I didn't do it in my 40's and I was always sorry that I didn't. Like you , I was chicken, plus it was newer in the US at that time. When I worked in a hospital, lots of the doctors had had it done. One surgeon did it and he even said he needs his eyes to do his job and wouldn't take a risk, but was confident in lasik.

Two of my nieces also had it (one is a doctor) and they both love it. One had a little trouble with glare at night, but that went away.

Go for it!

See...these are things I want to hear! lol

30 seconds per eye, Linda? Really?? Did you have it done in the US? I've also heard you come out of surgery, literally, with better eyesight within minutes. (getting excited to do this!)

Annie, hmmm...Chicago...that would be a good vacation. Maybe Handsome and I could head to the midwest....

Pam, do it with me! Never too late....

I passed on it because my eyesight is corrected easily and comfortably with contacts. I am now wearing bifocal contacts (thanks Gina for making me try it again) and although not perfect, it is a help.

IMHO: If you CANNOT find a comfortable contact lense/glasses configuration that works for you, and it sounds like you are at that point, go for it. Otherwise I chose to wait one generation to see how folks would fare once they got older and eyes might age/change again.

Lori, it is a little too late for me. I'm having cataract surgery on one eye within the year. Good news is that I probably will not have to wear glasses after that. One eye will be for distance and the other is for reading.

Bad news is that I could have been glasses free for almost 20 years if I hadn't been such a chicken.

The doctor that was recommended to me is Steven Seipser, just outside Philadelphia. Come down here and I will take you!

My brother had it done about 7-8 years ago and it was a disaster. Basically, he should not have been a candidate ...but he researched the doc, got recommendations and traveled hours to Charlotte to go to this great doctor.

He almost went blind, has had detached retinas in each eye, has had 4 surgeries to correct things, has cataracts developing and will get glaucoma. Has to have the pressure reduced every so often.
Still wears coke bottle lenses. He is a great guy, extremely upbeat (a sales manager) and everyone's best friend but it has been hard for him.

I'm not telling you this to discourage you from doing it, I have friends and relatives who also had it done and are thrilled. But, there are risks and you should know what they are.

Lori, yes I had it done right here in Minneapolis. I chose a clinic that had a good reputation and a doc that had done thousands of patients.

At that time it was about $1500 for both eyes. I think the prices have come down a bit in the last 10 years.

Seriously....30 seconds per eye. And they give you these disposable "sunglasses" and tell you to stay out of bright light and let your eyes rest for a day or two. But it is SO HARD not to read the traffic signs and things you could never see without glasses all the way home! LOL Yes, your vision is almpst perfect when you walk out of the office. And it gets even better over the next couple of days.

A good doctor will tell you if you are not a good candidate and offer other options. I have had friends that were told it would not be a good fit for them and continue to wear glasses and/or contacts.

Good luck with your decision. I hope you keep us posted on what you decide to do!

Linda

I do a lot of detailed work, and it is an advantage for me to be nearsighted. Also, I can read in bed without glasses, and I do that every night as I am going to sleep. I would not want to have to wear glasses in bed, but then I am also okay with contacts. I had my eye doctor give me medium range contacts last time so that I could see the computer screen while wearing them and also see the TV, although I have a bit of trouble with large distances. I used those lenses when I was snorkeling in Hawaii so that I could see the fish close up. Sadly, there weren't as many fish as I had hoped for.

Just realize that you will be giving up close vision in the near future after the operation. If you are okay with that and mainly are concerned with distance vision, then I think it is a good idea. My mother had it done (against her will) when her cataracts were removed - it was the only way they could do it - and she was not happy with it. Her complaint was that she was too used to hiding behind glasses.

Lars

I had it done 13 years ago and never looked back. Best thing
I ever did.

Jo

A family friend is an optometrist. She wears glasses and contacts. I recently asked her for her opinion and she said while it goes well for the vast majority of people, in her profession she's seen how badly it can go wrong and she's not willing to take the risk.

I've always been scared of it and this was enough to reinforce my fears. I might feel differently if I had any problems wearing contacts. But I don't. My extended wear lenses are in 365 days/nights a year, and I forget to change them for months at a time. I wake up, blink once and I'm good to go. On a bad day I might have to blink twice. I haven't been to the optometrist since 2009 and I'm still working through the one year's supply of lenses I got back then.

I know this is terrible for my eyes, but I have a hard time managing glasses. The last pair I bought (2007 or so) were destroyed by falling asleep with them on within months of buying them. Even though I spent around $800 on expensive titanium frames that were supposedly resistant to such damage.

I'm getting to that age where reading is getting difficult. Maybe it's time to see the doctor and take another stab at being responsible with my eyes!

I'm extremely nearsighted, and wear gas-permeable hard contacts all the time. Being able to wake up and see something besides a blur is a very appealing thought. But... this is what's called a low-probability, high-impact risk. Very unlikely to go wrong, but if it does....
These are the only eyes I have.

I had it done in 2000. I have some scarring on one cornea and I could not wear contacts, just thick glasses. I am extremely happy. One eye is corrected for distance and the other for reading. I do not need reading glasses and I am 63.

Count me as another happy customer.

PS, the scarring is from 25 years previous, not related to the Lasix in any way, just meant that I couldn't wer contacts.

Sorry if I was confusing!

CC, I also wear hard gas permeable contact lenses, and non-prescription reading glasses for reading over the contact lenses!

However, my doc says that I am not a good candidate for Lasik, and I don't get sufficient vision correction with soft contacts, so I wear bi-focals at home and contact lenses with readers at the office or when I'm "out".

I've had glasses since kindergarten and have worn contact lenses for over 40 years, so I guess I've adapted.

Annie

I started wearing glasses in second grade-had to wear an eye patch before that for a lazy eye. I could not see the Big E on the eye chart without glasses. I was scared to get the surgery but did a lot of reseach and decided to go for it. I had the surgery done in 2000 when I was in my early 40s. I picked a Dr. who has done thousands of lasik surgeries. He's kinda a one man eye factory machine (with a very expensive car!) I went home that night with bandages and was not allowed to see. The next morning I DROVE myself to my follow up appointment. It was the best feeling in the world. Since then, my brother in law had surgery a couple of months after me at the same place, my sister had it and about 5 co workers after I bragged so much. One co worker had it done at age 58 they made one eye near sighted and one far sighted. He does not need reading glasses. Neither does another friend who had it when she was in her late 40s. When I had it done the Dr. told me they had not yet perfected the mono vision so I need to wear glasses to read.
My new optomitrist whom I saw a couple of years ago said he could not tell I'd had lasik and it was a good job.
It was one of the best things I ever did. I did have dry eyes for a couple of months, but it was really, really worth it me.

Thanks for all the helpful input, everybody. I have made a "no commitment" appointment for next Thursday with my eye doctor who says I'm a great candidate.

The stories of people seeing so well right after surgery are great motivation. I can't imagine waking up and not having to put glasses on before my feet even hit the floor. I would love to be able to go out in the rain and not have raindrops on my glasses. I want to kiss without my glasses getting in the way! ;)

CC, "These are the only eyes I have"...what a strong, yet very true statement. Powerful. That's exactly what's been holding me back all these years. We'll see what the doc says on Thursday. If it really IS pain free (Linda, I still think you're lying ;) j/k lol) and they still think I'm a good candidate, I might be going for it.

BTW...prices here are MUCH higher than what I'm seeing elsewhere ($3500 range for both eyes).

I also meant to ask Sushi...did it take time to get used to your two eyes being adjusted differently?

It's painless. You get some valium to help your nerves, so you need someone to help you drive home.

It did not take long to adjust to the two-eye differences, but it did take an additional 'touch-up' surgery, for which there was no charge. At first I needed reading glasses, but we decided to do the other adjustment which worked perfectly.

Good luck with your appointment, Lori. If you do decide to wait, you might give gas-permeable contacts a try. They are better tolerated by those of us with dry eyes.
I hear you about the rain. Being able to look up into falling snow was the best surprise when I got contacts. I hate glasses.
I have to say, having one eye that sees close and one that sees far away seems like a very bad idea to me. It means losing true stereoscopic vision. That's how we judge distances accurately.

CC, I'm also a little concerned about each eye being "programmed" differently. My depth perception isn't the greatest to begin with, but that might just be my bad eyesight.

However, my brother's eye doctor has offered in the past to give him different contacts for the same purpose, so I guess it's done often, but it just seems like it would make me lose my lunch, much like bifocals do. I'll add that to the many questions I have.

You've all been very helpful :)

Honestly, you adjust very quickly and I do not believe that there is any loss in depth perception or anything else.

Lori this article was interesting.....

Here is a link that might be useful: FDA Warns LASIK Providers: Stop Making False Claims

Lori, when I wear contact lenses, I wear only one -- guess I should say when I wear contact lens! That gives me distance in one eye and reading in the other. I don't even wear them very often, but my brain adjusts quickly, which is a miracle considering that my brain is fairly foggy most of the time.

The following is by my husband: I had Lasik done about 6 years ago. I had to start wearing glasses in 5th grade. I wore contacts for almost 30 years. With contacts, my eyesight was a little better than 20-20. However, the quality of my vision would vary during the day. I could use a single pair of contacts for several years and the eye doctor would say they still looked fine. I had decent night vision with my contacts. My prescription had not changed for quite a few years. A stable prescription is important and may reflect how long Lasik will last. Lasik may not be long term, if your eyes are still changing.

I always longed for not wearing glasses or contacts but delayed taking the step. After hearing numerous success stories from people where I work, I took the step. I had mine done in Montreal (where co-workers had gone). Partly because of the price. More was because of the technology. At the time, Canada was ahead of the US in equipment and procedures because of FDA delays. Lasik does not promise 20-20 vision (even though it routinely achieves it). The common Lasik procedure used a procedure based on the average eye with that particular prescription. I chose a procedure that mapped my eye and developed something specific just for me. It was more expensive but it was still about 1/4 of the price of average Lasik in the US at the time. If I was going to have Lasik done, I wanted the best possible procedure. There was only one doctor in New England at the time that was even approved to do this procedure! In Montreal, they had done it for years. Individual doctors in Montreal had done over 30,000 Lasik procedures. Since then, the price in the US has come down and there are many more US doctors doing the procedure I had.

The place in Montreal was very accommodating to US patients. I drove up on a Friday morning (about 5 hours). Friday afternoon they took all of the measurements. I had to sign a waiver because I have large pupils and there was increased risk with seeing halos around lights (I do not see them). At 9AM on a Saturday morning, they did the procedure. It takes less than 30 seconds per eye. They did my right eye and then had me get up while they set up the machine for my left eye. I immediately could make out things on the walls but they describe it as looking through Vaseline (you can see detail but there is sort of a film). After the left eye, you sit in the waiting room with dark glasses and start eye drops for an hour or two. They then tell you to go back to the hotel and rest with your eyes closed for a couple of hours. There is sort of a sandy feeling in your eyes for a few hours. I walked back to my hotel (about a mile and a half) just looking at things. That evening, I walked through a nearby mall with vision that excited me.

Sunday morning, I went back to the doctor for a checkup. My eyes were fine and my vision tested at 20-20. I then drove home (someone is supposed to drive you). You use drops during the day (decreasing as you go) for a couple of weeks. The first few mornings your eyes are sort of gunky when you wake up. You have to arrange followup appointments with your local doctor to check on the Lasik on a schedule that they give you.

Initially, my night vision was horrible but that corrected itself after about 4 weeks. The Lasik procedure I did included free adjustments for up to 3 years. Eventually, my left eye was not a good as my right and being left eye dominant, it drove me crazy. I went back after 2 years and had a free adjustment. Currently, my eyes test a little better than 20-15. My vision has been stable (even getting a little better with time) since the adjustment.

My vision far exceeds anything I ever had with glasses or contacts. Even my night vision is excellent. My eye doctor comments on what a beautiful job they did and that he has to really focus on the area to see where the cut was made. My eyes are light sensitive and colors became more vibrant to me. I love to just stare at things on a bright sunny day like green leaves and flowers.

Lasik does nothing about what age causes. You will still need reading glasses. I was on the edge with contacts and Lasik pushed me over the edge. However, I always wanted to see distance and reading glasses were inevitable anyway.

It was a great thing for me.

Thank you, Mr. NancyLouise, for such a detailed post. Very informative and helpful.

I went to see my regular eye doctor yesterday and he says I'm the perfect candidate. My corneas (too lazy to look up if that's the right plural spelling) are thicker than normal, and apparently that's a good thing. I'm such an over-achiever ;)

He knows I'm petrified, so he recommended a doctor who is supposedly a world leader in Lasik research/surgery. That comforts me, but I'd pay for it (literally). It's $5200 for both eyes. Plus because of the shape of my eyes, they can do the Wavefront-guided Lasik, which is more custom. He says I will still need reading glasses soon, but for now can probably do okay with real long arms.

Half way through the exam, I realized he had glasses on, so I asked him why he hasn't had it done. He doesn't mind his glasses or contacts and his prescription isn't that strong, plus he has some issues with dry eyes. He said he didn't know if he'd do it if he was the perfect candidate, just because he's okay with what he's doing now.

Of course I realized he'd be losing money if I did have it done (no more contacts/glasses through him, and I could probably buy cheap reading glasses at the dollar store)

He comforted me about the low risk.

I called the doctor this morning and scheduled an appointment for later in the month. The receptionist said that the procedure is so much better now and more customized, that many people can go much longer without needing reading glasses. Almost too good to be true?

Seth really wants me to do it, because he knows how frustrated I am with my contacts. So, as of now, I'm "in." But if I hear anything I don't like between now and then, I won't have it done.

Thanks again for all the helpful information. I'll keep you updated after the 26th....

Oh my gosh! Good for you. I know you are going to love your new vision and never regret it. I am jealous!

Had my consultation this week. I have scheduled my Lasik surgery for November 21. If all goes well, I will have something to be very thankful for.

I'm very excited but still very nervous.

YES! You'll wonder why you waited so long!

Good Luck Lori !!! Can't wait to read how wonderful it is!!

You'll be fine and the world will be a clearer, sharper place. Lucky you!

Okay, today is my big day! I'm having the Lasik at 1:30 east coast time. Wish me luck! And if you're the praying type, I will certainly take prayers. I. am. petrified!

See you soon....God willing :)

Sending good thoughts your way Lori.

ann

It is just about time for your lasik surgery. I know it will go smoothly. To be CF about it; piece of cake!

Good luck!
Jo

Wow -- you've had perfect vision for an hour. Let us know how you love it.

I have two weeks until my first cataract surgery. It will be weird to have good distance vision for the first time since I was 10.

Dying to hear your report.

Cant wait to hear how perfect your vision is!! Hurry back Lori!

If they gave her Valium, she's sleeping it off. Or she went out to a movie. ;-)

O. M. G.!!!!

Amazing. The surgery was at 1:30. I got there at 1:10 and was supposed to be second in line. The guy before me was so calm, I could have easily taken his dose of Valium too. I was so, so nervous. I sat and wondered why Valium isn't spelled valuum, like vacuum. That's when I realized it was starting to kick in.

They thought I was up first and programmed the computer for me first. I was still nervous but wanted it over before I threw up.

I went in, they knew I was still scared, so they gave me a stuffed animal to squeeze. haha. I squeezed the crap outta that little tweetie bird.

It really was over quicker than I expected. There was no pain, only pressure. I had to focus on a blinking light. I was so nervous that I'd move my eye, but it was so quick, I didn't lose concentration. I didn't like knowing they were making a flap of my cornea. That freaked me out a little. Okay, a lot. Making the flap was the hardest thing. Not because of pain but because I knew what they were doing.

Then they moved on to the laser portion which literally took about 15 seconds per eye. There was some clicking and a smell I wish they had warned me about. Eeewww.

They took the stuff off my eyes (bandages, some sort of clamp type thing to keep it open), sat me up and asked me what time it was, and I could see the clock across the room said 1:48. ACROSS THE ROOM!

I then went into another room and "recovered" for about 15 minutes while they did the next patient. I opened my eyes, read the signs on the walls and cried. Literally cried. The doctor came in, looked at my eyes, put more drops in, gave me goggles, and sent me home. I read street signs most of the way home. My husband laughed at me because I was so excited to see simple things.

I slept for an hour and a half. The valium had definitely kicked in and the stress of it all was over...I crashed. I woke up and could see very well, at least as well as wearing my glasses, probably a little better. They said I would see a big improvement in the morning. My follow-up is at 8:30 tomorrow. I am a little sensitive to light, but they said that would go away quickly too.

As of now, I am VERY satisfied and would totally recommend it to anybody. Yup, I should have done this years ago.

Thanks again for all the information here and checking in on me. It really helped me in making my decision to have it done and I am very happy :)

I sat and wondered why Valium isn't spelled valuum, like vacuum. That's when I realized it was starting to kick in.
LOL!
I'm so glad everything went well! I could really feel your excitement at seeing that clock across the room. I can hardly imagine being able to do that.

I'm so happy for you!!!!!!

YIPPEEEEEE!

Way to go, Lori!

/tricia

It's a miracle!! She can see! I regret that I didn't do it ten years ago. I should have. My niece had it done in Brazil when she lived there. It was a common procedure there long before it became common here. How I wish Lasik had been around when I was in my 20s or 30s. What a difference that would have made for me.

I'm so happy for you Lori!

Yay Lori!

You describe my post lasik reaction to a tee. On the drive home I realized I could see individual leaves on trees. It was the most awesome realization.

So happy for you!

jo

I'm so happy for you as well, and I would definitely have this done if I were in my 20s. At this point in my life, however, I am not that concerned with far vision, and so I am wondering how this has affected your close vision. Are you able to read a book without glasses? If so, I would also want to have this done. Right now without glasses, my focus range is between 6" and 12" - perfect for doing detailed work, but I would not mind giving up the 6" focus if I could keep an 18" focus.

Congratulations on your success - I am very happy and relieved for you!! I have to admit that I was a bit tense for a while!

Lars

How does the world look today, Lori? Still happy?

Still VERY happy. I can see better than I did with my glasses, but sometimes my vision isn't as good, although still great (especially if I'm due to put the eyedrops in). The doc said that was normal and it would take about 4 weeks to completely stablize.

If I go out at night and look at a sign that's lit up, I have a hard time reading that, and that's also normal, along with halos around headlights which will last for a few weeks.

Lars, I'm going to be 45 in March (I think your brother and I share the same bday ;). I am starting to see a difference in my nearsightedness, which started about six months ago. I haven't really had to use reading glasses in the past, but before the surgery, I would flip my regular glasses up to read something small. Now I just hold it out at about half an arm's length and I can see it clearly. I tried my dollar store reading glasses this morning and I could see well to read the back of a medicine container. I went into this knowing it wouldn't help me if I needed reading glasses.

Yes, I really do feel like it's a miracle!

ya-HOOOOO!

What great news Lori. I read all the earlier posts while you were still deciding but didn't catch the updates while we were on vacation.

I would have been right where you were, wondering if I could get through the few seconds, and the anxiety before, without throwing up. I wish it had been better twenty years ago and I would have done it too. But I had all the same concerns about my really bad vision getting worse. And, like Pam, after decades and decades of wearing contact lenses, I switched to bifocal contacts but they never corrected my astigmatism enough, so I switched to mono vision lenses that were toric and were better with my astigmatism. Now, again like Pam, I have one contact lens and don't need reading glasses, don't need driving glasses and everything is great. But I will need cataract surgery in the next several years - not looking forward to that. I'll be right where you were, on the verge of throwing up because of the low frequency, high impact risk factors.

I'm very happy for you.

Lee

A question for those of you having it 20 * yrs ago. Dont your eyes get bad again over time?
Tammy

Tammy, both of my nieces have had lasik and after a number of years one of them had to go back to wearing contacts. I believe your eyes continue to change as they normally would over the years. She is still happy she did it. It took about 10 years until she needed contacts again.

(Hi, Lori)