I am considering having custom lasik surgery done by Dr.
Christopher Blanton. Can former patients or fellow doctors
please give me your opinions on this decision?

Also, I will be going on vacation 10 days after my surgery. The
nurse says this is enough time to heal -- is this legitimate? How
long before I can swim? I would appreacite input from patients
that have had the surgery.

Thanks for your advice on this stressful, serious and - hopefully
- very rewarding surgery.

Asking a few individuals about a surgeon is usually a very poor way to decide if this is the doctor you want. Every person’s eyes are different. You would not expect to have good vision if you wore someone else’s contacts. Neither can you determine what will be your Lasik outcome by talking to another patient. What talking with another patient will do is give you a better idea about the process and perhaps the “personality” of the clinic you are considering.

I recommend you use our 50 Tough Questions For Your Lasik Doctor at http://www.USAEyes.org and click | Find Doctor | 50 Tough Questions... | to help evaluate a potential Lasik surgeon. You will also find on our website doctors evaluated by our organization.

People may be hesitant to make comments about an individual doctor on a public bulletin board. Perhaps you could provide an email address so others could contact you privately.

Ten days simply is not enough of a margin for safety. It is possible, even probable, that your vision will have stabilized within 10 days, but if you read this or other forums you will see that not everyone gets the “20-Minute Miracle”. Would you be able and willing to cancel your vacation at the last minute if your eyes have problems? Who will take care of you if you are away and have a problem? How will the potential cancellation or problems affect your traveling companions?

You should not be swimming in a pool or natural body of water 10 days after Lasik. Some may disagree, but an eye infection (even a minor infection) can make a vacation somewhat less pleasurable. You may want to read about Lasik and swimming at http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/lasik-swim.htm

Temporary dry eyes is a common concern after Lasik. You may need to use artificial tears quite frequently and/or your eyes may be uncomfortable for a short time. Is this what you want to do on your vacation? If you are flying, the recirculated dehydrated air on a commercial airliner will exacerbate any dry eye problem. If you have a dry eye problem you may need to use copious amounts of preservative-free eye drops while in the plane. This may be only an inconvenience, but it is an inconvenience to consider.

To schedule a trip so close after surgery is setting yourself up for major disappointment if things don’t go exactly as desired. That seems like a poor decision and a poor recommendation.

Glenn Hagele
http://USAEyes.org
Patient Advocacy & Surgeon Certification

I am not a doctor.

Perhaps I am mistaken but I was under the impression that this
forum is an opportunity for individuals with questions about
Lasik to communicate with fellow patients and doctors. I asked
2 very reasonable questions and I am frustrated with the quality
of the reply. The individual insulted me (read below) and my
desire to hear input from former patients of my potential
surgeon. He then proceeded to offer advice/answer my second
question although he is neither a doctor nor a former patient.
Further, he took the opporunity to advertise for his own website.
Everything he told me was specilative info that I had already read
online elsewhere or in lasik pamphlets.
It is very diddifuclt to find a forum where former patients can
chat with one another and share personal experiences. I would
really appreciate a reply from someone who is qualified to
answer my questions and will not belittle me for posting my
queries in this space.

>Asking a few individuals about a surgeon
>is usually a very poor way
>to decide if this is the
>doctor you want. Every person’s eyes
>are different. You would not expect
>to have good vision if you
>wore someone else’s contacts. Neither can
>you determine what will be your
>Lasik outcome by talking to another
>patient. What talking with another patient
>will do is give you a
>better idea about the process and
>perhaps the “personality” of the clinic
>you are considering.

>I recommend you use our 50 Tough
>Questions For Your Lasik Doctor at
>http://www.USAEyes.org and click | Find Doctor
>| 50 Tough Questions... | to
>help evaluate a potential Lasik surgeon.
>You will also find on our
>website doctors evaluated by our organization.
>

>People may be hesitant to make comments
>about an individual doctor on a
>public bulletin board. Perhaps you could
>provide an email address so others
>could contact you privately.

>Ten days simply is not enough of
>a margin for safety. It is
>possible, even probable, that your vision
>will have stabilized within 10 days,
>but if you read this or
>other forums you will see that
>not everyone gets the “20-Minute Miracle”.
>Would you be able and willing
>to cancel your vacation at the
>last minute if your eyes have
>problems? Who will take care of
>you if you are away and
>have a problem? How will the
>potential cancellation or problems affect your
>traveling companions?

>You should not be swimming in a
>pool or natural body of water
>10 days after Lasik. Some may
>disagree, but an eye infection (even
>a minor infection) can make a
>vacation somewhat less pleasurable. You may
>want to read about Lasik and
>swimming at http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/lasik-
swim.htm

>Temporary dry eyes is a common concern
>after Lasik. You may need to
>use artificial tears quite frequently and/or
>your eyes may be uncomfortable for
>a short time. Is this what
>you want to do on your
>vacation? If you are flying, the
>recirculated dehydrated air on a commercial
>airliner will exacerbate any dry eye
>problem. If you have a dry
>eye problem you may need to
>use copious amounts of preservative-free eye
>drops while in the plane. This
>may be only an inconvenience, but
>it is an inconvenience to consider.
>

>To schedule a trip so close after
>surgery is setting yourself up for
>major disappointment if things don’t go
>exactly as desired. That seems like
>a poor decision and a poor
>recommendation.

>Glenn Hagelehttp://USAEyes.orgPatient Advocacy & Surgeon
Certification

>I am not a doctor.

I am sorry to see that you accepted my researched information as an attempt to "belittle" you.

Glenn Hagele
http://USAEyes.org
Patient Advocacy & Surgeon Certification

I am not a doctor.

I looked at this thread because I too am considering having my lasik done by Dr Blanton. While, I still would like to hear from Dr Blanton patients, I thought the advice offered so far was sound and I appreciate it. Definitely things to think about. To D, I think I would also reconsider the timing of my surgery or vacation, complications are never planned and could happen to anyone.

I went to a couple of consultations and am still deciding whether I want to go through with the procedure. From what I was told in the consultations, you should wait AT LEAST a couple of weeks before swimming if not longer. Risking infection, dislodging the flap, etc is simply not worth it.