Lasek laser eye surgery

[2blade]

Man I gotta chime in here. I wore contacts for about 25 years and had no problems what so ever, I did take them out daily though. About 5 years ago I had prk or whatever they call it now because my corneas were to thin for lasik. It was done with a laser. Now, and for the last 3 years, probably for the rest of my life, I suffer from dry eye so bad the skin on my eye literally dies. The pain, more like severe irritation is extremely uncomfortable. It wakes me up out of a dead sleep every time it happens. I have learned to deal with it by putting eye gel in my eyes before bed and if I still get an attack, I have a severe dry eye drop formula on my headboard that I start dumping in for the next hour or so so it will heal. Sometimes I get an attack during the day and my eye starts burning so I carry severe eye drops in my pocket as well. I also had to have 4 plugs installed to keep the tears from draining so now, I can't touch my eyes if they itch or whatever. If you rip the plug out, its about 120.00 to have it replaced. I've had it so bad, well actually every time it dies, that when I blink, the lid acts like sandpaper and one time it literally tore a piece of skin off my eye. Its been about 6 months since that attack and I still see a halo looking at lights at night. I'm not sure its going to heal completely at all?

What they don't tell you about lasik or prk, is when they cut that flap, laser it off or whatever, it kills the nerves in your eye. Those nerves are what tell your tear ducts, "hey bud, we need some more water out here", without that signal from the nerves cause they're dead, dry eye is the result.

I do like the way turned out as far as vision but if you have dry eye problems at all and are considering doing it, think twice. If I would have known this was going to happen, I wouldn't of done it and I didn't have a dry problem to start with... I have one now

 

[NorthEast]

Happy to hear the success stories guys. Make me feel good. I'm on day 11 of my first eye. I wont have the flap that is associated with "lasik", but wont have a lot of the complications associated with PRK. Lasek is kind of a combination of both Lasik and PRK. You wont ever have to worry about the flap, but the recovery is longer than Lasik.

Sorry to hear about your experience 2blade. I can't imagine how that must feel. I was warned of those risks and results that you are experiencing from my surgeon.

 

[bourbon]

What problems did you start having with contacts? I'm curious because I'm going on 13 years wearing them and I'm starting to have issues with my eyes drying out.... Especially in the morning when I wake up. I need to get to an eye doc and am considering going lasik if that's what they recommend. Contacts are a pita!

What type of contact lenses do you wear? I'm going on 29 years with soft contacts and the last 5 have been with "dailies" which are 1 day disposables. They are by far the most comfortable lens I've ever worn and my vision has actually improved since I started wearing them. If you can check them out. More info HERE.

 

[squeekieslayer]

If you have no astigmatism and are near sighted... ask your optometrist for the ALCON Dailies Total 1. It is a daily disposable lens that I can honestly say is the HANDS DOWN most comfortable lens on the market. PERIOD. I know that they are expensive, but especially if you are only wearing them for hunting and outdoor activities, they are very affordable.

I am an Optometrist and avid outdoorsman. I have avoided comments on this thread mostly because I don't want to come off as a "know it all." I haven't seen anything that would get anyone hurt so I haven't commented. Lets just say, that before you take advice from this thread, go see your eye doctor and ask questions. PM with ANY questions you may have.

I will try and get a chance to go through this thread and weed out some of the incorrect, misleading, or confusing information.

Joe

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

What type of contact lenses do you wear? I'm going on 29 years with soft contacts and the last 5 have been with "dailies" which are 1 day disposables. They are by far the most comfortable lens I've ever worn and my vision has actually improved since I started wearing them. If you can check them out. More info HERE.

I'm pretty sure mine are made by Bio Finity.

They are good for 4 weeks. I'm wondering if I should go to a daily now and that might help.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Biofinity are decent. Try air optix aqua for a one month option or dailies. Dailies are super convenient... No solution, no cases, no worrying about dirty hands. Light, moist, comfortable and super healthy. Can't go wrong with dailies.

 

[castandblast]

If you have no astigmatism and are near sighted... ask your optometrist for the ALCON Dailies Total 1. It is a daily disposable lens that I can honestly say is the HANDS DOWN most comfortable lens on the market. PERIOD. I know that they are expensive, but especially if you are only wearing them for hunting and outdoor activities, they are very affordable.

I am an Optometrist and avid outdoorsman. I have avoided comments on this thread mostly because I don't want to come off as a "know it all." I haven't seen anything that would get anyone hurt so I haven't commented. Lets just say, that before you take advice from this thread, go see your eye doctor and ask questions. PM with ANY questions you may have.

I will try and get a chance to go through this thread and weed out some of the incorrect, misleading, or confusing information.

Joe

Is there an option for those of us with astigmatism Joe?

 

[patebon]

I got lasek in 2007 and was riding dirt bikes

 

[5MilesBack]

I tried every contact the optometrist had and by a landslide the Acuvue Oasis are the best for my eyes. Kind of funny that just different materials can have such a profound effect on how well they work. Some of them I couldn't even tell that I'd put in a contact.....just as blurry as without. I think one big factor for here in Colorado is the very dry air. After trying several types, it seems that the lower the H2O content the better they work for me. They say they are a 2 week contact, but I've used a single pair for 2 months before without any issues. However, I usually change them out every month.

Last year I tried the Air Optix Extended Wear for hunting, but they just weren't very clear for me at 11k+ feet. They work OK at 6300 feet, but not so much up there.

 

[NorthEast]

If you have no astigmatism and are near sighted... ask your optometrist for the ALCON Dailies Total 1. It is a daily disposable lens that I can honestly say is the HANDS DOWN most comfortable lens on the market. PERIOD. I know that they are expensive, but especially if you are only wearing them for hunting and outdoor activities, they are very affordable.

I am an Optometrist and avid outdoorsman. I have avoided comments on this thread mostly because I don't want to come off as a "know it all." I haven't seen anything that would get anyone hurt so I haven't commented. Lets just say, that before you take advice from this thread, go see your eye doctor and ask questions. PM with ANY questions you may have.

I will try and get a chance to go through this thread and weed out some of the incorrect, misleading, or confusing information.

Joe

Joe is definitely right. Only your doctor/surgeon can tell you if you are a good candidate. The points I made were only from my own research and discussions I had with the my doctor and surgeon. Obviously without the context of our conversation the information could be misconstrued. Any info I provide is from what I am going through now. That is my disclaimer haha.

Day 13 on my first eye and I have improved dramatically. I am getting the second eye done tomorrow.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Is there an option for those of us with astigmatism Joe?

In the one month lenses I like the air optix for astigmatism. That lens is deisgned to be slept in for up to a few days. That said, if you want to sleep in a lens then the Purevision II toric is a better option.

I must say, related to the post above, that many of the lenses that are designed to be slept in have more silicone and less water content and tend to dry out quickly in wind and at higher elevations, especially in the summer and fall.

The best option would be the dailies aqua comfort plus for astigmatism or the acuvue 1 day moist for astigmatism. These are both daily disposable lenses and are very convenient for the reasons i mentioned above. They are expensive though, so many get monthly lenses for most of the year and a few dailies for hunting and hiking trips.

 

[squeekieslayer]

I tried every contact the optometrist had and by a landslide the Acuvue Oasis are the best for my eyes. Kind of funny that just different materials can have such a profound effect on how well they work. Some of them I couldn't even tell that I'd put in a contact.....just as blurry as without. I think one big factor for here in Colorado is the very dry air. After trying several types, it seems that the lower the H2O content the better they work for me. They say they are a 2 week contact, but I've used a single pair for 2 months before without any issues. However, I usually change them out every month.

Last year I tried the Air Optix Extended Wear for hunting, but they just weren't very clear for me at 11k+ feet. They work OK at 6300 feet, but not so much up there.

every eye is different... I can tell you that in my practice in Montana, about 90% of oasys lens wearers switch to air optix aqua and love them. Very few like the night and day, but i have a few die hards that will never change from them either.

Here are the FACTS (from my wives' and my experience over the last 6 years in practice...not a double blind study approved by the NIH or FDA) BUT THE VAST VAST MAJORITY OF OUR CONTACT LENS RELATED PROBLEMS INCLUDING CORNEAL ULCERS HAVE COME FROM PEOPLE OVERWEARING ACUVUE OASYS. THEY ARE A 2 WEEK LENS, EVERYONE THINKS THEY CAN WEAR THEM 4-5 WEEKS, EVERYONE ENDS UP WITH AN ULCER SOONER OR LATER.

YOU ARE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY BY NOT BUYING AS MANY LENSES, BUT TRUST ME, AFTER I SEE YOU AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR RED EYE VISITS AND YOU BUY EXPENSIVE DROPS AND SPEND A WEEK IN GLASSES ONLY.... YOU WILL BE BEGGING FOR A BETTER LENS.

I hate to sound too preachy... but you get an ulcer while you are 6 miles in backpack hunting, and your hunt just ended. Ulcers can cause permanent blurred vision, hurt like hell, and I have personally seen a bacterial ulcer from contact lens abuse result in the loss of an eye in a 15 year old girl.

You spend a shit load of money on hunting gear that you probably dont HAVE to have, dont be too cheap to change your lenses out like you are supposed to.

I repeat, there is NOTHING wrong with acuvue oasys when worn for 2 weeks... but there is a good reason that the FDA will not allow them to market it as a 1 month lens.

Joe

 

[NorthEast]

Since I have had my surgery and people have been asking me about it I cant tell you how many people have told me that they wear the lenses to bed and never change them. I couldn't believe it. I talked to a guy who said he hadn't removed his lenses for a month.

 

[airlocksniffer]

Damn, I'm a cheap bastard so I just wear my Oasys until my eyes feel irritated, usually 4 weeks. I was given a sample (7 days) of dailies that I haven't used yet but will for any extended backcountry trips. I'm interested in Lasik but not at the expense of permanently dry eyes. As for my glasses, I just broke my pair of Costco frames. I'm hoping to find a pair of super durable frames as I only wear them at night and the morning. Seriously thinking about Army issue glasses aka birth control glasses.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Since I have had my surgery and people have been asking me about it I cant tell you how many people have told me that they wear the lenses to bed and never change them. I couldn't believe it. I talked to a guy who said he hadn't removed his lenses for a month.

some lenses are perfectly safe to do that... as long as they take them out at the 30 day point.

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

Damn, I'm a cheap bastard so I just wear my Oasys until my eyes feel irritated, usually 4 weeks. I was given a sample (7 days) of dailies that I haven't used yet but will for any extended backcountry trips. I'm interested in Lasik but not at the expense of permanently dry eyes. As for my glasses, I just broke my pair of Costco frames. I'm hoping to find a pair of super durable frames as I only wear them at night and the morning. Seriously thinking about Army issue glasses aka birth control glasses.

Dont play with fire... change those babies every 2 weeks and you will be good to go. I would NOT say that Lasik=Dry eye for everyone. In fact, with new technology, blade free lasik, and other new techniques... dry eye following lasik is not anything like it was in years past. There are no guarantees, but I almopst never see issues from it any more. Army glasses are NOT that durable, look at some of the double bridge trucker style frames from a company called safilo... I have seen those glasses last old men 15+ years and there are always parts available for them. I think you could hang a door off the hinges they use.

Costco=JUNK frames

JOe

Joe

 

[jquarnberg]

What does it cost roughly to have it done? I see so many prices. I am so sick of contacts.

 

[squeekieslayer]

Damn, I'm a cheap bastard so I just wear my Oasys until my eyes feel irritated, usually 4 weeks. I was given a sample (7 days) of dailies that I haven't used yet but will for any extended backcountry trips. I'm interested in Lasik but not at the expense of permanently dry eyes. As for my glasses, I just broke my pair of Costco frames. I'm hoping to find a pair of super durable frames as I only wear them at night and the morning. Seriously thinking about Army issue glasses aka birth control glasses.

PS: go see Dr. Hasquet, Simmons, or Kelly over and Montana Eye Care in Helena... some of the nicest guys you will ever meet. Tell them I sent you but dont believe any of the stories they tell you.

Joe

 

[squeekieslayer]

What does it cost roughly to have it done? I see so many prices. I am so sick of contacts.

good, bladeless, custom lasik is around $1200-$1500 an eye. If you get "custom" lasik most places will do touch ups in the future if needed for free.

Please don't bargain shop for lasik... I have seen some poor outcomes from 500 dollar lasik in canada. You only get 2 eyes, dont risk them to save a buck. I do NOT do lasik, only pre op and post op care so I am not just saying that to try and pad my practice.

Joe

 

[NorthEast]

I paid 3,950 for both eyes. I booked through "qualsite" which is like a booking agency or a head hunter. If I didn't book through them it would have cost me over $5k