Laser Eye Surgery?

Your experience? (or someone's you know)
Cost?
Happy with results?
Problems?
Regrets?
Would you do it again?

Thanks!

couple of old threads:
thread 1
thread 2

hoping to hear some long-term stories.

Had it done in 2000, was back in glasses in 2005.
Cost: $5000
Would I do it again? If I didn't sit in front of a computer all day for work, yes.
Problems? Light halos at night still. Usually only when I'm exhausted now.

Don't you get 5 years or so of free adjustments? Or did I just hear that from a crazy person? (<--totally possible)

Had it done in 2003 for a little over $1000. Have had flawless distance vision since, although reading is beginning to suffer somewhat... but I'm old, and they said that people post-LASIK often end up in reading glasses earlier than others. It's still a small price to pay compared to complete and utter dependency on glasses and contacts at all times.

Halos only very rarely... like when I'm exhausted or it's humid. Not bothersome in the least. No significant dry eye. Awesome all around, especially since I look in a microscope all day. I would do it again in a heartbeat, even though my doctor turned out to be a slimy, horny perv.

My only regret was not insisting on the pre-op Valium. Turns out they forgot to give it to me, which made the whole experience even more surreal than it already was, temporary blindness and the scent of flesh burning and all.

I'm planning on getting this done in January, and am perfectly willing to wear reading glasses in a few years. So I'd like to hear some stories as well.

I had a friend who had it done, had complications, eventually leading to some pretty bad stuff. His was an unusual case, so I won't get into it here, but as part of the aftermath of his outcome, members of his family testified before an FDA panel in April regarding the severity and frequency of complications post-surgery. The results of that FDA panel are still pending, but I expect a major revision of guidelines, contraindications, and side effects sometime soon.

My dad had it done a few years ago and never had any problems at all.


MDF...why did you pay so much??

I worked for an attorney who's office specialized in laser surgery lawsuits - so I'm a little biased. Approximately 1/3 need to be redone or "adjusted". Not something I would do.

I like wearing glasses too much to even consider laser eye surgery. Only time it's an issue for me is when I'm out at a show in the crowd.

Depends on the doctor. The guy I went to has been sued several times now. Now, 5 year adjustments are more common since regression is happening to more and more people.

I wonder if they went after the doctor I used. He's fairly famous in the NJ/NY area because he was one of the first.

I can't have it done because of how my eyes got this way well not without risking being blind

Best decision I ever made. I don't recall the cost, because my parents paid for it as a graduation present. But the results have been fantastic.

I got it done maybe 3 years ago by Dr Maloney. (if you click that, a video starts playing. be warned.)
I heard cheaper services advertised on the radio but i decide they were my only pair of eyes so i'd go to the place that all the celebrities and extreme makeover etc etc trusted. Added bonus when i found out that he fucked up kathe griffin's eyes. I fucking hate her.

didn't have to get it touched up. my vision is still better than 20/20. (my prescription before was -6.00 and -5.75)

It's the best money I ever spent. I love being able to stay out whereever i want and not worry about cleaning my contacts. or laying down on the couch watching TV and not bending my glasses. And the difference it makes in scuba diving is fucking amazing.

My wife had great success; went from nearly blind to nearly perfect vision. One "touch up" required immediately following surgery, but since then - no problems.

I will not opt for the surgery. I am too old and their solution for me is to lasik one eye for distance and one eye for reading/computer, which all sounds just a bit too risky to me.

A relative had it done recently. She's delighted.

I will wait a few years.

Both my dad and my brother had it done at the same place that did Tiger Woods.

Neither has had any problems since. My dad had it done quite a while ago (2000 or so), and my brother had it done just a year or so ago.

I've got the $$ saved up...just cold feet on pulling the trigger....

I am doing this is a few years time when my eyes have settled. A friend of mine flew out to Vancouver to get it done a few years ago to have it done by one of the doctors who pioneered the surgery, I forget his name. Shes thrilled, said it was a life changing thing.

I've worn contacts for about 20 years and don't mind them at all. My main priority is to stay out of glasses. If something went wrong with LASIK that resulted in me having to wear glasses, I would kill my doctor. I can't stand wearing glasses. Everyone's eye muscles weaken with age, particuarly betweeny ages 40-50, and technology is constantly improving. They're working on techniques to laser-correct aging eyes now. I have 5 years to go till 40, so I think I'll just wait it out some more.

My sister in law had PRK surgery last year. She had a bit of trouble the first couple of days, but since then she said she can see perfectly. The only draw back is now she has to remember to carry some eye drops around as her eyes tend to dry out frequently.


I've worn glasses/contacts since I was a wee lass, and I haven't gone for a consult, but I'm pretty sure I can't afford it. I'd love to have it done, though. One of these days.

I had lasik done about 5 years ago. Results were great. Over time, I noticed a .5 difference in my right eye . . since I'm a shooter, I decided to have it touched up. The touch up surgery went great . . . but that night, I accidently rubbed my eye, and tore the flap off of my cornea. I've been mostly blind in that eye for 15 months. I'm frustrated beyond belief. I'm hoping we will be able to fix the eye over time . . at this point . . we don't know.

very few things sound more terrifying to me than that.