Lazic surgery for survival

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gazaati

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Probably weird topic but I having been thinking about getting the operation (for many reasons) including the fact that glasses fall, break, cab be taken away and vision is the most important survival tool.

Do you think its a good idea? or do you think I have crossed to the dark side of being prepared :D
 
I had worn glasses and contacts for 20+ years. I think my worst eye was around 20/200+. Did a lot of research and went to Dishler in Denver about a year ago. They do the full laser technique (no blade to cut the flap) and 3-D mapping. A day after the surgery I drove myself to the checkup. A week later I tested 20/15 and remain so today. I had some normal dry-eye and halos for the first month or two. That cleared up and now I see great with no problems. I love it.

It's a serious surgery so consider it carefully. There are a lot of horror stories online. Ask people to get first hand accounts. It seems LASIK has gotten better with time and you get what you pay for. Coworkers who had it done years ago sometimes have minor dry eye and night vision problems. Ones who had it done more recently have fared better.
 
Nothing beats waking up in the morning to clear vision.

I wore glasses for the first half of my life, so blind with them that I couldn't read the clock next to the bed without first putting on my glasses.

I had lasik done on my eyes at about 3:30pm, went home and slept all night. Woke up the next morning with clear vision -I was hitting golf balls at the range by 9:10Am that day.

That was 8 years ago. Lasik was the best thing I ever did for myself. I'll never need glasses or contacts again. Now I can do water sports and contact sports where loss of a contact was always a threat. I've been to a few hairy places, been on the receiving end of artillery -if I'd lost my glasses/contacts I probably would have been killed. No regrets at all.

Negatives: My night vision is not as good as it used to be. When I'm very very tired, I do get the 'halo' effect when driving.

Do your research on who you get to do the procedure. If yours is one of the bad ones, yours will be a nightmare that you'll never recover from.
 
Imagine how it would have changed Burgess Meredith's life in The Twilight Zone...

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Trying to get my wife to do it.
Another aspect is cost, for her it will pay for itself in about 4 to 5 years in what we spend in contacts and glasses for her.
 
I had the raidialkertomony done. They used a knife not the lazer. I have 20/15 vision at times at other times my vision is quite blurry. My vision before surgery was 20\400. I could read the top letter on the chart. Night time vision ,I have the star burst effect. Its been twenty years and still get lots of fluctuation.Also I need reading glasses. Im glad I had it done.
 
Is RK even being offered anymore?

The biggest problem with RK is that it can lead to scarring. These 'scars' are weak points that may split if hit. Because I did martial arts, RK was not an option for me because any punch to the eye could lead to permanent blindness.
 
Consider it carefully, while some retain great vision, some lose there vision again, maybe not as bad as before, but they still have to were glasses or contacts a year or two after the operation.

That is what happened to my Uncle, while my mom still has great vision, so...
 
The Army is doing LASIK and PRK (I think mine was the PRK); I had it done about 2 years ago, just before my deployment to Iraq. I would absolutely consider it a great "short" term survival preparation. I say short term, as most corrected eyes degenerate down the road...but for the next decade or so, I'm set. Probaby the biggest advantage is easily wearing ballistic eye-wear; sure you can get RX lenses, but you most likely won't be wearing them when TSHTF (thinking of sudden tornado, windstorm, building collapse, etc.). I always have a pair of sun-glasses (ballistic protection certified Oakely's) anyways and it's a blessing not having to worry about glasses, RX protective wear and/or the logistical nightmare of contacts/solution for extended situations. A very good investment in my book (fortunately it was "free" and I didn't pay taxes last year either:)!

ROCK6
 
I agree with this post. I am heartened by the good responses - I was told when doing research myself that I am a 'perfect candidate' to have the proceedure done. I would love to be 10/20 like I was born.

TF
 
The eye doctor told me I was not a good candidate for it because I am only near sighted and can read without corrective lenses. He said as we age, we often become far sided (needing reading glasses) and I could end up with bifocals if my vision shifted with age after surgery. However, without the surgery, there is a good chance my vision will improve as I get older.
In reality, my vision prescription actually improved last time... one eye was stronger.
 
LupaWolf said:
The eye doctor told me I was not a good candidate for it because I am only near sighted and can read without corrective lenses. He said as we age, we often become far sided (needing reading glasses) and I could end up with bifocals if my vision shifted with age after surgery. However, without the surgery, there is a good chance my vision will improve as I get older.
In reality, my vision prescription actually improved last time... one eye was stronger.
Click to expand...

There is a lady at my work whose doc talked her into the lasik to counteract her need for bifocals. Basically as I understand it, they altered one eye for farsightedness, and the other for near; telling her that her brain would compensate eventually and she could get rid of her bifocal glasses. The surgery went fine, with no complications. Several months have went by and she cannot get used to it, having headaches, etc. She does regret it.

I do know many folks that have gotten it and are happy, I know several that are not as happy with it as they are now back in glasses after their eyes have gone to the point that they need reading glasses or bifocals.

I kind of follow the logic of LupaWolf. My eye doctor keeps trying to get me to do it; says I am an excellent candidate for it; but she admits as well that you're eyes do change anyway with age; like Rock6 mentioned. I can see the benefit for SHTF reasons, but I'm pretty simplistic when it comes to the lasik question with my DR. When she asks me (every year) if I want it done, I always ask her "Are my eyes healthy, other than the fact they are they are not shaped correctly?" She always says, "Yes, very healthy". My response is "Then why would I want someone to cut, burn, and scar them?". To me at this point in my life, glasses are a minor inconvenience for two healthy eyes to see properly. I think I'm going to need a lot more years of watching those that have had it done to see what happens over time to them to really consider it. As already stated, it is a very important decision that you should really research a lot to make sure it is right for you.
 
I have an uncle who is an optometrist in a hospital, an aunt who is an optometrist that does the pre- and post- checkups in a lasik clinic, and an uncle who is a professor of optometry. They can all have it done for free but none have done it... Each of them that I've asked has said that there is no reason for me not to do it. In fact they offered to find me a local lasik shop with the most recent equipment. But I can't get past the fact that none of them have gotten lasik even though it would be free.


They did say that lasik gear costs upwards of a half mil and that most places need to use it for ~3 years to pay it off. IIRC new generations of lasik come out every six months. So if you don't do your research you could be operated on by 6 generation old equipment.
 
Spare glasses from places like Zenni optical start at $8. Cheap, and work fine for me.
 
My sister and her husband are both Opthamologists, and after the horror stories they have witnessed, I'll never do it. They don't perform them, but get to treat the people with problems later.

Pros: Better vision if all goes well.
Cons: The eye is structurally weakened. If you have a violent collision, like a car accident, the eyes can rupture and you will be blind. If you get the procedure, you will need reading glasses later in life. It's not perfect, it does screw up some people's vision.

I wear glasses, and love them. They are polycarbonate, so I have eye protection on all the time. 99% of the time, I can't even tell I have them on.

Just make sure you are fully informed, and then do what's best for you.
 
they are pushing the Restore and /resume now. It is basicall a lens implant that they do for cataracts. Your vision will never change , but then again you have to contend with not having the iris of our eye able to dilate and contract to protect our eyes from bright lights. Everything is a trade off. I too am waiting to see thae long term studies.
Terry
 
sodak said:
I wear glasses, and love them. They are polycarbonate, so I have eye protection on all the time. 99% of the time, I can't even tell I have them on.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I have worn glasses for 50+ years. I can't tell you how many times they have saved my eyes.

If my eyesight were to degenerate without Lasik or any other kind of procedure, fine, I would get it done, but until that happens, no way, brother.

I don't even want contacts next to my eyes.

BTW, I don't know if it is still the case, but the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) would not allow their officers to get Lasik because of the effect on night vision, IIRC.

Doc
 
Talk to your doctor,f you are older it may take more than one operation.
My self it took 3 for one eye ,bad news:barf: it hurt for a while till the next one ,
But Damn the outcome was I was now no longer Looking Under water at things:D
 
Best money I ever spent on myself. I had starburst effect for several months, some dry eyes, and in the mornings it takes a few seconds of squinting and blinking to adjust, but I can't imagine going back to contacts or glasses. It has been 3 years and I have 20/15 vision.
It makes swimming, camping, sports a lot easier and IMHO, more fun!
 
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