[blau iii]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Would you happen to know if you have lenticular or corneal astigmatism or a combo of both ?

I believe corneal.

I had a consult with two different lasik places. both said my astigmatism is correctable. I'm nearsited.

[aloo6]

Originally Posted by blau iii

I'm looking to have PRK done later this year. I have a bad astigmatism and can't do lasik. how painful/uncomfortable was the procedure and recovery.

I had LASEK in the UK which I believe is the same as PRK. Had it done in March and can't recommend it enough.

I read a lot of the blogs online and was pretty anxious and nervous before the surgery. But my account was different, I was ok.

Realistically if you clear your diary for at least 4 days and just plan for dark rooms and radio you will be fine, it sounds sadistic but I enjoyed the time out from hectic work and being unable to use a phone due to glare and pain it was a nice break away from the world.

In the UK they give us an eyedrop painkiller/anaesthetic for extreme pain just encase it's unbearable, and I was nowhere near having to use it. I used 600mg ibuprofen and 30/500 co-codamol. The ibuprofen was really useful as it reduced the swelling on my eyelids which were pushing onto my eyes which was the most uncomfortable part, the co-codamol took the edge off it. I also had tramadol just incase

I've been using contacts for 10years and I would compare the pain within the first few days to getting soap dirt stuck under a lense when trying to put it in.

Once I got through it all I simply put the horror blogs you read online down to human nature. You very rarely praise something on the internet, but complain every time.

A realistic timeline:
Day one - pain! Basic painkillers soon as and your good.
Day two - reduction in pain but hyper sensitivity to light which brings constant tears.
Day three - reduction of pain again
Day four - start to handle light and tv, migranes after too long.
Day five - although vision is clear enough you can start to live a normal life again
Day seven - capable of driving
Up to 2 weeks - various level of vision, comes and goes.

[blau iii]

Originally Posted by aloo6

I had LASEK in the UK which I believe is the same as PRK. Had it done in March and can't recommend it enough.

I read a lot of the blogs online and was pretty anxious and nervous before the surgery. But my account was different, I was ok.

Realistically if you clear your diary for at least 4 days and just plan for dark rooms and radio you will be fine, it sounds sadistic but I enjoyed the time out from hectic work and being unable to use a phone due to glare and pain it was a nice break away from the world.

In the UK they give us an eyedrop painkiller/anaesthetic for extreme pain just encase it's unbearable, and I was nowhere near having to use it. I used 600mg ibuprofen and 30/500 co-codamol. The ibuprofen was really useful as it reduced the swelling on my eyelids which were pushing onto my eyes which was the most uncomfortable part, the co-codamol took the edge off it. I also had tramadol just incase

I've been using contacts for 10years and I would compare the pain within the first few days to getting soap dirt stuck under a lense when trying to put it in.

Once I got through it all I simply put the horror blogs you read online down to human nature. You very rarely praise something on the internet, but complain every time.

A realistic timeline:
Day one - pain! Basic painkillers soon as and your good.
Day two - reduction in pain but hyper sensitivity to light which brings constant tears.
Day three - reduction of pain again
Day four - start to handle light and tv, migranes after too long.
Day five - although vision is clear enough you can start to live a normal life again
Day seven - capable of driving
Up to 2 weeks - various level of vision, comes and goes.

how was the actual pain during the surgery? I had to go to the ER the only time i tried to wear contacts, I'm a huge baby when it comes to touching my eyes. They give tranquilizers here in the states for the procedure.

[aloo6]

Originally Posted by blau iii

how was the actual pain during the surgery? I had to go to the ER the only time i tried to wear contacts, I'm a huge baby when it comes to touching my eyes. They give tranquilizers here in the states for the procedure.

I know it will be hard to believe. But other than nerves and anxiety the operation is really easy, getting in the room is the hardest part. They numb you up with drops so it's only pressure around the eye you feel.

25mins after the surgery is when you feel pain, I took in a stress reliever which I think helped. Dose up before you go in.

I was the same with contacts and when it comes to eyes I'm easily concerned.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by DieselDiner

Has anyone had prelex (Presbyopic Lens Exchange) performed?

I think this is what they did for me with cataracts - replacement lens with correction for my astigmatism. I'm a little more than a year out, and so far it has been fantastic. Mostly b/c it corrected the cataracts, but also neat to have good vision w/o needing glasses. I do need readers more than I might have, and it took me about 6 months to get myself trained that now I need the glasses for up close, not far away. They adjusted me to 20/15 and 20/25 so I have some vestigial reading ability w/o readers. I would strongly discourage the 'near-eye/far-eye' approach - this is like wearing your glasses w/ only one lens in, and few people will ever really get used to it (and often, the fix for this comes with a cool pirate patch).

As far as this article - ANY surgeon who cannot tell you what could go wrong with a procedure is reprehensible, really malpractice in most cases. Anybody who guarantees you that it won't go wrong is BS'ing you (there's a difference between unimaginably low chances, and 'it can't happen'). I think this article is rather overdramatic and loose about the facts - can't imagine he got lasik w/o signing some detailed paperwork with risks spelled out. Also don't trust any industry where the manufacturers get to be the main watchdogs for safety (nor do I trust their 'safety data').

[larrylarry]

Originally Posted by blau iii

I'm looking to have PRK done later this year. I have a bad astigmatism and can't do lasik. how painful/uncomfortable was the procedure and recovery.

Procedure was not painful at all. I was in and out in about ten minutes and that was with a med student. They gave me a couple Percocet and said be back tomorrow. I ate went to sleep and my wife woke me up a couple hours later and it felt like i had sand in my eye. It wasn't like mind numbing pain but it was uncomfortable. They use like a electric toothbrush type tool that basically grinds off the front of your eyeball and that part of your eye starts growing back but it grows with peaks and valleys, that is why it feels like you got sand in your eye. After the bandage contact comes out your eyelids actually knock all of those mountains on your eyeball and polish everything up. Really other than that first day and the day after you take the contacts I was pretty much painless. The worst part is probably the steroid drops you take for the next couple months, they get in your sinuses and they taste awful.

I can't say enough good things about it.

[mswscco]

First, get connected with an eye doc who is up to date and not personally opposed to refractive surgery. Let him or her follow you for a couple years.

If you are young, the golden age for surgery is between 25-30. This gives you the potential for clear vision without glasses or contacts for the longest period of time. Note that this is potential and not a guarantee. This also means you can have surgery after this time period and love it tremendously.

If you already have issues such as dry eye or significant glare / haloes at night time, be cautious.

I can't over emphasize the value of an optometrist or ophthalmologist who really knows your eyes with regard to advising you on refractive surgery. All bets are off for those who have the procedure done on a whim.

[ashtaron14]

I had PRK done in 2004 when I was 22, before internet was as accessible as today.

I had -9.75 for 1 eye and -9.5 for the other. I could only make out things based on their shadows without my glasses. It took about 3 years post op before I felt that I didn't need to bring eye drops everywhere I went.

Being able to wake up, and just see, is worth it.

[RnmEvo9]

I had this procedure done when I was in my mid 20s (I'm 34 now) and it went very smoothly for me. I used a lot of eye drops the first few months post op for dry eyes, but it cleared up and I haven't used eye drops since. I was in and out of the office in like 15 minutes just like a vasectomy procedure.

[JamesWWIII]

Originally Posted by RnmEvo9

I was in and out of the office in like 15 minutes just like a vasectomy procedure.

TMI

[Poiseuille]

ok, read this whole thread now I keep seeing Jeremy Clarkson saying "what could possibly go wrong?"

[mojobmw_e90]

I had lasik done in Augest of last year. I was a -6.75 in both eyes. Never had issues with dry eyes, or anything that article mentioned. Started wearing glasses at 9yrs old, switched to contacts at 15 and removed them every night before bed. I'm turning 32 in Augest so 21yrs of glasses/contacts combined was coming to a end. Had lasik on a Friday afternoon, slept the 12+hrs doctor recommended and next morning had my checkup and I was 20/20 in both eyes. Used the standard eye drops they provided for the first 14 days and after my 2wk check up eyes showed no symptoms and was told I no longer needed to use anything, but can do so just incase u are around dust and such. Just recently went in for a check up and I was still at 20/20. I personally feel one of the biggest problems is people not getting enough sleep or closing their eyes for 12+hrs. Eyes start to repair them self right after the surgery and keeping them closed will help healing and keeping them clean. I personally slept 16hrs that day with a little help from sleeping meds(hospital issued, wife a nurse). Knocked me out!

[mojobmw_e90]

Originally Posted by blau iii

I believe corneal.

I had a consult with two different lasik places. both said my astigmatism is correctable. I'm nearsited.

My cousins wife just had lasik about a month ago and she had astigmatism and they were able to correct it.

[MaC-N54-E82]

Just had lasik on my right eye on the 22nd. I haven't had any issues thus far and had 20/20 at distance and 20/15 up close at my first post op this morning. So far I'm really happy with my choice to go with monovision. Like anything do your due diligence beforehand and choose your doctor wisely.

[Wolf 335]

Originally Posted by blau iii

how was the actual pain during the surgery? I had to go to the ER the only time i tried to wear contacts, I'm a huge baby when it comes to touching my eyes. They give tranquilizers here in the states for the procedure.

In my case, I had zero pain during or after surgery.

Doc will place a few numbing eye drops in your eye and all you will feel as mentioned above, is a bit pressure as they place the instrument on your eyeball to hold it in place.

They will tell you to look into the red dot, you will hear some clicking noise and smell burning hair. Takes less than a minute, and it's onto the next eye.

Main part is the recovery and eye drop schedule.

- First day (directly after surgery) you have to keep your eyes closed. They recommend you sleep as it will be easier.
- First week wear those glasses they give you for 24 hours a day.
- Second week wear those glasses when outside the house at all times.
- Follow the eye drops schedule as recommended