Quote:
Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
We must have talked about this at one time, but I can't remember. Has anyone had this done and if so, would they care to share their recommendations (or non-recommendation)?
(Yes I know this is not a substitute for medical advice and I am doing other independent research - just curious).
thanks.
|
Yes. I've had laser surgery twice on both eyes. Both times with PRK.
I first started wearing glasses when I was ten years old. By the time I was in my mid 20s, I could not see the big E.
The first time was in 1997/1998. I had had a very bad eye infection in early 1997, and I could no longer wear contacts. I hate glasses with the passion of a thousand firey suns, so I decided to go with laser surgery. The first surgery was in October and it went perfectly. The second was scheduled for three months later, and they gave me a temporary contact lens for the uncorrected eye. I was taking the bar exam in Feb of 1998, so I decided to delay the surgery until March. The first day of the three day bar exam, I watched the contact lens dissolve in my hand as I was preparing to put it on. I took that day of the bar exam with one eye, and I called frantically around after that day of testing was over so I could get a replacement lens for the rest of the exam. I had the second surgery two weeks later. I was in a protocol for a university and I had follow up for two years after the surgery. My vision immediately after the surgery was 20/16 and 20/12. It stayed in that range when I came in for follow up.
In March, I tried to take a driver's exam for my license and I failed in my left eye. I went back to my surgeon and he said that from time to time the eyes will revert and they have to do another surgery or I'd have to go back to glasses for driving. I didn't even notice that my vision had deteriorated at all, and certainly it was a new thing because I had successfully gotten a license in California in 2000. Anyhow, my surgeon had a new laser and we scheduled for late June. This time we did both eyes at once, again with the PRK. I went back for a check up three weeks ago and my vision is back to 20/20, and as far as anyone can tell, it will stay that way.
Some things about the surgery itself. The first time I did it, I don't remember any pain and I recall (maybe it's faulty memory) almost instantaneous correction to my vision. This time around, there wasn't much pain directly after the surgery, but two days later I was sobbing in my bed because I couldn't stand how much my eyes were hurting me. It took a full three days before I could see well enough to function (i.e. look at the computer). The drops are a pain in the ass, but they're necessary.
The first time you go in for screening, they do all sorts of measurements of your eye to see if you qualify for the surgery. Cool topographical maps of your eyes, as well as the more traditional "a or b" type of vision tests. A few days before your surgery, you go in and they put the killer (two day) dialating drops in, and they do every test there is to do to make sure that everything is ready for the surgery. The day of the surgery you go in, they give you anesthisa drops and possibly valium, and then they take you to the surgery suite. They hop you on a table, adjust it to the laser, and then put one of those Clockwork Orange type speculums on your lids to keep your eye open. There are probably more drops somewhere in there. Then, the surgeon comes in and gently scrapes off the top layer of cells on your eyes. To me, it felt like he was taking an eraser to my eye, but it didn't hurt. It just felt like he was rubbing stuff away. Then there's a hydrating thing, which I think is the most uncomfortable part of the surgery, because they're pouring water on your eye to lubricate/clean it but you can't blink and it just has to run off your face. Then they position you under the laser. You focus on the red/green dot and the laser starts zapping. They talk you through the whole thing and if you move the laser will automatically stop. I can attest that you pretty much stay totally still because you know instinctively how much is at stake. Then they give more drops, and put a contact lens in to act sort of like a bandage. They take off the speculum thing and they're done or they move on to repeat the process for the next eye. There were two sets of drops and some oral pain medication that they gave to me for the surgery, plus detailed instructions. I had to go in the next morning for a follow up, and then the next week. That's when they take out the contact lens, if it's ready to be taken out (for me, my right eye was ready, but we had to wait an extra week for my left eye). I went back after a month, and I have another appointment in six weeks. My vision is fine and I don't feel that anything went wrong with the surgery. My surgeons agree.
I can't comment on LASIK vs. PRK. I would ask your surgeon. I have the benefit of having four cousins that are ophthalmologists, so I knew who the best surgeon in town was when I started looking. As I mentioned before, I was on a clinical trial during my first surgery. I had an astigmatism in my left eye, and that qualified me for the trial. I come from a medical/scientific background so I didn't have problems being in a trial, though some people do. This time around no trial, but I think I got a significant discount for being a repeat patient.
Even though I had to have a second surgery, I highly recommend the whole procedure. I trust my surgeon, and I knew and evaluated the risks going in. I read up a lot on the whole thing when I did the surgery, and afterwards I looked up the study that I participated in in order to try and understand what they were looking at. I chose my surgeon by asking around and seeing who other physicians recommended. I would ask how many surgeries the surgeon has done and how new the equipment is. This is an area where I was not concerned about cost, and I would be hesitant to go to someone just because they were more inexpensive than the other guys.
Anyhow, that's just my experience, and definitely talk to your own doctors, but I have no regrets about either surgery with the exception of the stress caused by the contact lens.
Linear Mode
