Anyone Had Vision Correction Surgery?

KillarneyRose · #1 09-01-2005, 02:34 PM

Either the LASIK or RPK. If so, which one? Are you happy with the results? How much did it cost?

Thanks!

Jill1228 · #2 09-01-2005, 02:37 PM

Yup! Had LASIK 12/18/03

Cost: It was at the time covered 100% under my insurance

Results: I had one touch up in August 04 but I am SO loving it! My vision was terrible

-7.00 in my left eye, -6.25 in my right and hella astigmatism

honeychile · #3 09-01-2005, 02:50 PM

KR, I had LASIK back when only 10 doctors were qualified in the USA. My eyes were at the cut off point for the surgery.

I tell people that, on a scale of 1 to 10, the pain is never more than a 3. Emotionally, it's more like a 212, though! There's one moment with each eye that you are literally blinded, and that's more than a little scary! Ask the doctor how many milligrams of tranquilizers he plans to give you, and take more before you even get there! But when I left even that first day, I had tears in my eyes from how well I could see - I had NEVER thought I'd see that well!!

I totally lucked out - I see distance (15/20) in my one eye, and near in the other (I don't know how to give those figures!) and now have monovision. I'll never have to wear bifocals!

You WILL hear horror stories, as 1 in 1,000 people have trouble - but if you're that one, it's not such a great idea. But the one day that I saw the doctor and there were a few "problem patients" in his office, honestly, each one of them didn't look very clean - I couldn't help but wonder if that's what caused their troubles.

I also have a good friend who had RK. The biggest difference is, if you have RK and it doesn't go well, you can't wear contacts again - with LASIK, you can.

The cost of mine was on the high side, since it was so new - $2,000 per eye - but they had a finance plan. When I had only two payments to go, I teased about defaulting, saying, "What are they going to do, repossess them?"

I did pay off the loan. I think the going price is around $1,000 per eye now, though.

You're so close to the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins, I would imagine it would be the figurative piece of cake! My doctor trained there, and I take my mother there now - it's really fantastic!!

ambición6 · #4 09-01-2005, 03:16 PM

yep. 9 months later im still all good. click to see thread

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...ighlight=lasik

KillarneyRose · #5 09-01-2005, 04:59 PM

Oops; I should have done a search!

Thanks Jill, Honey and Ambición!

dakareng · #6 09-01-2005, 05:42 PM

Had it in February 2002. Lasik in my right eye/ PRK in my left. My surgeon ran into unexpected problems with my right eye (he called it 'loose cornea'... I could tell he was having trouble gettting the flap to go back) and rather than just stopping, he did PRK on the other eye. PRK is supposed to be more painful postop but I didn't notice any problems. I needed moisture eye drops for the first year but even in the hottest, dryest summer day don't have any problems and I loooooooooove not worrying about glasses or contacts! I picked my surgeon, not based on the ads but on recommendation of a cardiac surgeon friend. DOn't go with the guy who says "I've done 50,000 procedures" and all the testimonials are professional athletes. I'm sure THEY don't get the cattle-car style treatment that a friend did. Her anesthetic drops didn't take but because she'd had valium, she couldn't get the words out... she felt EVERYTHING. I took no sedation. No thank. I want to be able to communicate and know what's going on.

btb87 · #7 09-01-2005, 09:50 PM

Had it six years ago. The cost for me was $10, thanks to hubby's insurance. The $10 was the co-pay.

Right this very minute, I'm wearing glasses, but my vision is nothing like it was. I got glasses initially (about 2 years ago) for the computer because I thought I had your average, everyday eye strain because of the computer. The glasses didn't really help, so my next exam doc checks the eyes and tells me that I have astigmatism. He says it's possible that the LASIK didn't get all of the astigmatism. I also have glasses for distance, but primarily wear them at night when I'm driving. Sometimes I'll go all week without wearing them.

For me, it was worth it, even though I'm in glasses (but not full time). Doc also says that whomever performed the surgery did an excellent job because he could barely tell that I had LASIK. One thing I am noticing is that it appears that my right eye is getting a little more "astigmatic", so I will schedule another eye appointment to see how different my vision is from the last time I had an exam.

Someone had mentioned about how some people are that "1 in 1,000" that has trouble. There's a website for those people. I hope it doesn't scare you if you're planning to have surgery, but that's what this site has been designed to do. Someone pointed it out to me exactly 1 week before I was to have the surgery in hopes that I would change my mind, but I didn't.

Try Surgical Eyes.

Optimist Prime · #8 09-02-2005, 02:35 PM

I will ask if my insurance covers it.

MooseGirl · #9 09-05-2005, 07:35 PM

i got LASIK in 2001, cost $1000 for both eyes.

my vision was -7.5 and -8, now it's -.75 in each.

They told me they wouldn't be able to get it perfect because of my eyes, but i'm completely satisfied. I don't have to wear glasses, although I choose to wear them when I'm driving.

no pain at all. the worst was sleeping with those shades on

i did have a slight panic attack on the table and had to hold the male nurse's hand, but really no problem - as soon as i sat up i could read the clock (which beforehand might've been a white blob, if anything)