Who's had Lasik eye surgery? Plus's, negatives?

[SuperToby]

What it says above in the title.


-Who's had lasik eye surgery?
-What style of lasik eye surgery did you get?
-How much did you spend?
-Any negative reactions?
-Would you do it again?

Thanks

[acalliste]

I was talking to someone who had it done, and they complained about not being able to ride at night anymore b/c of starbursts (from the lights)... I'm trying to remember who told me that. It slips my mind at the moment.

[SuperToby]

I think that's normal lasik but now they have new ways of doing it that are supposed to be better.....more expensive also but better.

[Superstuddc27]

From what's I've heard people say, it was the best thing they have ever done to themselves, braces included. I wouldn't know but I'd say braces are the best thing Ive done.

It's weird to think that Lasik gives you better vision than 20/20 and you see more clearer than regular people. Don't know about the starburst though.

[scythe08]

Starbursts,,What?! I was thinking about getting it done too as when I tuck, my glasses sometimes slip to the end of my nose and the old man can't see. Real irritating to have to flip the visor open at 90mph and push them back up.
I know a few peeps who have had this done and they all love it, but none of them ride. Good thread

[jim schmidt]

I had it done specifically so I could keep riding. Distance vision was my concern. I spent 1200 an eye. They tried to up me to 1600 each to use a laser (instead of a knife) to cut the cornea. But I figured (rightly as it turns out) that the surgeon would use whatever was easiest for him either way (which turned out to be the laser.)

I am completely sold. It's restored my riding accuracy and distance judgment. I only regret that they couldn't fix reading without compromising distance acuity.

Anyway, I'm a fan. I highly recommend it.

[Smitty]

Always more costly to be a Cdn. But had my two eyes done on May 12 & 27th. It was the more advanced form costing me $3,600.00 plus still taking the eye drops.

Still trying to figure out if this is that great or not. From the 12th to the very day of the 17th they had only worked on my bad eye & nothing to rave about, but able to ride or drive within a few days to even h/gun shooting.

On the 27th something blured my new eye set-up. Woke up next day with the same put in the drops & suddenly I had superior eyes.

The eyes are still adapting to what I want them to do, for close up they are fine, but sometimes not that hot for perfection of focusing. Still piece of cake to ride or drive & my h/gun shooting has improved.

Sorry to not give the perfect answer for I am still waiting for the eyes to adapt. Still let us remember I was basically blind in the left eye & the cataract problem was spreading to my existing good eye. Like the Specialist did not try to talk me into the above. Left it up to my decistion of some four yrs later & since they had a better system plus I was about to loose my so-called good eye. Oh yes I was far-sighted, but needed a magnifing glass to read labels of products, but not any more.

Funny thing is I keep reaching up to adjust my glasses from hanging on my nose or to reach under the glasses or when going out of home I feel like I have forgotten something & always it is my glasses. Mind you the Specialist did say I might need a perscription set of glasses for reading, but right now I am catching up on a lot of reading I was not able to do prior to the operations.

[AEgeus]

I'm considering getting lasik done too. I've worn glasses since the 6th grade and I'm 31 now. The last couple of year I've been switching to contacts when doing anything active. I like the freedom of not having to wear glasses.

Side affects like night starbursts are a possibility if you have larger than average pupils. (light colored irises have more affinity to larger pupils than darker colored eyes)

There's a debate on whether using a blade or laser is better to create the flap. The blade is quicker (several seconds) and has been used more than lasers just because it's been around longer. The laser flap cutting takes up to 30 seconds to create and is more uncomfortable, but I hear it heals faster.

Either way, it'll take several months for a surgery to completely heal and normalize. Don't go cheap. The way to go is the custom wavefront. They create a custom map of the eye and go off of that rather than go off the average eye.

[Saidin270]

I know of a guy who had it done with the knife a few years back. He said he likes it and that it changed his life (dont really know how other than sight) but he wouldn't do it again. Said the pain was too much but Ive been told with the laser the pain isn't bad and heals quickly.

[SuperToby]

I hope to get them soon. I ran out of time today and was unable to call the other doctor.

Keep the stories coming guys.

[NeedinJustice]

I had it done. It was the best thing I could have done!!!! It cost me $3000, which included all of the pre-op appointments, mapping and 2 years of enhancements, if they were needed in that time. Turns out, I haven't needed any. Depending on how bad your eyes are, you could need to have it done more than once. They would rather take off too little, than take off too much and make your vision the opposite of what it was.

It did scare the shit out of me for a couple of months though. I always wore contacts and rarely took them out. I quit wearing them for 3 months before my surgery. My eyes improved dramatically just from stopping wearing the contacts. I went over to Orlando and had the surgery done, was brought home and I just chilled for the rest of the day. I recommend sleeping so you aren't trying to see, everything was grey.

My left eye was perfect the next day, but not my right eye. I went to my followup appt the next morning and the Dr. told me to give it a little time. I would wait a couple weeks, then go back in and see him. Sometimes it would be perfect, but sometimes it would be aweful. My vision was bad enough that I was afraid that I was going to end up having to get out of law enforcement...that's my dominant eye, which I use to shoot with. A couple of months later, I made an appt with the Dr. who did the surgery...I had been seeing my own eye Dr. for all the pre-op stuff and the followups. Of course, as soon as I made the appt to go back to Orlando, a day or two later I woke up and perfection! My eye just hadn't adjusted yet. If I stare at a computer screen for long periods, my right eye will get tired and go a little fuzzy...but I can still see. My right eye also doesn't produce tears as well as it use to, to keep my eye moist. but it's not so bad that I have to carry drops with me all the time.

Even with all that I dealt with, I would do it again in a heartbeat. OMG, how wonderful it is to wake up and see across the room without fumbling for glasses! It's great to not have your contacts dry out, fall out because you rub your eye or just get icky. Hey...no contacts to dry out while riding too!

Any questions, PM me.

[busarider54]

I had it done as well. Prior to my deployment to Iraq. Best thing ever. Driving at night sucked for about 30 days until the headlights became somewhat bearable. After 6 months I didn't even notice them. If I had known how great it is to go without contacts/glasses, I would have had this done on my own dime years ago.

[utahp8ntballer]

I had mine done about 2 yrs ago. I paid $3200 and that includes lifetime warranty work and enhancements.
My eyes, especially my right one, were horrible. Both eyes required 40+ seconds of treatment with the lazer which is considerably high seeing that a girl I worked with got hers done the next week and it was only 9 seconds an eye.
They told me that they couldn't make my right eye perfect yet but they could get it up to glasses level. I was 20/80 in that eye before surgery and now I'm 20/25. My left is 20/20.
It is by far the best thing I have ever done and would gladly pay more if I had to. It really changes your life. I had glasses at the age of 3 and wore them until I was 29.
My night vision was bad for about 6 months but I believe it was due to the fact that my eyes had alot of healing to do since they had to zap them for so long.
But now my night vision is perfect and don't have any starbursts or anything. My depth perception is great and colors pop now. It's kind of like watching HD TV instead of standard.
Do it now. Don't wait. You won't regret it unless they make you blind.

[Gaolee]

I know a number of people who had it and swear by it. I would like to get it done, but there are other priorites right now.

[tarosean]

Its about a 50/50 split good/bad with the people I know that have gotten it.

That alone keeps me on the fence and wearing contacts..