# I'm getting my eyeballs zapped. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531 "2005-01-19T13:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/41 "2005-01-20T09:45:27Z")
The reason people need reading glasses as they get older is because the lens of the eye gradually hardens over time. Lasik surgery has no effect on that process - it operates on the cornea. It’s a treatment for a different disorder, so it won’t prevent you from needing reading glasses later in life. ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/42 "2005-01-20T12:31:01Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > You’re ignoring me? Well _that’s_ never happened before. Aw, come on **Ex** , you know that much like a fart in an elevator you’re impossible to ignore. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/43 "2005-01-20T14:46:28Z")
> [@Pullet](#): > > My mom is in the slipping perscription category. She had lasik done last year. Started out with truely horrific eyesight (bad astigmatism, strong myopia in both eyes, required bifocals). Originally, the surgery brought her to 20/20, but now she needs reading glasses, though she can see far things fine. At least they’re the kind of weak reading glasses you can get off the shelf from from the local pharmacy. As far as I know, her perscription had been stable for at least 5 years before the surgery, so WTF? Any one have some ideas? Just confirming what **Smeghead** and others said - I work in an ophthalmology department in a large medical center, and we have a Lasix center here, but I am in no way paid by/associated with them. The doctors here, when asked about Lasix, will typically also explain that the need for reading glasses with age that many people experience will not be affected by Lasix at all. ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/44 "2005-01-20T20:33:17Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > [whiney hijack] > > All the stuff I’ve read about LASIK say that you need to be 18 and have a stable prescription for at least a year before you can be a candidate for the surgery. I asked my opthamologist about it at my last appointment (two weeks ago), he said he wouldn’t recommend it for me for at least five years, and didn’t give any explanation as to why. I’m 18, my vision hadn’t changed enough in 18 months to nessecitate a new prescription for contacts, and he _knows_ I despise needing contacts or glasses, and that I’m functionally blind without them. But, nooo, he gave no explanation, just said ‘no’. Grr. > > Granted, my stomach clenches up and my heart pounds at the very idea of someone slicing up my eye (been there, done that, twice, thanks), but that’s nothing a low dose of a sedative couldn’t cure, right? > > [/whiney hijack] I do think it’s unprofessional to not offer the reasoning behind his “no”. But there might well be a valid reason behind it (well, other than wanting your continued business for glasses/contacts). I went in for a consultation a couple years ago at 26, and was told that I wasn’t a good candidate at the time because my pupils could dilate wider than the maximum diameter they could cut the corneal flap. Since there is a little bit of scarring at the edge after the flap heals, that part of the cornea would cause stars or halos around light sources if the pupil dilates past it, making for a dangerous night-vision situation. They told me to check back in a couple of years (I’m going to go in again this summer), since your pupil gets a little stiffer with age and doesn’t open as wide. Plus, the technology might’ve improved enough to meet me halfway if my eyes still dilate a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/45 "2005-01-20T20:48:48Z")
> [@sciguy](#): > > They told me to check back in a couple of years (I’m going to go in again this summer), since your pupil gets a little stiffer with age and doesn’t open as wide. Plus, the technology might’ve improved enough to meet me halfway if my eyes still dilate a lot. That’s a good point. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to get the surgery for the same reason - I’ve got huge pupils, apparently. But with the newer technology, they can operate on a wider section of the eye. Additionally, my corneas were too thin to get LASIK. I ended up having to get PRK, which is basically the same thing, except they don’t cut the flap, so it needs less corneal tissue. (And before you think “hey! They can do it without the flap? I’m there!!”, the downside is that there’s more pain and it takes much longer to heal. PRK is the older procedure.) So there are other reasons to be rejected. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/46 "2005-01-20T22:58:04Z")
Thanks for the info, **Ferret Herder** and **Smeghead**. Frankly, I’m still amazed vision works at all. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/47 "2005-01-21T16:21:14Z")
So, is today the big day? ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/48 "2005-01-21T16:36:48Z")
Yep. I’m sure he’ll let us know how it went. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/49 "2005-01-21T22:38:12Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I’m too much of a wuss. Same here. You know that horror-movie shot where somebody’s strapped down and a hypodermic needle is slowly tracking in on their staring eyeball? I don’t have many phobias, but that’s definitely one of them. Makes my gut clench every time I see an image like that, and I _absolutely_ cannot watch someone else having their cornea sliced and re-folded. It’s even hard to type. So I can’t imagine putting myself through something like that deliberately, no matter how benign all you people insist it is. I think I’d die from being overly adrenalized just waiting for it to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/50 "2005-01-22T14:32:50Z")
Yo! **Welby**! Update please. How did it go? ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/51 "2005-01-24T13:04:22Z")
Sorry I didn’t post sooner, my rassin frissin internet provider had a heart attack Friday. It went. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fine. I was all nervous but the doc doped me up good. Everything I read and heard about it seems correct so far. That is, the first 5-6 hours are the worst (they were, but in a dry-eyed sort of annoying way rather than a painful way), things are a bit blurry on day two (they were, but I was still seeing better than I did pre-surgery), my vision got clearer yesterday, as well as today. Basically, everything I hoped for happened, so I’m pumped. The biggest negative is the stupid plastic goggles they make you wear while sleeping, presumably so you won’t scratch your eyes out during the first couple of days worth of discomfort. My wife had great fun laughing at me when I put them on. And calling the kids in the room so that they could get thier laugh too. The rest of my family hasn’t seen it, but my wife has certainly called them to let them know that I look like “a startled cow”. You see what I put up with? She hasn’t managed to snap a picture yet, mainly because I hid the camera. The other problem with the stupid goggles is even worse. I haven’t had any decent sleep since the surgery. The afternoon of the surgury (Friday) I slept for about 4 hours because I was doped up good. Then I woke up, ate, and tried to go back to sleep. Didn’t happen. Tossing and turning, waking up every 15 minutes to adjust the stupid goggles. At around 2 AM I just got up and watched TV. Saturday I went to bed, exhausted, at 10PM. At around 2 I got up and watched TV. Last night I took sleeping pills, didn’t help, woke up at midnight and watched TV. I just can’t sleep with the stupid goggles. Tonight I’m going to experiment with an ACE bandage and see if that’s any better. Otherwise, I’m a happy camper. And I can SEE! ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/52 "2005-01-24T13:25:37Z")
I see you survived **welby**. I want to see you in the goggles. I mean you posted a picture of yourself in a rainbow colored tablecloth and headdress, how much worse could it be? 😛 Is your vision 20/20 now? ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/53 "2005-01-25T16:02:59Z")
It is 20/20, though a bit blurry around the edges when looking at text from a distance. The doc says this is normal and will stop as the eye heals. I’d post a picture, but I can’t get over my wife’s description of me in the goggles. It’s woefully appropriate. I don’t mind looking like an idiot, but looking like a startled bovine. . . thats something altogether different. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/54 "2005-01-25T21:57:21Z")
> [@welby](#): > > Sorry I didn’t post sooner, my rassin frissin internet provider had a heart attack Friday. > > It went. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fine. > I was all nervous but the doc doped me up good. Everything I read and heard about it seems correct so far. That is, the first 5-6 hours are the worst (they were, but in a dry-eyed sort of annoying way rather than a painful way), things are a bit blurry on day two (they were, but I was still seeing better than I did pre-surgery), my vision got clearer yesterday, as well as today. > > Basically, everything I hoped for happened, so I’m pumped. > > The biggest negative is the stupid plastic goggles they make you wear while sleeping, presumably so you won’t scratch your eyes out during the first couple of days worth of discomfort. My wife had great fun laughing at me when I put them on. And calling the kids in the room so that they could get thier laugh too. The rest of my family hasn’t seen it, but my wife has certainly called them to let them know that I look like “a startled cow”. You see what I put up with?\*\* She hasn’t managed to snap a picture yet, mainly because I hid the camera.\*\* > > The other problem with the stupid goggles is even worse. I haven’t had any decent sleep since the surgery. The afternoon of the surgury (Friday) I slept for about 4 hours because I was doped up good. Then I woke up, ate, and tried to go back to sleep. Didn’t happen. Tossing and turning, waking up every 15 minutes to adjust the stupid goggles. At around 2 AM I just got up and watched TV. Saturday I went to bed, exhausted, at 10PM. At around 2 I got up and watched TV. Last night I took sleeping pills, didn’t help, woke up at midnight and watched TV. I just can’t sleep with the stupid goggles. > > Tonight I’m going to experiment with an ACE bandage and see if that’s any better. > > Otherwise, I’m a happy camper. And I can SEE! Your wife is not your friend, welby. Remember your Halloween post a couple of years ago when you got beaten up by a couple of little girls, and your wife practically had a stroke laughing at you? I remember that you said your wife wanted a camera for the next Halloween. I can imagine that if something similar happened, she’d win the grand prize on America’s Funniest Home Videos. ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/55 "2005-01-25T23:49:25Z")
Congrats, Welby. And welcome to the club. I got Lasiked in '01 and haven’t looked back (bad pun intended.) Went from 20/400 to 20/15. And about presbyoptia, you know, here you need glasses to read? My doctor said that they are developing a procedure to correct this as well. But it involves popping the eye out of the socket and surgically adjusting the muscles, so I may just take a pass on that one. ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531/56 "2005-01-26T12:42:00Z")
Good Lord **Alonzo** , I can see taking a pass on this one as well. Popping the eye out of the socket? I can’t even think of that one without getting naseous. **Medstar** , I’ve got to agree with your assessment. **Welbywife** tends to think that anything I find embarrassing is funny as hell. I’m not bringing the camera out of hiding until the goggles are no longer required. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-my-eyeballs-zapped/285531.md?page=2)