Lasik eye surgery? - or Implantable lenses?

HuskerMom wrote: Has anyone here gotten lasik or know someone who has? Dh got an appointment with his eye dr to discuss it and is seriously considering it. Without contacts Dh's eyesight is really bad, but him getting lasik makes me so nervous. What if the dr messes up and he ends up blind or something! He's also considering Implantable Lenses, that scares me too. Does anyone know anything about that?

TLCDad replied: I am thinking about having Lasik done myself. I too wear contacts and am afraid of the sames reasons you are as well as I heard that sometimes they can not correct to 20/20 and you still may need to wear corrective lenses. I am like then why have it done in the first place.

But I also know people who have had it done and have perfect vision now.

I would not do the implantable lenses though. I am not sure how they work but sounds like the eyes may have problems getting enough oxygen. My eyes are growing veins to get more oxygen from wearing contacts so long to the point I was told Lasik might not even be possible any longer.

msoulz replied: I know folks who have had it done and now wear only reading glasses, but that is normal for the 50 + crowd I guess. My dad wore "coke bottle" glasses for his whole life until at about 65 he had catarac (sp?) surgery and they implanted lenses and now he only needs reading glasses. That is pretty amazing.

I also know an orthopaedic sugeon who did his own research and decided NOT to have it done. I don't know the reasons why.

DH has treated one of the area docs who performs the lasik surgery and that doc wears glasses . . . perhaps he is not a candidate but it does look a bit odd!

moped replied: I know lot sof people and nobody has had a problem - most say it is the best thing they ever did!

Kaitlin'smom replied: I almost had lasik, and wish I had just done it. I even got tested and was a perfect canidate for it. I was just waiting on a bonus at work to pay for it well we wont go into the BS that happend so needless to say I did not get to have it done.

PrairieMom replied: I heard that they cant fix astigmatism with it, is that true? I wanted to have it done, but I have one, so I don't think it would work for me.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
not true I have astigmatism in both eyes one wors than the other, i was told thats why most chose to have it done is cause there astigmatism. most places will evaluate you for free, its worth going to see if your a canidate

PrairieMom replied:
oooohhhhhh..... huh... should have looked into that before i had my feet done. Sounds like a good project for next year. Very intriguing.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Like with any surgery, there are risks, but I have heard way more positive things about it than negative. The only negtive I have heard is that it might start reversing itself and you may have to go in for a "touch up". One of our friends had it done and he swears by it! When we have the extra money (hold on...let me laugh a little at that )...I wouldn't mind Troy and I having it done. Mostly him, because his eyes are way worse, and I know he'd do it if given the chance.

TheOaf66 replied:

HuskerMom replied: I would rather him get lasik instead of the implantable lenses. I wonder if the implantable lenses would have to be replaced every so often. I know I've heard a lot of positive about lasik but it still scares me.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: I've had laser correction, I had it done nearly 2 years ago now. I was terrified... but it worked out. I was nearly legally blind when I had it done...best thing I ever did.

DVFlyer replied: I had LASIK about 10 years ago...

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

As posted above, they can fix astigmatism (like mine).

I was a -5 correction (or so) going in and am now 20/20 in one eye and 20/25 in the other.

One thing to be mindful of is that, for most people, our eyes lose the ability to focus as we get older- prysbiopia (sp?... and too lazy to look it up). So getting over-corrected now- i.e. 20/15 etc might seem like a benefit, but will make the need for reading glasses come sooner than someone who is corrected to 20/20.

My eye Dr. called it "20/happy".