Laser vision surgery (LASIK) - anyone done it?

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Dalamar Stormcrow: Actually, I saw a news report on how 'Lasik' worsens your eyes over time. About some woman in DC. She couldnt see her kids after about 6 months. Went blind in 14. She also said that even small lights blinded her, and the ones she could see looked like a starburst. Just keep the contacts. Don't risk it.

I don't use contacts though, I use glasses. Do you know where this woman had her LASIK done?

[Bungleau]

Keep in mind that a news report's job is to find the sensational case... not the normal everyday one. Just consider it in the same way you consider reports about how gaming makes people do bad things... be open to what's being said, but wonder about what's not being said.

And while poking around and trying to find this story, I came across this humorous interpretation of what it's like to get the surgery done... [img]smile.gif[/img]

I've been thinking about this for some time, and when I get ready, I now have more questions to ask.

[Dalamar Stormcrow]

Originally posted by Memnoch: quote: Originally posted by Dalamar Stormcrow: Actually, I saw a news report on how 'Lasik' worsens your eyes over time. About some woman in DC. She couldnt see her kids after about 6 months. Went blind in 14. She also said that even small lights blinded her, and the ones she could see looked like a starburst. Just keep the contacts. Don't risk it.

I don't use contacts though, I use glasses. Do you know where this woman had her LASIK done? [/QUOTE]These were the early days of laser eye surgery, probably before LASIK, so I don't know if this even applies. If she had it in DC, it would be Dr. Butros of the LASIK Center.

[Memnoch]

Thanks for that Dalamar. By the way, that's a huge sig mate. You've been here long enough, you should know about the size limits - could you change it or shrink it please? Thank you. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Bungleau: Keep in mind that a news report's job is to find the sensational case... not the normal everyday one. Just consider it in the same way you consider reports about how gaming makes people do bad things... be open to what's being said, but wonder about what's not being said. And while poking around and trying to find this story, I came across this humorous interpretation of what it's like to get the surgery done... [img]smile.gif[/img] I've been thinking about this for some time, and when I get ready, I now have more questions to ask.

I'm too scared to read that story mate.

One thing I've been thinking about - I know they numb your eye and put some suction thing on it to keep it open and constantly lubricate it, but wouldn't the natural urge to blink take over at some point? From what I hear you need to keep it open for about 10mins or something.

[Bungleau]

The story is really funny, Memnoch. Think about a comedian talking about the process... that's what it is. And it has a happy ending, too [img]smile.gif[/img]

I don't know the full details on how they keep your eyes open or anything like that during the process. As I understand it, it's now quite fast -- far less than those ten minutes. But I'd check with a doctor for details on it, 'cause I just don't know [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

[Mr. Mopery]

I had LASIK done about 9 years ago (depressing though that is to admit) in Dallas. I had no complications, my recovery took about a month in total--meaning that I could see the next day but my focusing went up and down for the month.

Before the surgery I had pretty bad vision--don't remember what but I needed glasses to see anything that wasn't naturally a fuzzy smudge. And I have astigmatism in one eye. After the surgery my vision wasn't perfect, but good enough. 20/25 or so and much better than I had before.

The downside: my nightvision isn't wonderful. I get some slight halos, but nothing I even notice anymore. No problems with colours or anything. And about 5 years after the surgery my vision started to get a bit worse--I now use glasses for using a computer or driving, but that's it.

Then again, my vision started getting worse at the same time I stopped eating meat, so maybe I'm missing some vitamins as well or something.

To sum up: I couldn't recommend or dissuade anyone from getting it done. It's great to be able to see the clock in the morning, to not bother about contacts or cleaning glasses etc. But losing detail when the sun goes down ain't great.

It has to be a person's own decision, made after weighing the facts, because there is some price to be paid. But that's true of practically any surgery isn't it?