[joomongj]

Been contemplating and reading a lot for the past month or so. My vision isn't that great 1st off. OD: -350 OS: -300 w/ a fair degree of astigmatism. Here in Toronto, Canada I went to a couple of places to have my eyes checked out including Lasik MD in downtown, my own optometrist and I'm  undergoing a custom wavefront lasik procedure w/ Dr. Herzig from Herzig Eye Institute in 2 months. A very prestigious refractive surgeon and one of the best if not the best in the world. Price isn't cheap but this is one of those areas where cheaping out is the least thing you wanna do.

Anyone w/ complications after the surgery such as dry eyes, halos, starbursts, double vision, short/thin/free flap, ectasia, under/over-correction, regression, strabisumus, inflammation, etc? Chances of developing side-effects are minuscule but they do happen regardless. Post feedback if you or your family member(s) had laser vision correction before. One thing that worries me the most is the dry-eye syndrome and quite frankly from what I've read it's unpredictable despite its low probability. I may be able to live w/ halos and starbursts, but double vision and dry eyes, I'm not so sure.

 

[Paganini Alfredo]

I  had PRK surgery a few years back. I didn't have any major complications aside from one eye had problem healing afterwards (but that wouldn't happen with Lasik). Anyways, I did have dry eyes after, mostly first thing in the morning but it wasn't terrible. Just had some eye drops constantly at hand. I don't have dry eyes anymore and can't really recall when it stopped. And halos. Street lamps at night, the moon, etc. But you get used to those and your brain just adjusts to it and its not a problem.
 
All in all, it was one of the best things I've ever done, getting the surgery. Go for it.

 

[fjf]

Risking your eyes for a cosmetic problem is something beyond stupid.  If everything goes well you may be happy..if not...
In addition, remember there is no way to assure you'll get 0/0.  The normal thing is +/- 1 , because the final result depends on scaring and that is not totally controllable.  Also, when you get to be 40 you'll need glasses to read.
I've been to many ophthalmology meetings.  THEY use glasses. 

 

[zotjen]

A co-worker of mine had it a couple of months ago and so far she hasn't had any problems. The only thing she complained about was that after the surgery she was in a lot more pain than she anticipated.

 

[darcyb62]

I've has few friends have i done with no issues but know of a couple of others who have had some issues.
 
My eyes are pretty bad and I've thought about it the odd time or two but have yet to decide to do it.  I doubt that I ever will.
 
In my opinion, it's not worth the risk.
 
Darcy

 

[joomongj]

Quote:

I've has few friends have i done with no issues but know of a couple of others who have had some issues.
 
My eyes are pretty bad and I've thought about it the odd time or two but have yet to decide to do it.  I doubt that I ever will.
 
In my opinion, it's not worth the risk.
 
Darcy

What side-effects did they experience? Did they opt for standard or custom?
 

 

[appophylite]

Quote:

Risking your eyes for a cosmetic problem is something beyond stupid.  If everything goes well you may be happy..if not...
In addition, remember there is no way to assure you'll get 0/0.  The normal thing is +/- 1 , because the final result depends on scaring and that is not totally controllable.  Also, when you get to be 40 you'll need glasses to read.
I've been to many ophthalmology meetings.  THEY use glasses. 

It's not always a cosmetic problem. I'd agree that if your eyes have a very minimal number and you can see reasonably well without glasses, there isn't necessarily much sense it getting Lasik, but if your eyes are really bad like mine or my sisters, it becomes less cosmetic and more of a way to ease away from the burden of having to have glasses all the time. In my case, I have relatively poor eyes (-6/-6.5). I can't even make out what I am typing on this screen hardly a foot away from my eyes if I take my glasses off. I chose not to go with Lasik mostly because my ophthamologist told me it was unlikely that it would get my number low enough that I could do away with glasses so I figured, 'what's the point then for me?' In my sisters case, my parents really wanted to see if she was a viable candidate because her eyes are abysmall (-8.5/-10.5) but she has so many other complications (odd focal points on both eyes, a lazy left eye, and something about her right eye that I can never remember), that they told my parents that it would effectively be wasted money on her.

 

[Uncle Erik]

A co-worker had laser correction done. She ended up with several complcations. She ended up using eye drops and it never quite turned out the way she wanted.

I've thought about it, but eyesight is *not* something I'm going to risk. Besides, glasses are not half bad. I've gotten used to them over the years and really enjoy the protection they afford. I get UV protection 100% of the time and the lenses I have are good protection when I'm shooting guns, working in the woodshop or soldering. I like the idea of having a functional shield over my eyes all of the time.

 

[joomongj]

Quote:

A co-worker had laser correction done. She ended up with several complcations. She ended up using eye drops and it never quite turned out the way she wanted.

I've thought about it, but eyesight is *not* something I'm going to risk. Besides, glasses are not half bad. I've gotten used to them over the years and really enjoy the protection they afford. I get UV protection 100% of the time and the lenses I have are good protection when I'm shooting guns, working in the woodshop or soldering. I like the idea of having a functional shield over my eyes all of the time.

What surgery did she opt for? Seriously though I've been having 2nd thoughts lately in light of all the people w/ permanent complications after surgery. I may be able to live w/ others but double vision and dry-eye syndromes...