Is Lasik Eye Surgery Safe?

I had it done about a year and a half ago and love it!! No more messing with contacts or glasses and I can see better than 20/20. I had mine done at Mann-Berkeley-Kaplan in Houston.

 

I have 4 friends that have had it done.

One is totally happy with it, no problems. He's a landscaper and it really helps him. He pressures me to get it done every weekend. He loves it.

One just had it done, one eye 20-20 one eye 20-40. She had horrible vision so she doesnt mind the imperfection. She also had coke bottle lenses and she looks great without them.

One has problems with halos at night and avoids driving in the evenings...also has trouble at the theater. Wishes he hadnt done it. But he's sort of a sloth anyway so his life hasnt been to impacted.

One is completely screwed up. She cannot drive at night. She cant watch TV with the lights off. Darkly lit restuarants are bothersome. She has to put these steroid drops in her eyes in the evening that help her. She is miserable.....her case has permanently prevented me from doing this procedure.


If you decide to do it, make sure your doc recalibrates his oximer laser after every procedure. This of course doubles the price of the procedure. I hear BaylorVision is the best. Also the most expensive. But you cant replace your eyes.

Yet.

 

There is a small chance that your best corrected vision will be *worse* after the procedure. Mateo mentioned some good examples, but for me, the fear is that while I have perfect corrected vision with glasses right now, that may not be true after the procedure.

Some say that this chance is only 1 percent: others say that it is up to 5 percent, depending on your suitability for the procedure. I didn't know about the re-calibration Mateo. Thanks for the heads up.

Now if you examine the surface of the eye after surgery, you will see that it is not perfect. Most current techniques create some scarring and islands of tissue. Some of the new machines and techniques that are coming out are supposed to reduce this effect.

Given that the two things I do most - computer programming and golfing - would be seriously affected by a reduction in my best corrected vision, I have decided to wait and see for a few more years.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

Mateo, I have heard the same complaints about driving at night from other people. There can be alot of glare from street lights, which makes it really hard on your eyes. Just stick with the soft contacts. They work just fine, and their price drops every year.

 

My fear is beyond the immediate effects.

What happens to your eyes/vision 25yrs from now.

Does anyone know when the first procedures were performed?
I'm under the impression it's only been around for about 10-12yrs.

 

I wear glasses, and hate contacts. I don't know anybody personally who's had this done, but I may consider it later in my life. Maybe 5-10 years from now, at the soonest. I HATE CONTACTS!

 

Laser Vision Correction Can Worsen Dry Eyes: Study
Thu Aug 15,10:39 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with dry eyes can get better vision with
laser eye surgery--but at the risk of making their dry eyes worse, according to
researchers.

LASIK eye surgery can often correct the common vision problems of near- or
far-sightedness, but there are side effects--one of them being eye dryness.

Now a new study shows that LASIK patients who have dry eyes going into
surgery, while benefiting from it, may also have more-severe eye dryness after
the procedure than other patients.

Dr. Ikuko Toda, of the Minamiaoyama Eye Clinic in Tokyo, Japan, and
colleagues report the findings in the August issue of the Archives of
Ophthalmology.

During LASIK (for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis), a doctor attempts to
clear blurry vision by removing a thin layer of tissue from the cornea in order to
reshape it.

While the procedure is generally safe and often successful, it is not for
everyone. And recent guidelines from the American Society of Cataract and
Refractive Surgery call patients with dry eyes "less-than-ideal" candidates for
LASIK because of the risk of worsening the problem.

Still, Toda's team notes in the new report, patients with dry eyes often want to
try LASIK because they cannot comfortably wear contact lenses. To see how
well such patients fare after LASIK, the researchers followed 290 patients who
underwent the procedure, a majority of whom had "definite" or "probable" dry
eye before surgery.

They found that in the year after LASIK, dry-eye patients saw as much vision
improvement as the other patients did. However, their dry-eye symptoms were
more severe throughout the year after surgery, according to the report.

Patients who had not had dry eyes before surgery did complain of dryness in
the month afterward, but the problem was only temporary, Toda's team found.

"These data," they write, "may indicate that preoperative dry eye is a risk factor
for severe postoperative dry eye."

They note that dry-eye patients who expect the problem to get better with
LASIK because it will free them from contact lenses should be warned that their
dry eyes may instead persist.

SOURCE: Archives of Ophthalmology 2002;120:1024-1028.

 

I have 4 friends who have had it, they all say it was the best thing that they ever did.

As for night glare, take off your glasses and see if you don't have night halos.....

2 thumbs up for Lasik

DD

 

I had it done 3 years ago and haven't had any problems. Occaisional floaters and dryness. The dryness might be due to the fact that I sit in front of a computer most of the day. I still use the refresh tears. I had my astigmatisms corrected and my vision has been as good as 20/13.

I went to Dr. Goosey with the Houston Eye Associates. He said I was an ideal candidtate, but told my cousin he shouldn't do it. So I don't think he was lying to me. My cousin had it done anyway and thinks it's great.

I know some people who've had problems. Most places offer free consultation, but it's definately not something you want to look for a bargain on. I can definately understand anxieties about it. I came close to backing out after I read the pre procedure documents I had to sign.

 

I have been working for Eyemasters off and on for about 2 years. My dad is an optometrist and I worked for him for about 3 years. I have seen people, following lasik, who have 20/20 vision and others who just got completely screwed.

Like Baqui said, buy soft contacts. If you can get perfect vision with glasses or contacts, why put a laser to your eye?

Even if you get the surgery done, you will eventually need reading/driving glasses. Nothing stops old age and your eyes will change again.

btw, if you need glasses now, its a great time. Eyemasters is having a 50% off complete sale. You can get really nice frames and lenses and save much more than our normal promotions if you are just looking to get one pair. It ends saturday. I work at Deerbrook mall, so come see me and I'll hook you up.

 

I know this for sure...I wouldn't trust my eyes to a group that offers football tix for having them do the surgery. There is a group advertising this on sportsradio 610. It just seems like too much of a used car come on for me to feel good about it.

 

I had it done almost 3 years ago. If I had to guess right now I'd say my vision is probably 20/25 oe 20/30. Even with glasses my corrected vision was never "perfect". When playing golf for example I would often ask, "where did that go?". I still ask that question even after Lasik surgery. I am happy, for the most part. My nighttime vision is not all that great. I'm used to the halos but I just can't see as clearly in the dark. Having said that, the positives have far outweighed the negatives. I had dry eyes before and still do. I carry around eye drops and used them a couple times a day...no big deal. Would I have the surgery again if I had the chance to go back in time. I can honestly say I don't know. I do missed the "crispness" glasses gave me. But I don't miss glasses. My eyes were too dry for contacts so that was not an option anymore. Bottom line: I would never tell a friend "you gotta get this done! It's the greatest thing in the world!" But I would not also discourage them from having it. Just do your research and talk to as many people as you can about it. os

 

I had it done in June '99 and had no problems. My eyesight was terrible before - could not drive at night without glasses and I had an astigmatism in one eye.

I did it at Mann Berkley when they were still on Binz. They are now at Wesleyan @ Alabama. I would do it again. I see beeter now than I ever did with glasses. This has opened up my world to driving at night.

Get consults from 2 or more doctors- Mann Berkley was free. Think about it for 60 days before you do it.

When they did mine it was $ 1900 per eye or $ 3800.

The doctor who did mine was named Calloway I think- did a good job.

This was an easy choice for me - my vision was like 20 / 400- blind at night.