Two years after LASIK eye surgery • Hacker News Board

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#61

Post by tectec » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:45 PM UTC

anishkothari wrote: post #24

mikeash wrote: post #10

I've been wearing glasses since I was 15 (found out I needed them when I failed the eye exam for my driving learner's permit) and long thought about LASIK. A few years ago I switched to contacts and since then the desire for surgery is gone. Contacts are comfortable, I can stop any time they become a problem, and only take up a minute of my day to put in and take out. And as my eyes change, my prescription can change…

I've been wearing glasses since I was 8, got contacts when I was 13 and have been thinking about getting LASIK since it first became popular ~10 years ago. I have gone from wanting it really badly to now not wanting it all. In high school and college, I wore contacts all the time because it improved my confidence. As I got older, I found myself wearing glasses all the time and contacts at the gym/social events, etc.…

Actually there is no evidence that contacts affect myopia progression. I had bifocals for many years as a teen under the same impression, but this has also been disproven. It is likely that any slow-down that you had in myopia progression was caused by your eye-ball size stabilizing.

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1771373/, My Optometrist

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#62

Post by gilgoomesh » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:45 PM UTC

batou wrote: post #6

Off topic; does anyone know if there are any services that get rid of floaters? I've got a nasty one right in the middle of my best eye and it is very annoying. Has been there for two years and I haven't got used to it yet.

There are a couple approaches.

One involves using a YAG laser to burn the floaters:

http://www.eyefloaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&task...

Sadly, it's done rarely enough that it could be snake oil or in-progress research.

A full vitrectomy is possible (replace the vitreous humour fluid in the eye):

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/vitreoretinal-proce...

But this is dangerous enough that it's almost never performed simply for floaters.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#63

Post by vog » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:46 PM UTC

blrgeek wrote: post #11

11 years ago. Good results. Halo-ing is present, although not a big problem. I do think my vision is deteriorating a bit now. Although not enough to need glasses yet.

It may be worth mentioning that the Halo-ing is also present with contact lenses, at least for large lens strengths.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#64

Post by outworlder » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:46 PM UTC

I've always wanted to correct my eyes and was hoping for a story with a happy ending this time but no, there's the halos!

I hate my glasses with a passion. Some form of allergy made my eye doctor tell me I should stop using contacts. But still, I won't do LASIK(1). For a few reasons.

First, there's this thought of having a software-controlled laser beam digging pits in the cornea. And pits they are, it's not like the laser pulses create a smooth surface, we are long ways away from that.

Second, there's the corneal flap, which never fully heals.

Third, related to the second point, there's the fact that the cornea is cut and some nerves are permanently damage, which could create a dry eye condition. Apparently people commit suicide over that. And my eyes are not that moist to begin with, AC already bothers them.

Reason four is the fact that, even if 100% successful and a 20/20 results is achieved, your vision can still be really poor. Halos are just one of many (common!) conditions that aren't really correctable and you'll have to live with forever.

Last, LASIK surgeries are rather new. The first LASIK patients should be now reaching old age. And the first generation LASIK equipment was pretty poor, so any problems they have are blamed on that. But what if I do a LASIK today, and have really nasty complications as I age? They are unlikely to be corrected.

Does anyone remember that procedure where surgeons would cut the patient's eye radially to try to correct nearsightedness? Some of those patients tried LASIK later, with really poor results due to a weak cornea. Not to mention the nasty complications. That procedure sounds barbaric now.

I just hope LASIK won't be seen like that too in a few years.

[1] I'm still on the fence about LASEK. Recovery is reportedly horrible, but at least there's no deep corneal cutting.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#65

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:47 PM UTC

noobermin wrote: post #33

I remember getting glasses for the first time when I was 13. While I found the better definition of far away objects nice (useful is a better word), I actually found that I liked how the world looked (in an aesthetics way) without glasses vs. with it...like I always liked how the trees[0] looked in the afternoon sun but glasses sort of ruined it. I would later learn about "impressionism"[1], and fall in love with tho…

[deleted]

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#66

Post by batou » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:49 PM UTC

gilgoomesh wrote: post #62

batou wrote: post #6

Off topic; does anyone know if there are any services that get rid of floaters? I've got a nasty one right in the middle of my best eye and it is very annoying. Has been there for two years and I haven't got used to it yet.

There are a couple approaches. One involves using a YAG laser to burn the floaters: http://www.eyefloaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&task... Sadly, it's done rarely enough that it could be snake oil or in-progress research. A full vitrectomy is possible (replace the vitreous humour fluid in the eye): http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/vitreoretinal-proce... But this is dangerous enough that it's almost n…

I'll pass on both of them. Thanks for the info!

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#67

Post by bluedino » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:52 PM UTC

I had LASIK done 3 years ago, the cost was $6,000. It cost more than usual because I had 'laser cut flaps' and the 'wavefront' option. My contact prescription was around -9.00 in each eye.

Very simple procedure, I wish I had done it ten years ago. It was worth every penny. I had halos at night for a few weeks afterwards, and my eyes are a little bit dry to this day, but it's slowly gotten better. I used to have to keep a bottle of eye drops at my desk but haven't even bought a bottle in a few months.

I was happy with just using inexpensive daily wear contacts. But at some point my eyes changed, one got a little worse than the other, and I had noticeable astigmatism. This required me to get toric lenses and they were much, much more expensive. Like $99 for 6 pair vs $29.99 for 50 pair.

Having worn thick glasses since the age of 7 it was a dream to finally not have to wear them or deal with contacts any more. The only real complaint I have is my vision is still pretty bad in low-light situations, and I can't focus on anything that isn't at least 8" away. I used to be able to take my glasses off and look at a part or something very close and see it quite well.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#68

Post by reboog711 » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:53 PM UTC

stuff4ben wrote: post #40

Interested to know for everyone who has had it, how old they were when they got it done and how old they are now? I'm curious if there's an age factor involved. I'm a 40 year old male with not too bad uncorrected eyesight and a little astigmatism.

I was wondering the same thing. I'm 40 in a few months; got glasses for the first time yesterday. I'm farsighted [always have been] and have a slight astigmatism.

The Dr told me that w/ Lasik they want at least three years of eye exams to make sure your eye isn't changing. He also told me that I'll probably need reading glasses in a few years after doing the surgery.

I decided to revisit in three years.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#69

Post by bluedino » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:53 PM UTC

anishkothari wrote: post #24

mikeash wrote: post #10

I've been wearing glasses since I was 15 (found out I needed them when I failed the eye exam for my driving learner's permit) and long thought about LASIK. A few years ago I switched to contacts and since then the desire for surgery is gone. Contacts are comfortable, I can stop any time they become a problem, and only take up a minute of my day to put in and take out. And as my eyes change, my prescription can change…

I've been wearing glasses since I was 8, got contacts when I was 13 and have been thinking about getting LASIK since it first became popular ~10 years ago. I have gone from wanting it really badly to now not wanting it all. In high school and college, I wore contacts all the time because it improved my confidence. As I got older, I found myself wearing glasses all the time and contacts at the gym/social events, etc.…

>> As I got older, I found myself wearing glasses all the time and contacts at the gym/social events, etc.

It always took me a few days to adjust going back to wearing glasses. I couldn't even drive when I would first put glasses on again.

Re: Two years after LASIK eye surgery

#70

Post by devy » Fri, Jul 24, 2015, 1:58 PM UTC

I feel that the author may end up regretting spoke too soon. The long term effect on human eyes after LASIK has not been studies enough as the technology has only been around for a few decades, much shorter than a normal human lifespan.