Lasik eye surgery

[walter351]

Ok this may be a weird topic to talk about, but the results are so amazing I thought I would have to share my experience. My eye sight was very poor without contacts. I could not see the biggest letter no matter how hard I tried before I had surgery. The eye doctor would stand at the front of the room and walk towards me with an undisclosed number of fingers held up until I could see them. I know there are many that are worse than me but my eyes were
-3.75 in my left eye and -4.25 in my right eye. (I am right handed)

I had been talking to my eye doctor for some time as I was tired of always taking contact solution with me when I would go hunting. It sucks trying to put in contacts at 4:00 am without a mirror, around a small camp fire. After a couple of months of many eye doctor appts. to make sure my eye sight stayed the same, and a lot of research, I was finally ready to make an appt with a Lasik Surgery center. In Spokane the best place to go is Pacific Laser and Cataract. I paid 3700.00 for the surgery and the post opt. appts. The procedure only took 15 mins. and within minutes I could see a lot better. It has been 5 months since the surgery and I now see 20/15! I can see things that I never could even imagine, and without any discomfort.

The only reason I am talking about this is to HIGHLY RECOMMEND it if you are considering having this done. If you are in the Pacific NW then you really need to look at Pacific Laser and Cataract, as they are extremely professional and do excellent work. It will dramatically improve your shooting ability.

 

[royinidaho]

Good post.

I lived with cataracts for way longer than I should have. When I voluntarily stopped driving at night I new I had waited too long.

Life was bad, scopes were dim and I was curb stumbling due to loss of depth perception.

2-20 minute sessions a week apart and I had two new lens and 20/20 in the left and 20/25 in the right.

Got the long range lens just cause I'd rather leave the glasses at home when hunting. Use eye glasses only to read, close up work and to read the prices at the store.....

 

[signature542]

I had PRK because of my eye shape 4 years ago..A life changing experience as I was nearly -6. When you have it done its a life changing experience...

Whats it cost in the US?

I havent worn glasess since that day and I'm 48 now.. Spot deer a long waya way.. PRK takes a lot longer recovery periord than lasik..

Dont miss the glasses 1 bit.... amazing this modern stuff..

How is the low light level just before dark...?

 

[tackb]

I had lasik and instantly my life particullay hunting is transformed !

would recommend it to anyone fed up with steamed up or wet glasses or fed up with battling contacts at 4am with no mirror!

my vision is now 20/12 !

it was painles and fast , 10mins in surgery! i could see to drive myself back to the opticians in the morning and was watching tv within an hour and a half of surgery.

it wasn't cheap but worth every penny!

Russ

 

[Pdvdh]

Best money I ever spent on anything medical. I could see better than 20/20 the morning after the surgery. Six months later my optometrist told me my eyesight was better than 20/12. He stopped asking me to read the letters on the 20/12 line.

Had it done about 8 years ago in Vancouver, B.C. Both eyes for $1000.00

 

[Miller Outdoors]

Good for you guys. It sounds like quite an improvement in quality of life.

My eyesight is good close up but reading letters on the tv across the room can be a challenge and trees in the distance get quite blurry. I've got a pair of glasses, but don't ever wear them. Driving at night isn't much fun. I've been thinking about lasik for quite a while now, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The down side (for me):

I had LASIX surgery on my shooting eye only. It was originally my weak eye and now varies from 20/20 to 20/15 depending on who checks it and when. Sight improvement has been unbelievable.

The problem I have is that I now have a hard time focusing on the reticle. I often see two reticles, one heavy one and one fine one next to it. Moving the ocular lens into an extreme position helps but rarely eliminates the problem. Anyone else experience this?

I never had surgery on the other eye because I can still read with that eye (without reading glasses). It sounds odd but I see distance with the LASIX eye being dominant while still being able to read with the other eye. Doc referred to it as monocular vision. Apparently only 50% of the population can adapt to this.

 

[britz]

I had lasik in 2006, had 4.25 in both eyes (around 20/400 or so) day after the lasik I had 20/20 and today I am between 20/20 and 20/15. only downfall I have was I have slightly dry eyes... and nighttime driveing when tired I have some halo around lights. However, I think I had some issues w/ that prior to the lasik... best 4200 I ever spent!

 

[steve smith]

Had Lasik 9 years ago. My eye sight went from 20/225 Lt and 20/245 Rt to 20/10 Lt and 20/15 Rt. Holy **** man! I never new anyone could see that good! Back then they put in a soft contact (as a bandage) immediately after the procedure which they would remove the next day, so I couldn't see **** until they were out. 9 yrs later my eyes have degraded to 20/15 Lt and 20/20 Rt, but I'd do it all over again if I had to. Lucky for me my aunt worked at the clinic where I had it done and I got a family discount, the normal cost was $1500 per eye which was dropped to $1000/eye. So I'd have to say that that was the best $2000 I've ever spent.

Aside from the normal dry eyes early in the morning and late in the evening, the only thing I could ever come close to complaining about is the fact that my vision is blurred for extended periods of time if any pressure is applied to either eye. Pressure from rubbing your eye or laying your head down where something is pushing on the eye will cause blurred vision for 30secs to upwards of several minutes before my vision is back to perfect, but hey, I got no star-bursts or halos when driving at night so it's golden as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know how much the procedure has changed in the past 9 years but Lasik is definitely something I would recommend to anyone who is optically challenged. It may not be the cheapest option compared to glasses or contacts, but it is certainly the best value.

 

[shortshooter]

I want PRK or lasik really really badly and live close to Spokane Wa where it's available. Trouble is that $3000-$4000 is just too much money for such an very short procedure.

Another option is to check out how much this costs in Canada as my location in N. Idaho puts me just an hop, skip, and jump away from Calgary Alberta and Vancouver B.C.

Might be worth the trip, plus I have lots of family there.

 

[walter351]

Shortshooter-

Honestly I would have paid double what I did to see this good. I have no side effects and having Pacific Laser and Cataract in your back yard I would highly suggest taking a look at having it done.

My mother had it done 14 years ago which is when it was relatively new in the US. She had one eye done to see far away and the other so she can read. Her eye sight is still 20/15! With something as precious as your eyes I would not be looking for the best deal, but the best results.

 

[britz]

i didn't want to coupon shop for eye surgery

 

[Pdvdh]

I paid $500 per eye in Vancouver, B.C. Ended up with better than 20/12 vision. More money wasn't = to better surgery or results. They were running a special at the time. My eye surgeon had performed more than 10,000 of these procedures prior to mine.

 

[signature542]

Re Halo.. mine disappered after about 2 months.. no issue with night driving eyesight is similar to yours 20/20 20/15..

Any one had PRK like myself as I have been advised that Lasik is not suitable for everyone. I had a pretty good surgeon and staff spent hours assessing and measuring the eye...
My surgeon does both .Lasik and PRK.. I was in his hands and he has done close to 5,000 people last count...

Interesting seeing different results .. my eye flap had to rebuild as it was scrapped off then lasered..



My recovery took nearly 12 months ... unreal now