Lasik Eye Surgery

[Maleah]

Has anyone hear ever had Lasik or know someone who has? I'm pretty sure I'd be too chicken to ever do it but I guess I'm curious enough to consider it. lol I've had people tell me that I should really do it (of course they have perfect vision and wouldn't have to risk losing it lol) and then I've had people try to scare me out of it (those people ALSO have perfect vision and don't have to wear glasses practically 24/7 lol). So if any of you have ever had any experience with it, I guess I'd just like to hear your thoughts and opinions on it.

[AzEaglesFan]

I know a guy here in town that had it done and he loved it, he has never had a bad thing to say about the experience. My old UPS guy had it done too. The only thing that the UPS guy said was that his eyes were very light sensitive and he had to remember to wear sunglasses.I would sure talk to a professional before I had it done though.

[EaglesKiwi]

I know a couple of people who've had it done. One said she was "uncomfortable" afterwards (rather than being "in pain"!). She also said she was glad she only did one eye at a time.

[sodascouts]

I've thought about having it done but like you, Maleah, I'm too scared of what might happen. Plus, they don't knock you out - they just give you local anesthesia - and I don't know if I could handle a laser cutting into my eyeball while I was awake.

[tequila girl]

I know a couple of people that had it done, and they were both thrilled with the results.....no actual pain, just discomfort for a few days, but they both said the smell of "burning flesh" was off-putting.......personally after having worn glasses 24/7 for over 40 years I wouldn't feel like "ME" without them!

[Annabel]

One of DD2's teachers had it done a couple of years ago and had one eye done at a time. He looked so different after it and said that it was uncomfortable but he didn't regret it.

Don't think I fancy it the way it is done atm myself, so I'll stick to my contact lenses.......... for now. :laugh:

[TimothyBFan]

I've had several friends and family that have had it done and it's been wonderful for all of them. I would do it in a heartbeat if my eye insurance would pay for it. I keep thinking some day I will have it done, regardless. Good luck if you decide to do it Maleah.

[MikeA]

My mother had it done last year. She still wears glasses but they aren't the coke-bottle bottoms that she used to wear. She had cataracts and was thankful for the laser surgery that has been developed. She was out of commission only for one day after the surgery. And "yes" she does have to wear sunglasses. I don't think she regrets it at all.

[Brooke]

Everyone that's had it done that I know loved it.

My hubby was going to have it done a couple years ago and he has worn glasses for 40 years. He needs them for distance vision. The doctor told them he would probably need reading glasses afterwards instead of glasses for distance, so he decided against it since he wouldn't be able to lose the glasses completely.

[Victim of Love]

I know a few people who've had it done and they'll swear by it! Neither of them had any problems and both said the discomfort was minimal and very short-term. When they first came out with the procedure I was skeptical but given the advances they've made over the ensuing years and the positive testimonials I've heard, I wouldn't hesitate to do it myself if I was so inclined. But I don't have a problem with my contacts. I wear multifocals (I used to wear no-line progressive glasses) or, if I want to change things up I wear tinted monovision. It works for me so I doubt I'll be opting for lasik, but again, everyone I know who has gone that route have been pleased.

[Annabel]

Everyone that's had it done that I know loved it.

My hubby was going to have it done a couple years ago and he has worn glasses for 40 years. He needs them for distance vision. The doctor told them he would probably need reading glasses afterwards instead of glasses for distance, so he decided against it since he wouldn't be able to lose the glasses completely.

Come to think of it DD2's teacher wore glasses for reading when we went for parents evening. :hmm:

[MikeA]

I wonder....

After replying to this thread this morning, I received two SPAM ads in eMail having to do with LASIK from "The_LASIK_Vision_Institute". These are the first I am aware of that have hit my inbox. There was one in my SPAM folder that I hadn't seen from earlier today. WEIRD!

Coincidence? Maybe. But having never received one before, it really makes me wonder!

Nancy or whomever moderates, can you check the messages in this thread and see if there might be some indication of a Trojan embedded? Maybe it is a Bot perusing the forums (phishing?) looking for key words but I don't know how it could have derived my eMail addy from anything posted here.

[Maleah]

Thanks everyone! I'm definitely very interested in having it done. I'm pretty sure my current insurance doesn't cover it either, so if I DO have it done it wouldn't be for quite some time. lol Nancy that's another big part of it that terrifies me....the fact that I'm not out when it's done! LOL


Mike that IS strange! Have you ever put your email address anywhere here on the board?

[sodascouts]

Mike, that IS strange! There's nothing embedded here, but that is pretty odd!

[Wildthyme]

While its not quite the same I had radial keratotomy done in one eye back in the mid-90's. They gave me valium to relax me and then used a topical anesthetic on the eye. The surgery was easy and painless and other than some scratchiness and watering in my eye the next day it was a breeze. At the time I only needed one eye done because my vision was 90/20 in my left eye and 40/20 in my right which wasn't bad enough to warrant surgery.

There were minor side effects... I had to wear sunglasses outside at all times for a couple weeks and they remain somewhat light sensitive. I get a halo effect around bright lights at night but after all these years I rarely notice it. But all of it was totally worth getting rid of my glasses that I loathed. Fifteen years down the line the vision in my right eye has gotten bad enough that I want to have Lasik done on it one of these days when I can afford it or have insurance coverage that will help pay it.

[MikeA]

I don't think so...on the email address. The only place I've put it is in my profile where I think it is hidden and in a couple of PM's that have long since been deleted.

It's probably just coincidence. But it was one of those twilight-zone coincidences!

[AzEaglesFan]

Well, it may not be Lasik but I found out today that I have to have cataracts removed, SOOOOOO soon I will have 20/20 for distance. I guess I will still have to have glasses for anything up close.

[EaglesKiwi]

Well, it may not be Lasik but I found out today that I have to have cataracts removed, SOOOOOO soon I will have 20/20 for distance. I guess I will still have to have glasses for anything up close.

All the best for the surgery!

[sodascouts]

Yes - good luck!

[Prettymaid]

Hee hee... I hate to admit it but when Maleah started this thread I thought to myself, "With the cost of lasik surgery the only way I'll have 20/20 vision without glasses is if I have to have cataract surgery in a few years."

Cataract surgery - the old peoples' version of Lasik! But insurance covers it! :cheers:

Good luck with it AZ!

[MikeA]

AZEF.....all the best on the EYES!

[AzEaglesFan]

Thanks everyone for the good wishes. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Maleah]

Good luck with the surgery AZ!!

[tequila girl]

Good Luck with the Surgery AZ - when's it scheduled for?

[Annabel]

Good luck AZ

[Glennsallnighter]

Good luck Maleah if you decide to go ahead and AZ with your surgery also.

Mind me asking........ why does insurance not cover this procedure? Its a bit rich these companies taking the kind of money I've heard they charge and then when you DO need them the procedure isn't covered!

[Prettymaid]

I assume it's not covered because it's not done for health reasons.

[AzEaglesFan]

I am suppose to get an appointment in the mail next week to let me know when I need to go and get it done. I'll let you know when I hear from them, Soon I hope, I can't see to drive that great and Bobby hates to drive but will if it becomes necessary.:fear:

[MikeA]

I really do not understand why Insurance is such a stickler about Lasik and Gastric Bypass. I guess they just consider them "voluntary procedures" and not necessary.

There can be no question as to the effectiveness of Lasik procedure in correcting a multitude of vision problems. But Insurance just doesn't care about quality of life....just the financial bottom line.

I'm going on a RANT here so skip it if you get bored! It's early on a Saturday Morning and the Caffeine hasn't kicked in yet.

As for Gastric Bypass (alternatively Lap-Band).....I can testify to three relatives who have had it (the bypass) and between the three of them, have lost close to 1200 pounds (actually, it might be more because they didn't publicize their weights before the surgery!) Their health was really threatened by their weight. Two of them had had both knees replaced and one a hip replacement on top of that. Today, we play golf at least weekly weather permitting and more often when possible.

And yet, Insurance would pay ZERO for anything connected with it. They would pay for the knees and hips and heart transplants (I assume that on the transplant for they hadn't reached that point YET). But they would do nothing about the CAUSE which was obesity.

Look, I'm a skinny runt and can't personally comprehend based on my own experience the trauma of trying, time after time to go through all the diets, the exercise, the meds...all the extremes of weight-loss and have all of them fail and know the only alternative is the surgery that isn't recognized by Insurance. But I've seen it at a very close second-hand and am appalled by the insensitivity of those who refuse this life-saving service!