Lasiks eye surgery

I see no contraindications.

Jan

My DH wants me to have it done, but I keep telling him I've had enough surgery!  Yes, I know they are totally different....

Gin

Don't know if this sounds logical to you but they want me to have only one eye done...the dominant right eye because if they operate both for myopia then I will lose my close up vision completely...So they say that they will do one which will improve my long distance vision and the other eye will allow me to text and work on the computer without glasses (never heard this before)...Eventually they will work on the the left eye for near vision if I feel that there is a problem....

Nothing is ever simple and strait forward is it?

Sharon

Lasik is something I've been half-considering recently. I do mostly computer work and I'm finding my eyesight is getting worse.  I've never been able to tolerate contacts longer than a few hours because I have dry eye. However, I did experience retinal inflammation with my UC, which is one of the rarer extraintestinal manifestations, so I'm not sure if that contraindicates Lasik. And although I'm not squeamish with most things, anything eye related kind of freaks me out... I'm not sure I could handle being awake for the procedure, numbed or not!

Sharon, I've heard of this. When my dad had cataract surgery last year, he had one eye done for distance and one for close up. Over time the brain adapts. Sounds odd, but he says he's never been able to see better!

Here's a consideration. 

Crohn's and colitis patients (and autoimmune sufferers) can have dry eye/persistent dry eye. I do. On a Schirmer's eye test, I made nearly zero tears. Because of that, I am not a candidate for LASIK. LASIK can cause dry eye; if you already have it, it's contraindicated to do LASIK. 

Just a thought. Ask for a Schirmer's test to determine your amount of tears. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schirmer%27s_test

Sharon, I have a couple of friends who had it done in one eye, and use one eye for close-up and one for distance.  They claim it works great. 

My eye doctors have been very reluctant to encourage lasik due to my past history of iritis. 

Well said Rachel and Spooky. My point was that having a j or k-pouch itself is not a contraindication to Lasik. That said, there are a variety of reasons people have a colectomy and a pouch. I have chronic dry eye syndrome also, and would not consider any elective eye surgery. I don't mind wearing glasses.

Jan

My hubby had it done 12 years ago and it's been amazing for him. It's holding up great too. He has 20/20 vision. Not that he has a j pouch but I thought I'd share his experience! 

Not everyone tolerates "monovision" (one eye corrected for distance, the other for reading). I don't. I'd suggest trying it with contact lenses before making it permanent with surgery. 

One thing I forgot to add - most Lasik treatment centres offer a no obligation, free consultation to discuss the surgery and determine if you would be good candidate. There are in fact several different procedures available for vision correction, and a consultation would be a good first step to see what might be feasible for you. It certainly wouldn't hurt just to have an idea of the options.

Thanks Spooky,

I had the consultation and they suggested the double correction. They also warned me that dry eye is a side effect of lasik surgery...they tested me with one lense in each eye and I saw quite well from close up and distance...so I am a candidate (you need to have a thick enough cornea to have it done...if not they have a slightly different procedure called PK-something or another...it doesn't cut the cornea but wears it down (I think)...

The actual procedure lasts about 20secs...it is the before and after takes about 20mins.

For now my insurance will cover it so I was considering it before they change their mind.

Sharon

I'm near-sighted and would love to get my vision back. Does it affect your close up vision?

When they fix the myopia (the far distance vision) then the close up vision gets shot for good...

That is why they are suggesting to do only one eye...amazing how that works but according to the 2 or 3 people that I have just spoken to it is more common than I thought...one eye is enough to get reasonable vision in both eye...the brain does the rest of the work.

I am still anxious about doing it...haven't decide yet.

Sharon

My husband and I have done it.  Mine lasted for 6 lovely years, where I could see the small print etc.  Now, back to glasses.  My husband lasted for 14 years and now he is back to glasses. 

So it is not a permanent surgery? It is very expensive (I just got the estimate...2800€ for 1 eye...that is 2 month's mortgage)...is it worth it?

My insurances (3) will pay about 1/3...that leaves about 2000€ for me...huge sum...for only 5-10yrs relief? Did your vision get worse than before? Or is it still better that originally?

Sharon

I thought it was worth it at the time.  For me and eventually my husband, we had to go back to glasses...

No, that is the other thing to consider. Laser is not always permanent, though again it depends on the type of procedure. My uncle had his done about 12 or 15 years ago and now requires glasses again. Laser corrects your vision based on the shape of your lens at the time the procedure was done. Over time, the shape of your eye may change again, just as you may require different prescriptions for glasses as you age.  However that being said, my understanding is that the surgery gives you far better vision than you would have with glasses, and even if you did have to go back to glasses at some point in the future, the prescription is usually milder. So it's up to you... 

Thanks for all of the information - my husband did this too - about 15 years ago - loves it.  I think about doing it now - my eyes got too dry for contacs...I think I'll just wear the glasses.  Looking back, if I were in my 20s/30s, I would do it.  I always figured I'd be the one person who ended up with a bad result! ha!  And, back in those days, contacs did not bother me.  Not the worse thing in the world to wear specs.  Great thread with lots of good information -thanks you people!