Is Lasik Worth it?

i voted no, because i would rather have PRK


LASIK: medium or severe myopia, simple or severe mixed astigmatism, simple hyperopia or combined with astigmatism.
Advantages:
- pain-free during the procedure, though the patient may have a slight perception of the presence of foreign bodies in the eyes and/ or tolerable discomfort for a day or two;
- sight recovery is faster (1-2 days).
Disadvantages:
- it may involve some post-operative complications, though remediable. The worst risks – such as infections – are treatable and never irreversible;
- in cases where the correction was not perfect, though always a small percentage of the baseline values, it is more difficult to perform a second operation and it must be done several months after the first operation;
- more expensive than PRK.
PRK: also called "photorefractive keratectomy" is a surgical technique to reduce or correct the most common vision defects of slight to moderate severity. In this surgery lasers are used to "redesign" the cornea.
Advantages:
- easily implemented;
- total absence of operative risk;
- painless procedure;
- possibility of repeating the procedure if the outcome is not optimal;
- less expensive than LASIK.
Disadvantages:
- mild pain for a couple of hours following surgery. Regeneration of the cornea is actually quite painful and itchy, though this irritating healing process is indicative of a successful operation;
- restoration of good vision in two or three days until removal of protective contact lenses. The final repositioning depends primarily on the individual scarring and biological reaction, which is gradually controlled by the ophthalmologist and normally completed within two months.

 

I was 20 when I had mine done it cost me $1800.00. I am now 32 and I still have 20/20 in both eyes well worth the investment. Just do your research on doctors before you settle with one and I know the procedure has changed a little over the years. But good luck with everything you'll be be happy.

 

Both my wife and I had it done, over 10 years ago. It was some of the best, i repeat, best money we have ever spent. as others have said, locate a doctor with a lot of experience. i know people who have had to go back for "touchups", but even they are happy

 

My father and sister had and it done and swore by it. I had it done in 2006 and it’s been great. I did notice this year that while hunting my eyes felt like they got fatigued quickly. That’s mainly because I was straining to see long distances in low light.
If my vision went bad tomorrow, I would not hesitate to do it again. It is pricey but well worth it.

 

My mom got this done and said it was a great investment.

 

my mom and brother both had lasik like 12-13 years ago...I'm sure the technique is only better these days. both of them see perfectly still.

 

Best thing ever. Had it in '07, best $2000 ever spent. No halos. That comes from your pupils expanding (at night) further out than the treated area. This is why they measured pupil size at the assessment appointment, among many other things. They told me because of my pupil size, that I would need to get the more advanced option that covered a larger area. Sign me up.

One of the best things I've ever done.

 

I had mine done in the summer of 2005 and its the best money I ever spent.
I am now 48 and had to start wearing glasses when I was 8 and started wearing contacts (because of sports) i think in 1978, they were the first soft contacts that you had to boil in the machines, and soak in solutions every night.. anyone remember how horrible and and risk of infections they were?
Well I was working for a very large lighting importer and we had a large office for operation in Dongguan China (I started in 2001) well in 2004 people in our office started going to a Eye clinic in Shenzhen to have eye correction surgery, well i didn't think too much more about it until the President of our China operations took his wife there, she also worked for the company (both crocked as a dogs dick) and with him money was no problem, since several years ago when she was pregnant, he ARRANGED, for her to get a work visa for a 4 month stay in the US so she would have her baby here, she was having a girl, and not only would this give the baby duel citizenship, but would not count on the one child policy.. and you have to grease alot of wheels to get this...SO IF HE TOOK HER THERE IT MUST BE SAFE.... anyway I checked it out.
Nice clinic, (and now Shenshen makes NYC look like mayberry) he spoke perfect English, had a degree from the university of ohio at Columbus, i think... and he explained the whole procedure and it was the same as what my aunt had done the year before here in the US. arranged for a long china visit, and got the approvial from my boss, left contacts out for a month before heading back to china, office visit drops measure eyes, 2 weeks later, same thing, next week, surgery, about 10 mins total, and it was the wavefront machinse from germany, its what the air force uses and I could see when i walked out the office. now that night and half the next day i just slept and stayed in dark hotel room, he told me my eyes would be sore, like sand in them, but that evening i woke up and felt great. next day it was a new world....
when i went back for final exam i think my eyes were overcorrected to 20/200, but i can really read the road signs, and working in quality control some factory owners started to hate me. the only issue i have is dry eye in winter and with hay fever but with the FINAL PRICE OF SURGERY AND OFFICE VISITS AT ONLY 565.00 DOLLARS I COULD NOT GET TO THE CASH MACHINE FAST ENOUGH TO PAY FOR IT.!!!!!!!

 

I had PRK done about 5 years ago. The recovery with PRK is rough compared to Lasix. They didnt cut a flap and fold it back after the lasering, they had to grind the cornea off, then laser, then i wore "bandaide contacts" for 10 days, I could see perfect the day of and after surgery, then it slowly got worse and worse for a couple weeks (because of having to wear the contacts 24/7) then perfect again in 2 weeks. i thihnk i apent like 1500, well worth it, but if you can have lasik i would do it, they said they couldnt do lasik on me.

 

Looking at getting prk done at the end of August, thin cornea so prk is my best option, and I'm excited..2k per eye but insurance will knock of 15% which is amazing.

Already planning on taking 2 weeks off to recover.

 

I am completely afraid of the proceedure but know two people who have gotten it done, one said it was great and the other spent some time and explained it all to me. Basically with the new "blade free" version, you still have the eye flap and if your eye gets dried out then you have to use eye drops forever, or stuff can get behind the flap, both can cause blurry vision. Neither of these are serious to the point that you go blind, just huge inconviences because you likely would not have had these issues before hand.

I will be sticking with my glasses.

When they figure out how to do it without a eye flap, and if they figure out a way to do it while you are knocked out, then I am in.

 

Some of the best money I've ever spent. Easily get your money back by not having to buy contacts, solution, glasses, etc...

 

^^^ Woo Hoo, brother!! I'm with YOU!!~

I'm skeered too.... What if something really bad happens and I never see again.

 

I'm another guy in the "love it" column.

Had it done June 2010 and have 20/20 in left eye, 20/15 in right. No halos at night, no eye dryness.

They said I was the perfect candidate (plenty of tears, good cornea thickness, etc), and I wondered if they just told everyone that, but I've had nothing but smiles since I've had it done.


The worse part was loads of drops before/after surgery, and about 2-4 hours after the procedure, it kinda stung a bit and my eyes were crazy watery. 4 hours and beyond = pure awesomeness.

 

I got it done 3 years ago, and I highly recommend it. I started out in 3rd grade with glasses, graduated to contacts in middle school, and then got lasik done when I finished college. I was blind as a bat without contacts or glasses, and now to this day I still have better than 20/20 vision. Just make sure you keep up with your checkups!! I can't stress that enough, learn from my mistake. I got it done and then moved out of the area about a year later. Since I was so far away, I didn't meet my minimum requirement of one checkup per year and I recently found out they voided my lifetime warranty. $&%! That's a hard pill to swallow.

 

both my older brothers have had it done. one is 30 other is 28. both have been done for 3 or 4 years. they LOVE it and don’t have haloing at night that i know of. the 28 y/o works nights some times and dose not complain at all! i want to get it done bad! have had glasses/contacts since 4th grade. so about 10 years.

 

My only regret was not getting it sooner. I absolutely love it!!!!!

Do your homework and make sure you are going to a Great place.

 

I wonder if insurance covers part or all of it. Maybe not if it's an elected surgery?

 

They cut the flap and use the laser to adjust your cornea to the where it needs to be to get you your vision back. The flap heals after a day or two. They give you goggles to wear so you don't rub your eyes while you're sleeping, and also prescribed eye drops to keep it from drying out, which you only use for a week or so. As long as you follow their directions and don't rub your eyes immediately after the surgery, you're golden. Its not like the flap stays there permanently, it heals quickly.

 

Interesting, I have been told that the flap is there forever. Still too scared to do it myself. I have phobias about my eyes and adams apple. Also I haven't talked to a MD about this, just heard from a friend who had it done.