Do any of you guys with Lasik have problems swimming?
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Do any of you guys with Lasik have problems swimming?
The pool water burns me when I open my eyes in the pool. I had PRK though where the flap is totally removed.
Kwando, I am not going to lie to you, it hurts. And I was out of commission for almost a week (blind-ish) And I was not able to look at computer screens for a month. It felt like I had steel wool scrubbed all over my eye. I at first couldn't open the eyes for very long, and you have to put eye drops in like every 30 minutes or so and that ramps down over the course of the month or so. You take steroid eye drops for 1 or 2 months. I occasionally need tears naturale eye drops but not much anymore. (it has been 6 years)
You also have to go back for follow-ups for a while to make sure your eye pressure does not go up. Those are 15 minute appointments. The procedure is a little longer because they remove the flap. So for me they used the round toothbrush looking thing to floor buff my eye to loosen the layer. and then they took it off, did the procedure, I read the clock, and they put contacts on my eyes that I wore for 3 days.
Looking back, I would definately do it again though.
F that madness! I'll live with glasses and contacts. I already have high pressures and suspect of glacucoma (sp) since I was a little boy. Thanks for your feedback
Negative. With my lasik procedure, they used a microkeratome to make the flap incision, laser to sculpt the corneal layer, and laid the flap back over, total elapsed time of about 4 minutes. I had to wear goggles when sleeping for a week, and was advised not to ride motorcycles of swim for 21 days. after that, no restrictions. Realistically, the flap seals almost instantly, and heals substantially within a couple of days. I did use artificial tears to prevent dryness for about a month and a half.
Spivak...would do it again with them tomorrow if i needed to. Very professional and 20/10 20/15 were my results
Yeah I need to get it done.
I had PRK done in 2005-ish. The surgery took 40 secs in my left eye, 45 in my right. I could instantly see so much better, and could have driven myself home, but I already had someone with me to do that. For about 3 or 4 days, the feeling of gritty sand in my eyes progressively got worse, with the 3rd or 4th day being the worst. I wouldn't say it hurt, but it was definitely very uncomfortable. But over the next couple of days the feeling went away. I couldn't look at a tv or computer screen for about a month with my eyes going blurry. But after that, my eyes are awesome. 20/15 vision, no halos at night, no side effects whatsoever. I don't remember having to go back for any followups except for one.
I would highly recommend it or LASIK. I hated wearing glasses and contacts.
Just read this whole thread (and three others) again. I think I'm going to pull the trigger later this year. Maybe late first quarter.
Do you still have to switch to glasses for a month if you're a contact wearer?
I'm not afraid, just need to work it into the budget and go.
Mine was done by the Army. If they can get it right, anyone can.
When I can make insurance elections again, I'll be having this consulted for then done in the beginning of the year. Likely Spivack.
A coworker recently told me that when you elect an amount of money for Flex Medical, that amount is deposited into the account on Jan 1 of the new year, and the per-paycheck amount is removed throughout the rest of the year. So I'll be paying for it pre-tax and whatever discount VSP gets me.
You usually have to stop wearing your contacts for a Month before the procedure. This is required to get your cornea back to is "Normal" shape so they can verify the thickness and shape then use those measurements to remove the appropriate cornea material during the LASIK procedure. Think of it like wearing a ring on your finger for a long time. It will eventually leave a "Ring" indention in your finger. When you take the ring off your finger doesn't instantly recover the "ring" indention. It takes time for your finger skin to settle back into its normal shape. The same thing happens with your eyes when you wear contacts regularly.
Have any of you getting or planning on doing this , inquired about depth perception after surgery? With my vision / cornea issues was told that i can have my vision corrected BUT would not have depth perception.
Thanks Cha-lee, that's pretty much what I anticipated. I've been trying to wear my contacts less lately. I'm on my last pair, and instead of buying more, I'm using this as an excuse to pull the trigger on lasik.
Kazoo, I'll have to ask.
I might just get my dominate eye done to improve depth perception. But my eyes aren't terrible to begin with.
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I don't have any depth perception issues before or after getting it done.
Im coming up on a year since I had my surgery. 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other. Reading focus is perfect and no issues with depth perception. The only issue I have are dry eyes at night on a few occasions. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
I'm about to drop some money on getting LASIK soon too. Probably call in a day or two to set up a consultation. Just have to figure out where I want to go. I've been in glasses and/or contacts since I was in 2nd grade. I'm done dealing with that stuff.
I've been thinking about it. I'm right handed, and my right eye is 20/120, which is terrible. Handgun I can just shoot with my left eye, but it means corrective lenses for rifle shooting with any kind of accuracy (the leaf sights on my AK and SKS are just terrible to use. I usually look at the front post and then settle down to bring the rear leaf up). Previously I was unable to because of a ridge right over my cornea, which means I can only get the old style. I'm not up to have my eye cut with a blade and deal with weeks of painful recovery. I've had some vision issues in that eye the past couple weeks, and I think that ridge might have shifted as a result.
Just set up a consultation with ICON for a few hours from now.
Sweet, see if they have a referral bones! I will split it with you. I had mine done by ICON a month ago.
They do have a referral thing, but I was going to use my cousin. It's basically a scratch card where you get between $25-$1,500 off the total. $25 says it'll be $25 off. Sounds like PRK is the better option for me. I can go as early as tomorrow morning, but I only have Mon and Tues off next week. Doc was telling me I'll be home bound for 7 days after. I already called into work and since I have stuff already scheduled for Weds and Thurs, they don't want to give me the time off.
I'm considering taking the gamble that I'll be okay to drive and use a computer by Weds. My mom has had both procedures and while PRK hurt more, she said she was still good to go the next day. What are your guys' experiences?
You work for an insurance company, I know you can get the time off if you tell them you need it for a medical procedure. I have a friend who had PPK and she needed 5 days off. I was good after 3 days but I had lasik. BTY looks like I will have to have it again at the end of June as I am still not 20/20.
Well with appointments already scheduled, it wasn't looking good. I decided not to risk not being able to work on Wednesday and will just schedule a little later.
Bummer, Stu. I had my lasik on a Friday, had the wife drive me home, took a nap for a couple of hours afterwards and was pretty much good to go after that. I drove myself to my follow up appointment the next morning and even ran a few errands on my way home. Was back working like normal on Monday.
PRK is supposed to take longer, and as I've read a couple blogs where people weren't back at work by day 5, I figure I'll just slow down a bit and schedule later.
I had lasik a few years ago 1st day after sucked I was not doing anything except laying in a dark room 3-4 days I was pretty good to go, I figured i was healing my eyes so I took it easy.
I went and got a consultation by where I was working in Boulder, they had pretty girls who were my best friend, mineral water, snacks, etc $6000. Then I went to Icon same exact machine, same procedure for $3000. no pretty girls or snacks but shoot gun willies was right down the street for much cheaper.
Going in on Thursday for PRK. I sure am glad I watched this video first. Not. Oh yeah, I dedicate this video to Rondog. heh
Good luck, Stu.
Thanks. I can't wait to be able to swim again.
I don't think the ability to swim has anything to do with your vision.
If you think I'm gonna watch that you must be crazy!
I remember watching a thing on TV back in the 70's or 80's about a new procedure where they sliced the cornea off the eye, froze it, put it on a lathe, reshaped it, then put it back on the eyeball. And I'm scared of Lasik.....
Good luck with your surgery! Let us know how it goes.
Went in for eval... I'm not a candidate for either, due to a small area near the edge of my right cornea that is misshapen... Could go to a cornea specialist for another opinion- but I'll pass