Help with LASIK fears

[SquarePizza]

So I am all set for double eye intralace LASIK surgery.

My eyes are huge, its the first thing people always tell me, I am -5 in both eyes, they tell me I am a perfect candidate.

Today I got the packet of all the bad things that could go wrong. And now I am shitting myself and wanting to back out of it.

* The packet talked about problems with night vision - I work nights, and generally love the night time.

* It also mentioned weakness of the eyes for trauma, and contact sports - I participate in heavy contact martial arts.

* Mentions unknown long term side effects.


I am getting this done because I want to get involved in law enforcement, would have been an active duty boarder patrol right now (passed everything with upper 90s). But then DQ'd do to my vision.

At the moment though, with the economy, there are no LE jobs. I am on lists, but nothing has moved in years. So I am scared that I will be putting my vision at risk for nothing. In 3 years I age out of the pool anyways.

I dunno, has anyone out there had it? Thoughts, comments, etc.?

 

[Masked]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I used to play professional level hockey...As a goalie.

I chose PRK over Lasik because, I'd get domed 3-4x a practice and 1 or 2 pucks would actually hit the cage...+ The odd stick coming through the cage, it just made more practical sense.

My girlfriend at the time had Lasik, was very active but, very clumsy and has dislodged the contact, twice. The pain she was in, wow.

The first time she walked into a display at the mall while talking to me, turned her head just in time for her eye to make contact with the corner of the display and she hit it hard enough to dislodge...I've never heard so much instantaneous profanity in my life, even from Marines, it was hardcore.

The 2nd time, we were skiing at Okemo and collided with some highschool dipshit, his elbow + her eye = #2...She was more prepared but, still...

My understanding is that, it doesn't happen often and is HARD to dislodge but, knowing someone that's done it twice in the span of 2 years...PRK for me was just a no-brainer.

I also hit myself in the eye numerous times a year...It just happens so, I didn't trust myself with Lasik.

Quite honestly, whenever people ask me about what I'd chose, I tell them PRK because, there's no way to dislodge a contact...However, recovery time is longer, it's moderately painful, they actually scrape away media and you can only do 1 eye at a time.

Would get PRK again in a heartbeat but, Lasik? Quite frankly after seeing my girlfriend go through having the contact dislodged, I can't really suggest it 100%.

Especially in the LE field...Get punched in the eye once and the chances of it being dislodged are pretty high...

If I were in YOUR shoes, I'd do PRK over Lasik...But, that's just me ~ Feel free to PM me if you have any questions...Have had an enhancement done very recently so, very familiar with the process.

 

[Maggot]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Personally I cant address Lasik, but I had double cataract surgery this spring and its the best thing I could have done. Teh technology is pretty sophisticated these days. I went from 20/80 to 20/20 or better with minimal discomfort or problems. Good luck..hope someone dllse can tell you more.

 

[Three Guns]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I had both of mine done in '02. Since then I have deployed to combat 4 times with multiple IED strikes and small arms engagements and been on jump status for six years with multiple feet-ass-head landings without serious eye issues.

I was a -20 in both eyes and should have gotten a touch up a few years ago but didn't. I am now wearing glasses again at -.5 or so. I can run without glasses and not kill myself which is what I really wanted anyway.

My night vision has been slightly effected (halo effect around light sources) but you get accustomed to it and I don't even notice it anymore.

I would do it again without question. But the procedure sucked.

Guns

 

[AnschutzNerd]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I have been considering LASIK Wavefront for a while now. I first heard about it from my UK co-workers and the procedure is now available in the US.

My research shows that basic LASIK is to be avoided!

Wavefront:
http://www.optilase.co.uk/laser-eye-surgery/treatments-available/wavefront-eye-surgery/

Wavefront VS. Intralase:
http://blog.optilase.co.uk/intralase-vs-wavefront/

The best options is supossedly a combination of Intralase and Wavefront.

LASIK Options!!
http://www.optilase.co.uk/laser-eye-surgery/treatments-available/

Can you give us a ballpark figure on how much out of pocket costs are for both eyes? Does it cost one F1 Nightforce or four of them?

AnschutzNerd

 

[bondoscustomz1]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Hi, my wife works at a Retina group and i read your post to her. A couple of questions: first she assumes that you are wearing some type of corrective lens or glasses, correct? If so, why were you DQ'd if you were wearing correctives?
As for your worries on your upcoming surgery, fear not. This type of surgery is a very minimal risk operation. As per my wife, complications are rare but it is usually with people that don't listen and follow directions. Also it depends on your ability to heal. If you don't have problems with healing, you should be just fine. I went thru back surgery, back in August, and after all the horror stories, I was freakin out. In the end and after all the sleepless nights and panic, it couldn't have turned out better.

 

[Masked]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AnschutzNerd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been considering LASIK Wavefront for a while now. I first heard about it from my UK co-workers and the procedure is now available in the US.

My research shows that basic LASIK is to be avoided!

Wavefront:
http://www.optilase.co.uk/laser-eye-surgery/treatments-available/wavefront-eye-surgery/

I have searched Wavefront VS. Intralase:
http://blog.optilase.co.uk/intralase-vs-wavefront/

The best options is supossedly a combination of Intralase and Wavefront.

Can you give us a ballpark figure on how much out of pocket costs are for both eyes? Does it cost one F1 Nightforce or four of them?

AnschutzNerd </div></div>

When I had full PRK done in 2007, the cost was $1500 per eye or $2500 as a package. The cost of my recent enhancement was $1250/eye or $2k/package.

My girlfriend's Lasik was the same.

A good Lasik/PRK in the US should cost between $1200-$2500 per eye...

So, it's like a Nightforce per eye.

Make sure you do your research first...There are forums FULL of Lasik/PRK patients these days...Not hard to find...Research the doctor AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

I shopped around for a very long time before getting my eyes done and I'm very prone to blinking (As a goalie you blink just before the shot and then that's it) so, having my eyes done was a challenge but, I found a doctor that was prepared for patients like myself.

It's just like finding a normal doctor, do your research, ask around and find the best fit...

 

[AnschutzNerd]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Masked,

Thanks for the info. Packing for Okemo now! ...however, Sugarbush is looking better.

AnschutzNerd

 

[sageebr24]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I had lasik about 8 or 10 years ago best thing i have ever done. My night vision hasn't been effected at all. It does seem like after a few years they seemed to have (I donn't know how to put it) i guess settled in I had crazy vision the first year quite a bit better than 2020 the Dr said now they are probably right at 2020. Best money i ever spent.

 

[SquarePizza]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Cost is going to run 4800, plus meds.

I was DQ'd because here in NY and for the border patrol, they told me that 20/200 uncorrected was the limit.

Well, I am 20/400 =(

See great with contacts, love life with them, but without I cannot see detail beyond 6 inches.

 

[Crimson]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Had LASIK done on both eyes about 9 years ago. Never regretted it. I also work nights and have zero problems. I don't know about martial arts but I have done everything from race motorcycles and atvs to scuba dive and never had a problem.

 

[Blueclawz]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Quit Jerking off all the time....save the money...

 

[DP425]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I had wavefront done back in 2008- I had an old injury in my right eye that caused some healing problems. They lifted the flap to make sure everything was okay... it was, so to clear this up and help bring my vision back inline they did PRK to the right eye- that helped to remove some of the old scaring that was preventing good clean healing. Anyway, the left eye also had to be touched up at the same time. Once more another 3 months later in one eye, then in early summer 2010 I had both touched up again.

My eyes were both about -8; I couldn't see a damn thing without contacts. Glasses gave me poor vision vs contacts, but contacts had really started to aggravate my eyes. I had been carrying around eye drops for a few years by the time I had my lasik done. Unfortunately, one of those things you may have read about side effects is dry-eye. It kinda of sucks... and it's not all that uncommon; something like 1 in 5 get it; 90% of those it goes away with 6 months or so. Not mine- I still have it... I still carry refresh drops with me everywhere I go. It's much better than right after the surgery, but it is still problematic.

I paid about $3800 for both eyes with lifetime touch-ups. Throughout all of the troubles I had, there must have been 100-130 appointments. For a long while they had me coming in once a week. Never paid a dime extra and they were very, very attentive to be sure they were able to take care of the problem... and mind you, I have no doubt this was a result of me either having some very odd eyes, or the fact that I had a sliver of steel drilled out of my eye. They even provided me with a DVD of the operation.

Long story short, it was a huge pain in the ass... but the PRK seemed to do a lot to help things out. My eyes also slipped a number of times despite being out of contacts for better than 4 months. With the eye drops and all of the problems I encountered, I wouldn't hesitate to have done it again.

I went to sniper school before the second touch up, and deployed shortly after the second. Had to have 90 days before I stepped foot in country and I made the cut-off by a week or two. Had to take a 6mo supply of Restasis for the dry eye... that was a bit of a pain having to carry that shit around in my pockets with me on 5 day missions and what not. I've had a few hits to the eye- some pretty hard ones... I was in a cycle accident back in July where I fractured the the bone of my eyebrow and the bone below my eye. Skin gone off my face, 6 stitches, yada yada... no flap dislogement.

I'm happy with it.

 

[SCOTTx88]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Had mine done 6 years ago, Best money i've ever spent,would do it again tomorrow. 20/15 the next day,and to this day.

 

[Seuss]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Had mine done w a SCALPEL in 1996, the good ol' radial keratotomy.
TWICE.
1st one took me from awful to ~20/50, went back for an "enhancement" and have been GTG since.
My surgeon wore Rush Limbaugh ties every day, and in a twist of fate had to retire due to eye issues.
He warned me about needing reading glasses after 40, my eyes held out a good while after that, but can't read a damn thing w out cheaters now.
So, laser sounds like a walk in the park.

 

[ZO6Dave]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

My wife had PRK done earlier this year because of the risk of the lens tearing. She works around little kids.

I would pay double what I did. The results are perfect. She was 20/200 and now she is 20/15. She could not be any more happy.

 

[ThreeDub]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

Here you go: these should keep you occupied for awhile:

Recent Lasik Thread

Previous Lasik Thread

 

[Brabo]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I had Lasik done about 8 years ago or so. Best money I have ever spent, like others have said. Lifted the flap, tap tap tap of the laser for a few seconds and done. When they put the flap back down I could read the clock on the wall acros the room. Perfect vision to this day. No problems here at night and do Muay Thai and BJJ regularly. Only thing that I notice at all is my eyes are a bit more sensitive to light during the day. Oakley's when I am driving and that's about it. Just make sure you get them done by a reputable doc who is doing it because you are a perfect candidate and not because he wants to make money. I have seen and heard stories of people who went the cheap route at the mall and ended up with major problems.

 

[paraman1]

Re: Help with LASIK fears

I had Lasik about 8 years ago and I have never regretted it . Not a Hockey player or MMA fighter but an active outdoorsman and construction worker who hated being tied down by glasses . Mine went fine the first go round and I never looked back .