all day and play video games (not saying you do). But if you're like me and you like to do physical activity and you're always pushing your glasses up, or you're on a date and your contacts fall out and then you're blind as shit for the rest of the night, or (god forbid this happens to none of you ever), if you're driving to the optometrist because your glasses broke AND THEN your contact lenses fall out. Having your eyes not depend on a device that's not attached to your body is well worth whatever reason you have for not wanting to get Lasik done.

[ertyu]

How the hell do you do this anyway. I have extreme problems staring where I need to to put eye drops in, or (when I used color contacts for fun) putting those in... I can't imagine looking straight up at a device like that, or a blade, or anything. How do they keep your eyes from moving? I know they have clamps for the lids, but still..

Like I said, they put drops in your eyes that make them completely numb to pain. they put a suction thing on your eye so it can't move. Then you just stare up at a red and green blinking light. You BARELY see the laser hitting your eye (it's very small, isn't in your immediate field of vision, and is only working on you for ~40 seconds each eye) and then you're done. You can pretty much see somewhat clearly right after the surgery is done, and that's that. No more glasses until presbyopia sets in!

[Serif]

Lasik started being studied in the 1950s, and the first patient was done in 1989. Bladeless LASIK is a lot newer, but is just basically refining technology. There is now even newer LASIK technology being developed that doesn't even need to make a corneal flap, or damage the eye in any way, but that's probably 10-15 years in the making.

And trust me, the annoyance of contacts/glasses is well worth it. Maybe not if all you do is sit on your ass all day and play video games (not saying you do). But if you're like me and you like to do physical activity and you're always pushing your glasses up, or you're on a date and your contacts fall out and then you're blind as shit for the rest of the night, or (god forbid this happens to none of you ever), if you're driving to the optometrist because your glasses broke AND THEN your contact lenses fall out. Having your eyes not depend on a device that's not attached to your body is well worth whatever reason you have for not wanting to get Lasik done.

The only times I wear glasses is right before I go to sleep or I am in the middle of a hangover or waking up. Contacts for the win yo! I had more contacts get ripped in my contact case than ones that have fallen or ripped in my eye.

[ertyu]

There is no argument to even be made though, comparing a less than 5 minute procedure to having to deal with contacts and glasses for the rest of your life.

[Serif]

There is no argument to even be made though, comparing a less than 5 minute procedure to having to deal with contacts and glasses for the rest of your life.

Meh to each his own, I don't feel like spending 1200+ on my eyes for something that we haven't seen the long term effects. The hassle of glasses/contacts isn't that major to me.

[archibaldcrane]

The long-term effects are "being able to see without glasses or contacts for the rest of your life".

[archibaldcrane]

Wait, what?

? I worked on Extreme Makeover for a year.

[Talint]

Lasik scares the crap out of me, as much as I'd love to get it.

I do love my contacts though.

[ZarakiKujata]

I'd honestly get lasik cause I hate putting in contacts when I don't wear glasses but I don't mind glasses 95% of the time, and the amount of complements from cute girls I get on my frames negate any inconvenience they occasionally cause.

[ertyu]

Meh to each his own, I don't feel like spending 1200+ on my eyes for something that we haven't seen the long term effects. The hassle of glasses/contacts isn't that major to me.

What archibald said. The effects of LASIK have been tested as far as 20 years at this point. I think anything after like 10 years was pretty moot. I don't think in 10 years from now people are going to all of a sudden be going blind and be like "ARGGGH IF ONLY I HAD WAITED TO SEE THE 30 YEAR LASIK RESULTS THAT EVERYONE WOULD EVENTUALLY GO BLIND!"

And to people playing the monetary card. How much do your contacts cost? As someone who bought contacts pretty religiously for 5 years, I can say that I found a great deal when I was getting my acuvue oasys for 20 bucks a box. 8 boxes for 1 year supply came out to about 180~200 dollars after everything was said and done. Combine that with the cost of getting glasses as a backup, another 100-200 dollars whenever your prescription changed, and combine that with the contact measuring fee, and having to buy bottles of saline and new contact carrying cases every few months. I would say that LASIK pays for itself pretty quickly.

[Serif]

The long-term effects are "being able to see without glasses or contacts for the rest of your life".

I know that

I just don't like to do anything invasive unless it is mandatory.

What archibald said. The effects of LASIK have been tested as far as 20 years at this point. I think anything after like 10 years was pretty moot. I don't think in 10 years from now people are going to all of a sudden be going blind and be like "ARGGGH IF ONLY I HAD WAITED TO SEE THE 30 YEAR LASIK RESULTS THAT EVERYONE WOULD EVENTUALLY GO BLIND!"

I never even heard of this 20 years ago, well I was 4 at the time but it just doesn't seem like there would be a large enough sample to see everything that is possible from this. I am just being paranoid haha...

[ertyu]

I'd honestly get lasik cause I hate putting in contacts when I don't wear glasses but I don't mind glasses 95% of the time, and the amount of complements from cute girls I get on my frames negate any inconvenience they occasionally cause.

You could still wear glasses just for fashion. You just wouldn't have to worry about your eyes looking bigger or smaller, which for me, who had a +6 (making my eyes look fucking huge) was a great selling point.

[ZarakiKujata]

You could still wear glasses just for fashion. You just wouldn't have to worry about your eyes looking bigger or smaller, which for me, who had a +6 (making my eyes look fucking huge) was a great selling point.

My lenses dont distort my eyes at all(almost negligible prescription) and I'd feel like a tool wearing empty frames for fashion. Especially when eyeglass frames cost more then my oakleys.. lol

[ertyu]

tbh people who have a negligible prescription shouldn't get lasik, there's no reason to even expose yourself to the risks that do exist if you can almost see perfectly without glasses. But for people like me, who needed to echolocate when they lost their contacts or didn't have their glasses on, it's like a blessing in disguise.