Corrective laser eye surgery - yay or nay?!
Question:
Corrective laser eye surgery - yay or nay?
It seems to have come down alot in price. Do you know someone who's had it done and would recommend it for someone with -1.5 each eye? What are the perceived risks and disadvantages?
Answers:
Both my wife and I had Lasik surgery this spring. My eyes were much worse than you (-7.00 with astigmatism in both eyes) My wife was not as "blind" as I was, with a -4.00 in one eye and a -3.50 in the other.
We both had the full laser (no blade) procedure done. There was no pain, just a bit of pressure on my eye during surgery. My vision was cloudy after the procedure, but after a nap (which is what they recommend) it cleared up quickly.
I was able to drive that same night, but I did have halo effects around lights. (The surgery center said that I was not to drive until after my first follow up appointment) I also was able to drive myself to the followup the next morning. I did need sunglasses, as my eyes were a bit sensitive to light!
At my 6 week follow up exam, I was 20/20 in both eyes. I can see better now than I ever could with glasses or contacts. My only regret is I did not have it done sooner!
My wife had her surgery 2 weeks after me, and is also now 20/20
Not everyone is a good candidate for the surgery. If your perscription is still changing, you may want to wait for your eyes to stabilize. Do not go with the cheapest price.
Find a qualified surgeon with a good track record. My surgeon will not do the surgery on someone, unless he feels they are likely to have a good result. When I had my initial evaluation, the person who was before me was rather upset. The doctor had just told him that the surgery was not a good idea for him!
There are risks with any surgery. There may be infection or other complications. If you take care of yourself, and use the antibiotic drops as recommended, you can minimse the risks