Laser eye surgery - your experience?

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clones_jer

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2006
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Dumb question, but what's considered "legally blind"? You and Drizzle (-10) have to be knocking on the door at least.

I was -8.25 & -8.75

I could read the big "E" on the chart without glasses but that was about it ... I think legally blind is right about there. I asked the doctor what "20/" went with -8.75 and he just said there really isnt one past a certain point, 20/200 I think is the end. which roughly equates to the -8.0

I had a friend at ISU that was -15 ... which just sounds ******* crazy.
 

chewbocka

Member
Nov 25, 2009
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Dumb question, but what's considered "legally blind"? You and Drizzle (-10) have to be knocking on the door at least.

Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction. That means that someone with perfect vision can see from 200 feet (with the same acuity) what you could see from 20 feet.

I've been -7.5 for the last two times, I hope it's normalizing so I can get in on this. The Dr said he doesn't even consider people until they've been stable for 2 years.
 

Drizzle

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Nov 9, 2007
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I'm non-functioning without contacts or glasses. Under normal light, for example, I'd probably need to be within two feet of a normal digital clock to read it clearly.

I remember not being able to see my alarm clock in the morning. Unfortunately for you CrossCyed, it sounds like you will need a procedure similar to mine. It's more expensive, but you will most likely have better than 20/15 or 20/10 vision. Good luck if you decide to get the surgery, it is definitely worth it. Especially if you're as blind as I was..
 

CrossCyed

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2006
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I remember not being able to see my alarm clock in the morning. Unfortunately for you CrossCyed, it sounds like you will need a procedure similar to mine. It's more expensive, but you will most likely have better than 20/15 or 20/10 vision. Good luck if you decide to get the surgery, it is definitely worth it. Especially if you're as blind as I was..

My Rx is still changing slightly - as for right now, I'm good with contacts, but once I win the lottery, I'll be looking at this.

I asked this before too, but do you have to wear glasses for a certain amount of time to allow the eye to reshape?
 

Drizzle

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Nov 9, 2007
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My Rx is still changing slightly - as for right now, I'm good with contacts, but once I win the lottery, I'll be looking at this.

I asked this before too, but do you have to wear glasses for a certain amount of time to allow the eye to reshape?

No contacts for 2-3 weeks.
 

mfelske

Active Member
Mar 20, 2006
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Plan ahead. I put the money into a pre-tax spending account at work, where they took however much I wanted out every pay check. I had the surgery done in January. It ended up being a pre-tax, interest free loan for the year.
 

Drizzle

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Nov 9, 2007
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Plan ahead. I put the money into a pre-tax spending account at work, where they took however much I wanted out every pay check. I had the surgery done in January. It ended up being a pre-tax, interest free loan for the year.

Exactly.. Start a HSA (Health Savings Account) if you have some $ to put away for the surgery.
 

VTXCyRyD

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2010
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While we're talking about this, has anyone had the Lasik where they correct one eye for reading and the other for seeing far? I can't remember the term for it at the moment.
That's one of the things that has been holding me back. I've been thinking of getting a 6 month supply of contacts to try it and see if I would like it.
My dad did this and doesn't like it, but still loves it better than wearing glasses. It must not be that bad.
 

PeteyClone

New Member
Apr 11, 2006
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I had mine done at 48 year of age and it was the worst decision I've ever made (Wolfe Eye Clinic for about $4200 with the Farm Bureau discount). I had no astigmatism and was near-sighted. After the surgery, I'm far-sighted. Since I work in on a PC all day, i went from needing glasses 20% of the day, to needing to wear glasses 80% of the day.

I could have sworn the Dr. said that, in a small number of patients, there might be a need for reading glasses (Which i assumed meant not me). After the surgery when i complained that i can't read anything within 2-3 feet of my face, the nurse told me that they said that, of course i'd need reading glasses after the surgery. I used to be an avid reader, but can hardly stand to read anymore.

Long story short, if you are older, know that all they are going to do is focus your vision-point out farther. I'd love to have that 4K back and have my eyes the way they were before the surgery.

If you are older and are going for this procedure, go to Dr. Hussain who corrects 1 eye for reading and 1 for distance.
 

BigBake

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2006
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I had mine done at 48 year of age and it was the worst decision I've ever made (Wolfe Eye Clinic for about $4200 with the Farm Bureau discount). I had no astigmatism and was near-sighted. After the surgery, I'm far-sighted. Since I work in on a PC all day, i went from needing glasses 20% of the day, to needing to wear glasses 80% of the day.

I could have sworn the Dr. said that, in a small number of patients, there might be a need for reading glasses (Which i assumed meant not me). After the surgery when i complained that i can't read anything within 2-3 feet of my face, the nurse told me that they said that, of course i'd need reading glasses after the surgery. I used to be an avid reader, but can hardly stand to read anymore.

Long story short, if you are older, know that all they are going to do is focus your vision-point out farther. I'd love to have that 4K back and have my eyes the way they were before the surgery.

If you are older and are going for this procedure, go to Dr. Hussain who corrects 1 eye for reading and 1 for distance.

Most interesting post in this whole thread so far.

I just had my eval appt with Dr Hussain today. I'm also going to Wolfe next month to compere. He never once mentioned doing the eyes differently but as a software developer this is of concern based on what said. i can't sacrifice my screen reading. They did mention I would likely need reading glasses at SOME point in 10 years.
 

BigBake

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Mar 17, 2006
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Additionally...I did not set up my FSA through work in time to take advantage of that $ benefit. Is it worth it to walk till 2012 and be able to elect some cash to the FSA and have the procedure done in Jan 2012?
 

bugs4cy

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2009
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I just got back from my follow up appointment and I am feeling good about the last 24 hours! Before surgery, I had a pretty substantial astigmatism, meaning my cornea was shaped like a football rather than spherical. And, I was slightly near sighted. Before this surgery I was at roughly 20/400 vision, meaning I couldn't read the giant E at the top of the eye chart. Besides that, I *never* was without my glasses because it pretty much made me feel motion sick to have them off for any period of time. I have always been very picky about my prescription lens, where if my eyes change even the slightest, I can tell.

Today, 24 hours after surgery I was reading at 20/30, which is likely to still improve a bit over the next couple of weeks.
:yes:

Yah, my eyes feel scratchy and my night vision is funky, but I'm using the drops constantly and the night vision is no worse than when I had rigid contacts 15 years ago. For the next couple of weeks, everyday I should notice my vision getting clearer/more crisp.

I'm on the verge of being an old sea hag, meaning I'm 40 and the average age for needing reading glasses is 42-45. 'Old eyes' or presbyopia happens when your lens becomes less flexible. I did talk to the doc about the monovision correction for this, where one eye is adjusted for distance and the other for close up. I decided against it because if it's something your brain doesn't adjust too, it seems to be the perfect storm for a migraine that will kill you. I figure I can deal with reading glasses as necessary. Besides, how cool is it to have a pair of funky glasses perched at the end of your nose, to glare over as needed to make a point with staff, etc?

I went to Nebraska Laser Eye, but actually went to their Sioux City office just because the schedule availability there meshed better with my calendar. I had a coupon (!!) given to me by my ophthalmologist in Des Moines. The whole cost was $2500 for both eyes (normally $3500, I'm told), and if I need something redone in the next couple of years it's free. I never personally called Wolfe to check, but my doc told me it's about $4500 to go to Wolfe. Check out the nebraska website 0- you can watch a video of a procedure. I'm big on knowing exactly what is happening, so I really appreciated it.

I'm not a big fan of Wolfe - based on experiences with my Mom where I feel like we get shuffled around from specialist to specialist, yet no one answers your questions because it's not their specialty. But, I will give their plastic surgeon, Dr. Cassady a big should out for putting my lower eyelid back together this spring when a 8mm x 6mm square was removed because of skin cancer - his piecing job is so fantastic you'd never know 1/3 of my lower lid was removed. Of course, Wolfe initially failed, repeatedly, to diagnose the skin cancer until I demanded to have it biopsied because I've had other carcinomas removed. And yes, the Wolfe's doc decided to superscribe 30 days of antibiotics to clear it up ... I'm pretty sure that's NOT taught in any accredited med school.
:mad:
 

cstrunk

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2006
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There seems to be a lot of good information in this thread.

I'm hoping to have this procedure done within the next two years. My eyes seem to have stabilized since high school (I'm now 23) and I'd love to get rid of glasses/contacts. I asked my eye-doctor about the possibility of having the surgery, and he said that I would likely be a good candidate.

I'll definitely have to remember to set up a HSA at work when I decide to do this.
 

temperflare

Well-Known Member
Jul 9, 2007
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What is the approximate cost for this surgery? I'm not trying to be nosey, I'm just curious because it's something I definitely want to do when I get the money and while I'm still young.

You get a nice discount (20% I think) if you are a farm bureau member.
 

AdamJGray

Administrator
Mar 9, 2011
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Going to Wolfe Eye Clinc on Thursday for it and I'm kinda freaking out, but **** it. I'm doing it.

You will love it. I just had Dr. Johnson do mine 2 weeks ago. Had it done at 3 PM. Went home, rested, and by 7 PM I was watching Iowa State beat Florida Gulf Coast. I was 20/20 the next morning when I went in for the checkup.

I've had no issues since.