Laser Vision Correction Surgery

[RyanbabZ71]

Well I have an appt (consultation) scheduled for Monday. For anyone who has had it what did it cost? This place is charging $3800 for both eyes

[Greg]

One of my buddies had the surgery and ended up with lots of night vision problems. Check things out very carefully.

[MountaineerTom]

I'm getting it free throught the military.

[airbalancer]

i think there was was thread a couple of months ago.

The cost appears high to me.

Had my first eye done in 95 with PRK it was so-so. First generation of lazer.

Had the next eye done in Sept 01, eye is great

The first eye was around $1500 CDN, second eye was $900 CDN

Check out http://www.lasikmd.ca/us_cost.html it is like $400 US an eye.

[lrymal]

One of my buddies had the surgery and ended up with lots of night vision problems.  Check things out very carefully.

Really investigate the night-vision issue. I had this done in 2000 and it took about three years before my night-vision was back to "normal". Basically, night vision appears as if someone rubbed oily fingers on eye glasses. There is a smear effect.

 

And be aware that as you age, your focal length continues to change, thus requiring touch-up glasses, or a maintenance procedure.

 

If I had to do over again, I would have waited. There is a new procedure coming in about three years, according to my eye-doc. I keep forgetting the name of it. Basically the lens of the eye is really a gel type lens that hardens with age. The "lens capsule" holding it never ages and is the mechanism that is attached to focus muscles. When a lens implant is done, the hardened old lens is removed and a prescription lens implant in done. This implant can't focus since it is a static, non focusing lens.

 

But, the lens implant can't focus, in spite of the fact that the lens capsule mechanism that is holding is going through the focusing motions.

 

Ok, in about three years, a gel is to be FDA approved that will be injected into the lens capsule. This gel is optically clear and will take place of the hardened, old lens. According to the seminars my eye-doc has attended, it takes only about five minutes to get used to this new "lens", and if the lens capsule is truly intact, as most are, then one would have 20-20, if not better, focal abilities.

 

So, going by this, my recommendation is to NOT have them take a knife and LASER to the cornea and meat underneath, but to just hang in there with eye-glasses until this new procedure is approved.

[Shaners]

My wife had it done about 3-4 years ago... She had one eye regress and she had it redone.

 

She has had thick glasses since she was seven and now she is 39. She is thrilled with her new vision.

 

She had the enhancement insurance on hers and I think the total bill was around $2500 a few years ago... I think $3800 is a little steep.

 

She still puts on a very mild pair of glasses when driving at night, but her vision is like 20-20 in one eye and 20-25 in the other....

 

She had her surgury done at a very good clinic in Pittsburgh... They weren't the cheapest, but they had a good reputation. The downfall was all the trips we had to make to Pgh for the pre-opt and post-opt visits!!!

 

She absolutely loves the fact that she can roll over at night and see what time it is!!!

[RyanbabZ71]

Thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it. I still dont know if I am going to go for it or not but as of late wearing glasses has really started to bug me especially playing softball and just to watch tv.

[ToeJam]

I looked into it a couple of years ago. I'm a great candidate for it...30 years old and my vision has stabilized. When I really started to push the doctor for the draw backs he said that you're basically "stealing" vision from your future. If I didn't have the surgery, my eyes would probably remain at the same prescription until I die. If I did have the surgery, my eyes would be 20/20 for the next 10-15 years and then my vision would drop off quickly and I'd likely require bi-focals.

 

So I bagged the idea. I'd complete freak out of they screwed up something and I'd rather have the same vision for the rest of my life than be completely blind when I get older.

 

But I have friends that have done it and they swear by it. And I agree that $3,800 is pretty high, even for the best doctor.

[MyBigToy]

I had mine done in February at TLC Laser Eyecare and their price was $3,800. This includes any repeat treatments that might have to be done in the future. The way I looked at it, you may be able to get it done cheaper somewhere else but you're messing with your only set of eyes so you want to get someone who knows what they are doing. Do your homework and pick someone who has low complication rates and low repeat/touchup surgery rates.

 

I ended up with 20/20 in both eyes. I was actually seeing at 20/15 with both eyes open just 5 minutes after the Lasik.

 

I had the Wavefront Lasik done, which computer maps your eye. This information is then loaded into the laser and the surgery is done from the map. The Wavefront treats a larger area around the cornea so the night vision issues are drastically reduced. I had halos at night for about a month but there are none now. The only downside for me has been dry eyes so I have had to use eyedrops about 2 times a day. My neighbor had it done at the same place, he had zero issues so I guess everyone is a little different in this regard.

[Black02Silverado]

I had the PRK done back in April. So far no problems. I'm at 20/15 now. Love the fact of no glasses. The Air Force paid for mine as well. My friend had the LASIK and he is great as well. There have been some night vision problems from others but not to many. Not sure why. I'm fine both day and night. Two more of my troops under me had it done last month and said it is great.

 

I would make sure I checked around and get prices as well as who has been around the longest and has the newest equipment. PRK has more healing time and some pain. LASIK is less painfull if any at all and healing time is way faster. I have to wait a year for a touch up if needed but with LASIK you can get a touch up in 3 to 4 months.

 

It is so nice to wear a great pair of sunglasses. I went with the advise on here and got Maui Jim's. They rock.

[RyanbabZ71]

Well I went for my consultation today. Seems like a good place he has been doing surgeries for the past 6.5 yrs. The equipment (if anyone knows about this stuff) is ladarvision. Uses a laser radar tracker and not a video based tracker. Samples at 4000 times per second video based are 60-250 times a second

 

They said I am a great candidate because of my age and how my eyes are.

 

I am still thinking about it. The hard part is the $3800

 

hmmm what keeps popping up is laser surgery, house, laser surgery, house. If I have this done it will set me back on building my house possibly next winter/spring

[ness5575]

i am blind as a bat w/o my contacts in (or glasses on), but I wouldnt do the laser surgery. the thing that scares me most is that it hasnt been around for that long. seeing I am only 27, there isnt enough history for me to know what happens in 30-40 years. spending 30 seconds in the morning and night putting contacts in and out isnt a very big deal for me compared to the unknown. plus my eye doctor is VERY against it except in extreme cases...

[RyanbabZ71]

I am pretty sure I am not having this procedure done. At least not where I went. I just had thought about it while having a nice relaxing shower. My reasons:

 

1. The way the doctor presented himself. I would have (this is me though) came in to talk to the patient and before doing any exam I would state how long I have been doing this procedure and how many I have done and my success rate. I had to find this out from the Lasik Consultant at the end of the exam.

 

2. They do an orbscan of you cornea to get an idea of what they have to do (I read up on this). It would have been nice if he explained what they actually are doing to the cornea while showing me these pictures and what they are going to do to "my" eye. I did watch a video after talking to the doctor and it gave peoples opinions of the surgery.

 

3. He asked if I had any questions. I was able to ask a few and I was thinking of another when he said thanks and walked out. He didnt ask if I had any other questions. I know he had other patients to see but again I didnt like how he presented himself. Basically they left alot of questions up to the consultant but my problem with this is she doesnt do the surgery and he does.

 

I was pretty worn out (especially working 9 hrs prior) by the time of the exam and hindsight is 20/20. Do you think I am being to critical?

[99silveradoz71]

hindsight is 20/20

Oh what a pun, but anyway. No, you're putting your money and your health on the line. You should feel comfortable and have all your questions answered. If you decide to get a truck and have problems, you can take it back, make adjustments, or buy another...with your eyes, the options are a weeee bit more limited.

[airbalancer]

To see with out glass is great.

Besides would you really understand the answers he would give you.

Your air force uses laser on their pilots. They spend millions to train them, so they are not going to screw up their eyes.

I would get it done, but I already did.