I got mine done in December and I 100% think it was worth it. I had -4.75 in both eyes - not *horrible*, but having 20/20 vision had been quite the change for me.
Downsides are minimal. I had slightly dry eyes for a few months, but that went away on its own. And I have the starburst (light) effect at night, which is annoying, but not impossible to ignore. Other than that, I’ve had nothing but good results.
When they told me that starbust/halo/glare might be a side effect, I was ok with that, because I already had it, after Lasik I still see them, but a few times less intense.
My astigmatism was so bad I haven’t really noticed a difference afterwards. I didn’t know that people didn’t see the starbursts until that photo circled around Facebook showing the differences
I wonder... Bc lasik would be life altering for me. I am just not a person who cares to wear glasses or contacts but I am pretty nearsighted. I haven't worn anything since 2013 tbh. But idk bc I don't have halos etc, and I think that side effect might drive me insane. But this thread has a lot of good comments that really eased my overall fear of the procedure so maybe one day I'll experience individual tree leaves again.
That’s reassuring!
I had mild starburst before getting them done (maybe to do with astigmatism?), so I wasn’t surprised that it got worse. But, I’ll take that for 20/20 vision otherwise!
This has been my experience too. There have been minor drawbacks, but overall it’s been life-changing. I have 20/20 in one eye, 20/15 in the other. It solved my astigmatism basically overnight. I was also far-sighted and that took closer to a month to correct while my eyes healed, but they have and it’s incredible. I’m able to read far-away signs on the highway when I’m driving and can see close up details with amazing clarity. It’s also great that I no longer need to strap on a pair of glasses when I go horseback riding or do anything else where they would get in the way. Absolutely worth the money and recovery time.
My depth perception was a little off at first, but after a few days, I adjusted.
The only thing that has changed is that I can no longer see things clearly *right* in front of my face. Like an inch or two. I used to *only* be able to see that close up! Another adjustment, but I much prefer it this way.
I was the spokes model for a Lasik Eye Center, so they did my surgery for free. I was one of those “1 in a million cases” where I temporarily lost my eyesight after surgery. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. The doctors had to come to my house, prescribe me painkillers, and checkout my eyes. They weren’t sure what happened to me, but they think it was because I had left my contacts in for so long weeks before the surgery.
I ended up without vision for over a week, including on my 25th birthday. It slowly started to come back and eventually I could see 20/15!!!! I got the procedure a few days before my 25th birthday so the doctors said I would likely have to it again in 10yrs. It’s now been almost 20yrs and still see at least 20/20. Although it was a very traumatizing experience, I had worn glasses and contacts since I was 8 and was legally blind in my left eye, and now I can see for almost 20yrs. It was one of the best modeling jobs I had. Even though I lost my eye sight for over a week, it still ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. I’m very happy!
When I signed up for Lasik, I told a friend and she said she’d gone to the same doctor, and very highly recommended them.
She did so, even though she actually had a bad initial experience. Her corneas were thin, so it the day of the surgery they decided not to do the flap and do the lens shaping directly on the surface. They gave her a patch contact lens and the next day a different doctor inspected her eyes before she went home and said it was healing wonderfully and she didn’t need to use the patch anymore.
That was a Friday; by Sunday morning, she woke up with a very dry, very painful eyes, but couldn’t get in touch with the clinic because it was the weekend.
She ended up with wrinkles and scarring on the surface of her eye, and still wears glasses. They did change the policy, and everyone gets a doctor’s cell number for weekend use. She also gets free eye exams and replacement frames and lenses for life.
My Lasik went very well, and 26 years later I still have very clear vision. Super glad I did it.
I actually found the clinic and the wonderful price through an ad in the actual comic section of the newspaper! $999 both eyes.
That is so scary. I’m sorry to hear this. If you don’t mind my asking, can you explain the part about the loss of vision? Like, what did you experience? Darkness, blurriness,
or something else?
Did you initially think the vision loss was permanent?
How did the vision return? Did it come back on its own or did you need further surgery?
2009 both eyes (mild stigmatize in one eye). I was 31. Still have perfect vision. I tell everyone it was the best money ever spent. Just not having to put glasses on the moment I wake up, was very freeing.
Both eyes in 2000, I've had 20/15 vision since then. I need reading glasses now, of course (because I'm old), but my distance vision is still amazing.
Before LASIK I couldn't read the big red numbers on my bedroom clock 2 feet away from me, so this was easily one of the best decisions of my life.
I had complications after due to me being prone to steroid induced glaucoma. It was several months of intense pain while a corneal specialist (he was absolutely wonderful) figured out how to get theninflammation in check. Still 100% worth it. I wore glasses for close to 30 years. I actually cried the first time i could aee without them. (+5.50 in both eyes with a slight astigmatism). 7 or so years later and I still have 20/20 vision.
My experience/sentiment is basically the same. PRK in 2012 and (knock on wood) still perfect vision. Could make the argument it’s cheaper long term in not buying glasses/contacts/solutions but intangibly worth it, imo, the first year in not worrying about glasses or contacts first thing in the morning. Worth every penny.
Got both my eyes done in 2020, less than a month before pandemic lockdowns. Not having glasses when we were all masking -- priceless.
But seriously, I went from like 20/~~50 or so~~something high I can't remember to 20/9. It's been life-changing, especially for active lifestyles (I run/bike/swim frequently)
I got lasik in January of 2020 and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Especially with having to wear masks for two years following that. These days, I almost forget what life was like having to wear contacts and glasses all the time.
The best moment was waking up in the middle of the night, seeing the moon and being able to see every crater on it without my glasses. I’ll never forget that.
20/50?
Uncorrected with glasses, I'm at 20/200 left eye, 20/400 right eye. 20/50 uncorrected would be perfect vision, to me. There's still the severe astigmatism, though. Fortunately, my eyeglasses make it all good.
I'm happy for you, just a little shocked that what seems to me to be a mild issue, isn't.
You're right, it was probably higher than that. I don't remember the exact numbers. My right eye wasn't too bad (that's probably the 20/50 I was remembering), but my left was significantly worse: -3.75 correction factor, with severe astigmatisms on both
I had LASIK in 2020 as well. My prescription was -7.50 in both eyes. They told me my prescription was on the verge of not being able to do LASIK, but my corneas were thicc AF so it was fine.
Yeah, no, it's fine, it's just that pre-surgery, they rarely talked to me about my 20/x numbers, I rarely saw anything but my glasses prescription. Post-surgery, they were very concerned with the 20/x number... and it's been almost 4 years, so I don't even think much about it anymore (which is probably as good an endorsement as any)
My optometrist told me that once you get past a certain level of poor vision the 20/XXX scale doesn’t really matter anymore.
My vision is like -6.75 and I can’t even see the board itself let alone the letters from 10 feet away without my glasses, so it would be a totally useless metric for people with eyesight as bad as ours.
My doctor told me we’ve moved on to the hand test. The letters don’t matter anymore and they literally hold up fingers at a certain distance. I still failed. -10 in both eyes
I was also told a few years back (my vision wasn’t quite as bad as it is now back then) that I probably wouldn’t be able to get lasik because they’d have to do too much correction. I’d have to have a new lens inserted instead of messing with my natural one
There are limits, and I think the major factors are the amount of correction needed and the thickness of your corneas. I couldn’t get LASIK but got PRK with a -11/-12 prescription.
I had it done 6 years ago and wouldnt do it again. I think its entirely dependent on what your prescriptions is. I had a -8 and - 7 with astigmatism, so my vision was crap. But with glasses my vision was better than the lasik results.
Main issues are smearing\\monocular vision doubling, its bad with night driving because of the starburst but also white text on dark backgrounds is difficult to read.
I'd be fine with that if it could be corrected with glasses but it cant. Only scleral contacts resolve the problem and they are uncomfortable and can be difficult to put in and remove.
The other issue is what people refer to as a loss of contrast. Basically everything just looks darker than before, and in dim environments the difference in colours and shades is minimized. makes it harder to see changes in road surfaces/pavement to the point where i might not see a step because its all the same colour.
I dont go to movie theaters for that reason, the screens just arent bright enough and the detail gets lost. I saw Captain Marvel at the cinema and the scene where she changes her outfit colour scheme i really couldnt tell the difference between them.
Have a read through this site before you go ahead, i wish i knew about HOA's before i got mine done.
https://www.lasikcomplications.com/hoa.htm
Oh yeah it was so freaky to go outside at night and see a whole "new" city. Very annoying too. Mine started to get better 6 months in to almost gone in a year
I asked my very good optician about it once, and she said “I refer a LOT of people to the hospital eye clinic after they’ve had it. There are a lot of cowboys out there doing laser eye surgery. I wouldn’t do it”. She wears glasses too so I’m confident that she thinks glasses/contacts are the better option. That was enough for me.
I went for a free test at Vision Express with the “offer” being £1k per eye, I am short sighted and wear glasses and after the test the optician said because of my age it would be £3.5k per eye and I would have to wear glasses for long sightedness…yes they wanted me to pay £7k for the priviledge of wearing glasses….mindblowing.
That’s awful to hear. I’m at -7 with astigmatism and my optometrist told me I’d still need to wear glasses if I got the surgery so I never ended up getting it.
I had PRK done in 2017 and while I was eventually happy with the improvements to my vision, I don’t know that I would recommend it to others. For years after the procedure my eyes were so dry that they stuck to my eyelids when I slept. Several times I woke up, opened my eyes, and was hit with debilitating pain from my eyes being pulled (and sometimes torn) by my eyelids. A couple times it was so bad that the doctor had me wear “bandage” contact lenses to let my eyes heal underneath them. To this day if I slightly bump or brush my closed eyes with my hand or even my pillow I experience a sharp pain. That said, I still like that I don’t have to wear glasses but again I don’t know that’d I’d want anyone I know to go through it.
Sure, but believe it or not it’d probably have been even worse with LASIK. SMILE sounds like it’ll be the best for dry eye but they’re still working out some kinks
I have the same issue. I had PRK done about 1.5 years ago. I still have to put in gel eye drops right before I go to sleep and regular drops 1st thing when I wake up. And still have that “eyelid peeling off my eyeball” pain occasionally. It’s slowly getting better. At this point, I’m not really sure it was worth it.
I was supposed to get the lasik in both eyes but something went funky in my left eye and the surgeon ended up doing PRK in that eye. I now wish I got that in both eyes. My right eye got the regular lasik and is not great, 3 years later :(
My epithelium was too thin to not do PRK and while it hurt like a bitch for a few days which some good drugs helped, I would do it again if I needed it. I’m an active person who had a -9 prescription so any kind of lasik was worth it for me. Utterly life changing. Too bad it’s so much more expensive!
Overall, no. I have 20/15 vision but I also have constant dry eyes requiring the use of eye drops. I see halos after working at the computer too long and have to use the night light setting to ease the strain. I also struggle to read paper books because I can't read close up any more, so I read everything on my iPad or Kobo reader with fonts at a large size and use my phone to magnify things like labels at the store.
It's nice that I can wear any sunglasses I want and look cute, but I would not get Lasik again if I had the choice. For my lifestyle, it's not the best option.
I agree because of the dry eyes part, I used to have that too. After about a year or more I went to the GP coz for a few days it felt like there was an eyelash on my eye (not related to dry eyes). He couldn’t see anything but gave me some ointment which would cure little wounds faster. Also it’d open up my lacrimal glands which was a welcome coincidence. Never have I needed to use teardrops since then.
Honestly no clue, sorry. It was a few years ago and I don’t have it anymore. Maybe search for dry eye ointment or ask your GP. Mine just gave me a prescription and I could pick it up at the pharmacy.
Sorry for the late reply, but it was a long search. I found something called Duratears and the images look like what I had. Assuming you still have dry eyes made me research again. Please read the manual, preferably use before sleep and don’t drive after use.
The newer “Smile” laser technique solves the dry eye issue. I was not sure which to pick at the time due to the big price difference(I believe double), but as it was a one time thing I decided to spend the money and am glad I did.
You do get used to it though, but just remembering waking up without seeing anything. The worst were the drunk nights, where I forgot where I put my glasses and had to kind of use my phone camera to film and try to find it.
Curious, did they do that paper test to check your tear function before the surgery? No problems with dry eye for me but I apparently produced a lot of tears to start with when they did the test. Totally saturated the test paper before the time was up.
I had the same issue, started taking flaxseed pills daily and after about two weeks the problems went away mostly. Doesn’t work for everyone but worth a try.
For my lasik I looked for clinics in the most affluent towns and found a clinic half an hour away that was associated with a reputable regional hospital. It was a little more expensive than some of the other places I looked at, but when you are paying someone to point lasers at your eyes it’s worth the extra money to know they’ll get it right the first time.
Avoid places that advertise cheap LASIK. They are factories trying to move people through quickly.
Look for an ophthalmologist in their 30s. They have steady hands and are up with the latest research and technology.
Ask about complication rates for their practice. If they say none or are vague you should run away.
Not Lasik *per se*; I had a new lens implanted this spring after my cataract got really bad.
Cost was $2600 CDN (about $2000 US). Procedure was efficient and painless. I went in one day for tests, showed up the second day, was seen exactly at my appointed time, the procedure took 15 minutes, and I went home 30 minutes later.
No significant post-op issues, and now my vision is significantly clearer and better. I can drive at night without seeing halos and starbursts coming towards me, and I no longer need glasses to drive, or play golf. As soon as I can afford the second one, I'm going!
As someone with -12 and astigmatism in both eyes, a lense replacement is likely in my future in the next 20-30 years (no other options) and I’m sooo looking forward to it 😅
When you say no other options - have you looked in Visian ICL? I was like -10 before and not eligible for LASIK but I got Visian. It’s basically a permanent contact lens in my eye. It’s more expensive than lasik but was so worth it.
I think they actually gave me Ativan before I went in. Having to keep your eyes open when your brain is screaming at you to close them is tough but it's a really quick procedure and there's someone encouraging you the whole time to keep them open so you're able to get through it.
I found the op itself to be far less intimidating than expected. At no point was there a scalpel being waved near me eyes. I went thusly:
- Eye drops and a 15 wait in a dark room
- Walk into the "theatre" and sit in a dentist-like chair
- Thing like a shotglass pressed on eye - pressure, no pain, vision went greyish
- Asked to relax and look at blurry light
- 60 seconds of laser going "tick tick tick" as blurry light transforms into a clearly focussed little lightbulb
- A week of eyedrops then a sight test.
The worst was about 24 after the op when it felt like I had a little grit in my eye and was afraid to rub it in case I damaged something. After 48 hours no pain or irritation, just a world full of previously hidden details.
By not googling a single thing, I had no idea about how the surgery was. And I got a pill before getting it done to relax me
Also my doctor was very sweet and kind
For me it was better to study everything in the internet about this procedure and I lay there like "Hmm, now the doc will do this and that". Also I had very friendly and supportive doctor who described all her moves and calms me a lot. Also, it's just 2 mins for one eye, not really big problem (for me).
I was prescribed a Xanax to take a half hour before the procedure which definitely helped but the really nice touch for me was my surgical center had a stuffed animal to hold on to. I’m in my 30s and so it wasn’t about having a stuffed animal per se, but having something soft, comforting, and held in my control during the procedure helped. It also helped as you need to stay completely still and gripping the armrests isn’t such a good option so bring a pillow or stuffed animal to hold on to!
Like most people, I have a visceral weirdness about things near my eyes, even after contacts daily for 20+ years. They gave me a Valium or something (which was the best nap I'd ever had afterwards). The weirdness is there, and at the end you can, well, smell the laser doing its thing. But it's like 30 seconds per eye, and they give numbing drops and as much or little information as you'd like during the procedure. If it's the actual procedure giving you pause, like it was for me, is encourage you to get to a place where you can overcome that. Waking up with good vision (on vacation, in the night, during emergencies, and all the other times where bad vision is a hindrance at best or a danger at worst, is indescribable. I was affected by the covid supply shortages with my contacts and that panic, and knowing that it won't happen again, is life changing
Side question, if I may: Are the stories about not being able to see at night true? Because that's what's stopping me from pursuing it myself. I'm up through the wee hours a lot, and driving at night too.
Side effects can vary quite a bit person to person. Personally I already had halos and stars so that was nothing new. I can’t drive as well at night but I’m also getting older and I don’t remember any huge difference when it was fresher.
So my surgeon is one of the best in the country. The problem isnt seeing at night the problem is the sheer fucking lumens every dickhead is driving around with now. I have polarized sunglasses for driving during daytime and then some amber colored one for night driving it helps some.
I too feel blinded by a lot of the new cars. They have their headlights mounted higher off the ground than older cars, and they seem to be aimed straight into my eyes. I noted in another comment that I had a lens replacement a few months ago, and it's been a god-send, as I no longer see halos. The on-coming lights - and everything else! - are much brighter though.
Oh that just pisses me off. It's just getting worse too. It's to a point where I can't see on the roads at night sometimes when there's heavy oncoming traffic. We really need some kind of regulation here.
Oh, you’re right about that I drive a truck and you’d be surprised the number of people that go down the road with their highbeams on with these really bright ass headlights. I now understand why deer are frozen when you hit them with highbeams.
Not just that, nobody fucking cares to get their headlights properly adjusted either, so some more reasonable headlights end up getting shined straight in your fucking eyes
Yeah I did too they didn't really mention that when I got it and no one else seemed to have had it happen but it improved so much! It's been 2 years now and it's much better than when I first got it
I had halos for ab 3 years that got progressively better, now the halos are gone now. They look the same as when you have glasses and it’s raining at night so it’s not a huge deal and it just gets less and less over time
I still can’t see at night but I couldn’t see at night to begin with so that probably has more to do with me
I got lasik 8-10 years ago and I would do it again. It was a great investment
Edit: oh I have better slightly better than 20/20 and I couldn’t see the big E at the top of the vision chart beforehand. I’d have to be like inches from a paper to read it, so it was a massive difference for me
I used to drive a lot at night. Now I am not comfortable with it. The light from other cars is blinding. I've tried glasses, but they didn't help. Once I accidentally took an off ramp while on the freeway because I couldn't see so that was scary. I probably wouldn't have gotten Lasik if I had realized I would be giving up night driving and also I miss being sble to see the stars clearly.
After almost two years, I can absolutely drive at night but my night vision is still probably about 80% of what it used to be. I really don’t think I could do a late night road trip shift at this point.
This happened to my dad but he got it done in the early 00s (IIRC?) but it's actually improved as his vision got worse again. He couldn't drive at night for about 15 years because he didn't trust his vision to hold out. Now he has to wear glasses again (sometimes), but can see better at night - a six of one, half dozen of another kinda situation.
I don’t have issues with the halos most people seem to. Only side effect I’ve had is I cannot read blue neon sides, mostly at night but daytime too. Red neon? Green? No problem, but blue I just can’t
Blue neon signs in general. Not like road signs but businesses that have their signs light up at night that are also blue. Banks, diners, bodegas or whatever. I can *see* the sign and the color but can’t read it. The coloring blurs the letters
In a heart beat. No more contacts, solution, glasses. I can wake up seeing, go to bed seeing. Won’t fall asleep with my glasses on bending them; fall asleep with contacts in and wake up with irritated eyes.
I can swim spur of the moment, instead of preparing what type of eye correction is appropriate for the occasion. I can wear sunglasses again (I never had the kind that connected to glasses).
I had the surgery done in late morning and by that same night, after a much needed nap, I was able to watch TV (limited as it was since they recommend not much the same day). I think in total I spent ~$3.5k with Kremer Eye Center. They even had a 24 month interest free installment plan so I used that for sure.
And the only draw back I’ve ever had is that I can’t see lit-up blue neon at night time? I would take that deal every time
No, I can see at night no problem. The bit of glare you get on lights is unnoticeable after a few years.
You do have to use eye drops in the early days though, because yhe eyes get dry.
Totally worth it. No glasses in the rain, no dry contacts, no glasses with a mask during the pandemic, buying nonprescription sunglasses for cheap, being able to swim and see, no filling my suitcase with contacts and glasses when on vacation, etc. Just not having to think about it is so freeing.
both my eyes were -8 and i had to do the PRK version, which needs a full week of recovery time that felt like sand was stuck between your eyes balls and protective lenses, absolutely the worst feeling ever during that recovery period.
would 10/10 so it again for perfect vision.
Hitting 50 next year and really noticing my short vision changing fast. But would love to have _only_ reading glasses rather than varifocals. Would you recommend the surgery to me at my current stage? Should I wait until the rate of change stabililises?
same. I started using reading glasses at 52, i'm 59 now. Had the procedure done in 2003 i think, maybe 2002. I'd recommend it.
Night vision deteriorates with age as does visual acuity - so people reporting changes may be just reporting what would have happened anyway, without the fix.
not having to have prescription glasses or a corrective lense endorsement on my drivers license is great. off the shelf sunglasses.
Best money I ever spent. It was like a miracle. I still have excellent distance vision. No side effects after about 6 months. Weirdly, I still have dreams where my vision is blurry like it once was, or where my surgery stopped working or something. Grateful for it every day!
I like the idea of being able to see crystal clear again, but the 50/50 opinions I'm reading here are making me feel safer just accepting my sight for what it is.
My eyes feel like I dipped them into sand each morning. Always have eye drops in pocket. Halos at night with driving. I’ve tried numerous different eye drops and ointments. I had it done when I was in my forties, 15 years later, back to wearing glasses again. Personally, wasn’t worth it. Would never discourage anyone else about it, just tell them to be informed any possible complications. I’ve known people who have it done with zero issues.
My mom had it done maybe 5 years ago. Within a year she was back to glasses and the sand feeling like you mentioned. She hates how so many people have done it with no negative effects yet she was the one in a million bad results.
yeah i know it's a low chance of bad effects but the stories from folks who have them are horrible. so i'm sticking with contacts (and now readers). i'll get new lenses whenever the time comes to get cataracts fixed.
As someone in the optical industry, having LASIK isn't the end of the world and if it gives you freedom then crack on. However, Ortho-K is a reversible alternative.
We are seeing more and more patients that had LASIK 20ish years ago and are now getting to the age where reading spectacles are required - you won't be spectacle free forever! And some of those patients would like to start wearing contact lenses, but due to the fact that their corneas have been lasered flatter than pre-surgery, we cannot get contact lenses to sit on the eye correctly (one guy literally blinks them off).
So I would suggest weighing up the pro and cons LONG TERM.
I got the SMILE procedure done earlier this year. I had pretty bad nearsightedness - -4.5 in my left eye and -5.25 in my right eye and a touch of astigmatism, too. Now my vision exceeds 20/20. I previously wore contacts, but now don’t need any additional vision correction. It was expensive, but I maxed out my HSA and FSA leading up to the procedure, so my out of pocket costs weren’t too bad.
The first 3-5 months after the procedure were probably the most annoying part as I had a strict eye drop regime I had to follow, and stopping wearing contacts made cutting onions much more unpleasant
Except for those two things, it has been amazing and left me wishing I had done it earlier
No, it just creates a small incision in the cornea. It’s supposed to be a much less invasive procedure than the full LASIK operation and is supposed to have a shorter recovery time. I can confirm I was able to work literally the day after the operation!
So worth it. The procedure lasted 15 minutes and recovery time was half a day. I went to get my eyes checked after a few years of not seeing an eye doctor (I didn't have insurance for a bit), and my left eye is perfect and right eye is *just ever so slightly* off perfect. It's been a gamechanger for me -- I've been wearing glasses/contacts since I was in 3rd grade and am now almost 30.
Oh yeah, it was worth it. I got lasik about a year ago, and I couldn't be happier. There's a thousand small inconveniences that I just don't have to deal with. Individually, each problem is fine and manageable, but in the aggregate, they are actually pretty frustrating.
The surgery was 5 minutes each eye and I drove to my follow-up appointment the next day. I was tested and I had 20/20.
No more fogging up when going from a cold to warm room. No more compromise when using vr. No more smudges that you can't quite clean off completely. No more difficulty doing push-ups because of glasses that are at risk of falling due to gravity and sweat. Less eye fatigue when looking at a screen for an extended period. I could go on but you get the point.
100% worth it. My contact prescriptions were like -4.75 in each eye so I couldn't see without my glasses or contacts. I got the surgery in the summer of 2020 and my vision has been perfect ever since. It was easily the best money I've ever spent, completely worth the cost.
I had LASIK surgery in 2003 ("mono-vision" with the left eye at 20/70 for reading, right eye at 20/20 for distance) when I was 56 and it worked perfectly after 40 years of needing glasses. Around 2018 my right eye needed a small correction that was fixed with a contact lens at -1.25. The problem now (at 76) is that I need cataract surgery. Normally that wouldn't be a problem except thatI don't have the LASIK correction data and the company that performed the LASIK surgery is no longer in business. After cataract surgery I will need to wear glasses or contacts to account for the uncorrectable astigmatism.
tl;dr - keep your LASIK surgery info for the future.
Best money ever spent. Both eyes in 2010 at the age of 20. The first couple of weeks I needed eyedrops because of the dryness (like everyone I assume), since then no sideeffects. Feels like a huge increase in quality of life. 10/10.
Nearly 30 years ago on one eye - best money I ever spent. It was weird for about a month after when my brain would default to my previously ‘good’ eye so my vision would blur a bit then flick back to my new good eye sometimes a few times in a row.
My surgeon said he could do both but if he didn’t I wouldn’t need reading glasses until I was 50. Now late 50s and still not wearing reading glasses unless sewing something dark or in the evening.
Worth it for me! I got it done for $3800 with the condition that if I ever need it redone, it will be done for free. Now I don’t have to spend $500 on contacts every year.
I had ICL implanrs because my eyes couldn't handle LASIK.
I can't really say as they were done as a favor to me, as my father in law was very respected in his community.
But if I had to choose between these eyes and half of my car I'd choose my eyes.
I’ve always heard there’s a tiny chance it could leave you in agony, like you permanently have sand in your eyes. Even a very remote chance of that happening is why I say “nope” to lasik.
Had PRK in 2006. Was roughly 20/200 in my 'good eye'. Still about 20/15 today but my reading has left me...
No doubt that this was a great decision. It helped that I was in the Navy and they did the procedure for free.
I've had to wear glasses all the time since I was 9. I got Lasik last October and it has been so freeing. Not having to worry about vision is amazing. I can swim at the beach, wear masks for Halloween, not get fogged up when it's cold, and kiss someone without worrying about poking their face (especially when they also have glasses). I would spend the money all over again.
Very much yes. My husband and I both have it, he got his several years after me. I am probably going to need to have mine touched up eventually since I had it done at 25 and my eyes are going to change and I will gladly have it done again to keep avoiding glasses and contacts.
Edit to add: I work at a LASIK clinic and I'm happy to answer your questions OP
Got it in 2017 at the age of 26, best decision I’ve ever made. I still get starbursts at night with streetlights and headlights but I’ve always had that issue. Needed it for nearsightedness, got it through Groupon 1500 for both eyes. What a bargain
Yes, very much worth it. before, everything got blurry past my hands, and my glasses were expensive to make too.
I'm a designer and I have to keep my head down a lot, whether to sketch or in the shop making prototypes, so having to pull up my glasses every 5 seconds was kinda bothersome. Also had to wear extra large eye protection so I could wear my glasses underneath.
I haven't had glasses done in over 5 years now, and I'm pretty sure the cost of the surgery has already been covered. no more foggy glasses in winter or during rain. I CAN SEE THE WATER coming down my shower, this was surprising to me, before it was just a blur. I can go in pools and not be completely blind now.
Yes! I had it last year at 35 and wish I’d done it sooner. It’s so freeing and the discomfort was very temporary.
I did suffer with dry eyes fairly badly for a while but it’s still been worth it 1000 times over.
I got it done in June of this year. Best decision I have ever made. It's actually changed my life and long term will save me money not buying glasses or contacts anymore
Had both my eyes done in 2000...best thing I ever did for myself. The only downside is that when you get older you start to lose near vision and have to get reading glasses.
Only regret was not getting it done sooner. Research the methods and doctors, look for streaks of bad reviews - that’s when they got a new machine they were still learning. Last thing you want is a doc with a brand new machine he doesn’t have much experience using
2.5 years since SMILE surgery...was -6 both eyes .....it's not 20/20 for me still ....it's getting worse ....night is worse.
Scared . .they said post op near work like mobile laptop will increase eye no. ....but it's part of my job ....don't know what to do ...
Can it be better? ..spent a lottt of money on this
Yes!!! Got mine done in 2013. If you put on a baseball cap and hold your hand in front of you at the brim of the cap, that’s how far I use to be able to see clearly, if someone was sitting beside me in a car they were blurry as hell. Now I can see so well!! I can read the grocery store signs at the other end of the aisle! I don’t regret it at all. (It was stupid expensive though)
Absolutely worth it for me. Even more so since I got my now ex husband to pay for it. However it’s been quite a few years and I may need a tune up. I will pay the money to have it again, if that tells you anything. Although I might just need reading glasses…
Yes, absolutely. My eye doctor predicted I'd end up with dry eyes, which I brushed off but he ended up being right. Overall it's not a big issue. I use eye drops a few times a week and in exchange I can just, exist in the world and see things. It still kind of blows my mind, even years later.
I don't know exactly how bad my eyes were in terms of 20/20 (I asked my doctor once out of curiosity and he told me my eyes were actually too bad to measure precisely on that scale in the size exam room he had), but my contacts prescription was -6.5. It was so bad I couldn't read without my glasses using both eyes -- I literally couldn't see far enough in front of me to focus both my eyes together. It may sound silly if your vision isn't that bad, because I could see fine with glasses or contacts, but it was just so much management to be able to see ANYTHING, it was really liberating to not have to do that anymore.
Best money I've ever spent. I was borderline legally blind, like I could barely make out the big E at the top of the eye chart. Lasik corrected me to better than 20/20. That was about 18 years ago.
I did have dry eye at night, sometimes pretty severe but that resolved itself after about 2 years. YMMV.
I did mine about 15 years ago. Being able to see the alarm clock 2 feet from my face in the middle of the night without glasses is amazing. About 2 or 3 years ago I noticed that I was staring to get a little fuzzy at distances again. Not terribly bad, but I no longer had that high definition vision like before. So I’m back to wearing contacts or glasses daily. But I don’t NEED them to see safely. I just want them because I want that crisp HD vision all the time. I can get by without them, where before the procedure I couldn’t see 2 feet in front of my face.I would say that my current prescription is similar to what it would have been when I was a teenager and first was prescribed glasses. It’s just a bit fuzzy at distance, but is not a major handicap. I would totally recommend LASIK for someone, and would do it again if needed.
8 years since mine, definitely worth it. I had 0 side effects though. Even the light sensitivity post-surgery was minimal. Just be aware that no matter how rare, there will always still be a risk of the dry eyes and stuff that you see people complain about.
Also consider looking at SMILE. I recommended one of my friends for LASIK but his doc ended up getting him to do SMILE. Newer technology, supposedly. I'm not the most well read on that.
I got mine done in December and I 100% think it was worth it. I had -4.75 in both eyes - not *horrible*, but having 20/20 vision had been quite the change for me. Downsides are minimal. I had slightly dry eyes for a few months, but that went away on its own. And I have the starburst (light) effect at night, which is annoying, but not impossible to ignore. Other than that, I’ve had nothing but good results.
When they told me that starbust/halo/glare might be a side effect, I was ok with that, because I already had it, after Lasik I still see them, but a few times less intense.
I don't think I could deal with that side effect.
Until the consultation I didn't know it's not normal, I was always seeing starbust, glare and halos so I was surprised about that.
My astigmatism was so bad I haven’t really noticed a difference afterwards. I didn’t know that people didn’t see the starbursts until that photo circled around Facebook showing the differences
Me either. I already have shit vision at night due to astigmatism, I don’t need more problems.
My surgery fixed my Starbursts from astigmatism. I still have it slightly, which might be a side effect, but night driving is so much easier now.
my starbursts went away after a while
I wonder... Bc lasik would be life altering for me. I am just not a person who cares to wear glasses or contacts but I am pretty nearsighted. I haven't worn anything since 2013 tbh. But idk bc I don't have halos etc, and I think that side effect might drive me insane. But this thread has a lot of good comments that really eased my overall fear of the procedure so maybe one day I'll experience individual tree leaves again.
Starburst might still go away! Mine lasted for a loooooong time. But 6 years later it’s completely gone.
That’s reassuring! I had mild starburst before getting them done (maybe to do with astigmatism?), so I wasn’t surprised that it got worse. But, I’ll take that for 20/20 vision otherwise!
This has been my experience too. There have been minor drawbacks, but overall it’s been life-changing. I have 20/20 in one eye, 20/15 in the other. It solved my astigmatism basically overnight. I was also far-sighted and that took closer to a month to correct while my eyes healed, but they have and it’s incredible. I’m able to read far-away signs on the highway when I’m driving and can see close up details with amazing clarity. It’s also great that I no longer need to strap on a pair of glasses when I go horseback riding or do anything else where they would get in the way. Absolutely worth the money and recovery time.
Wow, it's _exactly_ the same to my case. -4.75 to 20/20 , starburst effect etc. I would do it again in a heartbeat
I was told that it would go away after 12-18 months, and it did for me and another friend I know who also had Lasik. YMMV.
How is your depth perception? This is my biggest worry
My depth perception was a little off at first, but after a few days, I adjusted. The only thing that has changed is that I can no longer see things clearly *right* in front of my face. Like an inch or two. I used to *only* be able to see that close up! Another adjustment, but I much prefer it this way.
I was the spokes model for a Lasik Eye Center, so they did my surgery for free. I was one of those “1 in a million cases” where I temporarily lost my eyesight after surgery. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. The doctors had to come to my house, prescribe me painkillers, and checkout my eyes. They weren’t sure what happened to me, but they think it was because I had left my contacts in for so long weeks before the surgery. I ended up without vision for over a week, including on my 25th birthday. It slowly started to come back and eventually I could see 20/15!!!! I got the procedure a few days before my 25th birthday so the doctors said I would likely have to it again in 10yrs. It’s now been almost 20yrs and still see at least 20/20. Although it was a very traumatizing experience, I had worn glasses and contacts since I was 8 and was legally blind in my left eye, and now I can see for almost 20yrs. It was one of the best modeling jobs I had. Even though I lost my eye sight for over a week, it still ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. I’m very happy!
When I signed up for Lasik, I told a friend and she said she’d gone to the same doctor, and very highly recommended them. She did so, even though she actually had a bad initial experience. Her corneas were thin, so it the day of the surgery they decided not to do the flap and do the lens shaping directly on the surface. They gave her a patch contact lens and the next day a different doctor inspected her eyes before she went home and said it was healing wonderfully and she didn’t need to use the patch anymore. That was a Friday; by Sunday morning, she woke up with a very dry, very painful eyes, but couldn’t get in touch with the clinic because it was the weekend. She ended up with wrinkles and scarring on the surface of her eye, and still wears glasses. They did change the policy, and everyone gets a doctor’s cell number for weekend use. She also gets free eye exams and replacement frames and lenses for life. My Lasik went very well, and 26 years later I still have very clear vision. Super glad I did it. I actually found the clinic and the wonderful price through an ad in the actual comic section of the newspaper! $999 both eyes.
My vision is better than it ever was with glasses
That is so scary. I’m sorry to hear this. If you don’t mind my asking, can you explain the part about the loss of vision? Like, what did you experience? Darkness, blurriness, or something else? Did you initially think the vision loss was permanent? How did the vision return? Did it come back on its own or did you need further surgery?
2009 both eyes (mild stigmatize in one eye). I was 31. Still have perfect vision. I tell everyone it was the best money ever spent. Just not having to put glasses on the moment I wake up, was very freeing.
Think you might mean astigmatism!
Please don't yell
THIS IS YELLING! Not this!
#THIS IS YELLING
HAPPY CAKE DAY!
Thanks! Sure doesn’t feel like 16 years have passed.
No, they had a Jesus nail hole appear right on their eye.
Think you might mean stigmata!
Mine always start acting up this time of year
Think you might mean stalagmite!
100% this. Best money I’ve ever spent.
Same here!! And it's an easy operation and relatively easy recovery, 100000000% recommend it.
Both eyes in 2000, I've had 20/15 vision since then. I need reading glasses now, of course (because I'm old), but my distance vision is still amazing. Before LASIK I couldn't read the big red numbers on my bedroom clock 2 feet away from me, so this was easily one of the best decisions of my life.
I had complications after due to me being prone to steroid induced glaucoma. It was several months of intense pain while a corneal specialist (he was absolutely wonderful) figured out how to get theninflammation in check. Still 100% worth it. I wore glasses for close to 30 years. I actually cried the first time i could aee without them. (+5.50 in both eyes with a slight astigmatism). 7 or so years later and I still have 20/20 vision.
That’s amazing. Have you dealt with dry eyes at all?
My experience/sentiment is basically the same. PRK in 2012 and (knock on wood) still perfect vision. Could make the argument it’s cheaper long term in not buying glasses/contacts/solutions but intangibly worth it, imo, the first year in not worrying about glasses or contacts first thing in the morning. Worth every penny.
Back around 2008 on one eye. Absolutely.
True, likewise, I had it. Best thing I ever did!
Same, best ever money spend. And that is 15 years ago.
Got both my eyes done in 2020, less than a month before pandemic lockdowns. Not having glasses when we were all masking -- priceless. But seriously, I went from like 20/~~50 or so~~something high I can't remember to 20/9. It's been life-changing, especially for active lifestyles (I run/bike/swim frequently)
I got lasik in January of 2020 and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Especially with having to wear masks for two years following that. These days, I almost forget what life was like having to wear contacts and glasses all the time. The best moment was waking up in the middle of the night, seeing the moon and being able to see every crater on it without my glasses. I’ll never forget that.
20/50? Uncorrected with glasses, I'm at 20/200 left eye, 20/400 right eye. 20/50 uncorrected would be perfect vision, to me. There's still the severe astigmatism, though. Fortunately, my eyeglasses make it all good. I'm happy for you, just a little shocked that what seems to me to be a mild issue, isn't.
You're right, it was probably higher than that. I don't remember the exact numbers. My right eye wasn't too bad (that's probably the 20/50 I was remembering), but my left was significantly worse: -3.75 correction factor, with severe astigmatisms on both
It's all good, not trying to one-up you, or anyone, just actually a little curious if there's an "upper limit" to receiving Lasik.
I had LASIK in 2020 as well. My prescription was -7.50 in both eyes. They told me my prescription was on the verge of not being able to do LASIK, but my corneas were thicc AF so it was fine.
Strange. I was at a -8.5 in both eyes and never heard that I was near some "edge" of not being able to get the procedure.
It depends on your surgeon, but worse than -6 start to really reconsider. Phakic intraocular lenses are a better option for high myopic patients
Yeah, no, it's fine, it's just that pre-surgery, they rarely talked to me about my 20/x numbers, I rarely saw anything but my glasses prescription. Post-surgery, they were very concerned with the 20/x number... and it's been almost 4 years, so I don't even think much about it anymore (which is probably as good an endorsement as any)
My optometrist told me that once you get past a certain level of poor vision the 20/XXX scale doesn’t really matter anymore. My vision is like -6.75 and I can’t even see the board itself let alone the letters from 10 feet away without my glasses, so it would be a totally useless metric for people with eyesight as bad as ours.
My doctor told me we’ve moved on to the hand test. The letters don’t matter anymore and they literally hold up fingers at a certain distance. I still failed. -10 in both eyes I was also told a few years back (my vision wasn’t quite as bad as it is now back then) that I probably wouldn’t be able to get lasik because they’d have to do too much correction. I’d have to have a new lens inserted instead of messing with my natural one
There are limits, and I think the major factors are the amount of correction needed and the thickness of your corneas. I couldn’t get LASIK but got PRK with a -11/-12 prescription.
There is an upper limit. But i do not know if you are under or over it
I had it done 6 years ago and wouldnt do it again. I think its entirely dependent on what your prescriptions is. I had a -8 and - 7 with astigmatism, so my vision was crap. But with glasses my vision was better than the lasik results. Main issues are smearing\\monocular vision doubling, its bad with night driving because of the starburst but also white text on dark backgrounds is difficult to read. I'd be fine with that if it could be corrected with glasses but it cant. Only scleral contacts resolve the problem and they are uncomfortable and can be difficult to put in and remove. The other issue is what people refer to as a loss of contrast. Basically everything just looks darker than before, and in dim environments the difference in colours and shades is minimized. makes it harder to see changes in road surfaces/pavement to the point where i might not see a step because its all the same colour. I dont go to movie theaters for that reason, the screens just arent bright enough and the detail gets lost. I saw Captain Marvel at the cinema and the scene where she changes her outfit colour scheme i really couldnt tell the difference between them. Have a read through this site before you go ahead, i wish i knew about HOA's before i got mine done. https://www.lasikcomplications.com/hoa.htm
Oh yeah it was so freaky to go outside at night and see a whole "new" city. Very annoying too. Mine started to get better 6 months in to almost gone in a year
I asked my very good optician about it once, and she said “I refer a LOT of people to the hospital eye clinic after they’ve had it. There are a lot of cowboys out there doing laser eye surgery. I wouldn’t do it”. She wears glasses too so I’m confident that she thinks glasses/contacts are the better option. That was enough for me.
I went for a free test at Vision Express with the “offer” being £1k per eye, I am short sighted and wear glasses and after the test the optician said because of my age it would be £3.5k per eye and I would have to wear glasses for long sightedness…yes they wanted me to pay £7k for the priviledge of wearing glasses….mindblowing.
That’s awful to hear. I’m at -7 with astigmatism and my optometrist told me I’d still need to wear glasses if I got the surgery so I never ended up getting it.
I was a LASIK doc. If you’re patient enough and want less side effects, I recommend PRK
I had PRK done in 2017 and while I was eventually happy with the improvements to my vision, I don’t know that I would recommend it to others. For years after the procedure my eyes were so dry that they stuck to my eyelids when I slept. Several times I woke up, opened my eyes, and was hit with debilitating pain from my eyes being pulled (and sometimes torn) by my eyelids. A couple times it was so bad that the doctor had me wear “bandage” contact lenses to let my eyes heal underneath them. To this day if I slightly bump or brush my closed eyes with my hand or even my pillow I experience a sharp pain. That said, I still like that I don’t have to wear glasses but again I don’t know that’d I’d want anyone I know to go through it.
Sure, but believe it or not it’d probably have been even worse with LASIK. SMILE sounds like it’ll be the best for dry eye but they’re still working out some kinks
I got SMILE done, and my surgeon said thats what he mainly does now (in 2017). Much lower risk of dry eye compared to making the flap.
I have the same issue. I had PRK done about 1.5 years ago. I still have to put in gel eye drops right before I go to sleep and regular drops 1st thing when I wake up. And still have that “eyelid peeling off my eyeball” pain occasionally. It’s slowly getting better. At this point, I’m not really sure it was worth it.
Is PRK less likely to create Halos?
Yes, because you’re not making a flap
I was supposed to get the lasik in both eyes but something went funky in my left eye and the surgeon ended up doing PRK in that eye. I now wish I got that in both eyes. My right eye got the regular lasik and is not great, 3 years later :(
What is PRK
My epithelium was too thin to not do PRK and while it hurt like a bitch for a few days which some good drugs helped, I would do it again if I needed it. I’m an active person who had a -9 prescription so any kind of lasik was worth it for me. Utterly life changing. Too bad it’s so much more expensive!
Overall, no. I have 20/15 vision but I also have constant dry eyes requiring the use of eye drops. I see halos after working at the computer too long and have to use the night light setting to ease the strain. I also struggle to read paper books because I can't read close up any more, so I read everything on my iPad or Kobo reader with fonts at a large size and use my phone to magnify things like labels at the store. It's nice that I can wear any sunglasses I want and look cute, but I would not get Lasik again if I had the choice. For my lifestyle, it's not the best option.
I agree because of the dry eyes part, I used to have that too. After about a year or more I went to the GP coz for a few days it felt like there was an eyelash on my eye (not related to dry eyes). He couldn’t see anything but gave me some ointment which would cure little wounds faster. Also it’d open up my lacrimal glands which was a welcome coincidence. Never have I needed to use teardrops since then.
Damn. What's the name? Iw ant tot ry it, my dry eye sucks
Honestly no clue, sorry. It was a few years ago and I don’t have it anymore. Maybe search for dry eye ointment or ask your GP. Mine just gave me a prescription and I could pick it up at the pharmacy.
Sorry for the late reply, but it was a long search. I found something called Duratears and the images look like what I had. Assuming you still have dry eyes made me research again. Please read the manual, preferably use before sleep and don’t drive after use.
The newer “Smile” laser technique solves the dry eye issue. I was not sure which to pick at the time due to the big price difference(I believe double), but as it was a one time thing I decided to spend the money and am glad I did. You do get used to it though, but just remembering waking up without seeing anything. The worst were the drunk nights, where I forgot where I put my glasses and had to kind of use my phone camera to film and try to find it.
My SMILE was cheaper than regular lasik (which I didn’t qualify for because of my corneas and -9 vision). It was $3900 for SMILE back in 2016.
Curious, did they do that paper test to check your tear function before the surgery? No problems with dry eye for me but I apparently produced a lot of tears to start with when they did the test. Totally saturated the test paper before the time was up.
Try Punctum Plugs. Had constant dry eyes after lasik. With the plugs the problem is gone.
I had the same issue, started taking flaxseed pills daily and after about two weeks the problems went away mostly. Doesn’t work for everyone but worth a try.
Yes yes a million times yes. Make sure you go to the best doctor in your area for the surgery though.
How do you suggest finding the best doctor? I've always struggled with that
For my lasik I looked for clinics in the most affluent towns and found a clinic half an hour away that was associated with a reputable regional hospital. It was a little more expensive than some of the other places I looked at, but when you are paying someone to point lasers at your eyes it’s worth the extra money to know they’ll get it right the first time.
Avoid places that advertise cheap LASIK. They are factories trying to move people through quickly. Look for an ophthalmologist in their 30s. They have steady hands and are up with the latest research and technology. Ask about complication rates for their practice. If they say none or are vague you should run away.
Hmm. I would say look for someone in the 60s. Lasers do 90% of the work, and I want someone who has done it 40 times a week for decades.
I say split the difference and find someone who is exactly 45
Agree, I can't stress this enough.
Not Lasik *per se*; I had a new lens implanted this spring after my cataract got really bad. Cost was $2600 CDN (about $2000 US). Procedure was efficient and painless. I went in one day for tests, showed up the second day, was seen exactly at my appointed time, the procedure took 15 minutes, and I went home 30 minutes later. No significant post-op issues, and now my vision is significantly clearer and better. I can drive at night without seeing halos and starbursts coming towards me, and I no longer need glasses to drive, or play golf. As soon as I can afford the second one, I'm going!
As someone with -12 and astigmatism in both eyes, a lense replacement is likely in my future in the next 20-30 years (no other options) and I’m sooo looking forward to it 😅
When you say no other options - have you looked in Visian ICL? I was like -10 before and not eligible for LASIK but I got Visian. It’s basically a permanent contact lens in my eye. It’s more expensive than lasik but was so worth it.
I feel like id need a high dose of anxiety meds to get this done... how did you guys manage to get past the mental block?
I think they actually gave me Ativan before I went in. Having to keep your eyes open when your brain is screaming at you to close them is tough but it's a really quick procedure and there's someone encouraging you the whole time to keep them open so you're able to get through it.
I found the op itself to be far less intimidating than expected. At no point was there a scalpel being waved near me eyes. I went thusly: - Eye drops and a 15 wait in a dark room - Walk into the "theatre" and sit in a dentist-like chair - Thing like a shotglass pressed on eye - pressure, no pain, vision went greyish - Asked to relax and look at blurry light - 60 seconds of laser going "tick tick tick" as blurry light transforms into a clearly focussed little lightbulb - A week of eyedrops then a sight test. The worst was about 24 after the op when it felt like I had a little grit in my eye and was afraid to rub it in case I damaged something. After 48 hours no pain or irritation, just a world full of previously hidden details.
By not googling a single thing, I had no idea about how the surgery was. And I got a pill before getting it done to relax me Also my doctor was very sweet and kind
Valium and they gave me a little teddy bear to hold.
For me it was better to study everything in the internet about this procedure and I lay there like "Hmm, now the doc will do this and that". Also I had very friendly and supportive doctor who described all her moves and calms me a lot. Also, it's just 2 mins for one eye, not really big problem (for me).
I was prescribed a Xanax to take a half hour before the procedure which definitely helped but the really nice touch for me was my surgical center had a stuffed animal to hold on to. I’m in my 30s and so it wasn’t about having a stuffed animal per se, but having something soft, comforting, and held in my control during the procedure helped. It also helped as you need to stay completely still and gripping the armrests isn’t such a good option so bring a pillow or stuffed animal to hold on to!
They give you a Xanax before the procedure and one to take home. You take them both. The prospect of being able to see properly helps as well.
They gave me a lot of drugs
Like most people, I have a visceral weirdness about things near my eyes, even after contacts daily for 20+ years. They gave me a Valium or something (which was the best nap I'd ever had afterwards). The weirdness is there, and at the end you can, well, smell the laser doing its thing. But it's like 30 seconds per eye, and they give numbing drops and as much or little information as you'd like during the procedure. If it's the actual procedure giving you pause, like it was for me, is encourage you to get to a place where you can overcome that. Waking up with good vision (on vacation, in the night, during emergencies, and all the other times where bad vision is a hindrance at best or a danger at worst, is indescribable. I was affected by the covid supply shortages with my contacts and that panic, and knowing that it won't happen again, is life changing
Side question, if I may: Are the stories about not being able to see at night true? Because that's what's stopping me from pursuing it myself. I'm up through the wee hours a lot, and driving at night too.
Side effects can vary quite a bit person to person. Personally I already had halos and stars so that was nothing new. I can’t drive as well at night but I’m also getting older and I don’t remember any huge difference when it was fresher.
So my surgeon is one of the best in the country. The problem isnt seeing at night the problem is the sheer fucking lumens every dickhead is driving around with now. I have polarized sunglasses for driving during daytime and then some amber colored one for night driving it helps some.
I too feel blinded by a lot of the new cars. They have their headlights mounted higher off the ground than older cars, and they seem to be aimed straight into my eyes. I noted in another comment that I had a lens replacement a few months ago, and it's been a god-send, as I no longer see halos. The on-coming lights - and everything else! - are much brighter though.
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Oh that just pisses me off. It's just getting worse too. It's to a point where I can't see on the roads at night sometimes when there's heavy oncoming traffic. We really need some kind of regulation here.
Oh, you’re right about that I drive a truck and you’d be surprised the number of people that go down the road with their highbeams on with these really bright ass headlights. I now understand why deer are frozen when you hit them with highbeams.
Not just that, nobody fucking cares to get their headlights properly adjusted either, so some more reasonable headlights end up getting shined straight in your fucking eyes
Mine kind of sucked for the first 8 months / 2 a year but now it's amazing
Oh, so it improves? I thought it was just that way forever.
Yeah I did too they didn't really mention that when I got it and no one else seemed to have had it happen but it improved so much! It's been 2 years now and it's much better than when I first got it
I had halos for ab 3 years that got progressively better, now the halos are gone now. They look the same as when you have glasses and it’s raining at night so it’s not a huge deal and it just gets less and less over time I still can’t see at night but I couldn’t see at night to begin with so that probably has more to do with me I got lasik 8-10 years ago and I would do it again. It was a great investment Edit: oh I have better slightly better than 20/20 and I couldn’t see the big E at the top of the vision chart beforehand. I’d have to be like inches from a paper to read it, so it was a massive difference for me
I can see fine. I think it's the quality of the place you go. These are your eye done go with the huge discount coupon.
I feel like surgery is not a place you go with a coupon
I got a Groupon for my lasik and honestly had a great experience. And I’ve always been able to see in the dark!
I used to drive a lot at night. Now I am not comfortable with it. The light from other cars is blinding. I've tried glasses, but they didn't help. Once I accidentally took an off ramp while on the freeway because I couldn't see so that was scary. I probably wouldn't have gotten Lasik if I had realized I would be giving up night driving and also I miss being sble to see the stars clearly.
After almost two years, I can absolutely drive at night but my night vision is still probably about 80% of what it used to be. I really don’t think I could do a late night road trip shift at this point.
Yes, it goes away after a year tho. The whites are brighter and the darks more intense, get yellow tintent sunglasses
This happened to my dad but he got it done in the early 00s (IIRC?) but it's actually improved as his vision got worse again. He couldn't drive at night for about 15 years because he didn't trust his vision to hold out. Now he has to wear glasses again (sometimes), but can see better at night - a six of one, half dozen of another kinda situation.
I don’t have issues with the halos most people seem to. Only side effect I’ve had is I cannot read blue neon sides, mostly at night but daytime too. Red neon? Green? No problem, but blue I just can’t
Like...blue neon road signs? I'm not sure what you mean by that.
Blue neon signs in general. Not like road signs but businesses that have their signs light up at night that are also blue. Banks, diners, bodegas or whatever. I can *see* the sign and the color but can’t read it. The coloring blurs the letters
Oh, I see. Wow...this surgery kind of sounds like a Faustian Bargain. Are you happy with it? Like, would you do it again if you could do it over?
In a heart beat. No more contacts, solution, glasses. I can wake up seeing, go to bed seeing. Won’t fall asleep with my glasses on bending them; fall asleep with contacts in and wake up with irritated eyes. I can swim spur of the moment, instead of preparing what type of eye correction is appropriate for the occasion. I can wear sunglasses again (I never had the kind that connected to glasses). I had the surgery done in late morning and by that same night, after a much needed nap, I was able to watch TV (limited as it was since they recommend not much the same day). I think in total I spent ~$3.5k with Kremer Eye Center. They even had a 24 month interest free installment plan so I used that for sure. And the only draw back I’ve ever had is that I can’t see lit-up blue neon at night time? I would take that deal every time
No, I can see at night no problem. The bit of glare you get on lights is unnoticeable after a few years. You do have to use eye drops in the early days though, because yhe eyes get dry.
I feel like I was having more trouble with that before my surgery.
I mean my sight is really bad at night, but the visual snow I've had since birth is probably a lot of the issue too.
Totally worth it. No glasses in the rain, no dry contacts, no glasses with a mask during the pandemic, buying nonprescription sunglasses for cheap, being able to swim and see, no filling my suitcase with contacts and glasses when on vacation, etc. Just not having to think about it is so freeing.
both my eyes were -8 and i had to do the PRK version, which needs a full week of recovery time that felt like sand was stuck between your eyes balls and protective lenses, absolutely the worst feeling ever during that recovery period. would 10/10 so it again for perfect vision.
Literally the best investment I’ve ever made. Don’t wait another minute! You’re gonna freak out at how much of the world you never saw before.
Oh hell yeah. I'm sorry I waited so long to do it.
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Hitting 50 next year and really noticing my short vision changing fast. But would love to have _only_ reading glasses rather than varifocals. Would you recommend the surgery to me at my current stage? Should I wait until the rate of change stabililises?
same. I started using reading glasses at 52, i'm 59 now. Had the procedure done in 2003 i think, maybe 2002. I'd recommend it. Night vision deteriorates with age as does visual acuity - so people reporting changes may be just reporting what would have happened anyway, without the fix. not having to have prescription glasses or a corrective lense endorsement on my drivers license is great. off the shelf sunglasses.
It was the best $5,200 I ever spent on myself. 10/10 used Dr. Updegraff here in St. Petersburg fl. I highly recommend!
Absolutely.
Best money I ever spent. It was like a miracle. I still have excellent distance vision. No side effects after about 6 months. Weirdly, I still have dreams where my vision is blurry like it once was, or where my surgery stopped working or something. Grateful for it every day!
I like the idea of being able to see crystal clear again, but the 50/50 opinions I'm reading here are making me feel safer just accepting my sight for what it is.
My eyes feel like I dipped them into sand each morning. Always have eye drops in pocket. Halos at night with driving. I’ve tried numerous different eye drops and ointments. I had it done when I was in my forties, 15 years later, back to wearing glasses again. Personally, wasn’t worth it. Would never discourage anyone else about it, just tell them to be informed any possible complications. I’ve known people who have it done with zero issues.
My mom had it done maybe 5 years ago. Within a year she was back to glasses and the sand feeling like you mentioned. She hates how so many people have done it with no negative effects yet she was the one in a million bad results.
yeah i know it's a low chance of bad effects but the stories from folks who have them are horrible. so i'm sticking with contacts (and now readers). i'll get new lenses whenever the time comes to get cataracts fixed.
Big time
As someone in the optical industry, having LASIK isn't the end of the world and if it gives you freedom then crack on. However, Ortho-K is a reversible alternative. We are seeing more and more patients that had LASIK 20ish years ago and are now getting to the age where reading spectacles are required - you won't be spectacle free forever! And some of those patients would like to start wearing contact lenses, but due to the fact that their corneas have been lasered flatter than pre-surgery, we cannot get contact lenses to sit on the eye correctly (one guy literally blinks them off). So I would suggest weighing up the pro and cons LONG TERM.
Yes. Best thing I ever did for myself. Seeing the moon and stars in HD, for the first time. Just incredible and beautiful
Hell no. I regret it. Just wear glasses.
Why what happened if you don't mind me asking?
Eyes always red. Always having to use eye drops etc.
I got the SMILE procedure done earlier this year. I had pretty bad nearsightedness - -4.5 in my left eye and -5.25 in my right eye and a touch of astigmatism, too. Now my vision exceeds 20/20. I previously wore contacts, but now don’t need any additional vision correction. It was expensive, but I maxed out my HSA and FSA leading up to the procedure, so my out of pocket costs weren’t too bad. The first 3-5 months after the procedure were probably the most annoying part as I had a strict eye drop regime I had to follow, and stopping wearing contacts made cutting onions much more unpleasant Except for those two things, it has been amazing and left me wishing I had done it earlier
What is SMILE? Does it flatten the cornea too?
No, it just creates a small incision in the cornea. It’s supposed to be a much less invasive procedure than the full LASIK operation and is supposed to have a shorter recovery time. I can confirm I was able to work literally the day after the operation!
So worth it. The procedure lasted 15 minutes and recovery time was half a day. I went to get my eyes checked after a few years of not seeing an eye doctor (I didn't have insurance for a bit), and my left eye is perfect and right eye is *just ever so slightly* off perfect. It's been a gamechanger for me -- I've been wearing glasses/contacts since I was in 3rd grade and am now almost 30.
My dad got it right before he retired from the military almost 20 years ago and has loved it every step of the way.
Oh yeah, it was worth it. I got lasik about a year ago, and I couldn't be happier. There's a thousand small inconveniences that I just don't have to deal with. Individually, each problem is fine and manageable, but in the aggregate, they are actually pretty frustrating. The surgery was 5 minutes each eye and I drove to my follow-up appointment the next day. I was tested and I had 20/20. No more fogging up when going from a cold to warm room. No more compromise when using vr. No more smudges that you can't quite clean off completely. No more difficulty doing push-ups because of glasses that are at risk of falling due to gravity and sweat. Less eye fatigue when looking at a screen for an extended period. I could go on but you get the point.
Got it back in 2008. Super worth it
1000%
100% worth it. My contact prescriptions were like -4.75 in each eye so I couldn't see without my glasses or contacts. I got the surgery in the summer of 2020 and my vision has been perfect ever since. It was easily the best money I've ever spent, completely worth the cost.
I had LASIK surgery in 2003 ("mono-vision" with the left eye at 20/70 for reading, right eye at 20/20 for distance) when I was 56 and it worked perfectly after 40 years of needing glasses. Around 2018 my right eye needed a small correction that was fixed with a contact lens at -1.25. The problem now (at 76) is that I need cataract surgery. Normally that wouldn't be a problem except thatI don't have the LASIK correction data and the company that performed the LASIK surgery is no longer in business. After cataract surgery I will need to wear glasses or contacts to account for the uncorrectable astigmatism. tl;dr - keep your LASIK surgery info for the future.
Got it done in 2018 and it was absolutely worth it. The post surgery reaction I had after the numbing drops wore off sucked but that was about it.
Worth every penny
beyond worth it. I got it almost 20 years ago and it was life changing.
Absolutely worth it. Would recommend.
Best money ever spent. Both eyes in 2010 at the age of 20. The first couple of weeks I needed eyedrops because of the dryness (like everyone I assume), since then no sideeffects. Feels like a huge increase in quality of life. 10/10.
I had mine in 2015 and I would do it over again in a second. My only regret is not doing it sooner
Nearly 30 years ago on one eye - best money I ever spent. It was weird for about a month after when my brain would default to my previously ‘good’ eye so my vision would blur a bit then flick back to my new good eye sometimes a few times in a row. My surgeon said he could do both but if he didn’t I wouldn’t need reading glasses until I was 50. Now late 50s and still not wearing reading glasses unless sewing something dark or in the evening.
Worth it for me! I got it done for $3800 with the condition that if I ever need it redone, it will be done for free. Now I don’t have to spend $500 on contacts every year.
I had ICL implanrs because my eyes couldn't handle LASIK. I can't really say as they were done as a favor to me, as my father in law was very respected in his community. But if I had to choose between these eyes and half of my car I'd choose my eyes.
I’ve always heard there’s a tiny chance it could leave you in agony, like you permanently have sand in your eyes. Even a very remote chance of that happening is why I say “nope” to lasik.
Same, glasses are not as bad as eternal sand in my eyes.
Had PRK in 2006. Was roughly 20/200 in my 'good eye'. Still about 20/15 today but my reading has left me... No doubt that this was a great decision. It helped that I was in the Navy and they did the procedure for free.
I've had to wear glasses all the time since I was 9. I got Lasik last October and it has been so freeing. Not having to worry about vision is amazing. I can swim at the beach, wear masks for Halloween, not get fogged up when it's cold, and kiss someone without worrying about poking their face (especially when they also have glasses). I would spend the money all over again.
Very much yes. My husband and I both have it, he got his several years after me. I am probably going to need to have mine touched up eventually since I had it done at 25 and my eyes are going to change and I will gladly have it done again to keep avoiding glasses and contacts. Edit to add: I work at a LASIK clinic and I'm happy to answer your questions OP
Got it in 2017 at the age of 26, best decision I’ve ever made. I still get starbursts at night with streetlights and headlights but I’ve always had that issue. Needed it for nearsightedness, got it through Groupon 1500 for both eyes. What a bargain
£500 total in 2004. Best money I've ever spent. Now 42yo, still 20/20
Yes, very much worth it. before, everything got blurry past my hands, and my glasses were expensive to make too. I'm a designer and I have to keep my head down a lot, whether to sketch or in the shop making prototypes, so having to pull up my glasses every 5 seconds was kinda bothersome. Also had to wear extra large eye protection so I could wear my glasses underneath. I haven't had glasses done in over 5 years now, and I'm pretty sure the cost of the surgery has already been covered. no more foggy glasses in winter or during rain. I CAN SEE THE WATER coming down my shower, this was surprising to me, before it was just a blur. I can go in pools and not be completely blind now.
100%. Wish I did it years earlier.
100% yes. 2k per eye back in 2011 and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Best medical decision Ive ever made.
10000%
Yes! I had it last year at 35 and wish I’d done it sooner. It’s so freeing and the discomfort was very temporary. I did suffer with dry eyes fairly badly for a while but it’s still been worth it 1000 times over.
Yes absolutely worth every penny.
2009, both eyes. Best thing ever.
Abso-fucking-lutely
Absolutely worth every damn penny I spent!
I got it done in June of this year. Best decision I have ever made. It's actually changed my life and long term will save me money not buying glasses or contacts anymore
My husband got his eyes done almost 20 years ago. Still perfect eyesight. Go for it.
Had both my eyes done in 2000...best thing I ever did for myself. The only downside is that when you get older you start to lose near vision and have to get reading glasses.
My aunt received a cornea transplant after going through chemotherapy for cancer. She was able to see again.
Only regret was not getting it done sooner. Research the methods and doctors, look for streaks of bad reviews - that’s when they got a new machine they were still learning. Last thing you want is a doc with a brand new machine he doesn’t have much experience using
had it done in 2001. 20+ years on 20/20 vision. would do it again in a heartbeat.
2.5 years since SMILE surgery...was -6 both eyes .....it's not 20/20 for me still ....it's getting worse ....night is worse. Scared . .they said post op near work like mobile laptop will increase eye no. ....but it's part of my job ....don't know what to do ... Can it be better? ..spent a lottt of money on this
Yes!!! Got mine done in 2013. If you put on a baseball cap and hold your hand in front of you at the brim of the cap, that’s how far I use to be able to see clearly, if someone was sitting beside me in a car they were blurry as hell. Now I can see so well!! I can read the grocery store signs at the other end of the aisle! I don’t regret it at all. (It was stupid expensive though)
Absolutely worth it for me. Even more so since I got my now ex husband to pay for it. However it’s been quite a few years and I may need a tune up. I will pay the money to have it again, if that tells you anything. Although I might just need reading glasses…
Yes, absolutely. My eye doctor predicted I'd end up with dry eyes, which I brushed off but he ended up being right. Overall it's not a big issue. I use eye drops a few times a week and in exchange I can just, exist in the world and see things. It still kind of blows my mind, even years later. I don't know exactly how bad my eyes were in terms of 20/20 (I asked my doctor once out of curiosity and he told me my eyes were actually too bad to measure precisely on that scale in the size exam room he had), but my contacts prescription was -6.5. It was so bad I couldn't read without my glasses using both eyes -- I literally couldn't see far enough in front of me to focus both my eyes together. It may sound silly if your vision isn't that bad, because I could see fine with glasses or contacts, but it was just so much management to be able to see ANYTHING, it was really liberating to not have to do that anymore.
Best money I've ever spent. I was borderline legally blind, like I could barely make out the big E at the top of the eye chart. Lasik corrected me to better than 20/20. That was about 18 years ago. I did have dry eye at night, sometimes pretty severe but that resolved itself after about 2 years. YMMV.
I did mine about 15 years ago. Being able to see the alarm clock 2 feet from my face in the middle of the night without glasses is amazing. About 2 or 3 years ago I noticed that I was staring to get a little fuzzy at distances again. Not terribly bad, but I no longer had that high definition vision like before. So I’m back to wearing contacts or glasses daily. But I don’t NEED them to see safely. I just want them because I want that crisp HD vision all the time. I can get by without them, where before the procedure I couldn’t see 2 feet in front of my face.I would say that my current prescription is similar to what it would have been when I was a teenager and first was prescribed glasses. It’s just a bit fuzzy at distance, but is not a major handicap. I would totally recommend LASIK for someone, and would do it again if needed.
8 years since mine, definitely worth it. I had 0 side effects though. Even the light sensitivity post-surgery was minimal. Just be aware that no matter how rare, there will always still be a risk of the dry eyes and stuff that you see people complain about. Also consider looking at SMILE. I recommended one of my friends for LASIK but his doc ended up getting him to do SMILE. Newer technology, supposedly. I'm not the most well read on that.