Getting Lasik in two weeks... (1 Viewer)

[saintyclaus]

Do it. It's truly life changing; especially if you have been wearing glasses since childhood. My doctor used Intralase laser for the corneal flap. My corneas were too thin to use the the traditional microkeratome. I had it performed in 2004. Immediately after surgery it felt like grit was in my eyes but it subsided after a few hours. I was able to go back to work the next day and that's with having to stare at a computer all day. Just load up on re-wetting drops.

 

[QSTA]

Heh! I never bothered to ask. One of the "Kim's" there just told me it was Dr. Azar, so I assumed it was Paul. Is one preferential over the other? Don't be scaring me, John.

Ha! Both of them are great. I went to school with Suzie from kindergarten thru 12th grade. Great family!

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

what is it with the 3rd grade?? I got glasses in the 3rd grade, and it seems like a lot of other people in this thread did too.. then i tried wearing contacts in the 5th grade, but it was a disaster since i have astigmatism (used to think i had "a" stigmatism) and could only wear the hard lenses, which were extremely uncomfortble.. didnt find contacts that worked til around my mid 20s, and have been wearing them since, though now i wear glasses more oftne since i discovered zenni.com where you can get super-nice glasses for cheap.


i may consider LASIK at some point (have thought about it for years)-- but would i be able to do it the old school way that someone above mentioned, where they do one eye first, then if it goes well they do the other eye a week later? that would make me feel better since i actually know a handful of people who have had horror stories.. sounds like they're the exception, but still.

 

[St.Fury]

How many of you have had this procedure?

So how much eye irritation did you have after the procedure and how long does it last? Any advice on post op?

I am now legally blind, and the Eye Doctor (Azar in Lafayette) said that in my case I may not even need reading glasses after the procedure. It's been a long time since I could see with any real definition, even with glasses. That would sure be nice.

I had it done two years ago. I was legally blind before and I'm legally blind today. I can't we ****.

On a serious note, I had the PRK procedure instead of LASIK. My doctor said it was the better option for me. My astigmatism was so severe, that I was right at the threshold where they can't do the procedure, but not quite past it. We knew going in that my vision might improve about 2-4%. But that was only a very slight probability. There was a much greater chance that I wouldn't see any improvement at all. However, the concern was that they had no clue how the disease on my retina and optic nerve would react to the procedure. So, there was just as much of a chance that my vision would get worse as there was that it would improve.

My doctor initially didn't want to perform the procedure. I explained to him that a 2% increase based on a 100% scale doesn't seem like much. But that 2% added to only the 10% that I currently had was a 20% increase, which is quite a jump! So after consulting with some of his colligues and knowing how active I was despite my handicap, he agreed to do it. He suggested PRK over LASIk because, even though it had a longer, harsher recovery, it also had the best end results and the least probability for complications.

In the end, everything healed better than expected and I did get the slight increase that was hoping for. I still can't drive (and you don't want me to) and I'm still legally blind, but now I can see birds flying low. I can read my phone two inches away from my face, instead of one. It's a lot of small things that Mae a huge impact on my daily life.

Am I satisfied? EXTREMELY! And I would absolutely recommend a LASIK or PRK procedure to anyone that was considering it!

 

[St.Fury]

Good question. I did not ask about PRK because I have no knowledge of it. I have a consultation this coming Wednesday and I will inquire.

A little background... 16 months ago I went to see Dr. Azar on a Wednesday, had the consultation and was setup for the procedure on the following Tuesday. It's embarrassing to say, but at the last minute... I chickened out. I was too worried about lasers going haywire and being that one in one thousand, or whatever the statistic. So, I will get a refresher on the process, but I do remember being told that they would be creating a flap.

Don't be so afraid of the lazer. It only lasts a few seconds and it literally amounted to "looking at some pretty lights", with a very slight smell of burning flesh. No pain, just a little water on the eye.

 

[Galbreath34]

I've been interested for years, but too scared to try. I can pass the drivers license test without glasses, though, so my vision isn't really all that bad. Still, it would be nice to be glasses free. I'm also not sure how much it runs, I've heard a few grand or more.

 

[St.Fury]

I've been interested for years, but too scared to try. I can pass the drivers license test without glasses, though, so my vision isn't really all that bad. Still, it would be nice to be glasses free. I'm also not sure how much it runs, I've heard a few grand or more.

the price will depend on the doctor and severity of your astigmatism. You're looking at anywhere from $600-$1000 per eye.

 

[Saint_Ward]

what is it with the 3rd grade?? I got glasses in the 3rd grade, and it seems like a lot of other people in this thread did too.. then i tried wearing contacts in the 5th grade, but it was a disaster since i have astigmatism (used to think i had "a" stigmatism) and could only wear the hard lenses, which were extremely uncomfortble.. didnt find contacts that worked til around my mid 20s, and have been wearing them since, though now i wear glasses more oftne since i discovered zenni.com where you can get super-nice glasses for cheap.


i may consider LASIK at some point (have thought about it for years)-- but would i be able to do it the old school way that someone above mentioned, where they do one eye first, then if it goes well they do the other eye a week later? that would make me feel better since i actually know a handful of people who have had horror stories.. sounds like they're the exception, but still.

A lot of kids hit puberty in 3rd grade. Or at least the early stages of it. Or have a small growth spurt. So, all those things end up changing your eyes.

I actually didn't realize I needed glasses until the summer after my 6th grade year. Looking back though, I probably needed them starting around 5th or 6th grade.

I've considered LASIK, but always chickened out. I have the money saved up in my HSA, so I could do it and not "feel" the cost. I finally got myself wearing contacts on certain ocassions, and that was a big jump for me.

Basically with the cost of good glasses and hi performance lenses, your ROI would be 2-4 years in a lot of cases.

 

[Zack Lee]

Don't be so afraid of the lazer. It only lasts a few seconds and it literally amounted to "looking at some pretty lights", with a very slight smell of burning flesh. No pain, just a little water on the eye.

Nothing like the smell of burning flesh in the morning. Puts the mind right at ease.

The procedure has been around long enough that I would not be worried though.

 

[Galbreath34]

Zero astigmatism, just mild myopia. Maybe one day I'll pull the trigger.

 

[Andrus]

the price will depend on the doctor and severity of your astigmatism. You're looking at anywhere from $600-$1000 per eye.

I was quoted $3600 for the procedure. So $1800 per eye is too much?

 

[Oilfieldtrash]

I was quoted roughly around $2400 per eye here in West Monroe. I have been wanting to get this surgery done for a long long time, just haven't wanted to fork over that much money. Let us know how it turns out please.

 

[Bleu Raeder]

what is it with the 3rd grade?? I got glasses in the 3rd grade, and it seems like a lot of other people in this thread did too..

I didn't have eyesight problems until I was in my early 20's - after a concussion.

 

[Galbreath34]

I was quoted $3600 for the procedure. So $1800 per eye is too much?

It's out of date, but last time I checked I think there was some study that said the national average was $2000/eye, but that may have been PRK.

Edit: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/02/lasik-eye-surgery/index.htm interesting overall. Page 7 has the averages, and I trust CU for honesty here.

Costs can vary widely
The typical national price (per eye) for laser vision surgery is $1,657, according to a Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center survey of 793 U.S. adults who had the surgery over the past eight years. Costs per eye vary widely, with 7 percent of the consumers saying they paid less than $499 per eye; 12 percent paid between $2,500 and $3,999 per eye; and 4 percent shelled out $4,000 or more per eye. A hefty part of our sample, 23 percent, was unsure what they paid.

Prices remain fairly high, according to the Healthcare Blue Book, a resource that reports "fair, upfront pricing" for services and products. The national average cash price per eye for traditional Lasik is $1,513 after discounts, sales or specials, assuming both eyes are treated. Similarly, the average national price for custom Lasik, in which the surgeon uses a wave-front sensor to guide a computer-controlled laser, is $1,822, the Healthcare Blue Book says. And the average national price of Custom-Bladeless Lasik, in which the surgeon uses a laser to create the corneal flap, is $2,069. But if you're planning to go to a nearby city to have Lasik, remember to consider travel expenses, since you'll have to make several visits to the surgeon, including follow-up trips.

 

[St.Fury]

I was quoted $3600 for the procedure. So $1800 per eye is too much?

That does seem a bit high from the prices I've seen. After doing a little (ver little, in fact), it still seems a bit high. Here's alink to LASIK Eye Surgery Cost .

I had mine done by SEECA Medical in Houma. Dr D is extremely good and a fantastic person. I paid $1900, but that was with a small discount. I can't imagine that the cost of the procedure has jumped from $2100 to $3800 in two years. I'd get another consultation. If you get the same quote from another doctor, then I guess I'm wrong.