Just wondering if anyone has had this procedure done? I am considering having it done, but I haven't went to any dr yet or anything. I'm just starting my research. I have come to the point where I can't see (no pun intended! ) paying any more money on contacts, and supplies.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

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Angie



at least for now...

i had it done about 6 or 7 years ago. my vision (nearsighted) was so bad i couldn't see the alarm clock from across the bed. the first day after the procedure, i was up & going with 20/10 (better than perfect) vision. my vision is STILL great, though i have to wear glasses for night driving.
i highly recommend lasik to anyone who is considering it. well worth the money & any discomfort you might have to go through during the procedure (which is really minimal).

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I had Lasik surgery in Sept. 1998, and I think it's the best money I've ever spent. My vision was so bad I had to pick up my alarm clock and hold it a few inches from my face to read it. 2 days after the surgery I had 20/20 in one eye and 20/30 in the other. I've had no complications since, other than having to put Natural Tears eye drops in occasionally for dry eye. But I think that has more to do with living in a very dry climate because when I visit my family down in Houston, I don't need drops.

I remember being a nervous wreck about 5 minutes before the procedure. But once they got going I was fine, and it only took about 10 minutes. I got a small bottle of Percoset for the pain, but never had to open it because I never really had any pain.

The surgery doesn't stop the "aging of the eye" as my dr. says, and one day I will probably still need glasses, at least for reading and driving.

Good luck w/ whatever you choose!

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Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

i had discussed lasik w/ my son's eye dr , depending on the severity of your vision problem might not be a good idea... see my son is blind in one eye... and they are doing a sergery this summer to keep his eyes from floating, the risk of him looseing his eye sight w/ that surgery is very small compaired to what the doc said the odds are w/ lasik.. He said its just pushing the line when you are getting that done... he said around 10 yrs later people are starting to notice sight diminishing..

just thought id cue in on negitive..

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01/02/04-248{ 4/29/04- 218} 6/30/04- 204
7-05-04 198 8/30/04 - 190 (got lost after that-)
4/03/08- 261 -
Goal-140-145

Thanks for all the input! I'm entertaining the idea, but have given the complications thought also. I might hold my judgement until I actually meet with a dr and find out if I'm a candidate. I could be doing needless worrying over nothing.

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Angie



at least for now...

I work with three people who have had it done and they are all very happy with the results. I've discussed it with my eye doctor but I only want to have it done if I eventually can't wear contacts anymore. I don't know if I would even be a good candidate since I haven undergone the exam for that but my doctor did say that she is very conservative and turns away about 50% of people inquiring about it which is something that I like. She's far from the cheapest in town but I just can't imagine bargain shopping when it comes to my eyesight.

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>^..^<
Esther

I've heard good things from a friend that tried it, however, like Esther, I'm not a candidate.

I'm nearsighted in one eye, and farsighted in the other, so my eye doc says that I'd still have to wear a contact in one eye, so why bother

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Tina

Well - I'm in the same boat that you are Biddy - I'm still considering it. My brother had it done, and he loves it. One of my coworkers (she's 72) had it done a while back and loves it. One of my friends did it, and they love it. I'm in Houston though, and they all went to one of the 'premiere' places to get it done.

The only caution I advise is that don't go to the cheapest you can find. They each paid about $1500 per eye (some less, some more) - but they don't have ANY problems.

If you get it done, put drops in CONTINUOUSLY the first couple of weeks - it keeps the eye hydrated and results in not having to personally hydrate it for the rest of your life.

Good luck! And good investigating.

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Started: 261
Currently: 182

Thanks so much Rhalvahn! I will definately remember that about the drops.

I've read that about cost. The other night I went to the FDA site, to search this topic, and that was one of the disclaimers on there as well. You know you see and hear so many commercials about $99 per eye - but then a dr on the Today show mentioned they charge $2000 per eye, and it makes you wonder...what would you be left with at the cheaper place? I don't think I want to even go there for a consultation! Scary, there's just so many choices out there its mind boggling!

Tina, that sounds like something I've heard before...is it monovision? I'm not sure, thought I remembered reading something about that. Yeah, I think I'd forget it too. That's actually one of my concerns - still having to wear contacts after the procedure.

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Angie



at least for now...

Yes, excellent suggestions from everyone.

$99 an eye sounds like a lasik factory assembly line. Steer clear. I think I paid $1,200 an eye. Aftercare is important as well. I continued to see Dr. Dishler for about 6 months after my surgery at no additional cost just to ensure everything was going well and my vision stayed at 20/20 or 20/30. If another procedure was necessary, it was all covered in the initial price.

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Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

I forget what it's called - it's got a long, drawn out name. Relatively rare, but both my parents have it, so I lucked out.

I'm sure someone somewhere would offer to do it, but I'm unwilling, when my eye doc says (NO!!) very loudly. She says that I need to wait, until they perfect the procedure for the nearsightedness/or farsightness. From what I can tell, they're only working on one side of it at the moment.

And, like everyone says, stay away from discounts. Defintely one case where you don't want a bargain....

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Tina

Just to chime in here - I had lasik for the first time in October 1999, then I had an enhancement in February 2000. I knew that I would need an enhancment, because my doc told me I would. It also cost me $5,000 for procedure, as many enhancements as necessary. Before you freak out, consider that these are your eyes! The success of LASIK depends 100% on the skill of your surgeon. Many of these chepa places are not board certified, and they have not done very many of the procedures - this increases the chances that they really screw up - haloed vision, double visions, floating ligh refractions, etc. I got lucky - my surgeon is one of the pioneers in the field and at the time I had it done had performed close to 10,000 procedures. He teaches and consults and has invented and manufactured tools used in the process. In short, I found the absolute best of the best. Check the net, find out if the person is board certified, how long performing the procedure, how many procedures - and here's the kicker, ask eye doctors who they would choose to do the procedure. It may cost more, but dang, it's worth it.

Good luck!

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Jen



179/179/120

Perhaps, older and obsolete laser equipment? Some of the early machines had at least one slight design flaw that I read about in the mid to late 90s. The engineers assumed the cornea shape was round when it is actually more of an oblate shape (curved like a hamburger bun rather than like a dome). This slight error caused some of the unfortunate complications some people had. Back then, almost 10% of patients had a decrease in visual ability after the procedure.

Presumably, the more expensive places have replaced the equipment with newer and better models. The cut-rate places may be using the "used" equipment discarded by better practioners when improved equipment became available.

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~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

That's a very true point about the machines. I'm not so shocked by the price - it seems to be ballpark to the average consensus. A friend of mine just told me he paid $4400, back in 1999, and has had no problems what so ever. He lives a distance from me, or I would go to the dr he used. That's a good idea asking my eye doctor who he would go to...he doesn't do them, and the last time I was there I wasn't interested in the surgery.

You guys have really given me something to think about - Thanks!

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Angie



at least for now...

Hey EmillyAnne, I am thinking of getting intralasik and went in to see Dr. Dishler. I have 7-8 mm sized pupils, -3 to -4 diapoters Nearsighted, I'm 27, my prescription was last increased in May of 2003. I went into to see him and have only talked to a couple of people who went to see him. WOuld you recommend Dr. Dishler as well? I would be more than happy to hear anything you have to say about your experience wiht Dr. Dishler. My email is NEWMATTHEW@msn.com and my name is Matt. Thanks.