<p>one of the best things i have ever done… almost one year ago and my vision is 20/15 in both eyes… I did not start wearing glasses until i was 43 years old… first reading then for distances as well. i still wear reading but the distance is great… thought i was going to have to quit snow skiing before the surgery…my glasses were always fogging and it seemed quite dangerous at times…i am 54 and highly recommend the surgery… very high success rate… makes me feel younger!</p>
<p>I know a great opthamologist who had lazik on his eye (only one needed correction) and teaches others how to perform it. He has no regrets (now perfect vision). None of us who wear glasses & contacts in his extended family have followed his lead. We figure as long as we can get our vision corrected with glasses &/or contacts, we’ll stick with those.</p>
<p>We know, literally, dozens of people who have done this in the past 10-15 years, all of whom are very happy with the results. I remember being with a good friend when she swam in the lake at her cottage for the first time after Lasik. She surfaced from swimming underwater and had the biggest smile on her face. It was the first time in her life that she could actually see down there because she had worn glasses since she was 4 years old. Congratulations, smile12157!</p>
<p>I am on jury duty and was speaking with a few people whose lasik success is now reversed.
Satisfaction seems to very dependent on a case by case basis.</p>
<p>[The Official Site of Kathy Griffin](<a href=“http://www.kathygriffin.net/lasik.php”>http://www.kathygriffin.net/lasik.php</a>)</p>
<p>If you’ve ever had any problems with dry eyes do not get lasik surgery. This is what happened to a friend of mine: [20-20</a> hindsight after eye surgery - Baltimore Sun](<a href=“http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2001-02-11/topic/0102100156_1_refractive-surgery-lasik-eye]20-20”>http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2001-02-11/topic/0102100156_1_refractive-surgery-lasik-eye)</p>
<p>I had LASIK quite a few years ago…love love love not having contacts or glasses. About three years later, I developed chronic dry eye. I’m menopausal and have Hashimotos, so I have no idea which of the three possibilities caused the condition. But I’ll tell you what blew me away…when I called the doctor’s office that did my LASIK about my dry eyes, they refused to see me, saying they only have a surgical practice. SO, they will purposely never know how many of their patients develop dry eye.</p>
<p>I had it about 7 years ago, and also love it! I was in yesterday for a reading glasses RX, and they said I am 20/25 for distance. Certainly complications can happen, but (1) go to a reputable surgeon, (2) listen carefully to what they say about your suitability as a candidate for it. Reputable surgeons DO cost more. Ask for referrals from multiple sources (not just patients, ideally from eye doctors who are not in a practice that offers Lasik). Check out any sources in your state for complaints about doctors or their Lasik companies, too.</p>
<p>Too bad about your Lasik office, mp. The practice that did my Lasik also does regular eye care, so I have been to see them the few times I have needed something since my surgery.</p>
<p>* I’ll tell you what blew me away…when I called the doctor’s office that did my LASIK about my dry eyes, they refused to see me, saying they only have a surgical practice.*</p>
<p>geez- that would be extremely… frustrating.:(</p>
<p>My correction is too severe for Lasik to work- although I have had a couple people encourage me to get it. ( they all have only had it for a year or so)
I don’t know any eye drs who have had it themselves though- so I have held off.</p>
<p>My mom had cataracts & was one of the many who enjoyed improved vision after lens replacement- but unfortunately, she had better eyes than I do( she was far sighted, & didn’t get glasses until she was in her 50’s, I am near sighted & have had glasses since I was 8)</p>
<p>My glasses are very heavy & annoying, & so I have thought about it a lot, even if I had to still wear glasses, they wouldn’t be so strong- but I am watching for long term studies ( & for my eye dr to get it)
;)</p>
<p>I had lasik about 11 years ago and, honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t have it done years earlier–waking up and being able to see the clock? priceless! 
No problems but 10 years later I felt my distance vision wasn’t as crisp. Went to the eye doctor and, with the normal shifting of ones eyesight–how so many need reading glasses in their 40s–mine had shifted too. However, my close vision is fine. Although my vision is still good enough to pass the driving requirements, I’ve gotten long distance glasses for night driving, movies, etc. The doctor said he could do lasik again but it would solve the distance issue but I’d immediately need readers. I’m just thankful for the 10 ‘perfect’ years and don’t mind the occasional distance glasses. Definitely worth it for me.</p>
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<p>My inlaws had this done, too. I think it’s funny because they love the results and brag about it…but they are so darned cheap that they would have never just had LASIK.</p>
<p>I have terrible vision, so I don’t know if I’d even be a candidate for Lasik, but the thought of anything going wrong with the procedure, or having bad effects afterwards (dry eyes, halos, etc.) terrifies me. My ophthalmologist says that very nearsighted people are more prone to cataracts, so maybe I’ll be like your in-laws and get things corrected that way eventually!</p>
<p>Booklady, I was nearly legally blind in one eye, and Lasik worked for me. You might be surprised. So although you may have other concerns, don’t let that be something that keeps you from consulting a (reputable) Lasik surgeon.</p>
<p>Also – heavy advertising is NOT the same as reputable. It is tempting to think so, but I had an initial consultation with a doc who advertised a lot in our area. Then was talking with a friend who does legal work with opthamologists around our city, and he said NOT to go to that doctor. He couldn’t provide specifics, but implied that there were lawsuits related to some of his Lasik surgeries. He told me who did his wife’s Lasik, and it was the same name my regular eye doctor gave me when I asked him. So that is who did mine.</p>
<p>Just make sure you go the very best place available–price is not the point.</p>
<p>I have a BIL who is a board certified opthamalogical surgeon; he has recommended two places for me to go have corrective surgery (about 5 yrs apart). Both places rejected me as a candidate because of issues related to the shape of inside of the cornea. He said most places don’t even take those measurements as part of a pre-op evaluation.</p>
<p>I would love to get the surgery because my eyes are pretty bad. But I don’t want complications, particularly serious ones that would reduce my quality of life.</p>
<p>Timely thread for me. At my last eye appointment my regular doctor (who I’ve seen for 20 years) was out on medical leave and the doctor who was filling in for him was a Lasik eye surgeon. He was really trying to talk me into having the surgery. I have a horrible astigmatism and very poor vision and my regular doctor has discouraged me from doing Lasik but the Lasik surgeon said it wouldn’t be an issue. He said he had a similar amount of astigmatism and had Lasik with great results. </p>
<p>I do have concerns though. It’s fine if you don’t have side effects from the surgery but the people who do will tell you it can be unbearable to live with. I’m not sure I’m willing to risk it plus I would still need reading glasses. Also, I’ve been having problems with dry eyes for about 5 years and can’t wear my contact lens more than a couple hours a day, so I’m not sure if Lasik would make that problem worse. I plan to do some more research on this. I know the techniques have gotten better over time but they really have only been doing Lasik since the early 90’s and don’t know exactly what will happen to people’s vision as they enter old age. Not saying anything will happen but that’s always been my eye doctor’s position and it makes me nervous.</p>
<p>[Long-Term</a> Effects of LASIK Remain a Mystery - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327664.shtml]Long-Term”>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327664.shtml)</p>
<p>As a cautionary tale, we have heard of one HI surgeon who became legally blind after the surgery and now cannot practice as a surgeon (she’s on permanent disability from practicing medicine now, I believe). 
I have dry eyes as well, which developed about 3-4 years ago (about when I started getting perimenopausal). Even tho my bro has had great results with his Lazik, he admits that it’s not for everyone. My niece who has had glasses for ages is waiting until he deems her old enough before she gets her surgery (she’s now 30).</p>
<p>It can be wonderful but unfortunately, even with the best docs, not everyone has the results desired.</p>
<p>Momlive–
Unless he did a full workup, that takes a couple hours, he had insufficient information to say if you were a suitable candidate (both workups that rejected me were 2+ hrs.)</p>
<p>Got to the major teaching hospital eye clinic near you–that is where people with bad lasik outcomes go to get them fixed, to the extent possible.</p>
<p>Agree that it’s CRUCIAL to have a FULL workup so you can make an informed decision. There is always the profit motive that will get in the way of objectivity at times, plus not all eye docs have the same level of expertise. Major teaching hospital eye clinics should be a good place to start.</p>
<p>Agree about the full workup. But I also had pretty severe astigmatism. It was not an issue. Regarding the teaching hospital… only go if you can have the work done by the experienced surgeon!! Those residents have to learn on someone, don’t let it be you in this case. Most Lasik is not done in hospitals, though (probably 99% is not). You can find a very good surgeon in a Lasik/eye care clinic.</p>
<p>Also… your regular eye doctor, as much as you may love him, knows he will pretty much lose you as a patient and source of revenue if you have Lasik. I have had 3 appointments in 7 or 8 years since my surgery was done (and I moved to the practice that did my Lasik). Twice for perscription checks for my reading glasses (hate “cheaters”, hard to find comfortable ones). Once when I got poked in the eye with a stick while helping D carry buckets of mud thru the woods to make a battery… Never saw my old doc again. So he does have an interest in telling you all the bad things that can happen. Let the surgeon tell you what your risks/issues might be, as your regular doc is likely not a Lasik expert.</p>
<p>And be like UT84321 – if the reputable surgeon says you are not a good candidate, don’t do it. You might be able to find another surgeon who would do it, but that would not be smart.</p>
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<p>I agree. He told me I would be a good candidate before he ever looked at my eyes (he was looking at my chart).</p>
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<p>Agree with this also. Sometimes it really stinks that everyone is motivated by profit and therefore, wants you to be their patient, whether it’s in your best interest or not. There are many days in my job when I meet with physicians from different specialties who are battling for the same patient. I was on a conference call today with a consultant who pointed out the only reason a group of physicians want us (the hospital) to buy them an expensive piece of equipment is to because there is a ‘turf battle’ between them and several other specialists.</p>
<p>I mentioned to a friend that I was nervous about having Lasik because I’m afraid of potential side effects. She said her sister had one eye done at a time. I think that might be a good way to approach it. If the first eye is fine, then do the second. If not, then at least you have one non-affected eye.</p>
<p>Forgot to mention what others have–critically important to go to a reputable physician. I went to the major academic medical center nearby. The physician there had either done the highest or second highest (can’t recall) number of lasik procedures in our entire large metro area. Excellent qualifications, recommendations, etc.</p>
<p>My brother and his wife, living in another state, had theirs done by a physician who owns a %age of the equipment and only has access to it one day a week and both ended up with haloing and other not horrible but uncomfortable side effects. Can’t really know for sure that it was the skill level but, with your eyesight, why take a chance?</p>