Laser Eye Correction

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   What is the price range for laser eye correction surgery in general? Also how does it work?
   Im looking to get lasik surgery (a.k.a laser eye correction) but i was wondering if anyone has had it done, how much it costs on average? Also, if you have had it done, could you explain what you went through before and after and if you would recomend it to someone?

   • ANSWER:
     I got the bladeless LASIK and it cost me 00 total for both eyes. Prices are different depending on which procedure you get and where you live. You can always get a free consultation and quote.

2. QUESTION:
   Where can I find data on the type of customers who have laser eye correction/surgery?
   I'm doing a Market Research course and I need to create a presentation including data on the type of customers who access laser eye correction including age, income, location etc. However, I need the information to be free because I cannot pay for any reports (e.g. Mintel/Keynote). Thanks!

   • ANSWER:
     have you tried asking a laser surgery company? they might be able to provide anonymous data if you ask, especially as you're a student

3. QUESTION:
   I want laser eye correction but dont know much about it?
   I wear contacts and am getting sick of dealing with them.

   I know laser eye correction costs a couple of grand an eye but is there some kind of payment system you can get? Is there a high interest rate for that? Would it be worth it in relation to the cocts of contacts/glasses?
   Would there be any reason i wouldnt be able to get it done?
   In Victoria Australia, where would people recommend?

   Would my optomitrist recommend a truly decent place or would they only recommend based on commerce connections with that place?

   • ANSWER:
     I cannot express this enough. Investigate whoever you feel you might chose to do the eye surgery. Also, ALWAYS get at least 2 opinions... preferably 3.

     Also make sure you know fully about bad outcomes in situations like yours. A good eye surgeon will speak with your directly about complications and risks. If they say "Oh you will be just fine" or "I've done this a thousand times, stop worrying"... thats when you want to find someone else. Over confident eye surgeons are not what you want.

     Take your time in chosing a place and try to talk to people who have had the same surgery.

     Google is a great place to start.

4. QUESTION:
   does laser eye correction hurt? What is the best method and where would be the best place to go?
   I am looking into laser eye surgery to correct my vision.. Does it hurt much? How long will this take and is it worth the trouble?

   • ANSWER:
     It is definitely worth the trouble, and there is not really any pain involved. That being said, you have to be very aware of the adds for laser correction for 0 type adds. These people either get you in and then convince you to get a more expensive surgery on a newer machine (which is what the good doctors are using anyway) or they use an old machine. I have known two different people who got "bargain price surgery" that had to go to a reputable eye doctor to have it corrected. Look for a reputable Doctor or facility, like Discover Vision Centers or ask your own doctor who they would recommend. That is how my mom found her surgeon, and he had actually been one of the first doctors in our area to do the laser surgery and he had actually performed surgeries at the Mayo Clinic.
     On the down side, most insurance companies don't pay for it and it is expensive, 00 to 2000 per eye

5. QUESTION:
   What do you think about laser eye correction?
   I mean, like, you pay someone 00 to shine a big scary laser into your eyes and hope you can see better afterwards. Am I missing something?

   • ANSWER:
     I don't know whether or not you are short-sighted, but for those of us who are/were, it is really hard to convey just how inconvenient it can be. I used to be so short-sighted that I could only see clearly around 15cm in front of my face, everything further away being significantly blurred. I couldn't function without glasses or contacts - they were the first thing I would have to reach for in the mornings and the last thing I removed before going to sleep.

     So yes, anything that might mean I could go swimming or camping with something approaching more normal vision, is worth looking into. I had lasik 4 months ago and am very pleased with the results - I still need glasses for driving as I was so short-sighted before, but it has made such a huge difference! It's not for everyone though, and it is important if considering it to do sufficient research and be aware of all the potential complications - you can then weigh up whether you feel the benefits outweigh the risks for you.

6. QUESTION:
   how does laser eye correction surgery work?
   how is it done, how does it work. what is done to the eye that allows it to work.

   • ANSWER:
     The general principle is a laser is used to burn off some material from the cornea to reshape the eye and correct for a natural misshape of the eye.

     There are three procedures, LASIK, PRK, and LASEK. The difference is how the eye is prepared. In all cases, some numbing drops are put in, and an outer portion of the eye is removed. In PRK and LASEK, the outermost layer is stripped off (in PRK it is fully removed and will grow back later, in LASEK it is lifted off and gets replaced). You can look at this like peeling the skin off a grape (but it is only done on a small portion of the eye, not the whole eye). In LASIK, they take a razor blade and cut a flap in the eye peel it back. After the surgery, the flap is flopped back down and heals (it never fully heals and there is always a risk of it lifting up in later life).

     Once the corneal tissue is exposed, all three methods are nearly identical. The patient looks at a red dot in a machine and laser pulses on and off many times a second. With each pulse, the laser heats up a thin layer of the corneal material, so hot that it vaporizes. This removes material and reshapes the cornea. By doing it more in areas where you want more material removed, the cornea is shaped the way the doctor intends. The laser being used is infrared and is not visible. It get absorbed in the cornea and does not pass to the lens or retina that are actually inside the eye. All of this is painless due to the numbing drops. But it is awkward.

     Then the flap is replaced in LASIK, or the outer layer is replaced in LASEK, or a temporary protective contact lens is put on in PRK and the procedure is done. Over time the eye heals. You go back and see the doctor for a check up in a week or two (where the contact is removed if you had PRK).

7. QUESTION:
   Is laser eye correction any good?
   I' m a teenager but my eye sight is worsening and the career i want needs pretty good vision so i want to know if its worth having laser eye correction and if its any good. So help me please!

   • ANSWER:
     Lasik eye surgery is rather safe if only you are a suitable candidate. As with any surgery, there is a definite risk incurred. You must be screened for suitability and examined by the doctor personally. (Not the sales team to mislead you to get expensive package deal).

     If you are a suitable candidate, the risk maybe :-
     1.)Dry eyes (temporary)
     2.)Regression/ enhancement
     3.)Infection (3-5/20,000 for the next 3 weeks)
     4.)Flap/ complication of treatment (rare)
     5.)Miscellaneous

     A suitable candidate for Lasik surgery, it depends on:-
     1.)Your corneal thickness
     2.)Your power
     3.)Your age
     4.)A centre with a doctor who is examining your eyes personally
     5.)Through explanation to suit your lifestyle

     Always insist on seeing the doctor performing the surgery for you. It is the due deligent of him or her to present the risk and benefit to you in detail personally.

     Dr. Yeoh Phee Liang
     Consultant Ophthalmologist
     www.advancevision.net.my

8. QUESTION:
   Shortsightness and Laser eye correction does it last?
   in 2005 i had a lasek eye correction, i had very bad short sight and i was happy with the results at the time now 5 yrs later my short sight is coming back slowly. is there anything i can do to stop the shortsightness getting worse.

   • ANSWER:
     HI! How are you? No, and there never was. This is a change that your eyes would have gone through at this point no matter if you would have had the surgery or not. You can not stop the natural changes that the eye will have when you undergo the surgery. The surgery only corrects what is NOW. It never has nor will it ever be able to fix in advanc e the changes that are on their way. You might need an enhancement surgery! i hope you do well!

9. QUESTION:
   If you have had laser eye correction, can you join the British Armed Forces?
   I wanted to join the PARAs or the RMs, but was curious about this.

   • ANSWER:
     Yes, as long as you meet the required eye sight test you will be accepted.

10. QUESTION:
    Can a high myopic astigmatism patient have surface ablation laser eye correction down twice to treat his eyes?

    • ANSWER:
      Every patient is different. It is possible that he could, but it is also possible that enough of the cornea will have been removed in the first surgery that it cannot be done again.

      He will need to check with his doctor to determine the correct answer for his specific situation.

11. QUESTION:
    Getting Laser eye correction to one eye which one should i choose?
    i want my language to be better so is the left or right eye connected with the language part of the brain

    • ANSWER:
      hi from Mexico

      Well, your right eye is connected with left brain, but the language is in the right brain, so try it with your left eye.

12. QUESTION:
    I have just been for a laser eye correction consultation. I need information?
    They put some drops in my eyes to dilate my pupil. How long will it remain dilated? It has been five hours now.

    • ANSWER:
      When they dilate for your lasik consult - they use a stronger drop than normal. It can take up to 24 hrs(max), and it depends on eye color. Lighter eyes/blue can take longer than brown/dark eyes.

13. QUESTION:
    How safe is Laser Surgery for Eye Correction?
    I been thinking of doing laser eye surgery for both of my eyes...but I am not sure 100% if it is a safe procedure. I wear glasses and I don't mind really wearing them. They look good on me but at the same time I would like to have perfect vision. What do you suggest?

    • ANSWER:
      First of all, laser eye surgery is very safe. Millions of people have done it and it has worked out very well for them. Next, there is no such thing as perfect vision. One thing you must know is that it's not going to keep your eyes glasses free for the rest of your life. Meaning, it don't last. At some point, you will have to do it again because as you get older, your eyes/vision will change. Depending on how your eyes heal, you may go several years without any problems and then again, you may only go a few months. One question I would ask the doctor is not how many patients they have done but how many have the turned down. Good Luck.

14. QUESTION:
    Is there a laser eye correction procedure which leaves no scarring?

    • ANSWER:
      Yah epi-lasik aka no cut technology

15. QUESTION:
    can people with nystagmus get laser eye correction?
    I have nystagmus and can't drive so I'm hoping there's something I can do.

    • ANSWER:
      Laser eye correction is not a cure for nystagmus.

      But there are some medications and treatments for your condition so contact your doctor.

16. QUESTION:
    What are the side effects of laser eye correction? What about dry eyes?

    • ANSWER:
      Your eyes may have red splotches on them for a while.

      Dryness.

      Fluctuations in vision.

      Starburst type effect on lights at night (usually temporary).

      That's all of them that I know.

17. QUESTION:
    Is it better to get laser eye surgery correction when you are younger?
    Or older? Also if my eyes have changed prescription slightly since 2 years ago, will they deteriate faster because my prescription changed slightly. I am currently about -1.75 in each eye and contemplating whether to get it done for around £2000 (in total because I need customvue as my pupils are too big for standard treatment). Many thanks for any answers

    • ANSWER:
      You probably get the most value for your money if you do it shortly after your eyes stop changing. For most people this is their mid twenties. The way we expect things to work is that LASIK takes care of your myopia pretty much for life. We do expect you to develop presbyopia some time in your forties. When that happens, you will need reading glasses. If you have LASIK in your mid twenties, you have the best chance at the most glasses free years possible for your money.

18. QUESTION:
    Is it possible to have laser eye correction surgery on the NHS? If so,how do i go about applying for it?

    • ANSWER:
      Nope, it is considered a cosmetic procedure.

19. QUESTION:
    What's the youngest age you can have laser eye correction surgery?

    • ANSWER:
      Tiger Woods had to wait until he was 18, so in the United States I would think that 18 is the limit.

20. QUESTION:
    Can i get laser eye correction?
    some of you probably know already from my other question but then i suddenly thought.
    can i get laser eye correction, i have a squint in my left eye, but does that mean i cant?
    the power of my eyes are +9.00 in my right, and +9.50 in my left.
    Get back to me guys! i wannaa know

    • ANSWER:
      I think your prescription is too high to gaurantee 20/20 vision but you can actually go along to the clinics and alot do free consults to see whether you can.

21. QUESTION:
    Can i have laser eye correction?
    I'm considering laser treatment, but my prescription is -15 in both eyes, can it still be done?

    • ANSWER:
      With that type of prescription you are unlikely to be accepted for laser surgery. However permanently implanted contact lenses may be a possibility. I would suggest that you discuss this with your optician.

22. QUESTION:
    Laser Eye Vision Correction?
    If laser eye surgery is so widely available, list some reasons why so many people today still wear glasses and contacts if their vision is correctable.
    I already know some factors; Cost and Young age, but what prevents everyone from getting it? What are some limiting factors? And why can't older people with failing vision have it restored to 20/20 with laser eye correction?
    Ok, so another factor is risk and personal preference to wear glasses, but besides that, what are other reasons?
    Come on, no one knows? Has teh interwebz truly failed me?

    • ANSWER:
      If I could get a surgery to shoot laser beemz from my eyes, that would be frigging sweet.

23. QUESTION:
    How old do you have to be for laser correction eye surgery in Canada?
    I'm almost 19

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.lasikmd.com/ctoronto-downtown/laser-vision-correction/what-to-expect/thorough-eye-examination/lasik-eye-examination.en.html

      Meeting the eye specialist

      This information is then passed on to an eye specialist who will conduct a complete eye exam. Subsequently, the eye specialist will be able to determine your candidacy. He or she will determine the best treatment for you and will further explain the recommended vision correction procedure.

      http://www.lasikeyecentres.com/Ideal_Candidate.aspx

      (This is another company)
      Age - You must be at least 19 years of age.

24. QUESTION:
    Will the Marines pay for laser eye correction after you are done with boot camp?
    just curious
    cause I was told that if i enlist and that after boot camp that I would be able to get laser eye correction and the military would pay
    How come some ansewrs are saying yes and some are saying no
    I

    • ANSWER:
      The recruiters will tell you almost anything to get you to sign up. Be very, very careful.

25. QUESTION:
    Is laser eye correction surgery dangerous?
    What's the success rate?

    How much does it cost?

    Is it worth it?

    • ANSWER:
      Like every surgery, it has its risk. Just choose a doctor that is Board Certified and lots of experience...Use word of mouth.
      It will run you about 2000.00 dollars, and yes, it is worth it.

26. QUESTION:
    I want to get my vision and I want to know more about laser/surgical eye correction?
    I'm tired of wearing glasses and don't want to bother with contacts, but I want to see clearly under my own power. What are my options? Can it fix my vision to 20/20 perminantly? What are the costs? What does the procedure consist of? Is it worth it? Any other info/facts you could give?

    • ANSWER:
      It's definetely worth it, like a .0001% risk with a good doctor and you can get perfect vision for maybe 5-10 years? costs are in the thousands but it pays back for money spent on lenses... try google?

27. QUESTION:
    Does Anybody Know How Much Laser Eye Correction Surgery Costs?
    thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Dont quote me but I think it runs about 00 per eye.

28. QUESTION:
    Did anyone had a laser eye correction conducted in Moorfields Eye Hospital? Do you have any complications?
    Please help! I don't know if I should do this...

    • ANSWER:
      no

29. QUESTION:
    laser eye correction?
    I am nearly sixty and thinking of having laser eye correction. can anyone tell me how long the treatment lasts, willI have to go back to glasses again after a short period of time . does the treatment hurt and can anyone recommend a good company to do the surgery. I live in the north west of england. would you recommend it. Many thanks peter

    • ANSWER:
      My dad had Lasix done about ten years ago and has never had to wear glasses again. Some people still do not have perfect vision though...he just got lucky. And he was also legally blind before he had it done! He said it did not hurt a bit, he really couldn't even feel it. The only thing for him was he had to wait until the halos faded to return to night shift (it happens worse at night, especially in the beginning) and he had to use artificial tears to keep the eye lubricated for the first year. Which is not a big deal. He says he wishes he would have done it ten years before he did (even though it was not big then). He loved Lasix. I think many people have positive experiences with it.

30. QUESTION:
    Please anyone knows any deals about laser eye correction?
    I am considering having Laser eye Surgery but when I Ask for the consultation it seemed that everyone there had different offers, with different amounts. I have the new year offer of around 900 pounds for one eye from ultralase. Has anyone recently had any other offer letter from any other doctor or institution and if so, for what amount and what offer was it please let me know thx? I am in London Area...

    • ANSWER:
      Laser eye surgery is very safe nowadays. There is one company that is very famous in India that arranges Laser surgery for foreigners in India. They are called the Fly2india4health Consultants. I read a lot about them in the Newspapers and about their patient stories. I have also read that they arrange financing for international patients, as all surgery is not covered by insurance or by the stinking NHS.

      They also have photos pasted of their International patients. You can checkout their website. The cost savings are incredible. As a doctor I personally believe that your Dental surgery can be easily handled in India, as the quality of Healthcare available here is simply best in the world. The surgeons are USA/UK trained and facilities are 5 star.

      My cousin got her Dental surgery done there and she is more than very happy with the results. She is all praise for Fly2india4health Consultants. She paid just 20% of the cost what she was quoted in USA and it was like a wonderful vacation for her. Hope this helps

      Source(s):
      http://www.fly2india4health.com

31. QUESTION:
    Laser Eye Correction?
    I am considering getting laser eye correction. Does anyone have any advise for me?
    Im curious how much is costs, if it hurts at all, and are all clinics the same.
    Please let me know your story.
    Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      my dad just got the surgery. he said it didnt hurt at all. it is a little pricey but it is worth it. he has 20/20 vision... good luck

32. QUESTION:
    Laser eye correction?
    My vision is minus, both eyes has different diopters one is -3.00 and other is -2.50 .

    I'm 17 years now, I wear contact lenses or glasses but I really want to have a good vision without it. Am I able to have laser eye correction next year, when I will be 18? Or can I have it now? What's the percentage that I might get blind?

    • ANSWER:
      Legally you have to be 18. As long as your prescription has been pretty stable over the past few years you should be fine. Most patients that have gone through puberty should be pretty stable.

      In the hands of a reputable surgeon, the chance of you going blind is pretty damn close to zero.

      With those places that charge 9 per eye, you have to concern yourself with the quality of the surgeon, the quality of the equipment, the quality of the staff, you have to see how many times that business has been sued, etc... There are a lot of shady places out there that don't stay up to date on their technologies or standards of care within the industry.

      As with most things, you get what you pay for. Loosely speaking, the more you pay, the safer it will be.

33. QUESTION:
    EYE correction - laser operation before/after baby?
    I am 23, want a baby around 28. I cannot decide if I should have a laser eye operation after it b/c someone told me the pressure in the eye is very high in the pregnancy...
    I don't know, do you? I wear contacts since I was 12...
    I also wondered if eyes get worse a bit after pregnancy?

    • ANSWER:
      Ok, some woman have high intraocular pressure if they have preclamsia.

      Nothing to do with PRK or LASIK. During the post care for any of these surgeries, you will be on steroid drops; these increase your intraocular pressure too. You can get surgery before or after having a baby...after though, you would have to wait until after you are done breastfeeding or if you don't choose to breastfeed, until 6 months after giving birth. This is becuase while you're pregnant, your body retains fluid; your cornea also retains water. 6 months after birth, your body should be back to normal.

34. QUESTION:
    it's bad to get laser eye correction at age 18?
    Hi. I just turned 18. (1991.12.28)
    and I'm planning to get a laser cye correction, probably PRK that optomists recommened to me.
    I heard that if i get laser eye correction now, it's possible that my prescription gets bad again.
    How bad can it go?
    will i need glasses to read in my 30s?

    my prescription has been stable for 2 years.
    in Dec, 2007 it was -5.25
    and in Jan, 2010, it was -5.50

    • ANSWER:
      Most laser surgeons don't like to do surgery until you're at least 19, and preferably in your early 20s, because a large enough proportion of the population has small prescription changes even after age 18. Mine last changed... I think two years ago? So I would have been 22. Some places will do it but won't guarantee it (for free retreatments / "touch-ups") unless they're convinced you're old enough and stable enough. 0.25D change in 2 years is fairly stable, though...
      You probably won't need reading glasses until your 40s, but that's the case for just about everyone, laser correction or not. Look up "presbyopia" if you want an explanation of why.

35. QUESTION:
    Anyone had complications after laser eye correction?
    I'm a bit worried - I had laser eye correction just over 4 weeks ago, and this past week my sight has deteriorated. I went for a check up yesterday, and my sight's so bad for driving they're sending me a pair of glasses! I mean, this defeats the whole purpose of having it done! This on top of losing my near vision (which was perfect - I was just very short sighted), so now I'll need glasses for distance AND glasses for reading! I wore contact lenses before, so now I'm actually worse off! The clinic have told me that it's only temporary, and to go back in a month, but I'm very worried that I've made a huge mistake. Has anyone had a similar experience?
    PS I went to what is supposedly the top clinic for this treatment!
    Cheers x

    • ANSWER:
      I know somebody who wound up as a registered blind person after laser eye correction, she only needed glasses before the operation, you wouldn't get me sitting there while somebody fired lasers into my eyes I can tell you that.

36. QUESTION:
    Can laser eye surgery cause a detached retina a few weeks later?
    A work colleague of mine had laser eye correction done recently, to correct very short sightedness. It seemed to work well. About 3 weeks later she was rushed to hospital for a detached retina. That was a month ago and her vision in that eye is terrible and getting worse. She is in some discomfort. She is very depressed. Her surgeon is being cagey about what caused it - is it just a coincidence?

    • ANSWER:
      With retinal detachments it is so hard to tell. Which is why the doctor was probably that way. I had bilateral retinal detachment and as a result I am now legally blind..7 surgeries later. I think that I have heard LASIK puts you more at risk for detachments because it's a laser and a laser is trauma to the eye. I'm pretty sure the laser that was used in my surgeries has something to do with my retina damage. My doctors have no idea why my retina's detached or why they weren't repaired. I feel like it was an error somewhere in the operating room but I will probably never know. Good luck with your friend I hope everything turns out okay.

37. QUESTION:
    how does lasik work (laser eye correction)?
    i am 23, with nearsightness, i cant see far clear, can i get lasik and is it safe and how about side effects? should i just get conctact lesnses they are hard to put in and take out . i want to wear sunglasses thx

    • ANSWER:
      Watch a video about it first. It's kind of graphic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PJ391MDtpo

      It can have some pretty bad side effects. Sometimes it can be over corrected, and then you'll still be stuck with glasses. Sometimes the results will wear off. And rarely, it can blind you.

      If you're squeamish about surgery, then contacts would be your best option.

38. QUESTION:
    Please can someone tell me if you can get laser eye correction surgery on the NHS and if so how ?

    • ANSWER:
      I very much doubt it since it's generally considered to be elective surgery. However, if you could make a case that you can't wear glasses because they give you headaches and your eyes are not suitable for contacts, it might be possible. I know of somebody in Germany who got it partly covered by health care using that argument.

39. QUESTION:
    cost of laser eye correction is crazy?
    I was quoted £1500 per eye! for a op they say takes about 10 miins, that works out at about £9000 per hour they are charging! Even my lawyer would be embarrassed to charge that much!
    so much for the advertised prices you see for less than £400.

    • ANSWER:
      Ugh, I know! I got a quote for £1950 per eye and they told me they couldn't guarantee it would be permanent due to a genetic eye condition I have! I would love to have it done but it's just not going to happen!

40. QUESTION:
    laser eye correction help?
    im 13 now and short sighted. i wear contact lenses because glasses do my head in but they are sometimes alot of hassle. iv thought about getting laser eye surgery when im older (alot older, dont worry!) but im not sure of the risks and iv heard from a couple of people that it doesn't even correct your eyes fully. has anybody had this surgery done ? what are the risks ? help would be much appreciated.
    thanks x

    • ANSWER:
      There are risks involving laser eye surgery. I suggest you read information on this website:

      http://www.lasiksucks4u.com/

      You may be interested to know that there is an alternative treatment for short sightedness called natural vision correction. It consists of specific eye exercises and techniques that can improve your eye sight and it's completely safe. I used to be short sighted with slight astigmatism and was able to improve my vision completely with these exercises.

      Eye exercises require persistence, but they are worth every bit of it.

      Hope this helps!

      Best regards,

41. QUESTION:
    anyone had laser eye correction surgery?
    Im considering having it done, its quite expensive and Im a bit nervous about it since as it's my eye. Just wondered if anyones had it done? how did it go? was it worth it? did it hurt!? thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Hi, I had laser correction surgery at Optimax about 5 years ago.

      It was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself.

      I still have better than 20/20 vision although due to my age, I now have reading glasses.

      It's fantastic, you wake up in the morning and don't have to reach for your glasses, coming in from the cold doesn't steam your eyes up! You can go swimming and can actually see what you are doing plus I found I felt more confident in myself instead of being behind a metal frame.

      I recommend it wholly, I have recommended Laser Correction to friends who have also had their eyes done & all of them are extremely pleased with the results.

      Hope that helps

      Danny

42. QUESTION:
    What are the cons of laser eye surgery?
    I'm super sick of wearing contact lenses, and when I saw and advert on the tv for laser eye correction the idea looked very appealing. I honestly can't say how much it would mean to me to have perfect vision. I'm seriously considering it, and obviously I would like to know of any cons against it. Thanks xx

    • ANSWER:
      Among one of the most common lasik eye surgery risks, incomplete corrections is one of them. Whether you're eye was under corrected or over corrected, you might end up with lasik surgery side effects such as blurry vision and a less than perfect vision. This problem can easily be fixed with a pair of glasses or contact lenses but it's kind of stupid since you took the surgery so you could stop wearing glasses. So it is possible for you to retake a lasik surgery so you can fix your eyes for good.

43. QUESTION:
    Has anyone had laser eye surgery? How did it go? How much did you pay?
    I am 21 and my eyes have always been bad, but they have gotten more bothersome as I age. I keep hearing about laser eye correction surgery and I have read up on the procedure, but I wanted to get a few opinions and experiences. If you have had this procedure done, when and where did you get it done (ex. doctor's office, lasik, etc)? How much did the procedure cost? What pros and cons do you have about the procedure?

    Thanks in advance for all your help.

    • ANSWER:
      I had LASIK done in 2001. I had worn glasses/contacts for about 20 years prior to that. I was nearsighted, but not horribly and I did have a slight astigmatism in my left eye which made it hard for me to read without my glasses/contacts.

      I had the procedure done by a doctor from the office that I had been going to most of my life. He was new and specialized in LASIK. The procedure was done in a Will's Eye Surgery center that was close to my house - sterile suite and all that.

      The procedure cost about 00, but they were running a special that summer so it ended up costing me about 00.

      It lasted about 15 minutes I guess, I took the valium they offered but I don't think it had an effect. Getting you eye taped open and held in place was kind of weird and uncomfortable, but not painful since they numb your eye. Your eyes are extremely sensitive to light afterwards, but you go home nad take a nap and you can see almost perfectly (it's a bit foggy at first).

      My eyesight went from 20/80 or thereabouts to 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other. Just had a check-up and was told that I had gotten a touch nearsighted again, but not enough for glasses (not even for driving). Good news is that this little "slip" in eyesight means I won't need reading glasses as soon as most people (I'm 40 now).

      Overall, very happy I had it done. Love not worrying about contact lens stuff or glasses. Never had any bad side effects like haze or starbursts around lights. Of course, now I'm sure the procedure is much better what with Lasik Plus and the Wave etc.- I just haven't had a need to research it anymore.

44. QUESTION:
    Has any one had laser eye correction surgery? I am thinking of it?

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, about 7 years ago. One of the most positive events of my life. First appearancewise it was such a benefit i wore coke bottle bottom thick glasses which really made me ugly. Second I could see better. I went from 20/2000 to 20/20. Finally an unexpected benefit, no more migraines. I had migraines all my life but haven;t had once since the surgery. I guess my migraines were caused by eye strain

45. QUESTION:
    Anyone have any success stories with Lasik/laser eye surgery/correction?
    I H-A-T-E my contacts (and have for about 6 years!) and am fed up; looking into eye surgery but wanted to hear about others' experiences with it. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      The vast majority of people who have Lasik or similar laser eye surgery are satisfied with the results, but Lasik is surgery and all surgery has some element of risk.

      I work for a nonprofit Lasik patient advocacy. We don't provide Lasik; we just provide Lasik information and certification of Lasik doctor who meet our patient outcome requirements.

      Our organization's Quality Standards Advisory Committee evaluated peer-reviewed medical journal articles, FDA clinical trials, and literally thousands of patient outcomes to determine that about 90% of refractive surgery patients (all types of surgery, all types of patients) achieve 20/40 or better with about 65% achieving 20/20 or better. About 3% have some sort of unresolved problem at six months postop with 0.5% being serious problems.

      http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/do-it.htm

      If you hate your contacts because they are uncomfortable, then you may actually have a problem with poor contact lens fitting or dry eye. All dry eye issues should be treated and managed before having Lasik.

      http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/lasik-dry-eyes.htm

      An active bulletin board for Lasik patients is at...

      http://www.usaeyes.org/ask-lasik-expert/

      ...where you can read the experiences of others.

46. QUESTION:
    Had laser eye correction 10 years ago..hows it going?
    Ok it's been 10 years since I had my eyes corrected by laser surgery. It was the best thing I could do. So far everything is going well. But I heard that after 10-12 years your eyes start going bad....has anyone had the laser surgery for a long time and had any problems since.

    • ANSWER:
      I never heard about such a complain befor but I will suggest that 10 years are a long period probably it is the time that you should see your eye doctor

47. QUESTION:
    Laser eye correction surgery?
    How much is it and what are the risk, what does it do?
    I'm sick of wearing glassses.

    • ANSWER:

48. QUESTION:
    post-Laser eye correction question..... can i wear coloured contact lenses?
    is it harmful if i wear coloured lenses after doin the lasek laser surgery?

    • ANSWER:
      No problem. The cornea is perfectly capable of accepting a contact lens METABOLICALLY. Sometimes, though, after LASIK the cuvatures of the cornea are changed in such a manner that contact lenses are more difficult to FIT. But for most, it isn't a problem (whether you want clear or colored contacts).

49. QUESTION:
    What is it with these laser eye correction treatments ?
    Hi,

    It just that I see quite clearly adverts for £400 per eye to have things adjusted using laser.

    All very well, I suppose, but I had increasingly blurred vision due to getting older, so the NHS, bless them, have fitted new "bionic" (ie soft plastic) lenses, and now I will never have to wear specs again.

    Freebies, and a fine job, and £800 not spent, apart from the multitude of NI contributions that I have made over many years, so fair play.

    One company boasts that they have done 500,000 operations.
    So that nets them about £200 million so far.

    Have you had this done or considered it being done ?

    I see it (no pun) as a bit of a rip-off

    Any thoughts ?

    Bob

    • ANSWER:
      Maybe you had a procedure to fix cateracts? If so, since they would need to be pulling out and replacing the lenses in your eyes anyway, it would be just as easy to replace them with lenses that would compensate for any refractive error that was present. Maybe this is why your procedure was covered by the NHS.

      Laser surgery won't fix cataracts and most insurance won't cover it because it is considered cosmetic surgery.

50. QUESTION:
    Eye Laser Correction - is it Really that Easy and Safe!?
    Hi,
    can someone please share from their own experince going through this treatment?
    is it really that simple and safe to get rid of glasses? any common side effects to the treatment? any risk? (My eyes are light (green))

    THANKS.

    • ANSWER:
      I haven't had it myself, but I have known two people who have and I've sat through the process. They now both have greater than 20/20 vision and no other problems. However, the procedure looks and sounds pretty gruesome from watching (the recipients said it wasn't bad at all.)

      First they measure your eye in every conceivable way, and give you an anti-biotic to take before the procedure to prefect infection.

      Then they will give you something to calm you down and keep you from jumping too much (i.e. Valium) and some numbing eye drops. They will then use a suction ring to hold your eye still, and use a microkeratome, which is basically a razor on tracks to slice a thin layer off the top of your eye (unless you are having IntraLASIK, which uses a laser to slice it instead.) Then they lift the flap and use a laser to trim and reshape your corneal stroma.

      After they finish, the surgeon replaces the flap and checks for any air bubbles or debris under the flap. The flap is left in place by the natural suction and adherence caused by the fluids in your eye. Afterwords they may give you special eye drops and eye covers to wear while you sleep.

      Overall, it is very very safe and fairly easy compared to other surgeries.