Eye surgery should I get it?

Chris Hurd · June 20th, 2004, 09:33 AM

Well Chris, it is "in your head" because it's in your eyes! Seriously, LASIK can coirrect a person's eyesight to something like 20/15 or better, so what you're stating is very real and not uncommon, according to what I've been led to believe.

Rob Belics · June 20th, 2004, 10:37 AM

I don't know if I'm more sensitive to the sun now or not so I have to say I don't notice the difference. Perhaps I was the first few days which was expected but not that I notice now. I don't wear sunglasses any more than I used to, I believe.

Possibly I do have more of a "starburst" effect at night from headlights shining directly at me but I don't recall what it looked like before I had glasses. (About six years or more for me, too).

Needless to say, my wife and I are both thrilled we had it done and would never consider going back if we could.

One thing I've noticed is the proliferation of doctors who now perform this operation. I would make sure you get it done by someone who isn't a "fad" doctor.

I had mine done by the first guy in my area to ever do it who also wrote research papers on the technique. He doesn't advertise "discounts" and probably hasn't decreased his prices since I had it done. But I wouldn't go to any of the TV doctors if my eyes depended on it.

George Ellis · June 20th, 2004, 11:03 AM

I am one of the people who have had LASIK and am not happy with it. After 2 LASIK procedures on both eyes and corrective AK to fix issues, I am near-sighted in one eye, far in another, and an astigmatism (bi-polar) in both. I started out near-sighted with astigmatism. I had one of the better docs in the country do it to. Out of about 10000, I am the only one who had this happen though.

BUT, I do function without glasses now, but my eyes get tired. I use reading glasses to read, which help alot.

The chances are low that you will be like me. But you can have some night vision loss and starbursting. Check out this site before you buy though http://www.surgicaleyes.org/

PS - I do not miss the glasses, but I wish I had that vision again.

Lorinda Norton · June 20th, 2004, 11:45 AM

George,
That's pretty much why my eye doctor advised me not to have the LASIK procedure. When you're dealing with astigmatism, it can fix one problem and "create" another. Thanks for sharing that, and I'm sorry it's been difficult.

p.s. You live in the same town as a good friend of mine! Ever heard of the bluegrass singer Honi Deaton? If so, shoot me an e-mail!

Jeff Donald · June 20th, 2004, 12:08 PM

Truth be told, I like wearing my glasses. But then again I've had 40+ years to get used to them. I can't even begin to count the number of times my glasses have taken a hit from a rock, etc and probably saved my vision. When I was a kid my glasses were the thickness of a coke bottle. Now, with the new optical polymers, my lenses are thinner than a quarter and extremely light.

I have astigmatism and severe nearsightedness. However, with my corrective lenses, my far vision is far superior to most peoples. When I lead field-trips, I see birds in flight that no one else can see. I can drive at night with no problems. The inconvenience of glasses are a small price to pay to the many advantages.

I would only have my eyes operated on if it we medically necessary. If something happened to my vision it would threaten my livelihood and the security of my family. It's just not worth the risk.

Bill Pryor · June 22nd, 2004, 12:35 PM

I had nearly perfect vision most of my life, just a bit farsighted. Which, of course, meant that the day I turned 40 I needed glasses for reading. Soon I wore them all the time, progressive lenses. They are a bit of a pain, but not so much when shooting video or with a 16mm film camera. Shooting stills is more of an issue, but even so, it's only a minor hassle. This is just me personally, but I don't want anybody cutting on my body unless it is completely necessary. Especially my eyes. On the other hand, I have a friend who did the laser surgery and has always been happy with it. It just depends on whether you feel the risk is justified.

Rob Belics · June 22nd, 2004, 01:38 PM

One thing I'll add about far-sightedness, and I may need to be corrected since it's been a few years since I dealt with this.

Far sighted problems generally occur with age. As we get older, the lens gets "firmer" and the gel inside it becomes harder. The eyes lens is focused using fibrous muscle tissue called "zonules". When the lens gets harder, the zonules have more difficulty focusing the lens.

Lasik "sculpts" the cornea in front of the lens so I don't think it would affect far sighted vision.

(A little further off topic): If someone you know gets cataract surgery to replace the lens, it is because it has become clouded and hard. What the surgeon does is remove the old lens and replaces it with, essentially, a contact lens where the natural lens used to be. It should fit in the "pocket" where the old lens was and this is the best thing to happen.

The zonules are delicate and, sometimes, will tear away when the lens is removed. (I saw this happen and the surgeon was very embarrassed but I think it happens more due to their frailty than the surgeons skill).

When they tear away, the only alternative is to place the lens under the cornea. Unfortunately, this can be as irritating as wearing contact lenses but the downside is only seeing the world as a blurry blob.

Christopher C. Murphy · June 22nd, 2004, 02:29 PM

What a good topic to have on this site.

I'd say I fall into the slight "hazing" at night group, but otherwise very happy. I'm more careful now than before wearing sunglasses because before the procedure the doctor made me learn about the sun and our eyes.

Just a little tip. Seriously, wear your UV sunglasses every single time you leave the house if you can. There are plenty of website that can give you the science behind it, but all I know is the suns rays are really bad now for our eyes. Even on cloudy days it's just as bad - the rays still penetrate through the clouds just as strong. I think the doctor told me back then that most people's vision has been affected by the sun's harmful rays. The sun gets worse, but our eyes are exactly the same as our forefathers, forefathers! Wear sunglasses!

Murph

Bill Pryor · June 22nd, 2004, 02:41 PM

That's also another one of those age things--the eyes don't want to stop down as well as they way they did when you were younger. The auto iris doesn't work as well as it used to, so you need the ND filter even on an F-5.6 day.

Federico Dib · June 22nd, 2004, 07:20 PM

I´ve 20/20 vision.... so far...
But I hate sunlight on my eyes.. Since I was a kid.. I can´t leave home without my ND filters on... (should polarizer be better for this?)..

And it´s good to know that a doctor reccomended what Christopher said about UV and sun...
because I was starting to think I was a vampire...

Ignacio Rodriguez · June 22nd, 2004, 10:53 PM

> Lasik "sculpts" the cornea in front of the lens so
> I don't think it would affect far sighted vision.

I think not. That is what PRK does. Lasik I think sculpts the lens, that is why a flap of the cornea is lifted and then replaced during the procedure.

Andre Andreev · June 25th, 2004, 12:49 PM

1. A comparative list of laser vision correction providers with short descriptions and prices
http://mindprod.com/ggloss/laser.html

2. One of the providers offering "no-touch" PRK - a version of the PRK procedure which does not require the creation of a mechanical "flap"

http://www.lasereye.com/

I am also researching eye correction and so far my best bet have been the people at Canada's LasikMD (http://www.lasikmd.ca) but the idea of my eye being sliced as a part of the procedure and also the (yes, slight) possibility for complications scare me.

June 20th, 2004, 09:33 AM	#16
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Well Chris, it is "in your head" because it's in your eyes! Seriously, LASIK can coirrect a person's eyesight to something like 20/15 or better, so what you're stating is very real and not uncommon, according to what I've been led to believe. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

June 20th, 2004, 12:08 PM	#20
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Truth be told, I like wearing my glasses. But then again I've had 40+ years to get used to them. I can't even begin to count the number of times my glasses have taken a hit from a rock, etc and probably saved my vision. When I was a kid my glasses were the thickness of a coke bottle. Now, with the new optical polymers, my lenses are thinner than a quarter and extremely light. I have astigmatism and severe nearsightedness. However, with my corrective lenses, my far vision is far superior to most peoples. When I lead field-trips, I see birds in flight that no one else can see. I can drive at night with no problems. The inconvenience of glasses are a small price to pay to the many advantages. I would only have my eyes operated on if it we medically necessary. If something happened to my vision it would threaten my livelihood and the security of my family. It's just not worth the risk. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

June 22nd, 2004, 02:29 PM	#23
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	What a good topic to have on this site. I'd say I fall into the slight "hazing" at night group, but otherwise very happy. I'm more careful now than before wearing sunglasses because before the procedure the doctor made me learn about the sun and our eyes. Just a little tip. Seriously, wear your UV sunglasses every single time you leave the house if you can. There are plenty of website that can give you the science behind it, but all I know is the suns rays are really bad now for our eyes. Even on cloudy days it's just as bad - the rays still penetrate through the clouds just as strong. I think the doctor told me back then that most people's vision has been affected by the sun's harmful rays. The sun gets worse, but our eyes are exactly the same as our forefathers, forefathers! Wear sunglasses! Murph __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

June 22nd, 2004, 07:20 PM	#25
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	I´ve 20/20 vision.... so far... But I hate sunlight on my eyes.. Since I was a kid.. I can´t leave home without my ND filters on... (should polarizer be better for this?).. And it´s good to know that a doctor reccomended what Christopher said about UV and sun... because I was starting to think I was a vampire... __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

June 22nd, 2004, 10:53 PM	#26
Ignacio Rodriguez Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 932	> Lasik "sculpts" the cornea in front of the lens so > I don't think it would affect far sighted vision. I think not. That is what PRK does. Lasik I think sculpts the lens, that is why a flap of the cornea is lifted and then replaced during the procedure. __________________ Ignacio Rodríguez in the third world. @micronauta on Twitter. Main hardware: brain, eyes, hands.

June 20th, 2004, 10:37 AM	#17
Rob Belics Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 581	I don't know if I'm more sensitive to the sun now or not so I have to say I don't notice the difference. Perhaps I was the first few days which was expected but not that I notice now. I don't wear sunglasses any more than I used to, I believe. Possibly I do have more of a "starburst" effect at night from headlights shining directly at me but I don't recall what it looked like before I had glasses. (About six years or more for me, too). Needless to say, my wife and I are both thrilled we had it done and would never consider going back if we could. One thing I've noticed is the proliferation of doctors who now perform this operation. I would make sure you get it done by someone who isn't a "fad" doctor. I had mine done by the first guy in my area to ever do it who also wrote research papers on the technique. He doesn't advertise "discounts" and probably hasn't decreased his prices since I had it done. But I wouldn't go to any of the TV doctors if my eyes depended on it.

June 20th, 2004, 11:03 AM	#18
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	I am one of the people who have had LASIK and am not happy with it. After 2 LASIK procedures on both eyes and corrective AK to fix issues, I am near-sighted in one eye, far in another, and an astigmatism (bi-polar) in both. I started out near-sighted with astigmatism. I had one of the better docs in the country do it to. Out of about 10000, I am the only one who had this happen though. BUT, I do function without glasses now, but my eyes get tired. I use reading glasses to read, which help alot. The chances are low that you will be like me. But you can have some night vision loss and starbursting. Check out this site before you buy though http://www.surgicaleyes.org/ PS - I do not miss the glasses, but I wish I had that vision again.

June 20th, 2004, 11:45 AM	#19
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	George, That's pretty much why my eye doctor advised me not to have the LASIK procedure. When you're dealing with astigmatism, it can fix one problem and "create" another. Thanks for sharing that, and I'm sorry it's been difficult. p.s. You live in the same town as a good friend of mine! Ever heard of the bluegrass singer Honi Deaton? If so, shoot me an e-mail!

June 22nd, 2004, 12:35 PM	#21
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I had nearly perfect vision most of my life, just a bit farsighted. Which, of course, meant that the day I turned 40 I needed glasses for reading. Soon I wore them all the time, progressive lenses. They are a bit of a pain, but not so much when shooting video or with a 16mm film camera. Shooting stills is more of an issue, but even so, it's only a minor hassle. This is just me personally, but I don't want anybody cutting on my body unless it is completely necessary. Especially my eyes. On the other hand, I have a friend who did the laser surgery and has always been happy with it. It just depends on whether you feel the risk is justified.

June 22nd, 2004, 01:38 PM	#22
Rob Belics Major Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 581	One thing I'll add about far-sightedness, and I may need to be corrected since it's been a few years since I dealt with this. Far sighted problems generally occur with age. As we get older, the lens gets "firmer" and the gel inside it becomes harder. The eyes lens is focused using fibrous muscle tissue called "zonules". When the lens gets harder, the zonules have more difficulty focusing the lens. Lasik "sculpts" the cornea in front of the lens so I don't think it would affect far sighted vision. (A little further off topic): If someone you know gets cataract surgery to replace the lens, it is because it has become clouded and hard. What the surgeon does is remove the old lens and replaces it with, essentially, a contact lens where the natural lens used to be. It should fit in the "pocket" where the old lens was and this is the best thing to happen. The zonules are delicate and, sometimes, will tear away when the lens is removed. (I saw this happen and the surgeon was very embarrassed but I think it happens more due to their frailty than the surgeons skill). When they tear away, the only alternative is to place the lens under the cornea. Unfortunately, this can be as irritating as wearing contact lenses but the downside is only seeing the world as a blurry blob.

June 22nd, 2004, 02:41 PM	#24
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	That's also another one of those age things--the eyes don't want to stop down as well as they way they did when you were younger. The auto iris doesn't work as well as it used to, so you need the ND filter even on an F-5.6 day.

June 25th, 2004, 12:49 PM	#27
Andre Andreev Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 98	A few links 1. A comparative list of laser vision correction providers with short descriptions and prices http://mindprod.com/ggloss/laser.html 2. One of the providers offering "no-touch" PRK - a version of the PRK procedure which does not require the creation of a mechanical "flap" http://www.lasereye.com/ I am also researching eye correction and so far my best bet have been the people at Canada's LasikMD (http://www.lasikmd.ca) but the idea of my eye being sliced as a part of the procedure and also the (yes, slight) possibility for complications scare me.