Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus • Hacker News Board

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#71

Post by placeholderNam » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:31 AM UTC

freddie_mercury wrote: post #64

enobrev wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the _one_ thing I miss about getting my eyesight fixed. Within a month of getting laser surgery, it was so natural that I'd essentially forgotten the experience of glasses and contacts, as though I'd never experienced the previous 20 years with them. One of my very favorite things to do before then was sit in Central Park, or at the Diversey Rocks in Chicago, or anywhere with lots of color, remove my glasses,…

Why not just buy some glasses that blur up your vision? And then go put them on in Central Park?

As a glasses-wearer who understands the parent commenter: the all-encompassing vision granted by taking off the glasses (which cover ~60% of our regular view) is what makes for the wholesome, nice feeling OP is talking about.

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#72

Post by beenBoutIT » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:34 AM UTC

It's worth mentioning that a single drop of Alphagan (brimonidine) in each eye an hour before dark will often eliminate halos in people who've had Lasik. The effect lasts an entire night and there aren't any real dangers in the way of side effects or interactions.

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#73

Post by ars » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:35 AM UTC

enobrev wrote: post #58

gameshot911 wrote: post #40

I think this is a unique view, but I've come to appreciate nearsightedness. Partially because I like having the ability to soften the external world by removing my glasses (like wrapping myself in a warm fuzzy blanket), but even more so because it grants me the ability to see things near me in sharper focus than someone with 20/20 vision. I can put on contacts or glasses to see something at a distance just as clearly…

This is the _one_ thing I miss about getting my eyesight fixed. Within a month of getting laser surgery, it was so natural that I'd essentially forgotten the experience of glasses and contacts, as though I'd never experienced the previous 20 years with them. One of my very favorite things to do before then was sit in Central Park, or at the Diversey Rocks in Chicago, or anywhere with lots of color, remove my glasses,…

You could force your eyes to blur and achieve the same effect.

It's easier to do if you are tired, if you've never done it before. Crossing your eyes slightly also helps (then hold the blurry focus and uncross them).

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#74

Post by NetOpWibby » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:35 AM UTC

cm2012 wrote: post #49

rm999 wrote: post #47

As a subscriber I love the New York Times, but like many articles in the Wellness section this is low quality. The article starts off with: >A recent clinical trial by the F.D.A. suggests that the complications experienced by Mr. Ramirez are not uncommon. Nearly half of all people who had healthy eyes before Lasik developed visual aberrations for the first time after the procedure, the trial found. And then five minu…

That's a wrap, folks. This comment is more valuable by far than the article.

I've learned to read the comments to any posted NYT article, than visiting said article itself.

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#75

Post by axaxs » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:36 AM UTC

I had PRK, which is different but similar results. Two things I definitely noticed were worse night vision, and light sensitivity. I'm in my 30s and have developed floaters recently, but I can't say that's related at all. Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY. The benefit of clear vision absolutely outweighs the minor annoyances.

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#76

Post by learc83 » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:37 AM UTC

cosmie wrote: post #55

learc83 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same. Glasses are such a minor inconvenience that I don't think I'd risk even a 1% chance of complications. What kind of glasses are people wearing that makes it worth the substantial risk that they'll end up with chronically dry eyes. Especially when you'll he wearing them again anyway in a decade or two.

The inconvenience of glasses are relative. Before I had LASEK/PRK done, I had a very strong astigmatism and mild case of nearsightedness. Combined, I basically couldn't make out much of anything more than ~6 inches from my face. I didn't mind wearing glasses at all, or even contacts (although they caused dry eyes). What I minded the most about glasses was my dependency on them, and the fact that I'd be dead in the wa…

My vision is also bad enough that I basically can't function without glasses.

I always have a backup pair with me in the car, and I take 2 backup pairs on vacation, usually packed in 2 separate bags.

I also take spare shoes (even for day trips) because I can't buy another pair easily if something happens to mine--they don't sell shoes big enough in normal stores.

You obviously evaluated the risks differently, but to me not needing to pack an extra pair of glasses isn't worth the substantial, potentially life altering risk of severe dry eyes (not to mention blindness).

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#77

Post by stephengillie » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:37 AM UTC

NetOpWibby wrote: post #74

cm2012 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a wrap, folks. This comment is more valuable by far than the article.

I've learned to read the comments to any posted NYT article, than visiting said article itself.

I scan through HN's list of articles, and click "hide" on all NYT articles, before even reading titles. Same for many other newspapers and a few "usual suspect" websites. (This article was an exception, as I've had LASIK in the past 20 years, and it caught my eye.)

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#78

Post by sourdzl » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:37 AM UTC

bradleyjg wrote: post #41

Anyone here wear the contact lenses that reshape your eyes at night and then during the day you have corrected vision and no lenses? Mostly I don't mind glasses and contacts, but there are some activities I'd rather not have to rely on them.

I wore them for about 10 years, from 11 to 23. They were great and stopped my eyes from getting any worse, but I ended up getting PRK ~5 years ago which has been worth it overall (exacerbated my dry eye and led to an one eye ulcer from reading too much).

The main issue is the paranoia of sleeping with them on and knowing that if you rub your eyes, it's possible for them to break and cause serious damage. I'm not sure how likely it is, but was a recurring worry and source of nightmares.

It's also something you have to do every day, otherwise it takes a few weeks for your eyes to return to the normal shape.

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#79

Post by forapurpose » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:41 AM UTC

rm999 wrote: post #47

As a subscriber I love the New York Times, but like many articles in the Wellness section this is low quality. The article starts off with: >A recent clinical trial by the F.D.A. suggests that the complications experienced by Mr. Ramirez are not uncommon. Nearly half of all people who had healthy eyes before Lasik developed visual aberrations for the first time after the procedure, the trial found. And then five minu…

For anyone who hasn't read the article, the parent is very misleading. The article presents at least half a dozen studies, interviews at least 20 people, and their list of credentials is exceptional.[0]

In this case at least, it's not the Times' research that is 'low quality'.

[0] I copied and pasted the credentialed people quoted in the article below; I only made it 80% of the way through and then realized it had become absurd:

Diana Zuckerman, president of the nonprofit National Center for Health Research in Washington

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld, who was Mr. Puglisi’s surgeon and a past president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

global medical director for a large laser eye-surgery provider

Researchers at Ohio State University

one surgeon’s 2017 analysis of more recent data

Morris Waxler, a retired senior F.D.A. official ... [and] former chief of the diagnostic and surgical devices branch in the F.D.A.’s division of ophthalmic devices

Dr. Cynthia MacKay [ophthalmologist]

Dr. John Vukich, chair of the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s refractive clinical surgery committee

Dr. Malvina Eydelman, director of the division of ophthalmic and ear, nose and throat devices at the F.D.A.’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Dr. Anat Galor, an associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami.

Dr. Pedram Hamrah, director of research at the New England Eye Center at Tufts Medical Center

Re: Lasik’s Risks Are Coming into Sharper Focus

#80

Post by strait » Tue, Jun 12, 2018, 4:43 AM UTC

I'm surprised that the Bates method alternatives haven't been mentioned yet. I picked up a book called "Better Vision Now" several years ago and started practicing what looked like the more practical exercises in the book, very infrequently, and all the while still abusing my eyes with excessive reading and computer work.

I went from needing a -2.25 prescription to a -1.00 when I went back to the optometrist a few years later, but I think the most important decision was to stop wearing eyewear altogether during the day, except for driving.