I was thinking about getting this procedure done before my upcoming trip to Zambia. I have heard
that this procedure is very successful. But after I read Don_G's response I'm not so sure it would work for me. I was curious if others have had the same problems as Don_G has had. Don_G could the eye flaps come apart with a heavy recoil? You may have saved me from a nightmare .I didnt know your night vision suffers..thanks Steve

I understand your extreme high altitude vision can suffer also.

My wife works at a surgery center. They do a lot of eye surgery. They are using a lot of ReStore Lens replacements. 90+% do not need any type of glasses afterwards. It was designed for older people with cateracts. But now about half the patients are younger people that would otherwise need monovision Lasik or cheaters. I have a bad stigmatism and wear contacts to get to 20/30 and then cheaters to read. Todate I haven't come to grips with having my eyes worked on.

The surgeon says you get a little halo but not as much as with Lasik. Currently the cost is about 4 times that of Lasik.

For anyone with cateracts it would be worth checking into. Medicare is now allowing it.

If you ask a deskjockey who's worn cokebottles all his life - then they are great.

All my engineer friends that got the surgery thought it was great. After I got mine done, they said "Yeah, I lost some night vision, but I never drive at night." And, "Yeah I have to use eyedrops, but only twice a day. It's worth it to not wear glasses."

If you ask the guy who "lost a flap" on Mt. Everest, I think he'd have a different opinion.

Most police departments will not hire you if you've had Lasik. The military won't let you be a pilot if you've had Lasik.

I can't conceive of why they don't tell you all this before the surgery.

Interesting discussion. I've been thinking about this myself but I was primarily concerned about recoil knocking something like the Restore lenses loose. Didn't know there was an issue with Lasik.

quote:

Most police departments will not hire you if you've had Lasik. The military won't let you be a pilot if you've had Lasik.

There are two different approaches to laser eye sugery. One is where they cut the flap, zap you, lay the flap back in place and you heal quickly and are good to go (unless an enhancement ((correction)) is needed.) The other procedure involves removing the layer over the eye and zaping you and letting the layer grow back. It takes longer to heal. I have had the latter procedure and it does not present a problem with anything afterwards. The military will let you fly with the second procedure and will even perform it at several different sites.

It takes longer, about 6 weeks, for your vision to settle from the second procedure. However IMHO it would be the only way to go for a shooter. The thought of a flap that could come loose just sends shivers down my spine.

BTW, I had the monovision correction with my dominant right eye corrected for distance and my left eye used for reading (I am 59). I do shoot shoulder arms left handed, but my thoughts there were that I would have vision corrrected (very slight) shooting glasses and sunglasses to correct the left eye. Since I shoot a pistol right handed, this works great. Now the only time I have to wear glasses is shooting or out in the sun and I would wear them then no matter what my vision was. My night vision also improved back to where it is close to what it used to be and that was good enough to spot animals with a 1/4 moon.

I had Lasik done last year. Long before scheduling the procedure, my optometrist, the surgeon and I discussed the risks and limitations of having it done.

As it pertains to shooting heavy recoiling rifles, shotguns, etc... I was told to lay off the big stuff for about a few months. I was shooting my 300 and 338's in a few weeks though. I've had no adverse effects shooting the 500 Jeffery full loads from a 10 lb 4 ounce rifle. Well, other than a recoil induced headache...

For high elevation hunting, Lasik does not impose any additional risk (based on conversation with the surgeon). I was specific about this inquiry because I do want to hunt Marco Polo sheep in the near future. The surgeon did say to expect "dry eyes" at higher elevations, but there was no danger in it. Just carry some eye drops and use them frequently.

I had it done about 6 years ago and it was a mistake. I had the "dry eye" issue for about 18 months. I am more light sensitive now than before and need sunglasses most of the time. I do not have as good of distance vision as I had with glasses (I am nearsighted). I do not have as good of night vision as I had with glasses.

I had a top notch doctor. I was the perfect candidate. I was aware of the risks and did it anyway.

I would wear glasses again in a heartbeat.

I would not do this again.
-

I have been a compensated hyperope (farsighted) most of my life. Until age 43 I was 20/10 on the left and 20/13 on the right. At age 49 I now wear bifocals.

If I were still flying F-16's I would be wearing bifocals in the cockpit, and not give it a second thought.

I love my glasses.

LD

Best $4500 I ever spent. Four years ago. Tossed the bifocals, no night vision problems, no eye dry problems, nada. Store bought reading glasses is all. Never shot a really big bore but put hundreds of 300 gr rounds through my .375HH and had zero problems. From what these other guys say it might be a coin toss, though, and I lucked out.

The problem on Everest was dry eyes and ice crystals. Poor SOB had to be led by the hand off the mountain.

It's been three years since my surgery. I ride a motorcycle. When I ride a motorcycle in the desert or the mountains, or on dry, cold days around Ohio then I have to stop every 20-30 minutes, get off, pull my helmet off, put the eye drops in and replace everything. Sort defeats the purpose of a fast motorcycle....

What you see on his thread is typical. People either love Lasik or hate it.

Wanta take a chance on which you'll be?

I had it done in 2000, didn't correct all the astygmatism (sp?) in my left eye and my eye sight is @ 20/30 as opposed to 20/15 with contacts. I had the dry eye for a while but grew out of it.

My department doesn't have any reservations hiring anyone who's had it. And my night vision is still good.

I've fired some big bores (.45-70 GG with heavy loads, .405 win, .416 Rigby, .470NE) without any problems.

It is kind of a crap shoot as to if you will like it or not. My uncorrected vision was so poor that I was helpless without glasses or contacts, so I'd do it again.

I'll wait until they can't correct me with glasses to 20/15... then will probably do it.. and wait the full 6 weeks before I shoot ANYTHING

I won't be climbing everest.. i don't fly planes.. but I am VERY light sensitive today, so worse or halos is a no-fin way for me... which is why I didn't have it done 10 years ago...


so, i figure, another decade with glasses, then with uber wonderful stuff, .. like the up and coming drops that soften the corena and allow a "contact" to form the lense back should be ready then...

no lasers, no knifes, can repeat once a week until perfect...

i'll wait

jeffe

I'm 20/15 with my spex, and blind as hell without 'em.
Reminds me; I need to make an eye doctor appointment...

I'm with jeffeoso on this one. Wait a while, and see what happens.

Good thread, AKA.

Jeffe,

I agree with you, I have talked to a lot of people who got it done, and most say everything was great and it worked out. I am waiting though. Contacts aren't that bad, and I have never had one pop out when shooting the big stuff. It just scares me to have it done, I shoot too much (well not too much) and don't want to be the .001 of the screw ups.

Lasik has come a long way since it was first introduced. Virtually all of the horror stories came from folks who had it done when first came out. The equipment and technique have been refined so much that you really can't compare what was done six years ago to what a cutting edge doctor can do now.

My wife wanted to have lasik done about two years ago. I got on the internet and read up on the procedure along with the research being done into the next generation lasik. I told her she should wait until the new stuff came out because it looked pretty promising. That technology is now operational so she finally had it done about two weeks ago at a clinic in Birmingham that I'd located through several references and research on the net. This clinic has a very experienced doctor who helped do the research into the latest generation procedure using wavefront mapping technology. They had all the latest equipment and I was confident that this was the place for her to go. There was nobody within 200 miles of where we live that I would have taken her to, all the local eye doctors are still using the last generation stuff. In the end, she went from 20/530 to 20/15 and is tickled pink. Her regular optomitrist told her that her eyes have totally healed and have no debris under the epithelial flap like is common to many lasik patients. She's had no dry eyes or any other problems.

If you're going to have it done, I'd recommend spending the time and effort to find the best lasik surgeon you can find who's using the latest equipment. The clinic my wife used cost me $2000 more than one of the local docs would have charged, but to me it's a no brainer, it's money well spent to ensure you get the best results.

The FAA at one time was even recommending LASIK. I read the articles that my Flight Doc. handed me. Then the FAA got cool on it. They still allow it but have withdrawn their recommendation to have it done.

My friend has had the ICL procedure done and is over the moon with it.

I'm looking into that one.

Just a correction to what boltman's doctor said:

The flap does not "Heal" although my doctor told me it would "heal" in three months. After the surgery he told me that he would never have to cut a new flap if it needed correction. He'd just lift up a corner and pull. He said he had done that on patients with 6 year-old surgeries. I asked him how that it could be "healed" after three months and "lifted" after six years and he told me that it did not ever grow back together like skin, but just stuck there with precipitated solids.

After 3 months you can shoot heavy rifles just fine. But your eyes will FOREVER be susceptible to having the flap ripped open by a twig that would normally simply cause a red eye for a day or two.

If you are considering this surgery have this discussion directly with your doctor and PIN HIM DOWN about what "healed" means. Tell him that you fear "cutting the flap" a second time and ask him about the free "adjustment" one year after. He'll tell you he just peels it up.

The RK (radial keratotamy sp?) is a much more robust procedure, and better for active people, but takes painful weeks to heal - but it truly heals.

I had RK done in 1989. My doctor worked with that famous russian surgeon(name?) and travelled more to work with a whole host of other doctors from around the world. The procedure involves placing radial cuts on the cornea rather than creating a flap like Lasik.
The eye is the fastest healing part of the body.I was back at work in a week.
I went to visit him about two yrs ago. He no longer does the surgery,said RK is old news these days. but He gave the game away cause he found the whole laser correction business getting out of hand. Doctors with big marketing and not telling people enough of the downside/risks of the procedure.(greed$$$)He did want to be involved anymore.
I am not trying to scare you off any procedure, but please do alot of research. The internet will have lots of info on it.

Just go on to Google search and type in LASIK RISK and its all infront of you.

quote:

The RK (radial keratotamy sp?) is a much more robust procedure, and better for active people, but takes painful weeks to heal - but it truly heals.

Don,
RK is of the worst of all possible, today, procedures... actual knife cuts and scarring on the eye... glare, halo, collapased eyes.. and I can "SEE" the way it looks in the "not-so-good" ones done... I have a freind, Ann, who's eyes kinda look "insectile" due to her RK

RK can't fly, Lasik can

jeffe

I had LASIK done about 4 years ago one of the better 2500 I spent. Glasses are one of biggest pains there are. I am glad not to wear glasses 90% of the time.

The other 10% I need safety or reading glasses. My dept hires a lot of people who have had lasik done. The dangers of wearing glasses as a police officer are great have bad eye sight lose them and your screwed. Cold weather warm car or house your fogged and can not see.

jeffeosso I said the same thing 25 years ago or so when RK first cam out then the same thing about lasik finnily got up the nerve and the money talked to a lot of people who had it done. And took the step. Worked for me. Am I a 100% happy with it no I would say 95+ I am Would I do it again most likely. I sure like not having to wear glasses.

RK does not do anything for astigmatism (sp?)

A local Doc. who had done more RK's than anyone in else in the country tried to perfect this.

The AMA doesn't allow him to hold sharpies anymore as he blinded 6 patients he tried this on.

Bad procedure to begin with. I never even considered it.

My problem is my left eye is real good. When I was younger depending on the day, was around 20/15to10. The right is the baddie. About 20/400 with astigmatism but correctable to 20/20 or better.
Now in my later years the left is a low grade 20/20.

Glasses got to be a real PITA with one big lens and one window. I tried contacts before, but I have a tendency toward dry eyes anyway and you couple that with my working environment, pressurized airplane with about 10% of the humidity of the Sahara and I was always dribbling fluid in. And then they'd get gummy.

A year ago, my G'friend talked me into seeing her eye doc about contacts again. So I tried it.
The new ones are totally different. Don't know I'm wearing them. No problems wearing except sometimes in a large area like a store, someplaces have a large air transfer system and this gets to them.
But no problems in the cockpit, shooting, or hyper-touring on the bike. The correction isn't a good as with glasses though I was talking to a different Doc. and we might try a different pair coming up.

For me, LASIK is out and I'm waiting to see what the FAA has to say about ICL.

Don

It's LOOKING a lot like ---
--- if you're not a COP or a PILOT ---
--- Keep your glasses.
100% satisfied since 1965 with mine.

During last falls moose season it rained constantly and my glasses were always covered with water. I was fed up with glasses, having worn them for 36 years, I'm 44. I had the Lasik done in October and wish I could have had it done 30 years ago. I stay pretty active in the winter time, trying to X-country ski with your glasses frozen over is such a hassle, I went out this winter and it was such a joy to be able to do things without scraping frost off my glasses. I have not had any loss of night vison, halo problems or dryness. I discussed shooting with my doctor, he said lay off for a couple months then it wouldn't be a problem and it hasn't. The biggest rifle I shoot is a 375H&H and I don't shoot it as much as some of the dedicated big bore shooters on this board, what the long term effects of the big boomers would be is something I can't comment on. My vision is now 20/20 in both eyes and I'm very pleased with the results.

I had Lasix done in 2004 and am trhrilled with the results! No more bifocals, great vision and improved groups at the range. One think that no one has mentioned is finding the best doctor available. I have a good friend who is a neuro surgeon in Southern Califonia and recommended a man who was one of the pioneers of Lasix equipment development. My wife and I had it done on the same day and it was perfect. After one month I was back at the range shooting big bores and have had no problems at all. After the surgery it is critical to keep using the eye drops for the first seven days. After that I use them twice a day, although I sometimes forget. I can read and shoot without glasses and I am thrilled. The man I used was no cheap but I have always maintained that you get what you pay for and medical care is no different.

quote:

Originally posted by AKA:
I was thinking about getting this procedure done before my upcoming trip to Zambia. I have heard
that this procedure is very successful. But after I read Don_G's response I'm not so sure it would work for me. I was curious if others have had the same problems as Don_G has had. Don_G could the eye flaps come apart with a heavy recoil? You may have saved me from a nightmare .I didnt know your night vision suffers..thanks Steve

quote:

Originally posted by AKA:
I was thinking about getting this procedure done before my upcoming trip to Zambia. I have heard
that this procedure is very successful. But after I read Don_G's response I'm not so sure it would work for me. I was curious if others have had the same problems as Don_G has had. Don_G could the eye flaps come apart with a heavy recoil? You may have saved me from a nightmare .I didnt know your night vision suffers..thanks Steve

Also don't forget that Vancouver B.C. has some of the best doctors for this surgery and their price is about half of what you will be charged in the US! If you decide to go there let me know and I will get you the contact information of a top doc in Vancouver.

Fungunner,

I would like to know who you recommend in Vancouver. Please PM me if you don't want to post it publicly.

I am looking at doing the Lasik thing in the next couple years (despite the warnings of my good friend Don_G!....I just HATE glasses, and the potential of being helpless on solo hunting trips if I break my glasses or lose my contacts).

Cheers,
Canuck