Lasik

[DegenerateDish]

I turned 40 last month, have horrible vision, have worn gas permeable contacts since 7th grade. Contemplating getting Lasik sometime in 2019. Tired of wearing contacts, the winter is tough with the dryness.

Thoughts for or against?

[WarriorHal]

Provided you are a candidate, absolutely! And assuming you are near-sighted, as I was, Lasik basically restores your distance vision close to normal. The procedure is no longer very costly -- hundreds of $ instead of thouands -- and it's quick and painless. The only down side for me -- which I was warned about before -- is that it pretty much destroyed my close-up vision, so I still need drugstore reading glasses. I was mid-40s when I had the procedure and already needed reading glasses over my contacts. Before Lasik, the words on a page were a little blurry; after Lasik I was much more dependent on reading glasses. But I haven't considered that a big deal at all.

Waking up in the morning and being able to read the alarm clock across the room, playing sports ect., the change is amazing and it's practically immediate. Other than still needing reading glasses, for everything else, I now see the way I did as a kid before I needed glasses/contacts in the first place. It's 17 years later and I still have sharp distance vision -- it's long-lasting. And since I had Lasik in 2001, I assume the procedure has improved, is probably even more precise now, and might yield an even better result.

There is an option that helps preserve reading vision, but does so by not fully correcting distance vision. I rejected that.  https://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/faq-reading.htm

[real chili 83]

After 20’years, mine is “wearing off”. I’m back to glasses for driving and distance

[mu_hilltopper]

I had Lasik when I was 38 and the docs said "well, you're a few years to 40, so you'll have a few good years before (presbyopia) sets in where you need readers.

Procedure went fine.  +1 day, the exam has me at 20/20 vision.  Day 2, it's 20/25.  Day 7, it's 20/30 .. aaaand I need glasses again.

The doc says, well, we can do another surgery to fix some of that astigmatism, and he dials up what that vision would be .. it wasn't crystal, so I declined, which is what I thought he was advising. 

I can read stuff across the room, but it's like watching a SD television instead of HD.

Fast forward +5-8 years, mid-40s, and no surprise, I need readers, which means I need bifocals.  And I do so much work on screens, I need lenses for that focal length as well, so I have two sets of glasses now. 

So Lasik was mostly a bust for me.  It's an improvement, but going from wearing glasses 100% of the day down to 75% of the day wasn't the goal.

[GB Warrior]

I had Lasik when I was 38 and the docs said "well, you're a few years to 40, so you'll have a few good years before (presbyopia) sets in where you need readers.

Procedure went fine.  +1 day, the exam has me at 20/20 vision.  Day 2, it's 20/25.  Day 7, it's 20/30 .. aaaand I need glasses again.

The doc says, well, we can do another surgery to fix some of that astigmatism, and he dials up what that vision would be .. it wasn't crystal, so I declined, which is what I thought he was advising. 

I can read stuff across the room, but it's like watching a SD television instead of HD.

Fast forward +5-8 years, mid-40s, and no surprise, I need readers, which means I need bifocals.  And I do so much work on screens, I need lenses for that focal length as well, so I have two sets of glasses now. 

So Lasik was mostly a bust for me.  It's an improvement, but going from wearing glasses 100% of the day down to 75% of the day wasn't the goal.

Stories like this are why I stay away - the cost/benefit doesn't check out for me. I'm late 20s and horribly near-sighted, but the upsides to lasik (ability to achieve full-dad-mode and fall asleep anywhere without contacts, not dropping my phone on my face in bed), but it's just not worth the downside that I have to have the surgery (ew) and still be left without perfect vision.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I wasn't a candidate for Lasik but did have PRK on both eyes about 20 years ago. Was a fantastic feeling being able to see without any other correction. That lasted about 10 years when I started needing readers. I do read all day at work so have cheaters on practically 9-5 but still NOT needing any distance correction to drive etc. left no regrets at all. Best $ spent in the last 20 years IMO.

[DegenerateDish]

My worry is what Topper said.

I did my yearly eye appointment in August, I wear glasses typically in the morning and sometimes at night (especially if my contacts are bothering me). With my contacts on, I have 20/20, my glasses weren't 20/20, but good enough to get by. I asked the eye doc if we could get my glasses closer to what I see out of my contacts. Somewhere along the way between the eye doc and the company they sent my glasses to, the frames got broken. I loved that particular frame, and the closest one they had to it, just isn't the same. My new prescription on my glasses is also now terrible, I went back twice to get them fixed, I can't read anything nearsighted now with my glasses on, whereas before with my old set, it was fine.

Basically, I don't want to get Lasik done, and have my vision be what it is with my new glasses.

[mu_hilltopper]

Slightly off topic, but because of Lasik and my need for different lenses as my RX kept changing, I started buying glasses on the internet, specifically zennioptical.com because no way was I going to pay $500 each time I needed new glasses.

The first pair I bought was like $7 frames .. lenses, shipping and the whole order was $20.  I figured I was only going to wear them for a short time and if I hated them, so what, it's $20.   Turned out, I really liked the frames. 

Over 11 years, I've bought about 15 pairs of glasses, sunglasses, bifocals just because why not.   Even bifocals are in the $40 range.    I'll keep a pair at work, sunglasses in the car, etc.

Yeah, you don't get to try on the frames before they arrive.  For those prices, who cares. 

[GGGG]

I am terribly near-sighted, but I can wear my contacts for 15 or more hours a day with no problems.  That and a cheap pair of readers and I'm good.

[forgetful]

I am terribly near-sighted, but I can wear my contacts for 15 or more hours a day with no problems.  That and a cheap pair of readers and I'm good.

Until the zombie apocalypse when you can't get contacts anymore.  Then you'll be wishing you got Lasik. 

Always plan for the zombie apocalypse.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I had Lasik when I was 38 and the docs said "well, you're a few years to 40, so you'll have a few good years before (presbyopia) sets in where you need readers.

Procedure went fine.  +1 day, the exam has me at 20/20 vision.  Day 2, it's 20/25.  Day 7, it's 20/30 .. aaaand I need glasses again.

The doc says, well, we can do another surgery to fix some of that astigmatism, and he dials up what that vision would be .. it wasn't crystal, so I declined, which is what I thought he was advising. 

I can read stuff across the room, but it's like watching a SD television instead of HD.

Fast forward +5-8 years, mid-40s, and no surprise, I need readers, which means I need bifocals.  And I do so much work on screens, I need lenses for that focal length as well, so I have two sets of glasses now. 

So Lasik was mostly a bust for me.  It's an improvement, but going from wearing glasses 100% of the day down to 75% of the day wasn't the goal.

Surprised you doc did the sx at 38.  My doc told me to wait until my eyes change in my 40s, then consider the procedure.

[jsglow]

I turned 40 last month, have horrible vision, have worn gas permeable contacts since 7th grade. Contemplating getting Lasik sometime in 2019. Tired of wearing contacts, the winter is tough with the dryness.

Thoughts for or against?

2001.  Best thing I ever did.  And it's held up pretty well for now almost 20 years.  Don't wait.  Mine was done by my board certified ophthalmologist.  Don't shop price.  Find quality.  The aftercare is absolutely critical.

[mu_hilltopper]

Mine was done by my board certified ophthalmologist.  Don't shop price.  Find quality.  The aftercare is absolutely critical.

I did this same thing, though.   I paid a premium price for .. not premium results.

[Benny B]

I had contemplated Lasik for several years... OpDoc said I was a good candidate since my vision had not degraded for several years... then at my eye exam two weeks before my 40th birthday, OpDoc said I should hold off.... my vision actually improved (contacts went from a -1.00 to a -0.75).

Upside is vision is not that bad to begin with and is improving... downside is that, uncorrected, it's on the line between tolerable and nuisance.

So I don't know what's worse... the idea that it isn't so bad, or the recommendation that I not correct it (with Lasik).

[real chili 83]

2001.  Best thing I ever did.  And it's held up pretty well for now almost 20 years.  Don't wait.  Mine was done by my board certified ophthalmologist.  Don't shop price.  Find quality.  The aftercare is absolutely critical.

I did the same. Top doc did the procedure.

If you go into it with an expectation of 20 years of glasses free living, then go for it. Just don’t be disappointed when your eyes change.   They likely will.

[jfmu]

Was well worth the money for me.

I think the people that I’ve talked to that have had issues went the cheap route. I don’t think it needs to be the most expensive but I’d stay away from the groups that doing it for $500 an eye

[Hards Alumni]

Best money I ever spent.  Did mine 7 years ago and have not had a single problem since.  Additionally, if anything changes I can go back for free as long as I get yearly checkups from my usual eye doc.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Bring all your shoes and your glasses, so you have them.

[T-Bone]

I did about 10 years ago - mono-vision where one eye is more geared for reading and the other for distance. 
Currently I have a need to wear a contact in the "reading" eye when I'm viewing things for a period of time at a distance - such as at games or night driving. 

Original doctor was good for lifetime tune-ups.  However they were not good about following up.  So, eventually when I wanted to tune up, they said I'd need to pay again because my last visit was 18 months prior.  And their appointments ALWAYS ran 2 hours late and very long.  F them. 

New doctor says if I need to adjust he would recommend doing PKI (or whatever it is) vs lasik again. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

I did about 10 years ago - mono-vision where one eye is more geared for reading and the other for distance. 
Currently I have a need to wear a contact in the "reading" eye when I'm viewing things for a period of time at a distance - such as at games or night driving. 

Original doctor was good for lifetime tune-ups.  However they were not good about following up.  So, eventually when I wanted to tune up, they said I'd need to pay again because my last visit was 18 months prior.  And their appointments ALWAYS ran 2 hours late and very long.  F them. 

New doctor says if I need to adjust he would recommend doing PKI (or whatever it is) vs lasik again. 

Perhaps he meant PRK? I wasn't a candidate for lasik because my corneas were not thick enough to cut a flap so I had photorefractive keratectomy performed roughly 10 years ago instead. The recovery takes longer because they remove the outer layer of the cornea and that takes a few days to regenerate leading to blurred vision until it heals. It would also be recommended that PRK is only done to 1 eye at a time otherwise you are basically blind until the cornea regrows.

[T-Bone]

Perhaps he meant PRK?

Yep.  PRK - nothing to do with encryption. 
Good insight on the procedure and recovery. 

[Benny B]

Fun fact... it used to be (c. 2001) that you could not apply to Navy/USMC flight school if you had undergone LASIK to correct your vision, but you could get waived in if you had undergone PRK for correction... that always led me to believe that PRK was superior to LASIK; however, the USN/USMC now allows for both LASIK and PRK, so it seems that LASIK is standing up to the test of time.

USAF, on the other hand, I believe has only ever required that you have at least two eyeballs.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Fun fact... it used to be (c. 2001) that you could not apply to Navy/USMC flight school if you had undergone LASIK to correct your vision, but you could get waived in if you had undergone PRK for correction... that always led me to believe that PRK was superior to LASIK; however, the USN/USMC now allows for both LASIK and PRK, so it seems that LASIK is standing up to the test of time.

USAF, on the other hand, I believe has only ever required that you have at least two eyeballs.

That explains Crash then, aina?

[warriorchick]

I had contemplated Lasik for several years... OpDoc said I was a good candidate since my vision had not degraded for several years... then at my eye exam two weeks before my 40th birthday, OpDoc said I should hold off.... my vision actually improved (contacts went from a -1.00 to a -0.75).

Upside is vision is not that bad to begin with and is improving... downside is that, uncorrected, it's on the line between tolerable and nuisance.

So I don't know what's worse... the idea that it isn't so bad, or the recommendation that I not correct it (with Lasik).

My eyes were about the same as yours (one eye slightly better), and when I got glasses, I got massive headaches because my prescription was so weak, my eyes were trying to correct for the "distortion" caused by the glasses.

Once I was in my late 40's, I started with some drugstore readers.  A couple of years ago I got regular glasses with progressive lenses for work.  I still really don't need the distance part, but I got tired of taking my reading glasses on and off all day long.

[theBabyDavid]

Still have fighter pilot eyesight: 20/13 and 20/15. Reading a menu at night in a dimly lit restaurant is starting to pose a challenge.

I know the USAF finally authorized RK (but not Lasik) as a corrective procedure to enable guys to qualify for an aeronautical rating. Not sure of the difference but there must be a physiological reason for it. Given that the Air Force weighed in on RK vs Lasik I would definitely look at the difference and choose accordingly.