Lasik: Contemplation. Anyone had any PROBLEMS with it? I know

all the good stuff.

How about comments to the negative?

I've been wearing glasses for almost 40 years. Could be time to get with the rest of the planet?

ALL love the results.

two others are planning it soon. heard no negatives.

(me, I've had lens replacement surgery in both eyes. cataracts. i read two-three books a week and LIVE on a PC.... worked great! I was totally print-blind before the surgery 10+ years ago... YES, I was young for cataracts but it runs in the family)

Both women had to have their's redone because either the first one wasn't done right or their eyes changed. Both are fine after the redo.

I've been fine. I was 20/10 for a while afterwards after 35 years of glasses. Now, 3 years later, one eye is slightly better than the other, but I'm still doing fine.

Don't have any personal knowledge of anyone with serious complications, but I know they occasionally do happen.

I had such a major correction in one eye that I had to go back in after 6 months to have a "touchup" correction done, and now I'm 20/20. I went to a doc who has done thousands of the surgeries, and did Tiger Woods' eyes. It cost twice as much as the cut rate guys, but I didn't care. I am so pleased.

It's not permanent. Needs a re-do five to seven years out. Every five to seven years. Seems like a long time until it creeps up on ya...

but the near vision might have to be touched up (or wear reading glasses).

Or do older people (over 40) whose vision does not fluctuate have the same problem of needing it every 5-7 years?

is supposed to be corrected for life - done at 20 or done at 60. It is only the up close reading that shifts from about age 40-65.

There are no great answers after you are 40. You can either have both eyes corrected for distance and wear reading glasses or have one eye corrected for distance and the other less corrected for reading and have monovision. I wore glasses for 38 years and had a -9 correction so it has been a big change and I am still kinda adapting to the monovision. The only issue I have is the dryness is still hanging on, especially at night. They said it would take six months for all the nerves to regenerate so I am anxious for that to happen.

but since so many have managed...?

They raise the intraocular pressure when creating the flap so your vision is black during that part. That thing that holds the eye open is weird and annoying. It was pretty creepy - not really painful but quick.

It takes literally seconds to do the actual Lasik.

My surgeon asked me to bring someone to drive me home -- I had severe astigmatism as well as nearsightedness so could not expect to drive immediately after the surgery. In that way, he was able to have a nurse give me some Valium before the procedure. Now I was chuckling but since I had been away from drugs for so many years I discovered that Valium actually does something! Whoa! I was super-relaxed and I am normally very jumpy when someone touches my eye. It was so quick, and then when I woke up at around 4 in the morning, I looked out the window and I could see. It was amazing. I drove myself to my check-up the morning after an evening procedure. However, if you are over 50, it is going to take more time for your eyes to adjust.

Lasik is permanent only for stable vision. Age related farsightedness is a progressive condition. Therefore, as you get older, you may still need reading glasses. However, I was having to use reading glasses plus contacts in my late 30s. With six years post Lasik, I no longer need any corrective lenses for distance vision and I am only now at age 45 starting to need reading glasses to read fine print. Reading glasses is far, far, far better than bifocals any day of the week.

So enough rambling. I love it and could talk Lasik all night but only you and your doctor can decide because some eyes are not right for it. My mom was turned down for reasons I'm not sure of, and my friend was turned down because he had pre-glaucoma. So it isn't there for everyone. No use getting your hopes up until you've talked to a surgeon you can trust.

All but one were wearing glasses again less than two years later. The one who relapsed the fastest had been badgered into it by one of the other failed ones.

so there are only a few nags about me.

The star-lights when your healing is a bit off putting. My eyes are drier than they've ever been in my life. Suggestion, always have artificial tears (big bottles)handy at both home and work. There are times where I find it hard to focus on things, and get a bit of double vision...then I realize it's 3am and I've been up for 22 hours. it all turns back to normal after a good night's sleep, it just freaks me out when I have less than pefect vision (photographer's curse). Keep sunglasses handy, because you will not be able to take the sunlight as well as you used to.

On to the procedure...I HATED IT! Stop reading if you are basing your decision on the surgery itself...

...You will be mutilated. They are slicing your eyeball in two, and regardless of what anesthetic they dropped in there, I could still feel it. It's not painful, but I felt it and I panicked...which stops the laser dead, and just prolongs the agony. The Dr. started getting short with me, since I was such a fuck up. For 3 hours after words, I couldn't open my eyes...I should've gotten a tin cup and pencils, and made some money while I was waiting for my perscription to be filled.

That being said...I never regretted it one minute.

Watch out after you get it done. You will find it a bit hard to throw those glasses in the trash...afraid it won't work. Throw them out anyway. Then do some dishes, and halfway through the cycle, open the door, and let the steam hit you in the face...voila! No more fogged glasses! Just wait until you get to a theme park and ride that log flume this time!

as a result of Lasiks surgery. He was disappointed that he can;t work to support his family anymore.

My friend in Albuqueque had it done and has dry eyes. He has to put drops in his eyes all the time.

After I got it everyone in my little circle got it. It's wonderful.

But get an honest surgeon. Not one who takes "everybody." Get a surgeon that you have heard turn someone down, if only your 72 year old Mom. If you are a candidate, it's the best thing since sliced...but apparently if you are not, it can do harm. Don't go doctor shopping. If your surgeon says you shouldn't do it, there is a reason.

I tend to proselytyze because of my great result but my friends and family have had great results also.

I always bathed by feel and seeing the soap and being about to read the label on the shampoo from several feet away was amazing. I also like not having foggy glasses when opening the dishwasher. Also seeing the clock at night is wonderful.

The doctor is supposed to measure the thickness of the cornea before okaying you as a candidate for Lasik. My doctor's office say they turn away approximately 30% of candidates. They said I had nice big fat thick corneas (I'm so proud).

I had the bladeless Lasik - the flap is created by laser only and there is no knife involved. I think there are only about two places in the country doing this now (I waited until he had several hundred patients under his belt before I did it). It just helps decrease the chance of infection.

I had never seen my toes before in the bath or shower, and it is not because I have a big stomach! Lasik meant I could actually see my own body in the bath without glasses.

The bladeless Lasik didn't exist when I had it done years ago but it sounds great!!! The chance of infection is already very very low with this surgery and anything to get it lower is so cool. I am so impressed about what I am hearing about the latest advances. It just gets better and better.

This is the surgery we read about in the Weekly Reader when we were kids...the surgery "everyone" would get after college to fix their eyes.

Now if I just had my jet pack...!

When she called to tell me about it, she was so happy that I got choked up just hearing her describe all the things she had never seen before (she's a 19 year old college student). I honsetly don't have any horror stories to share.

because her vision kept shifting.

I wouldn't do it, and I've worn glasses since age 10.

I'm so squeamish about my eyes that I won't even wear contacts.

I use reading glasses, still, in dim light or for really fine work. But I had had repeated adjustments of contacts, distance glasses, and then started needed correction for close vision. I had the procedure, and do not regret it one bit.

Night driving is a little troublesome, but always was even with correction. Even though my vision is not perfect, it is so much better than it has been since I was about 11 years old. I fell asleep in the evening, after getting home from the surgery at 4:00 p.m. and awoke at 2 a.m., and it was a revelation. I couldn't possibly have slept the rest of the night, I was so thrilled.

That all said, I would have taken a Valium or something like it before the procedure, to help with my anxiety.

My edit, made it sound like I slept from 4 p.m. tonight and woke up at 2 a.m. What? I want the Check Spelling to have a Make Sense funtion too.

but he is still okay...but personally I get wishy washy about my eyes...so glasses I keep.