Opinions on LASIK for the videographer at DVinfo.net

Jeff Kellam · August 24th, 2009, 04:39 PM

I am considering getting a custom (wavefront) iLASIK procedure to correct my eyesight. The lure of corrected vision for me is pretty strong, as my 45 year old eyes are not correcting themselves.

The only concern I have is the doctor recommending performing a variation of the iLASIK procedure called slight monovision. In this procedure my dominant eye (seems to be my left, not totally sure) is set for distance vision, while the non-dominant eye is set for best near vision.

This monovision thing scares me a little. Anyone have any experience operating cameras and editing in front of the computer this way?

Thanks,
Jeff

Lorinda Norton · August 24th, 2009, 05:43 PM

I have, but because of a contact lens, not surgery. My dominant eye is the right one, which just happens to be slightly less myopic than the left. So, just the opposite of what you're considering, I correct the left eye for distance, leave the dominant eye for looking through the viewfinder, etc. It works great for me. I should add that if I correct for far vision in either eye my near vision goes awry.

Editing....not so great. Because my eyes work best uncorrected in front of a computer, if I edit while wearing the contact my eyes get fatigued very quickly.

Have you thought about trying a contact lens for a while as a test?

Dave Blackhurst · August 24th, 2009, 06:23 PM

Dang getting old sucks... at least I'm not the only one. I'd suggest experimenting with contacts as well before you have the more permanent procedure done - I've tried a bunch of different combos, and ended up with the same perscription for both eyes, and reading glasses or if needed a magnifier visor for ultra fine work.

I know that anytime I try different prescriptions (between eyes), I get eye fatigue more quickly, nothing is "perfect" anymore, but I keep reading glasses in the camera kit in case my eyes are tired and don't want to quite focus in. Contemplating LASIK myself, but...

Paul Mailath · August 24th, 2009, 06:46 PM

It does sound weird having one eye on long & one on short but I think you can try it with contacts first (age 54 and struggling along with specs) I believe the brain adjusts quite well - even in us old codgers.

I'm using a smallHD monitor wherever I can and it's bliss.

Bill Thesken · August 24th, 2009, 07:12 PM

Are you considering surgery for all vision, or just reading, editing etc.
When I turned 48 a few years back, I noticed my vision while reading was blurry. I went to the doctor and told him I thought something was wrong, he laughed and told me it was like clockwork, when males get to this age, the eye gets less flexible and can't focus at close distances, and reading glasses are needed. NO big deal. I've been using 1.0 strength for filming, editing, reading and it works great. I've read and been told by Doctors that Lasik will not eliminate the need for reading glasses for close distances. In some cases it may minimize the eventual need.
Try some low magnification reading glasses.
Or get a couple of opinions from non-Lasik performing doctors prior to any procedure.

Lorinda Norton · August 24th, 2009, 07:41 PM

Let me explain it differently, because it sounds like Jeff's eyes and mine aren't all that different: Two doctors told me that because I am nearsighted and am now losing my close vision, if I correct the far vision I will most definitely need reading glasses. This was proven to be true when I wore contacts in both eyes--I couldn't begin to edit without getting a major headache. Reading glasses are not happening for me so that’s why I chose monovision—with a contact lens rather than surgery in one eye. That way I can still read a menu when wearing the contact, remove it to do close work or edit, plus I can see distances just fine wearing the one lens. It’s pretty easy, really.

Jeff, if your nearsightedness in the left eye is not too bad, it might be that with surgery your close vision wouldn't be as impaired as mine is in that eye, but maybe it doesn't work that way. As a side note, my sister had LASIK on both eyes about eight years ago and now, though a mild prescription, she needs glasses again. I guess it doesn't last all that long?

Greg Paulson · August 24th, 2009, 08:34 PM

I got my eyes fixed 6 years ago, and everything was 20/20 for 3 years , but slowly moved to the monovision thing. Right eye can see forever, left eye is best for reading.

I get by without any lenses so far, but I think next year I'll look into something along those lines.

As far as what the surgery changed? It's not affected my work, I can still do everything I used to, it's been more of a quality of life type of change.

You'll find you wear your sunglasses more (any cheap pair will do!) , and also grab those safety goggles more often as well. In other words, you become very protective of your new gift.

Jeff Kellam · August 24th, 2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorinda Norton

Jeff, if your nearsightedness in the left eye is not too bad, it might be that with surgery your close vision wouldn't be as impaired as mine is in that eye, but maybe it doesn't work that way. As a side note, my sister had LASIK on both eyes about eight years ago and now, though a mild prescription, she needs glasses again. I guess it doesn't last all that long?

Lorinda:

You are pretty much right on, I am mildly nearsighted with some astigmatism and noticing more presbyopia (due to age and fatigue) lately. I do currently function without glasses or contacts (I have glassses but dont use them) but that has come to an end.

I was hoping my mild (not sure of # diopters) nearsightedness correction would be exactly as you thought, not a wipeout of close vision. I am going to have to do some careful experimenting with contacts to make a educated decision IMO. Whatever I find from that should be even better with a custom correction to reduce the second order abberations.

Also, now days the corrections are guaranteed for life. Maybe your sisters had a "touch up" guarantee. I can see how the guarantee is easy to give, who wants to subject your eyes to this twice?

Daniel Epstein · August 24th, 2009, 09:41 PM

Hey Jeff,
The Lasik procedure is better done a little earlier in life so you get more time in your before you need reading glasses. If you don't have to wear glasses for most of your activities then you probably won't get much of an advantage from it. If you need reading glasses now you will most likely still need them after the procedure. It might be worth just getting one eye done to see how it works for you.
I was nearsighted enough that it made sense to have the procedure and the added benefit was I could see in viewfinders better. I did miss the close up vision I had but overall the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. I am using reading glasses more and more but I don;t need them for most things.

John Peterson · August 26th, 2009, 07:32 AM

I agree about trying the same thing with contact lenses first. I did and was happy I could just remove them and not have something like that to deal with permanently. It was awful. I never got used to it. It gave me headaches and made me dizzy.

Try a monovision contact lens setup first and see if you like it.

John

Dean Sensui · August 27th, 2009, 03:21 AM

My vision used to be 20/15 uncorrected. Now, at age 52, I have to wear glasses for everything. Distance vision isn't absolutely crisp as it used to be, so there's glasses for that. And close-up work requires two different glasses. One set for intermediate and another for extra close (soldering and such).

I'm not going to get Lasik. My optometrist stepdaughter said that at this age it might be wiser to consider lens replacement since the natural lens will start to get cataracts and subsequent surgery. By getting a lens replacement it avoids going through eye surgery twice.

But I'm not about to get my lenses replaced anytime soon due to cost. So I'm looking at getting contacts instead.

It will avoid that annoying problem of getting salt spray on glasses (I'm out on or near the ocean a lot). I'll be able to use non-prescription sun glasses. And I find using glasses with a camera viewfinder annoying.

I just have to see if I can tolerate having something stuck on my eye all day long! After living without any vision correction all these years, having to use eyeglasses sure sucks!

Dean Sensui · August 27th, 2009, 03:26 AM

Regarding determining which eye is dominant:

Put your hands together at arm's length, palms facing outward.

Make a little gap between your hands (where the thumbs and forefingers meet).

Position a distant object in the middle of the hole. Could be a light or anything which is obvious.

Slowly pull your hands toward your face, keeping that dominant object centered in the gap between your hands.

Eventually the gap between your hands will center itself over one of your eyes. That's your dominant eye. To make sure, try this with a piece of paper that has a hole in it.

Dave Blackhurst · August 27th, 2009, 03:33 PM

Dean -
Contacts are surprisingly comfortable, once you get past that whole sticking someting in your eye business - I'm hitting that point where I need glasses for close work, but still can get by with contacts for most overall use. A lot depends on how tired the eyes are.

Jim Andrada · August 31st, 2009, 09:05 PM

Re Monovision

I use one eye for distance (now with a progressive lens) and the other - able to focus out to a whopping 3 inches or so (now with a single vision lens)

Never had any real problem with it but then again it's been like this since I was a pre-schooler. I do have to use the viewfinder of my JVC 110 with my left eye which is a bit inconvenient.

The thing I see that floors a lot of people when they try it at an older age is trouble with losing binocular depth perception. Drove my wife crazy after her cataract surgery - at least until they did the second eye..

August 24th, 2009, 04:39 PM	#1
Jeff Kellam Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 656	Opinions on LASIK for the videographer I am considering getting a custom (wavefront) iLASIK procedure to correct my eyesight. The lure of corrected vision for me is pretty strong, as my 45 year old eyes are not correcting themselves. The only concern I have is the doctor recommending performing a variation of the iLASIK procedure called slight monovision. In this procedure my dominant eye (seems to be my left, not totally sure) is set for distance vision, while the non-dominant eye is set for best near vision. This monovision thing scares me a little. Anyone have any experience operating cameras and editing in front of the computer this way? Thanks, Jeff __________________ Panasonic HMC150/Canon A1/JVC HD1/Sony Vegas 8.0c

August 24th, 2009, 05:43 PM	#2
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	I have, but because of a contact lens, not surgery. My dominant eye is the right one, which just happens to be slightly less myopic than the left. So, just the opposite of what you're considering, I correct the left eye for distance, leave the dominant eye for looking through the viewfinder, etc. It works great for me. I should add that if I correct for far vision in either eye my near vision goes awry. Editing....not so great. Because my eyes work best uncorrected in front of a computer, if I edit while wearing the contact my eyes get fatigued very quickly. Have you thought about trying a contact lens for a while as a test? __________________ Lorinda

August 24th, 2009, 06:46 PM	#4
Paul Mailath Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Coast - NSW, Australia Posts: 1,606	It does sound weird having one eye on long & one on short but I think you can try it with contacts first (age 54 and struggling along with specs) I believe the brain adjusts quite well - even in us old codgers. I'm using a smallHD monitor wherever I can and it's bliss. __________________ Cheers - Paul M. www.perbenyik.com

August 24th, 2009, 07:41 PM	#6
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Let me explain it differently, because it sounds like Jeff's eyes and mine aren't all that different: Two doctors told me that because I am nearsighted and am now losing my close vision, if I correct the far vision I will most definitely need reading glasses. This was proven to be true when I wore contacts in both eyes--I couldn't begin to edit without getting a major headache. Reading glasses are not happening for me so that’s why I chose monovision—with a contact lens rather than surgery in one eye. That way I can still read a menu when wearing the contact, remove it to do close work or edit, plus I can see distances just fine wearing the one lens. It’s pretty easy, really. Jeff, if your nearsightedness in the left eye is not too bad, it might be that with surgery your close vision wouldn't be as impaired as mine is in that eye, but maybe it doesn't work that way. As a side note, my sister had LASIK on both eyes about eight years ago and now, though a mild prescription, she needs glasses again. I guess it doesn't last all that long? __________________ Lorinda

August 27th, 2009, 03:21 AM	#11
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	My vision used to be 20/15 uncorrected. Now, at age 52, I have to wear glasses for everything. Distance vision isn't absolutely crisp as it used to be, so there's glasses for that. And close-up work requires two different glasses. One set for intermediate and another for extra close (soldering and such). I'm not going to get Lasik. My optometrist stepdaughter said that at this age it might be wiser to consider lens replacement since the natural lens will start to get cataracts and subsequent surgery. By getting a lens replacement it avoids going through eye surgery twice. But I'm not about to get my lenses replaced anytime soon due to cost. So I'm looking at getting contacts instead. It will avoid that annoying problem of getting salt spray on glasses (I'm out on or near the ocean a lot). I'll be able to use non-prescription sun glasses. And I find using glasses with a camera viewfinder annoying. I just have to see if I can tolerate having something stuck on my eye all day long! After living without any vision correction all these years, having to use eyeglasses sure sucks! __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

August 24th, 2009, 06:23 PM	#3
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Dang getting old sucks... at least I'm not the only one. I'd suggest experimenting with contacts as well before you have the more permanent procedure done - I've tried a bunch of different combos, and ended up with the same perscription for both eyes, and reading glasses or if needed a magnifier visor for ultra fine work. I know that anytime I try different prescriptions (between eyes), I get eye fatigue more quickly, nothing is "perfect" anymore, but I keep reading glasses in the camera kit in case my eyes are tired and don't want to quite focus in. Contemplating LASIK myself, but...

August 24th, 2009, 07:12 PM	#5
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Are you considering surgery for all vision, or just reading, editing etc. When I turned 48 a few years back, I noticed my vision while reading was blurry. I went to the doctor and told him I thought something was wrong, he laughed and told me it was like clockwork, when males get to this age, the eye gets less flexible and can't focus at close distances, and reading glasses are needed. NO big deal. I've been using 1.0 strength for filming, editing, reading and it works great. I've read and been told by Doctors that Lasik will not eliminate the need for reading glasses for close distances. In some cases it may minimize the eventual need. Try some low magnification reading glasses. Or get a couple of opinions from non-Lasik performing doctors prior to any procedure.

August 24th, 2009, 08:34 PM	#7
Greg Paulson Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada Posts: 43	I got my eyes fixed 6 years ago, and everything was 20/20 for 3 years , but slowly moved to the monovision thing. Right eye can see forever, left eye is best for reading. I get by without any lenses so far, but I think next year I'll look into something along those lines. As far as what the surgery changed? It's not affected my work, I can still do everything I used to, it's been more of a quality of life type of change. You'll find you wear your sunglasses more (any cheap pair will do!) , and also grab those safety goggles more often as well. In other words, you become very protective of your new gift.

August 24th, 2009, 09:41 PM	#9
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	Hey Jeff, The Lasik procedure is better done a little earlier in life so you get more time in your before you need reading glasses. If you don't have to wear glasses for most of your activities then you probably won't get much of an advantage from it. If you need reading glasses now you will most likely still need them after the procedure. It might be worth just getting one eye done to see how it works for you. I was nearsighted enough that it made sense to have the procedure and the added benefit was I could see in viewfinders better. I did miss the close up vision I had but overall the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. I am using reading glasses more and more but I don;t need them for most things.

August 26th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#10
John Peterson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Monroe, NY Posts: 703	I agree about trying the same thing with contact lenses first. I did and was happy I could just remove them and not have something like that to deal with permanently. It was awful. I never got used to it. It gave me headaches and made me dizzy. Try a monovision contact lens setup first and see if you like it. John

August 27th, 2009, 03:26 AM	#12
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Finding your dominant eye Regarding determining which eye is dominant: Put your hands together at arm's length, palms facing outward. Make a little gap between your hands (where the thumbs and forefingers meet). Position a distant object in the middle of the hole. Could be a light or anything which is obvious. Slowly pull your hands toward your face, keeping that dominant object centered in the gap between your hands. Eventually the gap between your hands will center itself over one of your eyes. That's your dominant eye. To make sure, try this with a piece of paper that has a hole in it. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

August 27th, 2009, 03:33 PM	#13
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Dean - Contacts are surprisingly comfortable, once you get past that whole sticking someting in your eye business - I'm hitting that point where I need glasses for close work, but still can get by with contacts for most overall use. A lot depends on how tired the eyes are.

August 31st, 2009, 09:05 PM	#14
Jim Andrada Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 2,211	Re Monovision I use one eye for distance (now with a progressive lens) and the other - able to focus out to a whopping 3 inches or so (now with a single vision lens) Never had any real problem with it but then again it's been like this since I was a pre-schooler. I do have to use the viewfinder of my JVC 110 with my left eye which is a bit inconvenient. The thing I see that floors a lot of people when they try it at an older age is trouble with losing binocular depth perception. Drove my wife crazy after her cataract surgery - at least until they did the second eye..