laser surgery anyone? just scheduled my initial appointment

[cheapie]

the only sucky thing is that i have to wear my glasses for a week before to let my cornea return to its normal shape. blech.

[nickel]

do you usually wear contacts?

[OremuS]

Are you having both eyes done? My father in-law was not a good candidate for both eyes, so they gave him "mono-vision" where he has one good eye for up close and one good eye for longer distances. Took him a few weeks to get used to it, but now that it is done, he loves it. Just make sure you use a reputable doctor and all should be good to go.

[cheapie]

yeah. i wear contacts. my astigmatism is terrible in one eye so that might be the way to go.

i'll likely have it done here: http://www.tlcvision.com/

[kgsilvas]

Best thing I ever spent $$ on. No more contacts or glasses!!! :eye:

I had mild astigmatism and had no problems when I had my laser surgery done in March 2001. My ophthalmologist was experienced and also taught the procedure at USC, so I felt pretty confident going in.

One recommendation: Wear ear plugs during the procedure. It's not noisy, but the saline solution runs into your ears while you're laying on your back. Since you're not supposed to move anything during the process, you just have to let it run inside your ears. Yuck!

[josh1r]

I had it done here: http://www.ny2020.com/ (New York City) about 4 years ago and knock-on-wood everything is still great!

[nickel]

yeah. i wear contacts. my astigmatism is terrible in one eye so that might be the way to go.

i'll likely have it done here: http://www.tlcvision.com/
i guess you'll find out after your consultation appointment, but i had a gf who they didn't recommend the surgery for. she had some kind of not run-of-the-mill issue with her eye.

so, she still wears glasses, but she's sexy with them. :)

[cheapie]

my brother and i are buying a boat and i want to be able to wakeboard w/o worrying about my contacts coming out.

[speedracer120]

The smell of burning flesh may also be disturbing. I gave a ride to someone who was getting it done. It was weird to be sure.

[nickel]

The smell of burning flesh may also be disturbing. I gave a ride to someone who was getting it done. It was weird to be sure.
it's like cauterizing something... just think "smells like prime rib.... smells like prime rib."

:D

[cheapie]

yeah...but it's YOUR prime rib.

[zero2dash]

I'm too scared to have it done (I'm near sighted). :2far:
(Not only the procedure but the possible risks.)

Best of luck to you cheapie...

[Daedalus]

My fiancee is having it done in a couple of weeks at TLC. I think the guy has done some big-name athletes, so that's a vote of confidence. She's got a flexible spending account, so she'll have pre-tax payments deducted from her paycheck throughout the year. Tax savings, plus no interest on the loan--sweet! Two of her friends have had it done by the same guy and they're just sorry they waited this long to have it done.

[cheapie]

using my flexible spending account as well.

[nickel]

yeah...but it's YOUR prime rib.
i was speaking as a bystander :gle:

[Grimm]

using my flexible spending account as well.
That's what I did as well. I quit my job and moved on right after it was done too. :shifty:

I had a sever astigmatisim. It was fully corrected. I was at 6 diopters before the surgery (I think that is somewhere around 20/1200). It is definately worth it. I still wear glasses when I drive at night. They have almost no correction, but the little bit they have does wonders for eliminating glare and haloing.

[johnnymk]

What is the cost?

[cheapie]

i have no idea....yet.

[mcs328]

I've heard anywhere between 1500 to 3000 per eye.

[attgig]

yeah. i wear contacts. my astigmatism is terrible in one eye so that might be the way to go.

i'll likely have it done here: http://www.tlcvision.com/

come down here and get it done. the doctor who practices at rockville, md did tiger woods, and all the other celebs they feature there.

[Daedalus]

What is the cost?
Fiancee's paying $4500 for a "custom" job for both eyes. It's maybe $1k more than the standard job, and involves more work reshaping the corneas. Then there's the optional $700 for the intralase, which is an optional method of cutting the flap using a laser instead of a razor blade. Just a *tiny* bit less risk with the interlase, but when it comes to your eyes, $700 is peanuts.

[Jcranmer]

I had about 6 months of complications from mine, but keep in mind, I am diabetic and have high blood pressure. I was already in a high risk group. Having said that though, I recommend it to anyone. I went from 20/500+ to 20/25.

The one thing I will say though, is at least where I had it done. They don't quite explain everything that well before hand. They used the term "mild pressure" to describe what felt like someone was trying to pry my eye out with a grapefruit spoon! (They apply a suction to the corena to lift before making the cut with the laser) Even with the numbing drops it was a little painful, and while the suction is on you actually go blind for a few seconds.

Again though, it was all worth it. I can't belive how much better things are now. I wore glasses for something like 25 years before.

btw: Mine was about $3000 for both eyes. Mine was done here:
http://johnkenyon.com/

[theorangeone]

If they could do the procedure on my eyes while I was knocked out, I'd be all for getting it done. However, I'm way too much of a sissy to get it done. My brother had it done at least 4 years ago, and last year he started wearing glasses again last year. The ones he wears aren't prescription, they just help focus around lights and such. He used to wear coke bottle glasses, so these are nothing compared to the old ones. I know of at least three other people who have had laser surgery and all recommend it.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Hey cheapie (and anyone else who has had it done), how much does it cost?

[Jcranmer]

Fiancee's paying $4500 for a "custom" job for both eyes. It's maybe $1k more than the standard job, and involves more work reshaping the corneas. Then there's the optional $700 for the intralase, which is an optional method of cutting the flap using a laser instead of a razor blade. Just a *tiny* bit less risk with the interlase, but when it comes to your eyes, $700 is peanuts.

I missed this earlier when I responded. Interlase is the procedure I had done. Much safer, with fewer complications. Supposed to also have less of a "halo" affect around lights, since they is less scar tissue with a laser vs blade.

WhiskyPapa. Mine was around $3000 for both eyes. The price varies a little around here, but I would say anywhere between $1500-2500 per eye.

[ladyluck]

had it done back in October. no regrets here :) the price was just right $1700 both eyes

[johnnymk]

had it done back in October. no regrets here :) the price was just right $1700 both eyes

Can I ask what general area of the country you live? That is quite a price difference compared to everyone else.

[chadlnc]

Can I ask what general area of the country you live? That is quite a price difference compared to everyone else.

Can't you read, the ghetto http://forums.gotapex.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Mommypooh]

sometimes I think I would like to have it done, but I feel naked without my glasses and I think they are very defining to me. I don't have contacts so I only wear my glasses and they are the same frames I have had for like 7 years now.

[cheapie]

post a pic of your face and we'll see. ;)

[guiseppewv]

I had it done. It was one of the best things that I ever did to improve my life. You will love it. Make sure you find a very reputable doc and do not factor in the price when you are shopping around. Remember - you only have 1 set of eyes - so it is not good to save a buck to sacrfice your vision.


the only sucky thing is that i have to wear my glasses for a week before to let my cornea return to its normal shape. blech.

They usually suggest 2 weeks. I didn't wear mine for a month before the surgery.

FYI:
I also would suggest driving your car to your appt. It helps the machine that determines where to make corrections to your eyes when you do a lot of looking out into the distance. Do not do anytype of close reading before your appt.



One recommendation: Wear ear plugs during the procedure. It's not noisy, but the saline solution runs into your ears while you're laying on your back. Since you're not supposed to move anything during the process, you just have to let it run inside your ears. Yuck!

I personally did not have this problem. :shrug: The smell was the worst part of the procedure. :puke:

[guiseppewv]

Hey cheapie (and anyone else who has had it done), how much does it cost?

I paid ~$4k. I also used my Medical FSA to pay for it. So, I probably saved 25+% b/c of the tax savings. I also had it done early in the year so I was able to pull the money out of my FSA before I actually had it come out of my paycheck so it was an interest free loan. :D

[ShawnLee]

When is it advisable, do you guys know? My eyes aren't that bad at all, but it would be good to not have to wear glasses.

I'm thinking that if I do get it, I'll do it in a few years when my eyes have gotten bad enough that it's worth doing then.

[ufcrusher]

My opthomologist told me NOT to get it done, due to the amount of close up reading and small print I experience as an attorney. That said, I know of 4+ people who have had it done and 2 of them had issues. 2 of them got it done our first year of law school (so back in 98) and were back in glasses by 01...the one had halos as a result. The other 2 people, one of which had it done by his father, loves it and have had no problems.

[LPMiller]

I would say, based on your history of bad merchendise and poor customer service, that you should never, ever get any kind of surgery done, uf. I'd be too afraid your luck would hold out.

[guiseppewv]

I think they also recommend that you wait until your eyes (i.e. your perscription strength) have stopped changing.

[ladyluck]

Can I ask what general area of the country you live? That is quite a price difference compared to everyone else.


i live in san diego....clairemont to be exact.


Can't you read, the ghetto http://forums.gotapex.com/images/icons/tongue.gif


LMAO...that's right "THE GHETTO"

[ufcrusher]

I would say, based on your history of bad merchendise and poor customer service, that you should never, ever get any kind of surgery done, uf. I'd be too afraid your luck would hold out.

ROFLOL. Thats too funny. Fortunately Dell doesnt do surgeries and I can live with screwed up billing so long as the work is done right. But yes, I stay away from elective procedures on principal.