• You are using the old Black Responsive theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

LASIK and VISIX

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AJ Dual

member
Joined
Feb 20, 2003
Messages
2,095
Location
Wisconsin
Don't know where else to post this, but since eyesight affects target acquisition, sighting etc. I thought this would be as good a forum as any other.

My new employer has a flexible medical svaings account benifit and I was thinking about saving up, tax-deferred, for LASIK. next fall.

Anyone have experiences or reccomendations to share?

I was thinking I wanted to look into the newer VISIX system. Supposedly this new ultra-accurate form of LASIK uses adaptive optic technology from astronomy and StarWars/SDI lasers to remove all optical imperfections, not just focus and rough astigmatisim etc.

I have very bad haloes around point lights already with or without my glasses, and it makes red-dot sights, and night driving very irritating to me, so I figure I have nothig to lose in that department with regular LASIK already. I have heard that the newer VISIX laser can also repair "spherical abberation" which is what causes haloes.

Any thoughts or reccomendations?

Searching Google or Yahoo is just overload when it comes to LASIK info..
 
LASIK and VISIK

AndrewWalkowiak:

I have a relative who runs one of the largest vision clinics in SE Mo. She has had the opportunity to get them all done to herself: RK, LASIK, and VISIK & whatnot...for free. She has not taken up any of the offers because, in her words, "I've seen too many grown men sitting in my examination chair start balling when I tell them I can't get their vision better than 20/200 with ANY sort of corrective lens."

These are folks who have had those surgeries and their eyes don't heal correctly. Instead of smooth, their eyes heal up like crumpled up saran wrap. She can't help them because their eyes are so screwed up and screwed up in an unnatural, almost random fashion from the surgery. Near/far vision, astigmatism & such effect the eye in known, fairly predictable ways that can be corrected with glasses/contacts. The poorly healed eyes are just a mess.

She gets the hard cases, 'cause she's just about the best at what she does in that part of the US. She put it succinctly, "A 95% success rate is not good enough for elective surgery on your eyes." If you're dyin' of colon cancer and someone offers you a 95% chance of success, grab it! A 1 in 20 chance of getting your eyes screwed up or not functioning as advertised for elective eye surgery is a bad bet.

Now that being said, the newer methods are better than the old methods. RK would leave scars she could see with a naked eye. The newer methods generally leave no scars from the surgery 6 months after. Thats why some AF/Navy cadets at CO Springs/Annapolis LEAVE the academies with better eyesight than when they ENTERED. (Eye surgery is a disqualifier for flight school or other military service, so evidence of scarring form RK would get them the boot)

My step-mom had RK done a while back & it worked fine...after 3 attempts on each eye and three different weeks of recuperation, pain, and narcotic painkillers to make it bearable for her. Eventually, things went well. Still, now she requires glasses for reading, as age has its way with her eyes. But, she exhibits no signs of nearsightedness or astigmatism.
 
I don't know about VISIX but I had the Lasik procedure done to both of my eyes in 1998. Best money I ever spent on myself.

Literally the whole procedure took less than 5 minutes and I drove myself home afterwards, without glasses.

My eyes were not terrible to begin with. I needed glasses for just about everything though and I hated them. I didn't start wearing glasses until I was in my 20s. My eyeglass prescription was 1.75 in both eyes, if that means anything to you. I don't know where that falls on the 20/## scale. I was tested 2 weeks after the procedure at 20/15. I haven't had a test since but I can definitely say that I am still at least 20/20.

Do it now!!!!
 
I had the Lasik done in Canada in '99. I could see clearly the next day.

I went from 20/400 to 20/20 permanently after the first month of fluxuation/healing.

One interesting shooting development. I am left eye dominant and always shot rifles left handed and pistols right handed. My left eye's vision was stronger.

Now, I'm still left eye dominant but my right eye now sees more clearly so I shoot everything right handed, right eyed.

Also, when driving at night, I used to get the cloud of light effect from oncoming headlights, pretty much blinding me. After the Lasik, it's totally different. Much better.

I paid a grand for the surgery back then. It was worth ten times that.

Josh
 
My wife is a walking advertisment for laser surgery. She needed her glasse to find her contacts or her contacts to find her glasses before the surgery. She sat up, read the clock across the room, cried and hugged the doc and walke out to us. Her vision is 20/15 and she no longer has the light flaring at night that blind so many people with vision problems. 3 years later, still seeing clearly.
 
Wait about 2 years. A new procedure is coming out which will put Lasik out of business.
 
Wore glasses for over 20 years, had LASIK done and was golfing by 9:AM the next morning with perfect & clear vision. Going on 3 years now without any problems. Best money I've ever spent on myself.
 
WT

O.K. I'll bite. What's this new proceedure that's so great? I've been contemplating LASIX, but you've got me intreagued.
 
Thats why I'm 27 and still waiting, I want something a little better for my young eyes, long term with this stuff is still an unknown.

John
 
99% of the time, my contacts give me no problems. Occasionally they're a pain in the ???, but until corrective eye surgery for near-sightedness has a 99.9% success rate, I'll pass. I'd rather see 20/20 with contacts and deal with a hassle now and then than risk the 1 in 50 chance or whatever of being legally blind for the rest of my life.
 
What's the procedure called where the eye is reshaped by small semi-circular slivers of plastic being inserted? I saw a show on it, but I don't know the name. It's faster, easier, and can be reversed with no permanent damage if unsuccesful IIRC and the show was correct.
 
I am not sure of the name of the procedure but my friends in high places in the business tell me that it is being tested on humans and is working out well. It involves direct implant of a new artificial flexible lens. Can be replaced as one ages. Almost bionic. Area 51 technology. Should be on the market for general use within 2 years. I'm sure that eye surgeons are aware of this new procedure coming down the pike.
 
WT- I have heard of the procedure that you are talking about. I just can't remember the name of it for the life of me...
 
The Dark Side

I've considered doing this a number of times, and each time I do I go read a few stories on this site:

http://www.surgicaleyes.org/

Check out the bulletin board on that site, and also realize there's a lot more to success than 20/20.

There are certainly a lot of people who have had great success and would do it all over again, but the consequences of failure are just too nasty for me.
 
My Opthamologist tells me that thinning the corneas to correct vision may cause a lot of people vision problems as they age. Apparently, the corneas thin naturally as one ages and having them modified to correct vision at a relatively young age may cause more serious vision problems in later years. He's said that while I am a candidate, he strongly recommends sticking with either contacts or glasses.
 
Jack19

he strongly recommends sticking with either contacts or glasses.
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting that your Opthamologist is leading you astray, however, you should probably get a professional opinion from somebody who doesn't profit either way from the decision you make. Your opthamologist stands to loose $ if you no longer need his services.

Blue Skies,

MaterDei
 
Intersting, in light of Jack19's comment. I just had an eye exam (first ime in 4 years) and my right eye, which used to be worse thatn my left, has improved ("improved' being a relative term, I'm still severly myopic). Dr. said it's not unusual to see some eimprovement as one ages (I'm 55), I'd like to think it's because of the 'exercises' I've been doing at the range:D , as I'm right eye dominent.

I've been in glasses siunce the 4th grade, I'd love to do lasix/visix, but I think I'll wait for the next generation technology and [hopefully] higher success rates, especially in the ability to fix those that don't go 'as advertised'.
 
you should probably get a professional opinion from somebody who doesn't profit either way from the decision you make
Click to expand...

Well, as the Opthamologist is a doctor, and I see him on a reasonably regular basis, he's not going to lose any money by suggesting the surgery; I'd sill come in for regular eye exams and checks for diseases of the eye. In fact, he'd make more from me by doing the surgery as he'd also get to charge me for that.

And, like any doctor I see, I want the truth and his best advice about my health. If you don't trust your doctor, why go?
 
I'm not willing to get big chunks of my eyes chopped out, but I'd love to have my vision corrected with a safe and reversible procedure. I think it was something like Intacs. I'll have to Google around to see what's up.
 
I encourage my patients who are considering refractive surgery to visit the website Surgical Eyes. It makes for fascinating (and sometimes painful) reading.
 
Last edited:
If you don't trust your doctor, why go?
Click to expand...
I very specifically said that I was NOT suggesting that your eye doctor, Jack19, was leading you astray. I was just making a general comment that when receiving professional advice that you should find a neutral party for the advice, especially in matters dealing with health. Have you ever heard of a second opinion? The whole reason people are advised to receive a second opinion is to allow them to talk to somebody who would not be involved in the proposed procedure should you decide to have it done. That is all that I was suggesting, not that I don't trust my doctor or that you shouldn't trust yours.
 
I had the Lasik surgery a couple years ago. My vision is now 20/20 with no negative side effects whatsoever. It has definitely made my life better and easier, especially with my involvement in martial arts. My only advice is to come to terms with the small chance of a negative outcome before you have the surgery, and to go to a reputable business that does not advertise based on price. I first went to a popular "franchise" type place with low prices and they would not even attempt the surgery because of the severe astigmatism in one of my eyes. I then went to a more traditional establishment that has a fantastic reputation and they performed the operation with no problem. They were also much more expensive. I perceived a night and day difference between the two businesses.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

G
  • Locked
LASIK and Shooting -- My Experience
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
142
Views
17K
goemado
G
Back
Top