My boyfriend (jugglerdan) got LASIK a week ago. He is now 20/20 and happy as can be 
I watched the whole procedure. It was creepy but fascinating.
I had custom LASIK done on 9-14-04. BEST MONEY I’VE EVER SPENT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I can’t stress that enough!
They gave me a valium before hand. I had enough time to swallow the pill and hop on the table - then they started the procedure. So the pill didn’t have time to start working at all! But that was OK. By time I realized they had started, they were done!
I think my total time with the laser was 1 minute and a half on one eye, and a bit less on the other. Total time in the room was 15 minutes.
The one thing about after the procedure that I really didn’t like was my eyes burned. My eyes burned for a good 20 minutes afterwards. And I mean BURNED! I started freaking out a bit, and then all of a sudden it stopped. If I had known that it would only last that little bit it would have been OK. The Dr. said I may feel sand in my eyes - not a good description. More burning than anything else.
After I waited my 30 minutes they checked my eyes and sent me on my way. At my 24 hr. check-up I had 20/15 in each eye!
What a wonderful world it is!
I was given a valium before the procedure, and I don’t think I looked terribly nervous–I think it was just their policy.
You’re going to feel incredibly conscious of your eyes for the next couple weeks (I had it done back in 2000, and I couldn’t touch/rub/get my eyes wet for two weeks, which made me very nervous, but it’s the best money my parents ever spent on me.
The only warning I was given before the surgery was that I would probably need reading glasses later in life. I was (and still am) of the opinion that I’d rather have reading glasses than trifocals. My long-distance vision is still better than I can recall it being in my entire life. I was told I might need a “touch-up” once my eyes healed, but I haven’t been back to the eye doctor since.
I do have an appointment this weekend, oddly–I think it might be time for the reading glasses. I honestly don’t mind, because I found that I kind of miss wearing glasses–I look cute in them.
Just joining in the chorus. Best $2500 I ever spent, by a long shot. I had mine done a year ago. Don’t worry about flinching or keeping your eyes open or stuff like that. They strap your head down and use a little clamp thingy to keep your eyelids open, so you can’t screw that up if you wanted. Well, unless you tried really hard to thrash your head around, but if you did that, the computer tracking your eyes would shut down the laser.
Well heck, if they’re gonna dope me up it shouldn’t be a problem. There are people that say they can’t tell the difference between a doped up welby and a normal welby, but I’m not listening ot them.
Thanks for all of the positive stories. I ignored all of you negative types. Really. I swear.
Mommy?
You’re ignoring me? Well that’s never happened before.
Just like everybody else in the thread said, it doesn’t look to be a big deal. Everybody I know who had it done said it was no more troublesome than a regular eye exam.
A few even said that their vision became so good that the new acuity took some getting used to, because they’d never seen that well in their lives.
Dan didn’t have that burning, he mainly just said his eyes felt really dry and it was uncomfortable to keep them open for the first several hours (he went home and went to sleep).
I used to work with a guy whose corneas had some sort of growth disorder and needed to have the astigmatism laser-planed down every few years. When he had it done, we all helped by suggesting that the doctor had carved her initials down in one corner, referring him here for examples of what she might have done, and offering to borrow a microscope and a mirror so he could see what his corneas really looked like. He was nearly as amused as the rest of us.
That was the only trouble he had with the treatment. 
That link should really be this one. Scroll down for links to the pics.
[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]
My big question about this procedure is: what happens when my eyes continue to change? I need new glasses every 5 years or so - will they re-zap me that often? Or will I need to get glasses after 5 years anyway?
Thanks for all the good info so far. Does anyone know the actual rate of “bad” jobs, where you can never see again?
That’s why they tell you to wait until your prescription is stable.
Any reputable doctor should give you hard numbers on things like how many operations he’s done and how many of them have had problems. My doctor had done either thousands or tens of thousands, and had never blinded anyone.
There have been several threads here about Lasik. Many people are happy with their results, but some are disappointed, and a few experience true catatrophes.
http://www.surgicaleyes.org
http://www.lasiksos.com
http://www.lasikdisaster.com
http://www.sptimes.com/News/040101/TampaBay/Options_limited_when_.shtml
One thing to keep in mind is that a lot depends on the skill of the surgeon, and even then the microkeratome can make a bad cut or leave metal shavings from the blade, the flap can wrinkle or detach, the laser can be out of adjustment, the technician can program the wrong correction, even dust in the air can get under the flap. You should particularly look for a very experienced surgeon who does his own pre- and post-surgery checkups. At the bargain places you might not see the doc until the actual procedure, and then he passes you to someone else for aftercare.
I looked into Lasik pretty closely several years ago, including talking to doctors, and decided to go with contacts, which I strongly recommend to anybody thinking about frying his eyes. If you get the daily replaceables you put a fresh lens in your eye every day, you can keep spares in your office, car, pocket etc. and you never bother with cleaning. I would try that before I opted for irreversible surgery on my only eyes. (And have you thought of putting a neck chain on your glasses? They would always either be on your face or hanging around your neck?)
Good luck.
One more anti-lasik site:
and the FDA’s neutral, basic information site:
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?
That’s another consideration. Sooner or later, everybody needs glasses as their eyes lose the ability to adjust for near and far. If you have good distance vision, you will need reading glasses. If you are nearsighted, you need glasses for distance, but you can probably see up close without them. Personally, I am nearsighted–I need glasses or contacts for distance, but I can read without them. Some people wear monovision contacts, where one is set for distance and one for close work, and the brain merges the images. You can get monovision lasik too. It works for some people, but others can’t adjust.
The terrible truth is that your mom’s eyes are probably fine, but she’s looking at middle age.
My mom got this done a year ago, and everything’s been hunky-dory.
Side note: I bought some glasses the other day and my parents told me that I shouldn’t have done that. I should have taken out a loan to pay for lasik.
(Umm, WTF? I’m in college, and in debt already!?!)
I had mine done last fall… the best thing I’ve done since having my sons! Just make sure you’re getting done by the best in your area. No sense trying to save money by going to some discount doctor and ended up with a cane and dog. For calming you down, just be glad that you didn’t title of your thread missing the “eye” part of the word! Peace.
I had it done last year and I’m so glad that I did. Before lasik, my vision was so bad that if I misplaced my glasses, I would have to pat the counters to find. Once, I even called my husband at work and asked him to come home so he could find my glasses.
To be able to watch television or drive without glasses is amazing! I have to go back next month for a touch-up since my right eye is still a little fuzzy, but it’s still much better than it was before surgery.
Good luck!
I figured as much. It’s just odd because before, she was very nearsighted like you and me (myopic). She gradually needed bifocals as old age set in so she could see far and sort-of near, but she could still read a book without any glasses by holding it 2 inches from her face. Now, after lasik, she’s basically far sighted, what with the need for reading glasses. Weird.
I’m glad y’all are perfecting the Lasik techniques for me, since I’ll be in the same boat as my mom in 30 years.