Laser Eye Surgery

[marksiwel]

Anyone got it done? Improved your shooting? How much does it cost, does it hurt, did you notice a big improvement?

[The Annoyed Man]

The main thing about laser eye surgery is... ....don't do it at home.

[karder]

I got laser surgery a year ago this last January 19th. It is the best thing I ever did for my eyesight. I have worn glasses since I was 10, and my vision is now 20/10 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right. It is awesome. It was expensive, about $4,000 total, but I used a very highly regarded doctor. I did not want to save $1,000 and get a crummy job.
I ride motorcycles, practice martial arts, hike and camp, and the ability to do it all without fussing with glasses is awesome. I can't say my shooting has improved, because I saw well with my glasses, but the lifestyle is much better. One less thing to worry about.

[Who'sJohnGalt]

I wore contacts for 20 years. I got my eyeballs "sanded down" about four years ago. I still think it's amazing. I couldn't see my toes (before anyone starts with the jokes, look in the mirror) without glasses and now I'm 20/20. I certainly don't miss putting in contacts at 4:30 in the morning to go deer hunting. No pain involved, takes about 15 minutes, $1500.

I'm not a doctor, lawyer, professional engineer, wood worker, or ditch digger.

[DrBillC]

My wife had laser surgery in one eye, no problems and she shoots well. She has long distance vision in one eye, close vision in the other eye and switches back and forth easily. Dry eyes is a common side effect and she does experience that from time to time. My optometrist offered me another option: corneal refractive therapy.

You can find details and a practitioner here: http://www.paragoncrt.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Essentially, you sleep in a "device" much like a hard contact lens and it reshapes your eye overnight. I have 20/10 vision with my CRT. One's vision must be in a range defined by clinical trials for this to work but it's highly successful for those. I had worn contacts for years so this was an effortless transition for me. Sleeping in the device is much less wear time than putting the lenses in daily. Depending on your age and eye shape, you may not have to use the device every night; I use it every other night. My optometrist's teenage daughter uses it once a week. Ah, the benefits of youth.

[Crossfire]

Just consider the worst possible scenario and determine if the eyesight you have now is worth risking it.

I had LASIK in 2007. With extreme astigmatism, I was actually slightly outside the recommended parameters for the procedure. It was explained to me that I probably would not end up 20/20, but could be close. That was good enough for me. I have worn glasses since the age of 6, and could not see well enough without glasses to get out of bed and find the floor with my feet. So I went for it.

The outcome was that I could no longer see with, or without, glasses. I went into contacts, and got a new set of lenses every 2 weeks until my eyes finally settled down. That went on for about 4 months. Still at about 20/60, even with contacts. At 9 months I went back for the 2nd LASIK procedure. The end result was that I am now legal to drive without glasses, but I wouldn't want to.

In 2008, I had a detached retina with blood in the vitreous. I had to have laser surgery and a vitrectomy to repair that. LASIK is a piece of cake compared to having stitches in your eyeball! 6 months later, the other retina detached. Same procedure again. The surgeon said it was not related to having LASIK, but you have to wonder.

Now I have a cataract in my left eye. I can hardly wait for that surgery! No, I am not statistically old enough to have a cataract. Again, surgeon says just a coincidence, not related to the LASIK...

3 years after the original LASIK, I still use eye drops about 4 times a day. Dry eyes is a constant. I am very sensitive to light, and never go outsight without sunglasses. I still wear glasses, but I can see well enough to navigate known places without them. I no longer perceive light in the same way. I can't explain it, just know that it is different. Depth perception is a bit challenging too.

I would not do it again, knowing what I know now, but I guess we can say that about a lot of things in life! I know lots of other people who have done this, with a much better outcome. Just know that it is a gamble. Do your research and weigh your options before you decide.

[budroux2w]

I'm not trusting of the LASIK. My Dr. recommends ortho-k. Very similar to what drbillc mentioned earlier.

[Baba Brad]

I had LASIK done about 5 years ago and have not regreted it once. Before then, I wore glasses to see... drive, work, anything other than reading. Now, I wear glasses to read and that is only if I don't want to squint. Fact of life as one gets older. But, I no longer need glasses to do any of the other things that I enjoy so much.

I haven't had any problems with my night vision, dry eyes, tired eyes. I had a textbook perfect surgery and recovery. Yeah me

I buy a handful of reading glasses, cheap ones, due to my job I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that may (most likely) will get damaged while working. However, I no longer have to buy prescription sunglasses. As for my shooting improving, can't say. Had not gone shooting since the late 80s prior to getting the LASIK done. I don't think it's harmed it, I feel for the amount of practice I've gotten since I took it back up that I am doing pretty well.

Here's a trick.... go for the free consultation. Then schedule. Then cancel. Then wait for the discount offers to come in... I ended up getting a buy one get one free deal. $2000 instead of $4000, with free lifetime acuity. Just waited for the right offer to come in the mail (and having a wife that paid for it as a Christmas, birthday, Father's Day gift rolled into one).

[A-R]

The main thing about laser eye surgery is... ....don't do it at home.

I remind myself every time I aim my Crimson Trace into the bathroom mirror

[stevie_d_64]

Had the LASIK done at 36, mainly because I had had enough stumbling around with Turnout Gear and SCBA and mask on in my time with the VFD...

The doctor down here said to me I was a good "borderline" candidate (I believe I was in the 20/400 range), so we did it...He fine tuned the procedure to give me 20/25, which took care of the vision for reading and driving...Shooting took care of itself...

He also told me that in about 4 years (at 40) that the eyes would gradually start to deteriorate back into a condition that would eventually require some correction...I'm 45, and still not wearing glasses, and or contacts, and I barely passed the eye exam for my last DL update...grrrrrrr!!!

I heard that there is an implant procedure that works for folks like Crossfire and myself, but her condition may not allow for it, considering the history of post-LASIK complications...

I'm pretty sure it'll once again take my other arm and leg (cost-wise) but I am looking into it as soon as the income and savings allow for it...I'll pay cash for the procedure...

Overall, I still believe the corrective procedures in this industry are safe...And obviously will improve your shooting if your vision is below par...

Just my opinion...

[ELB]

Ok, second hand report, but here goes:

I had a number of fellow Air Force members go through lasik procedures back a few years ago when the USAF decided to experiment with it as a way to make more people be eligible for pilot training. (It wasn't the procedure that was experimented on -- it was the effects. Members who go it done were put into either the altitude chamber or the centrifuge before and after surgery). All of the guys I knew really liked the results. BTW, the USAF subsequently approved the procedure, and lots of members, not just pilot candidates, got it done.

My wife had it done commercially a few years ago for about $5K, and I have been less impressed with the results she reported. It cleared up her myopia no problem, and she can now do daylight driving w/o glasses --- but she needs reading glasses for anything close, and I am regularly asked to read things to her (e.g. soup can labels) because she doesn't have her reading glasses handy. I really think she has ended up wearing glasses much more than she used to. She does OK shooting with close range combat accuracy and CHL shooting proficiency. She feels like her vision now (five years later) has deteriorated a bit. I would probably get in trouble for citing her age but she is well past the point most folks find bifocals and other vision changes are happening.

Also, she says her night vision is not near as good as it used to be, to the point she goes to great lengths to avoid night driving (as in she either stays home or I drive). She gets significant "starbursts" around lights (this is a known possible side effect) and overall doesn't feel like she sees as well at night.

Overall, most of the people I know who have done it have been relatively happy, but it is not a sure thing. I woujld love to try it myself but am too myopic to get lasik. (I too am a VFD guy and hate the SCBA/mask business) The docs tell me I could do lens replacement (basically cataract surgery without the cateracts) with good result, but that is very expensive ($10K last time I checked) and I just can't see spending that kind of cash with current finances.

Best wishes on your decision.