Board 8 > I got LASIK...and if you wear glasses or contacts, go get it now

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've had glasses since I was little, literally my entire life.

I wore contacts off and on throughout, but my prescription ran out at the beginning of last year, and with COVID I couldn't get a new one, so I was all glasses for over the past year.

Out of nowhere, one of the bosses of my company mentioned to me how awesome it was not having to wear glasses anymore because of LASIK, and it got me thinking: why not? A consultation was free, what did I have to lose?

So I went to the consultation, the doc told me I was a perfect candidate (basically you just need not-small corneas and not-high eye pressure), and then the front desk lady was like "We have an opening on the 23rd, does that work for you?" and I decided, fuck it, yeah it does.

So I got the procedure, it took literally 10 minutes from walking in the door to walking into the post-op waiting area, and then another 10 minutes to rest my eyes before I was on my way.

I got home and napped, and when I woke up--bam! Perfect vision, literally never any pain once.

This is incredible.

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I've been saying this for about 7 years now!

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Vouch

UltimaterializerX posted...

I have a pretty major fear of people messing with my eyes while I'm awake, and my friends all say you can smell the burning.

Can you describe everything, step by step? I want to do this but I'm very scared to.

You absolutely do not smell anything lol. You sit in a chair, then they put numbing drops in your eyes. Next, they put this spoon-like thing over your eyes that cuts off the blood flow to them and you can't see (which admittedly feels weird but it doesn't hurt whatsoever). Then they turn on the machine and you see a little bit of red, and then it's over literally a minute later. It's the easiest fucking thing in the world.

The most annoying part by far is that your eyes will be dry and itchy for a few weeks, but it's 100% worth it.

Between budget issues and the fact that mom had a really bad experience with it, it's really hard for me to consider it at the moment. I actually like my glasses too but I'm weird

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I got prk instead of lasik. Much more painful and longer recovery time, but i like to travel to really off the grid places and I didn't want to worry about flap injuries. That's why anyone in the military isn't allowed to get lasik and they have to opt for prk.

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Samurai7 posted...

That's why anyone in the military isn't allowed to get lasik and they have to opt for prk.

That hasn't been the case for years. Lasik is ridiculously safe now.

I've always been fascinated by the glowing praise from folks who get this procedure, but also I really love glasses aesthetically to the point that I think I look weird without them. If I did do this I'd probably end up wearing empty frames!

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My vision wasn't that bad to begin with, but I got LASIK
Felt like it improved it a bit but it wasn't perfect and started to degrade fast
Like I had a check-up 3 months later and there were numbers I couldn't see in the test, and I asked for another surgery because they promised a free second surgery if the first one didn't work well, and then the nurse said "your vision is perfect, your eyes are just dry" and pretty much told me to fuck off
Now I am like...2-3 years later and I feel like my vision is back to pre-op level

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I also got lasik like three years ago. Great decision.

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I got LASIK in 2000 and my vision is still 20/15 all these years later, after a youth of wearing thick glasses. Its great
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I look bad with glasses and had awful vision

Getting LASIK was one of the best decisions I ever made

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how much was it

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i was going to get lasik about 5 years ago, but came down with the flu really bad when I was supposed to go in. Afterwards, I started reading online about the people who had bad experiences with Lasik and psyched myself out and ended up not pursuing it. I'm a lifelong glasses wearer. I often wonder what things would be like had I not gotten the flu.

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Yeah, it's incredible. I had it done about 2 years ago now. Within 2 hours of the surgery I had perfect vision, like 20/15, in my left eye. Unfortunately, I had to have PRK done in my right eye instead of LASIK, and it never got to be near as good. It's just a little worse than I was hoping for.

I'm like a month and a half away from the 2 year mark since I had it done, and I could have a free followup procedure done within 2 years if I wanted to. I've been thinking about it lately but my eye doctor thinks it's unnecessary. And PRK takes over 6 months to heal and your vision is very bad during that time, so it's nothing like LASIK where instantly you can see perfectly.

It's also probably worth mentioning I was blind in my right eye for 2 years after having a corneal ulcer which ultimately required me getting a corneal transplant. So it's a miracle I can see at all in that eye again.

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ChainLTTP posted...

That hasn't been the case for years. Lasik is ridiculously safe now.

While that may be true, lasik still isn't an option to any active military. It's prk or nothing

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The only worry I have is the price tag - it seems unnecessarily high considering I only require glasses when driving.
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ZeroSignal620 posted...

While that may be true, lasik still isn't an option to any active military. It's prk or nothing

No.

https://health.mil/News/Articles/2021/03/22/Laser-eye-surgery-Provides-clarity-for-active-duty-service-members

PRK and Lasik are currently available at all 26 military laser centers for active duty military members.

What does the surgery entail? Don't you have to keep your eyes open for like 10 minutes?

Like I struggle keeping my eyes open during a normal eye exam when they shine the light in your eyes and I'm tearing up by the end of it. I have a fear that will cause the surgery to get messed up.

other than that, it would be nice!

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They put something in your eyes to keep them held open.

(which sounds a lot scarier than it actually is)

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Average cost? I've never worn glasses but I feel like my vision has been meh for a while.

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Menji posted...

What does the surgery entail? Don't you have to keep your eyes open for like 10 minutes?

Like I struggle keeping my eyes open during a normal eye exam when they shine the light in your eyes and I'm tearing up by the end of it. I have a fear that will cause the surgery to get messed up.

They put in numbing drops, then have them held open with something physical. You don't feel anything, except some faint pressure. The sensation that you feel is more of a "huh...." than an "AAHHHH!". And I'm someone who doesn't even like to think about eyes, or even when I look at pictures of bloodshot eyes it makes my eyes water. It's really not bad at all.

It's not exactly an enjoyable procedure, but it doesn't hurt. It's just pretty uncomfortable, but it's worth it in the end. The worst part is after they've numbed your eyes and have them held open, when they start doing the cutting, they have you focus on this little red light, and as you are starring at the red light, your vision starts to turn all white. It's a weird feeling of starring at something and just having your vision completely vanish, all while lying down and not really being able to move. And then once they finish (it happens quickly), your vision starts to fade in again.

Nothing hurts though.

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I've had glasses since first grade, and my eyes have become super sensitive to wind or any kind of air movement in front of my face. I tried contacts for a few months back in high school, and just walking forward gave me problems keeping my eyes open. I'm sure if I got LASIK, I would eventually adjust, and if it was free, I'd do it, but I'm not gonna spend thousands to find out, only to realize I don't like it.

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There's zero chance you won't like perfect, unimpaired vision. Like, I get the cost is a factor for a lot of people, but I wouldn't worry about regretting you did it if you do go through with it!

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The average cost for lasik for both eyes is ~$4500 in the US, and it's considered an elective surgery so that's 100% out of your pocket.

There are also still risks involved, even if it may be less so in the past, and if something goes wrong the procedure is permanent. It may be rare but some people do end up with permanent vision loss.

You should also consider the fact that your eyes don't just heal up in a day and everything is magic. If you get the procedure there are things you won't be able to safely do for months. Sometimes even after a perfectly performed lasik surgery people have had worsened vision because of occurrences in the 2-3 months following the surgery.

It's great that it can give a person perfect vision for 10+ years, but make sure you know what costs and risks you are signing up for before hand.

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MrSmartGuy posted...

I've had glasses since first grade, and my eyes have become super sensitive to wind or any kind of air movement in front of my face. I tried contacts for a few months back in high school, and just walking forward gave me problems keeping my eyes open. I'm sure if I got LASIK, I would eventually adjust, and if it was free, I'd do it, but I'm not gonna spend thousands to find out, only to realize I don't like it.

Leonhart4 posted...

There's zero chance you won't like perfect, unimpaired vision. Like, I get the cost is a factor for a lot of people, but I wouldn't worry about regretting you did it if you do go through with it!

Among the side effects of lasik are dry, itchy eyes and MSG said his are already highly sensitive to wind and air. Don't go feeding people bullshit like this when you don't know it's 100% true for everyone. If his eyes got even more sensitive and irritable he could absolutely end up hating it and it's permanent.

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On the topic of the actual procedure, it is very strange and slightly uncomfortable. But it lasts like 10 minutes before it's all over and your life is changed forever.

Holy shit is it weird though with the laser and your wide open eyes under this machine. It felt like I was in some alternate dimension for about 10 minutes. Very bizarre but again, so incredibly short and it's not painful, just strange and a bit uncomfortable.

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BlueCrystalTear posted...

The only worry I have is the price tag - it seems unnecessarily high considering I only require glasses when driving.

Yeah considering the time it takes and the technology - to them it probably cost next to nothing
But vision has no price tag - I am willing to pay a lot of money to have a perfect vision

ChichiriMuyo posted...

The average cost for lasik for both eyes is ~$4500 in the US, and it's considered an elective surgery so that's 100% out of your pocket.

Oh jesus christ it cost me $2000 here in Israel

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StartTheMachine posted...

On the topic of the actual procedure, it is very strange and slightly uncomfortable. But it lasts like 10 minutes before it's all over and your life is changed forever.

Holy shit is it weird though with the laser and your wide open eyes under this machine. It felt like I was in some alternate dimension for about 10 minutes. Very bizarre but again, so incredibly short and it's not painful, just strange and a bit uncomfortable.

It was fucking scary
I was shaking ike 10 minutes after that
Had to sit down too

I dunno something about the idea of my eyes being tampered with was terrifying

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There are places where you can get it for as cheap as $2000 in the US but the older I get the more I believe that you get what you paid for, and when it comes to the only set of eyes I'll ever have I'm not going to Dr. Nick Rivera.

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I can't even hold my eyes open for eye drops. Just reading the mild descriptions here of cutting or having my eye held open is giving me the heebie jeebies
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probably, but my luck id lose the eyes

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I had mine about 15 years ago, and it only just started age-related deterioration about three years ago. I was better than 20/20 for a decade. Now, I need a low prescription to drive.

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Robazoid posted...

I can't even hold my eyes open for eye drops. Just reading the mild descriptions here of cutting or having my eye held open is giving me the heebie jeebies

yeah, i'd love to get lasik but my eyes are super sensitive - i can't even put contacts on, can't apply eye make up without shaking horribly, etc. so i'm not sure i'll be able to.

You are not the one keeping your eyes open - they use some kind of tool to force them being opened
You can't close them even if you want to

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I don't think that's the point they're hung up on....

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it's part of it. yes, if my eyes are made numb and held open and i can't feel anything, that... sounds good.

but i think it's part physical, and part mental. how do they even get you in that state? as soon as anything goes near my eyes i start freaking out, so whatever they do to make you numb and hold them open could be a problem before the procedure even starts?

and also just seeing them doing that stuff, seeing this white light people are describing, knowing they're doing that to my eyes, could be mentally tough.

yeah, i've heard excellent and not so excellent testimonials

it really does come down to your individual case. and even when it's the perfect case, it's not 100% guaranteed to be safe and effective. it's like 99.5% guaranteed

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I'm a poor candidate, so I'll be content to keep the vision I do have.

That said, technology aiding the blind has certainly been making some nice strides. Everything from alternate senses providing visual input to retinal/brain implants are slowly offering better and better pixel resolution.

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I would if I had the money and wasnt terrified of the procedure. Id have a panic/anxiety attack and probably need my entire body numbed while also needing my mind super relaxed via medication or something

ChichiriMuyo posted...

Among the side effects of lasik are dry, itchy eyes and MSG said his are already highly sensitive to wind and air. Don't go feeding people bullshit like this when you don't know it's 100% true for everyone. If his eyes got even more sensitive and irritable he could absolutely end up hating it and it's permanent.

Yes, I'm fully aware of the side effects of LASIK because I've had it. The permanent negative side effects are much less likely to occur as the technology they use has advanced.

Regardless, not everyone is a candidate for it, and if his eyes have that kind of sensitivity, there might be an underlying cause that would make him not a candidate anyway. They don't just perform it willy nilly on anyone.

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Vouch. Crazy to be able to wake up and just see things.

The procedure itself is like 30 seconds of some cyber space rave, like you are jumping through a star trek wormhole or something. Really awesome.

You do end up getting higher nighttime light sensitivity though, and halos around bright lights. It gets better over 6ish months but it's still there.

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ChainLTTP posted...

You absolutely do not smell anything lol.

Completely not my case, I definitely smelled the burning. Was a mix of like, meat and plastic.

It didn't bother me that much though. Thinking about the surgery is more scary than it actually is. It's over before you know it and it's amazing literally seeing your eyes recover afterwards.

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For the people saying anything near my eyes freaks me out, I dont know if they all do this, but they prescribed me 3 Valium for it.

One for the night before, one for half an hour before, and one for after to sleep the day of.

So not only was there zero pain, but also I was relaxed as hell.

Bottom line, if you can get through a normal eye exam, you can get through LASIK. The actual procedure is shorter than the consult where they do all the regular eye testing and everything.

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i hate putting things in my eyes so i've always shied away from such a thing even though i would like it

like, even drops, which i know i have to do for awhile afterwards. i legit hate it and recoil and hardly ever get them in my eyes properly

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Yeah, it's hard to describe to someone who freaks out over stuff being near their eyes that it's not as bad as it sounds.

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Also I'm not saying don't do your research. That wasn't what I was trying to convey earlier. No surgery or procedure is 100% risk free, of course, and again, you might not even qualify.

But if you can get it and you feel comfortable going for it, it's definitely worth it.

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People I know with LASIK and stare at screens all day for work are back in glasses 10-15 years later. People I know with LASIK that are retired or have jobs outside of an office have maintained perfect vision. I don't know if anyone else has similar observations or just my small world.

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Yeah during the consult the doctor will tell you how high your risk for side effects is.

He explained to me that basically, the size and shape of your cornea makes all the difference, and they fully measure it during that initial exam.

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