OK, X’ers: Has anyone gotten LASIK? If so, how is it working out?

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DisastrousMechanic36@reddit

Apparently, there is an eyedrop that corrects your vision temporarily. The name escapes me, but it’s something I want to check out. I can’t get Lasik because I am farsighted, but I do use reading glasses.

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Surprise_Fragrant@reddit

You may want to check again... I'm farsighted and just got lasik 3 months ago. Although, maybe you're *reallllly* farsighted, and I was just *normal* farsighted...

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DisastrousMechanic36@reddit

What the optometrist told me was if I got the surgery I would be nearsighted instead of farsighted. So I’m guessing I’m really farsighted because I’ve never needed glasses.

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RealtorRVACity@reddit

I had Lasik in both eyes when I was 30 and then had 20/20 vision immediately. I am 56 and still don't need glasses/cheaters. I also saw in another thread that if you get cataracts you can have them put in new lenses that correct vision! Wow, right?

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Surprise_Fragrant@reddit

>I also saw in another thread that if you get cataracts you can have them put in new lenses that correct vision! This is correct! When I went to my Lasik pre-op, they discovered I had a cataract, and originally they thought I should just have the surgery for cataracts (and fix vision), but changed his mind, because of the high change of retinal detachment since I'm under 50.

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MiasmAgain@reddit

I got it, was extremely pleased with the outcome. I was approx. -3.75 to -4.00 and not being totally helpless without glasses was fantastic. I put it off for a long time, finally went for it when I learned about the Wavefront technology (basic lasers approximate an overall correction, Wavefront maps the exact topology of your eyeball and makes a more accurate correction). Made my eyeballs less flexible so I need readers now, but super glad I did it. It is a profoundly weird and slightly uncomfortable procedure, but never really painful. What they don’t tell you in the brochure is what your cornea will smell like when they’re making the laser incisions. Kinda like burnt hair. The whole thing takes less than 30 minutes, but be prepared to have some very bizarre sensations on your eyeballs. They give you plenty of numbing drops but feeling them tug on the flap of cornea they just cut is fucking WILD. Don’t freak out, it’ll be okay.

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Surprise_Fragrant@reddit

>What they don’t tell you in the brochure is what your cornea will smell like when they’re making the laser incisions. Kinda like burnt hair. OMG, yes!! My doc said that was the smell of the laser and the chemicals, but not specifically my cornea... don't know how true that is (maybe he wanted to make me feel better). But it was the same smell you'd smell when you burnt your bangs with the curling iron! > feeling them tug on the flap of cornea Uh... what? They skimped out on your drugs, my dude. I felt nothing!

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Iron_Buffalo@reddit

Best decision I’ve made. Got my eyes done in 2006 and still have 20/20. ![gif](giphy|L4e40vXK0LOZ7bg5ps)

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MusicalMerlin1973@reddit

How is it for night driving?

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Surprise_Fragrant@reddit

I *just* had it done 3 months ago, and I still get stars but they aren't as prominent, and I've never gotten haloes. I feel like my night driving is *the same* or *slightly* better than I had with my contacts.

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Iron_Buffalo@reddit

No issues for me but I’ve heard others talk about having halo issues.

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Surprise_Fragrant@reddit

I *just* got Lasik around Halloween, and I wish I'd done it sooner! I was a contact lens wearer since I was about 18 (I'm almost 50 now), and I was a *bad* wearer (sleeping in them, wearing them too long, etc). I was able to see near, but couldn't see far. I got Lasik so I could get rid of the contacts. I started needing readers in my early 40s, and I **still** use them, even after Lasik, because I just have old eyeballs. You'll probably still need them too. After 3 months, about the only issue I have is still some dry eye issues. They'll feel perfectly fine and then BAM, dry! I try to remember to use some Visine (et al) at least 2x a day to try to avoid that, but it still happens. My suggestion: ![gif](giphy|ztujni1w6RR96) Oh, and I know you didn't ask, but if anyone else is on the fence, I paid $3600 for both eyes, which included the consult, pre-op, Lasik, and 4 follow-up appointments.

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Snacks75@reddit

I'm back to glasses/contacts... the prescription is just enough so I don't feel comfortable driving without them.

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Farewellandadieu@reddit

Got LASIK done 11 years ago for nearsightedness, with astigmatism in my left eye. My prescription was -5.75 in that eye and -.525 in my right. Still have 20/20 vision, got it checked a few months ago. Though at 46 years old I just brought my first pair of reading glasses last week, as my ability to read very small print is *just* starting to go. The surgery was so quick, took maybe 45 minutes total. My vision had cleared by the next morning, and I did, in fact, go to work the next day like they advertise. I saw halos around lights for 2 months or so after that but that's pretty normal. To wake up and just to be able to just *see* is amazing. People who've never had vision impairment take that for granted. I don't even think about it, I can just see the world clearly now by default. I was always losing my glasses or fiddling with my contacts every day. I loved the experience and I'm so glad I did it.

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Butlercove@reddit

It’s like a boob job. Don’t go cheap.

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discogeek@reddit

What if you only get one done at a time?

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Butlercove@reddit

Well they don’t do batch work. Wally World laser eye surgery is a precision procedure that requires a lot of paper towels and some Visine.

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RunningPirate@reddit (OP)

So Walmart lasik is a no go, then?

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Butlercove@reddit

You might get lucky and they’ll miss your eye altogether.

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IgnoreThisName72@reddit

PRK 10 years ago. 20/240 to 20/15 at the time. One eye is still 20/20, the other is now 20/40. Absolutely worth it, and I may get it touched up in the future.

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Weak-Ganache-1566@reddit

Got it in 2002, had 20/15 vision until 2020. It’s now 20/20 for distance but I need reading glasses. Best money I’ve ever spent

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Retro_Dad@reddit

I really considered it but chickened out. Now I’m glad I didn’t - I am nearsighted and if I take my glasses off, I can still read and see things up close really well. As I understand it, if I had gotten LASIK, I’d need readers.

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Opposite_Ad4567@reddit

No. LASIK treats nearsightedness. It does not cause farsightedness, but many people develop farsightedness as they get older. So even if you have LASIK, you may still need glasses for reading someday (just like if you hadn't had LASIK).

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Haunting_Charity_785@reddit

I'm turning 51 in a few weeks. Boo. 😭 My eyes were shit from the time I was a sophomore in high school. I was nearsighted -- I don't remember what my prescription was. I started wearing contacts, but it was nonstop problems with scratching my corneas, developing allergies to the contact solutions, breaking or losing my glasses. I was a hot mess. Fast forward to 2004, and Lasik enters the chat. I had it done, and it changed my life. I'm sure the procedure has changed for the better since I had it done, but it's amazing. I remember taking a nap after the procedure (as you are told to do) and waking up and seeing *everything.* I looked out the window and saw the leaves on the trees in my yard and I was just amazed at how vivid everything looked. My eyes were great after that -- no issues!! So some time last year I noticed I couldn't read texts my phone in the morning or read the small print on a box or a can, so I started using readers. I use 1.00 or 1.25. I've heard to always stay at the lowest strength for as long as possible. Unfortunately as we age our eyes turn to crap and Lasik won't help with that. What you can get are progressive contacts which eliminates the need for the constant on / off of the stupid readers. Now I know why you see pictures of grannies with the glasses around their neck! If you are a candidate for Lasik -- get it!! it's worth every penny!!

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Madcat41@reddit

One of the best decisions of my life. Totally worth the money.

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WilliamMcCarty@reddit

I got mine done back when i was about 28, I think. I'm 46 now. Wait...45? no, 46. Goddammit. 46. Yeah. Shit, I'll be 47 this year. Fuck me. Anyway. That's a mental crisis for another day. So yeah, I got it when I was 28. Never regretted it for a second. I hear it's better and easier today, it's all lasers and it's quicker, easier recovery, back when I had it they actually sliced your eyeball open with a tiny saw and it was like a three week long recovery before you could really see clearly again. I get dry eyes, have to use the refresh drops. I understand that's less of an issue these days, as well. Still, normal vision has been fine ever since. Reading glasses happened about 5 years ago, though. That's just something they can't fix.

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Zueter@reddit

I had cataracts at 45. Best thing to happen to my eyes. Vision is great at distance. I need readers, but my dad had the surgery recently and the new lens handle distance and close up vision. I guess it was about 5 years too early for me.

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BiscottiOk7233@reddit

Got it done about thirteen years ago. Completely fixed my nearsightedness. I started needing readers about a year ago, Lasik doesn't fix that because it's due to normal eye deterioration due to aging.

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crab_races@reddit

I can report the same experiece. I'm 56, and I've worn glasses since I was 11. When I got lasic I was about -6.5 and also getting slightly astigmatic which was messing up my near vision. After lasic I was about 20/20, and no more issues with close things, as it fixed up the astigmatism as well. Started needing readers about 2 years ago, have had to get Rx lenses as each eye is set for different fields of vision, one closer, one nearer. No big deal. Except for a newly-discovered superpower of losing reading glasses. I just got 2 extra pairs, try to keep each in a specific location, with another that goes in my work backpack to and from the office.

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Brkthom@reddit

I think this needs to be upvoted to the top, because it addresses OP’s concerns best.

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sharilynj@reddit

Got it 2 years ago at 43 with the knowledge I would need readers right away. Would absolutely do it again.

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Gh0sTM0p@reddit

I had LASIK two years ago to correct strong astigmatism in both eyes. Post procedure, my vision was so much better, but I could tell that the procedure wasn't perfect in my right eye. 8 months later, I had PRK in my right eye to correct the remaining astigmatism. I was a lifelong glasses wearer, meaning that I could barely see without putting them on. It's amazing to wear any type of sunglasses and to not need glasses to drive or walk around. However, once my eyes stabilized post surgery, I did seek out a prescription for near vision. Readers weren't cutting it. I'm happy to wear glasses that no longer require expensive lenses and allow me to see both near and far. My sunglasses are nonprescription. Let's talk about dry eyes. 30 days post-PRK, I started experiencing severe dry eyes in both eyes during the night. I could not open my eyes without using artificial tears. A year later and the dry eyes are still a problem but manageable. I have tried eye ointments and a variety of other drops, but plain old Refresh drops work best. Neither the LASIK office nor an independent optometrist have been very helpful. I'm hoping that I eventually grow out of the dry eye problem.

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jimjackcoke@reddit

Best money I ever spent, but my situation was different than yours. I was -6 ( 20/500) I could not see the clock next to my bed. Lasted about 12 years. I wear progressive glasses now and have about a -1 for Distance vision and a +1 for near vision. I can get by without reading glasses most of the time. I can go back to get my Lasix tweaked so that distance vision will be back to perfect 20/20. but doc says if I do that my near vision will be worse and I will need reading glasses all the time to read anything.

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akmoney@reddit

I had it done 23 years ago (was nearsighted). It corrected me to 20/20 but when I hit my early 40s I started having trouble seeing stuff up close. Now my eyes have drifted back in the other direction, so I'm farsighted, PLUS I need extra magnification for the up-close stuff. I wear progressive lenses. But hey, at least now I'm starting to get cataracts (halos/starbursts around bright objects) so maybe I can get "zeroed out" again with yet another surgery!

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Plastic-Implement-90@reddit

I had it done 10 years ago at 41 years old. Best thing ever. I was a good candidate - nearsighted, with a prescription that hadn’t changed much in 10 years. Now at 51 yrs old, I’m probably going to need to start using reading glasses soon. It hasn’t happened yet, though. I did notice a difference right away with close up vision. I used to be able to see anything up really close to my face before the surgery. Like I said, though, I can still read books, phones, menus, iPad without readers. Make an appointment and see if you’re a decent candidate.

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jgiacobbe@reddit

I did PRK which is similar to Lasik, but they don't cut a flap. That was 11 years ago. I have good distance vision. I need reading glasses now but only 1.25 or 1.5x. I am more sensitive to bright light now and headlights.

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PurrOfACat@reddit

Got it in 2002. I went to a private doctor, not a chain or big org, so paid a little more. Never had dry eyes or haloing or any side effects. Doctor told me at the time that I probably wouldn’t need readers due to the shape of my eye. Everything has been perfect until this year; I notice that my vision is a little off in one eye, a little fuzzy. My current eye doctor said my vision in that eye is now 20/25, and didn’t seem surprised by it (my later appointments at the doctor that did my surgery, he always seemed surprised that I could always still read the bottom line on the chart). I have always used the computer *a lot*, and now the phone and tablet too, and I’d bet it’s a factor. Still, having it done was the best thing I ever did.

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Devotchka76@reddit

I got LASIK a little over a year ago, as a midlife crisis splurge. (About to turn 48.) I’d always wanted it. My eyesight has always been bad. I’d say it took me a little over a year to feel really comfortable with the decision. My concern, for a while, was that it wasn’t quite as crisp as when I wore glasses/contacts. (It didn’t correct for my astigmatism.) But it’s still so much better than it was.

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H-DaneelOlivaw@reddit

To OP: LASIK is not a cure-all for presbyopia. There are different options and pros/cons for each option. Without knowing your prescription and preferences, a good refractive advice is not possible. Talk to your eye doctor. However, having said that, the majority of post-LASIK eyes need reading glasses sometimes in their 40s

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lilbigmadd@reddit

Loved it! Had it done by the doctor who performed all the clinical research into LASIK 20 years ago. Had to get it done twice in a row because my stigmatism was so bad. It’s finally starting to deteriorate and I need reading glasses now. Go for it! It’s one of the best decisions I ever made, and was worth every penny.

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Abbithedog@reddit

Had it 20 years ago. Went from 20/600 to 20/15. Distance vision still good, have needed reading glasses the last few years - the doctor warned me I would. Don’t go cheap.

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pcapdata@reddit

LASIK only lasts about 10 years before it begins to degrade. I got it 10 years ago. My night vision is now goin to shit because of all the halos and apparently nothing can be done. There are probably newer technologies and techniques you should look into.

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mjohnson1971@reddit

I got one eye done in 2008 and am going fine. I only got one eye done as they claimed if I got both done I’d need reading glasses within 5 years. Dont need reading glasses still. Dont cheap out. Get the best you can afford. The only thing with getting one eye done is 3D movies sucked. That goodness that fad faded.

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Kuildeous@reddit

Not sure how effective at older ages, but I had mine done when I was 33, and it's still going strong over 18 years later. I do use reading glasses though. My distance vision degraded slightly to 20/20 vision, which I'm fine with.

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PeakSufficient2839@reddit

My wife got it almost 10 years ago. Still going strong. No problems at all. Definitely a life changing experience.

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pommefille@reddit

I waited until my vision wasn’t changing as much, when I was 50. Got monovision which I thought I’d hate, but tested it for a while with contacts. Love. Can read, can see, only issue I have is if my cat is blocking me from my phone and I have to switch to my ‘near’ side.

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beeedeee@reddit

Got it in 2010 and still have vision good enough to not need correction. My only complaint is that my eyes are chronically dry now. I carry eye drops with me always.

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kevbayer@reddit

I got it a couple years ago. I was told I waited too long as the older we get the less flexible our eyes are or something like that. I was nearsighted with astigmatism before and basically wore glasses for everything - I could get by without glasses when reading or using a computer most of the time. After LASIK, it's the opposite now. I can do pretty much everything without glasses! Though I don't feel I'm at 20/20 (I need to go to the optometrist soon). Small print I often need reading glasses to see so I carry folding reading glasses with me. It was so worth it.

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DanDanDan0123@reddit

I got lasik done 24 years ago I was 35. My vision was 20/1000. I was 20/20 for about 10 years. I needed glasses after that. In 2017 I had cataract surgery in my right eye. It’s more about your natural lens than anything else. If you get lasik you may still need glasses for close up.

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RunningPirate@reddit (OP)

See that would be livable. I’ll have to talk to the doc about that

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bspanther71@reddit

I had it 2008 at 37. Was close to legally blind (soft contacts not an option). Didn't need glasses for over 10 years. Vision us still pretty good, but need bifocals now lol.

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Hayabusalvr11@reddit

I had it done sometime in the 90s and it was awesome. I did take an immediate hit to my close-up vision but not enough to really affect me. But when I turned 40 I believe, I started noticing things were getting blurry. So sometime in my later 40s I did have to start wearing reading glasses And now I’m up to the 2.0’s at like 58. I don’t really mind wearing glasses, I feel like it hides some imperfections now I would feel naked without them. The downside is partly because of that I’ve stopped reading entirely. Anyway, maybe I should look into getting Lasik to correct that. It would be nice not to have to wear glasses. Note to self!

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mightasedthat@reddit

Had laser eye surgery late 30s after 20+ years of very strong rx contacts. Perfect vision for three/four years. Then distance started to be an issue again, progressively stronger rx. Glasses for distance only cuz the surgery meant no lenses again. And then cataracts. And the doctor was shocked that I wanted to retain my near vision and not distance- like, man, how much do you think I leave my house v. need to be able read stuff while IN my house? So, yeah, it’s a crapshoot.

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