So I am going to finally pull the trigger and get lasik.
I have some consultations set up with 20/20 Institute, Spivak and ICON.
Has anyone had the procedure done by any of the above?
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So I am going to finally pull the trigger and get lasik.
I have some consultations set up with 20/20 Institute, Spivak and ICON.
Has anyone had the procedure done by any of the above?
I had mine done at Eye Care Center of Northern Colorado with Dr. Peter Andrews. I am not sure how they compare price wise but that is something I was not willing to go cheap on. He did AMAZING work on my brothers eyes which consisted of planting a permanent contact in both his eyes and doing lasik on top of it.
I had PRK done at the Air Force Academy. I didn't get a T-Shirt, but it cost me $0 out of pocket. 6 years later I am happy still.
[UZI]
I had mine done at 20/20 Institute in Westminster 6 months ago and could not be happier. I now have 20/15 vision. My buddy went to ICON and has been back 4 times now to "fix" his. But he had one eye done for distance and one for close. But he is happy with the outcome.
I had mine done at Icon. They don't feed you bonbons and pamper you but they are very professional and I'm extremely pleased with my results. I had it done 3 years ago and I'm still 20/15, my eyes were awful before that.
edit: I got mine done when they were offering a deal through Groupon too, still got the results I wanted.
Lasik vision institute on s colorado 11 years ago. Best decision I ever made
My wife and I both got our LASIK done at Spivak. Both procedures were drama free and the care provided before and after the procedure was top notch. I give Spivak two thumbs up for a job well done.
Prices? I'm not trying to find the cheapest. Just wanna know if it's in my budget.
I had mine done at 20/20 down by Park Meadows about 10 years ago. I went from 20/150 without glasses to 20/15. I am noticing that my near accommodation is not what it used to be, I now need readers for extremely fine close up work, like reading the numbers on carb jets. Still, I am tickled with the results. Total cost at the time was about $2100 an eye, which I did on 24 month zero interest financing.
Mine was $500 an eye from Icon
I did a ton of research before getting LASIK done and listed below some info that helped me make a well informed decision.....
(1) They give you a choice of doing the cornea "Cut" via a blade or a laser. Go with the laser as the pocket it makes during the cutting process makes the flap return to the same spot easier and less likely to come back up or dislodged when hit.
(2) They really do not tell you this up front, but the "Flap" that they cut on the front of your cornea never fully heals/knits to the cornea again. You will forever have a "loose flap" on the front of your cornea. If you have to get a touch up LASIK job done, they simply pull the existing flap back and zap you again. If you are into rubbing your eyes or regularly get poked or bumped in the eye you can dislodge the flap. The good news is that the flap getting dislodged is pretty rare and even more rare if you have the laser cut the flap.
(3) The LASIK process basically removes cornea material to flatten the cornea in order to change the depth of the natural image focal point against your retina. Since they are taking material away from your cornea to change your focal point, this means that your eye muscles have to bend the cornea to a further degree to refocus on close and far items. This will usually show up as a delay in focusing from far to near or near to far. Depending on your age, your eye muscles may not be able to bend the cornea far enough to refocus on up close items, such as reading. This is why so many LASIK patients need to get "Cheater" Reading glasses as they get older.
(4) Since they have to cut a flap in the front of your cornea this severs most of the nerves on the flap its self. Since your body can't "feel" the dryness of the flap area this usually leads to dry eye syndrome. If you have any amount of regular dry eye syndrome before getting LASIK done, you will be absolutely fucked after you get LASIK done. Dry eye syndrome is the number one complaint post LASIK and it should be the number one "Go/No Go" test done by the doctor. There is no way to "Fix" dry eye syndrome other than continually putting artificial tears eye drops in your eyes. There are many LASIK horror stories out there where someone who had dry eye syndrome before getting LASIK done had a crack pot Dr still do LASIK on them and then they are basically stuck with putting artificial tears in their eyes all day long for the rest of their life.
(5) Your default "relaxed eye" focus will be at distance. This means that you will normally have to refocus to see closer items. When I wore glasses my default "relaxed eye" focus was at about hands length away from my face, so I usually had to refocus to see far away. After getting LASIK done I basically had to relearn how to focus on things because the procedure flip flopped my default "relaxed eye" focus.
(6) Your low light and night vision WILL be diminished. I noticed a significant decrease in low light and night vision ability post LASIK. I use to be able to wear sunglasses indoors and still see fairly well. Now I can't even think about wearing sunglasses indoors because it is way too dark. With the latest LASIK laser technologies you really don't have to worry about star burst or halo's around lights issues unlike the older laser technologies.
(7) The Dr will give you a medicine eye drop regiment to follow after the procedure. Follow the procedure without fail. One of the medicine drops will sting and give you cloudy vision, this is normal. Resist the urge to stop taking this medicine eye drop so you can see clearly. Doing so will dramatically delay the healing process of the cornea and flap.
(8) It will take you YEARS to break the habit of subconsciously pushing up or adjusting your glasses, which you are no longer wearing. It has been 5 years since I got LASIK done and I still catch myself doing these crazy habits when I get tired.
Thank you CHA-LEE - most informative.
I also want to point out, that even though I posted a long list of "Watch out for this" things, I am still 100% happy with getting LASIK done. My vision settled into 20/15 in both eyes in about a month after the procedure and is still that good 5 years later. It took about a year for me to retrain/rebuild my fast refocus (Far/Near or Near/Far) skills but that seems to be getting better and better as time go on. I don't have any issues with focusing up close but I am still a couple years away from the magical "It happens when you turn 40...". We will see what happens in a couple of years.
WHATEVER YOU DO! Do not! DO NOT! search for "Lasik gone wrong" on you tube!
("The Video that LASIK Coctors Don't want you to see.")
Doubt I am ever gonna go see a coctor. Sounds scary. :eek:
I have had it. Real happy. Don't go cheap and if they don't do multiple scans over at least weeks, don't use them. They will 'cut' based on the scans of your eyes. More data points over time lead to better results. If they only do one scan that is only one data point........... Not good.
I'm using Buckley Vision Institute down here. Have my consultation next week and surgery next week as well. I have only heard good things about them and they have been in the biz a while. Hopefully I am a good candidate!
Does having them done at altitude affect how they act at lower altitudes???
Had mine done at Spivak a little over a year ago. Great experience overall, and I came out with 20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my shooting eye. It was not the cheapest, but who really wants bargain eye surgery?
I opted into my employer's FSA to pay for part of it, since it comes out pre-tax.
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I had PRK done in TX and then moved here... it's a different process but the altitude hasn't affecting my vision at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by cofi
Just out of curiosity, why are you guys having lasik done instead of PRK?
I had lasik over PRK for a couple of reasons: Better correction of astigmatism, and smaller likelihood of corneal scarring, which can result in starring, coronas and halos around light sources, particularly at night. My night vision is at least as good now as it was before the surgery, with no need for glasses. The recovery time for lasik is also significantly shorter, particularly with the new "bladeless" procedure. Most people can return to work in 1-2 days.
Dr Buckley did mine in 2000 and I am still very pleased with the results. It was the best $2600 I ever spent.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
Spivak, wife is happy with hers from there. $$
FYI, You get what you pay for. (usually)
I know some folks went cheap and are totally screwed up and ended up getting repairs at Spivak or other more expensive places. They still have permanent issues with their vision, it wasn't completely correctable.
The Dr said LASIK was a better option than PRK for my astigmatism. I had an abnormal reaction to the procedure though: by the time I got home, my eyes felt like they were on fire and were pouring tears. I couldn't see anything, and couldn't open my eyes. I took an Oxy, washed it down with a couple beers, and passed out. The next day I was totally fine and could see perfectly. The doc said I shouldn't have been in any pain and I should have called them right away.
I also had dry eyes for about a month and had to carry around a bottle of artificial tears, but I think that part is fairly typical.
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I don't have the nerve to let somebody cut on my eyes, that just gives me the willies. But I'm gearing up to have gastric bypass surgery on my stomach for weight loss, and that's an ass-puckerer too. I really need it though, and I can get it done for $0 cost to us, so why not. If I could get Lasik for free too I might consider that as well.
Oh, FWIW, I went to Ikon/Icon/whatever it is once for an evaluation, and that place struck me as a big-box joint, kinda like the "Earl Scheib's of Lasik". I could be wrong.
I highly recommend 20/20 Institute. Both my wife and I had it done there and couldn't be more pleased. Its been at least 5 years for me and about 7 for my wife.
My wife's 20/20 is still 20/20. I had the version where one eye is corrected to 20/20 and the other is only slightly modified so I can read up close. To this day I still don't NEED glasses, however as they mentioned, since I'm older my close up eye would degrade over time. While it has slightly and I on rare occasion pick up a pair of reader glasses, I don't NEED them… I had my annual exam with my regularly eye doctor, and the 20/20 side is still 20/20!
We also paid around 2100 an eye with the lifetime guarantee. Which neither of us has had to use….
Wright Eye Center in COS. Had it done this year and love it. 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other. Finally free of glasses after 30 years.
Wright Eye Center did mine
My consultations will decide if I get PRK or Lasik.
I am leaning towards PRK, since I don't like the idea of an eye flap.
The recovery time is a lot longer, but it just seems more permanent a solution.
I got 20/20 last year from Dr. Cutarelli at Cutarelli Vision at DTC. It ain't cheap, as it should not.
I had my consultation today and my surgery is scheduled for this coming Friday through Buckley. I'm pumped!
The most exciting thing that happened to me (I had PRK) throughout the whole thing, was when it was all over and they sat me up, and asked me to read the chart across the wall. I could see the thing clearly without glasses on! What a wierd sensation. I hope you get great results!Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
The thing I didn't like about PRK was the recovery time. I was effectively blind for 3 days with a feeling like I got steel wool scrubbed all over my eyes. Then for a good month I could not look at something and focus well, things were pretty blurry for the whole month timeframe.
They asked if I would prefer to do PRK and I said HELL NO! They said Lasik recovery should be 2 days at the most.Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
Yeah and many people I know that have gone through it have very little discomfort and drove themselves home.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
Well I had my surgery yesterday afternoon. Was very quick and virtually painless. I sat up and could read the clock on the wall immediately! Felt like I had some sand in my eyes but that's it for pain. Best 3k I've spent!
That's awesome, congrats! I kinda wish I had the nerve and money to do it, but I'm ugly enough with glasses, and even worse without them. And the "flap" thing kinda worries me, I rub my eyes too much.Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
I wish I could get LASIK. Had a consultation and my cornea is not thick enough but I can get PRK. So the 2nd part of the question to this thread is.... Has anyone receiver PRK and how's the recovery? I've heard it's a a lot longer and more painful. Patients experience halos at nights longer and more dryness in their eyes. That is what a buddy told me after he got the PRK procedure.
Rondog you won't regret it! The rubbing eyes thing is only for a few days.
Kwando I got to watch a guy get PRK after my LASIK procedure and it looked intense! However after he was done he said he felt okay. The doc said he would need 2 weeks before he was seeing completely clearly. Still not a bad option. My wife watched my procedure but only made it through one eye. She said she was going to pass out watching the other one!
Like I said, I'll be having Gastric Bypass surgery on my stomach soon, and that's going to be a major lifestyle changer in itself, thank God my wife's insurance is covering it 100% (Kaiser employee).Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Giv
After life is back to normal, perhaps I can consider Lasik down the road. But I doubt any insurance will cover much of it. I do know people that have had it and rave about it.
Yeah that'll be huge! Insurance didn't cover any of mine aside from the prescription drops I need post op. Buckley does 24 month no interest financing on the procedure though so I went that route.Quote:
Originally Posted by rondog