Lasik

[kancho]

$2100 that is a good price.. I paid 4500 for mine and that was with a 20% discount. THere is no lifetime warranty.. My doctor specified 10 years.. Since as you get older they know that it will eventually go again. But It was a good investment.. Not wearing glasses is great. I got the custom wavefront. Where it maps your eye in real time. Originally I had 20/15 after the surgery. It has been 2 years and now it dropped to 20/20 which is still good. Yes don't go cheap.. Remember depending on how thick your cornea is you might only get one chance.. I think there is a site called TLC disasters.. I am unsure of the URL but my friend got it at TLC. It wasn't done well.. His consultation wasn't good, they told him that he was a good candidate. his result was 20/40.. And he may require a touch up later this year once his eyes are fully healed.

[Gombessa]

Yeah, there are a lot of considerations, but generally you get what you pay for.

There's a site out there that has a list of "50 questions to ask your lasik doctor" which I found very useful. It had very insightful and detailed questions, such as:

How many procedures have you done on the lasik machine you're using for people with my prescription, and what were the results?

What is the worst result you've encountered and how was it resolved?

[russp]

I've been thinking about it for a long time due to thick glasses (-10. & -9.) but never did it because the FAA restricted pilots from getting it. The rules recently changed to allow it with certain test being required after about three months to reinstate the pilot's license so I may look at it again.
Currently I'm using a prescription dive mask because contacts in my prescription were too uncomfortable.

[Gombessa]

Does the FAA allow lasik, or something else like PRK? Discomfort and healing times should be considered for the latter.

But your prescription is almost identical to mine (-9.5, -10), and I'm almost 20/15 after lasik, so it can work for you.

[greenarcher]

Before I had my treatment with Dr. Wiles at Lasik-1, I had trouble seeing clearly even with my glasses on. Now I can see my alarm clock without holding it in front of my face and I can see road signs without squinting. I don’t hate driving at night anymore. My life is so much better now; I only wish I had gone to Lasik-1 sooner! Thank you for helping me see what I’ve been missing!"

[russp]

Originally Posted by Gombessa

Does the FAA allow lasik, or something else like PRK? Discomfort and healing times should be considered for the latter.

But your prescription is almost identical to mine (-9.5, -10), and I'm almost 20/15 after lasik, so it can work for you.

From the way I read the new regulation, they allow just about all the current procedures as long as an FAA medical examiner does a follow up once vision stabilizes and certain criteria are met.

[cmburch]

I had mine done at Newman LASIK Centers of Northern California March 2007. They use the VISX S4 Laser system. The same system that is used at the UC Berkeley Refractive Surgery Center. Berkeley charges alumni about $2000 per eye whereas Newman charges about $1150 per eye for the simular procedure. They do offer lifetime should the shape of the eye change as you get older. But my friends say that after a certain age the shape of your eye tends not to change. The CustomVue™ Custom LASIK vision correction system corrected my astigmatism. I now have excellent vision especially for seeing in low light levels such as in the evening, when its raining, and when scuba diving. I used my cafeteria plan at work to pay for it (tax free money). It is a big difference when spearfishing. I can now see the fish sooner than my buddy.

[JillianAnnO]

I've worn glasses since Kindergarden and about 6 months ago, I bit the bullet and had Lasik. I love it more than I ever thought I would and it's amazing to be able to see as well as I do now! I went to Carter Eye Care Center in Dallas and have recommended him to some coworkers. I can't wait to start my diving classes and not have to worry about my contacts getting dry or having to take them out! I say, "go for it!"

[Wolfie2012]

I had lasik done several years ago. When I scheduled the appointment, I noticed that the surgeon was a regional doctor who worked out of a few different cities. What I assumed by that was that he had an office in all of these cities and performed the procedure at certain times of the month in each of those cities.

So, day before the appointment I figured I would drive around to find the surgical office (my initial appointments were at a different local office). Unfortunately I couldn't find the office, but it was dark and I figured I just missed it.

Fast forward to the next morning and I'm driving with my wife to find the place. We turn a corner, and no joke, there is a semi-truck with a door on the side of the trailer and stairs leading up. I was like, holy crap, and immediately was fearing for my life.

So anyway, I get up the nerve to go inside and go through the procedure. When I go back to get the surgery done, they actually tell my wife that she can't wait inside because there was only enough room for the patients. She ended up waiting in the car the entire time. Well, other than that the inside of the truck was actually rather nice, and they had state of the art equipment.

It really ended up being the best thing I ever did and I never had any problems at all. Fun story to tell though.

[Loves2Dive]

Originally Posted by jo8243

I've been thinking about this also. I have 20/40 uncorrected and 20/15 corrected vision. I thought about doing it but am concerned it could put me in reading glasses earlier when I'm older. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

First a bit of background:

I used to work for Visx, the leading manufacturer of Lasik laser systems and the Wavefront diagnosti system. I was in the Laser Test for one year, and the Research department for 4 years, so I have a unique perspective on the question of Lasik, its safety and its efficacy.

Lasik is a fantastic option for anyone that has to wear contacts on a day-to-day basis. Basically, anyone with 20/40 vision or worse can benefit. with Wavefront-assisted Lasik, it is possible to achieve 20/15 vision.

While I have not had the need to have the procedure myself, my father and my Aunt have both had the procedure done with excellent results.

Now, about the reading glasses....

As a person ages, the lens ibn the eye begins to crystallize, making it gradually harder and harder for the muscles to bend the lens in order to focus. this is why one needs reading glasses. the condition is called presbyopia, and, so far, there is no cure that I know of outside of reading glases.

So, to answer your question, no, Lasik will not (that I know of as of today) put you into reading glasses any sooner that you normally would.

I would feel confident recommending the procedure to anyone (and I do not benefit financially from this advice at all!), especially if you have problems seeing underwater, or need prescription lenses in thier masks.

Hope that helps.

L2D