"Here's a really good question: Why is this surgery still being performed?"
Easy to answer. Mostly due to profit, but also because 90% are happy with lasik so this keeps a good supply of people that get lasik. As long as the majority of people are happy, lasik will go on.
"Now before anyone goes crazy at the posed question please read on. I did some research; I went to a doctor that was recommended by collegues; Everything seemed to go perfect during the surgery; I did all my post-op duties. Unfortunatley, now I have side effects that make Lasik the biggest mistake of my life."
No hun, your not crazy. Just a normal, average guy who wanted better vision without the hassles of glasses. I thought about lasik and researched it too, but decided its not for me due to the risks. Why take the chance? I dont exactly like glasses but im used to it and have dealt with them for many years and they give me pretty good vision.
"I guarantee to anyone that if you were able to live one day, just one whole 24 hour period, with some of the side effects many people are having, this surgery would be halted immediately. You may not believe me, but it's true."
If a genie popped up and you wished everyone who ever had lasik to have side effects for just one day, lasik would die right there and then.
"Let's talk about the side effects, which a lot of us have more than one just to let you know.
Dry eyes: Does anyone like it when there eye is dry? I don't know anyone who does. Can you live with a little dry eye? Sure. Can you live with dry eye that makes it impossible to tolerate contacts"
I know what dry eyes are like. They sometimes feel dry for a few minutes when I wake up or if im really tired. I cant tolerate contacts.
"Can an "Enhancement" cure this? Maybe. I had one and it didn't, so no, not all the time."
thats true and for some people, it just makes things even worse!
"By the way, irregular astigmatism is one thing that can give you "ghosting" or multiple images. Fun stuff. Try reading a book with that. Heck, try working an eight hour shift. I can't even think about much that doesn't include reading off some sort. Not to mention everything you do that does not include reading. I guess it's no big deal to see two of the same car while driving down the street. I'm not even going to mention other side effects because it's not even necessary."
It also kills visual accuracy. Irregular astigmastim can render you at 20/40, 20/50 or worse.
"Ask yourself this: Is it ok that me and 99 other people love their outcomes from this surgery but I know there's one person out their who had exactly the same thing done and now they are 99% ineffective in just about every aspect of life? Is that worth it? Is it ok that some people have had their life turned upside down and all they want to do is sleep and watch tv cause those are the only things they can do without feeling totally worthless? Is that really ok?"
I read that about 90% are happy with their lasik
but only 1% develop a major complication that renders them useless. Many develop minor complications that make them unhappy with lasik but still fully functional.
"This problem is real people. Everyone with side effects is not crazy, we are not natural haters of whatever, we are trying to tell you that our normal, efficient, effective and peaceful lives are being killed for a surgery that most poeple love and some are getting wealthy off of."
I can understand this. I think what should be done is simulate the effects of lasik. Maybe give someone wacky glasses and make him wear it 24 hours and tell him thats what lasik is like. Or maybe give someone atropine drops. I have worn contacts which dried my eyes out and the lasik crowd told me "welcome to a taste of lasik dry eyes!" When I got a cycloplegic refraction with dilating eyedrops, I experienced glare around bright lights and the lasik people say "you had a small taste of what our glare is like!"
"I'm sorry you did not have a good experience with lasik. I can honesty say that having lasik surgery was the best decision of my life. My vision has never been so clear. I am 20/15 in one eye and 20/20 in the other. I had blurry vision for as long as I can remember before surgery. Now, I find myself looking around amazed at how crisp and clear my vision is."
you probably had the same clear vision, just with glasses(albet a little minification) but im happy your lasik was a success. hope it holds up long term.
"As the OP said, lasik is real surgery, with real risks. But as in life, there are risks associated with everything you do."
If you stick with glasses, you dont have to take risks on an elective surgury. No one has to get lasik, they choose to on their own to take the risks. You dont have to take that risk in life!
"I was a classic example of a guy with crummy vison, -9.25 with 0.75 astigmatism. I am 31 years old. I had the custome lasik VISX with intralase done. 3 months post op i have better than 20/10 vision with no side effects at all. actulayy before the surgery my night vision was crummy and i had severe starbursts and Halos. All i wanted form the surgery was to be able to function without glasses. I am very lucky. I went to a surgeoan who had been doing the procedure for 10 years and was an expert in the field."
and we believe you? Most eyecharts dont go beyond 20/20 which is considered perfect vision. Some go to 20/15 and a few to 20/10. You sound like a lasik surgeon making this up to promote lasik. Let me tell ya something, one website claims that 25% of people get 20/10 and like 80% get 20/15 yet the reality is only 50% end up 20/20, the other 50% see worse than 20/20. Let me tell you, I know alot of people who got lasik and I ask them. One lady I know is seeing 20/30 to 20/40 after lasik and she considers it a good experience! Expect to reduce your dependancy on glasses after lasik and get closer to plano and around 20/30 vision. Anyone that expects eagle 20/10 or better vision is just fooling themselves.
"Sure everybody can get lasik, but you must be a good candidate. If you have dry eye before lasik you are a crummy candidate because one of the known side effects is dry eye."
even good candidates have complications. Lasik is a risk for all.
"also believe you get what you pay for. $200.00 for lasix on each eye, come on this is a surgical operation, to change the spark plugs in your car would cost more than that."
people get complications with any lasik, much more so with $299 an eye lasik than $2499 an eye.
"I went to a surgeon whom performed surgery on two people I know personally whom have had great results. During the surgery everything seemed to go as planned. I really hold no ill will toward the surgeon. I believe there is something that we are not seeing that is affecting the recovery of the eye after surgery, or some kind of x-factor we don't know about yet."
There is still much to learn about eyes and vision. Results can be unpredictable, healing can be unpredictable. Most people with bad lasik results had competent surgeons who did everything right, their eyes just healed "wrong". One never knows how your eyes will react and heal from the laser. In fact you can have a perfect result in one eye and a lousy result in the other eye, thats how unpredictable things are! I know one guy who ended up 20/15 in one eye perfect and 20/40 in the other undercorrected with induced astigmastim, dry eye, ghosting, poor night vision. The exact same procedure was done on both eyes and no mistakes were made on the surgeon's part. Yet one eye came out so bad!
"I had no problems with my eyes before the surgery (other than the prescription of course) such as dry eye or ghost images, and I was told I was a perfect candadid for the surgery. I was -4.25 and -4.50."
middle of the line moderate myopia. Your typical 20/300 UCVA. No super thick glasses, no going around blind without glasses.
"I know for a fact too that Lasik complication results are downplayed by surgeons. How do I know this? Well, a year later, after the supposed six month healing process, I requested a copy of my full medical records. Not anywhere could I find a record of the many complications I have complained about many times. Nothing. As far as statistics are concerned, I'm just another success story. Pathetic."
I know! Complication rates are much higher than anyone wants to imagine. Many people generally agree theres a 10% chance you wont be happy with your lasik experience and a 1% chance youll be disabled from it. I guess it all boils down to how badly you want to reduce dependancy on glasses and how much risk your willing to accept on a non reversable procedure. Whatever lasik gives you is forever.
