Author Topic: Lasik - Intralase (Read 633 times)

mietla · « **on:** March 22, 2006, 06:49:54 PM »

I'm thinking about doing it. Just came back from the evaluation.

Any one had it done? How do you like the results. Are you happy you have done it?

guttboy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2006, 09:26:57 PM »

Mietla.....

I just had PRK done which uses the same eximer laser. Intralase uses a laser as a cutting tool to remove the flap as opposed to the keratome used as a knife to remove the epithelial layer above your cornea.

I had custom PRK done which is still in FDA trials at this point. The pain associated with LASIK/LASEK vs PRK is night and day. Of all my friends that have had LASIK/LASEK done the pain was pretty much non-existent.

PRK on the otherhand...whole other ball game.

As far as results...the LASIK folks were 100% satisfied the second day. PRK folks take 2-6 months for the full benefits because it takes the epithelial layer a bit to grow back and get rid of all the "junk" that was pushed to the center when the healing occurs. In LASIK the epithelial layer is cut not abraded away so the healing is much quicker.

My choice was PRK due in part because I did not like the idea of the POTENTIAL of the flap being dislodged via an eye trauma....and the USAF wouldnt let me to LASIK for the same reason due to the possibility of the flap becoming dislodged due to ejection/bailout.

I am on day 9 and am at about 20/60 in each eye...every day gets a little better. As for LASIK you will be amazed right away.

Make sure you do your research on the web and look into the various pro's and con's of the procedure.

Good luck in your decision!

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2006, 09:58:58 PM »

Mietla
I had Lasik done about 4 years ago and I had such bad stigmatism they had to fly the head surgeon in, and I was setup to have it done twice.

I was 20/20 the next day in one and and like 20/24 in the other. By then last checkup I was 20/20 in both as long as my eyes were not dry.

I am not sure what Intralase but the basic Lasic was worth every penny and I will do it again when the time comes...

not sure if thats what your looking for, good luck with what you decide on.

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2006, 05:41:53 AM »

had RK done in 1990 - before lasers
need reading glasses now (probably would have anyways)
glad I did it - went from legally blind to 20/20

T0J0 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2006, 09:41:26 AM »

Girl at work had a procedure done the other day on her left eye that went bad, imagine sitting in the chair and hearing the doctor say "oops" they cut her lense all the way off by accident... Now replacing the lense isn't that big a deal now days but her heart rate went up and she started to panic which I guess they had to give her sedatives to calm her down while they fixed the "oops"...
I'll pass on the "Oops" for now..

mietla · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2006, 09:52:48 AM »

thanks guys. I'm scheduled for the next week

Curval · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2006, 10:30:40 AM »

Half our office had it done, it seems. Not one problem and everyone is very happy with the results.

guttboy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2006, 05:09:01 PM »

Good Luck Mietla!!!!!

I am sure you will be happy!

mietla · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2006, 05:06:56 PM »

One more question guys.

How long was your recovery?

How long before you were able to drive? I was told that I won;t be able to drive immediately after the surgery, but that I can drive myself to the follow up vit the next day. Was this the case for you?

Any discomforts like itching, red eyes? How long did you have to sleep in protective glasses?

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 26, 2006, 05:08:52 PM »

I was driving withen two days. My eyes were very dry after for about a month, and they forgot to give me eye drops, but once they did it was not bad at all.

No pain other then a slight amount the first day. I was 100% withen 2 weeks.

nuchpatrick · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2006, 07:49:23 AM »

Its still not perfected IMO, it makes you mono vision. You will need glasses futher down the line. There are some other nasty things.. One is if you had a sudden decompression which would render someone blind for life. Dry eyes for life, requireing eye drops. I know one person that suffer from cronic dry eye now after getting lasik.

I'd rather stick to being called 4 eyes..

mietla · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2006, 01:40:42 PM »

First of all I'd like to thank you guys again for all the info (good and bad). My last week was a roller coaster of excitement to get it done and enjoy the results, and nightmares of thinking about all possible and horrible complications. I'm not of the woods yet, but so far everything is excellent and I'm happy with my decision so far.

Everything went as expected. As expected, yesterday I was completely dysfunctional. My eyes were hyper-sensitive to light. I wore dark goggles, my eyes were shut and I still could not stand light being on in a room. There was also a sensation of burning and lots of tearing. I took a nap and after three hours most of those things went away (except of light sensitivity).

This morning (only 12 hours after the surgery I mind you) I woke up and was amazed to see everything without glasses. I am fully functional and drove myself to my post-op test and back. My vision is a bit better than 20/20, but I’m still a bit sensitive to light and teary. The tears cause that my vision goes blurry, to which I put my finger to the bridge my nose to reposition my glasses, only to realize that there I’m not wearing them. Then I blink and everything goes to normal. Funny feeling though.

My vision should have ups and downs, but should stabilize in a couple of weeks. One thing I’ve noticed is that my peripheral vision improved dramatically. With my bifocals, I had a sweet spot for far objects and another for near ones. When I was driving I had to constantly move my head in a direction of the object I was looking at. Now my head is stationary and I still see everything in front of me. Feels very nice.

Same with reading. When I was reading I had to constantly move my head to “scan” the line of text. I was like reading through a tube an inch or two in diameter. Now (although as the doctor foretold I need the reading glasses), I can see and read the entire page without moving my head.

So far I’m pretty happy with the results, and the doc said that things should get better with time. I keep my fingers crossed.

LePaul · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2006, 03:28:21 PM »

Congratulations!

Or rather...

CONGRATS!

You know reading about you guys and your eyes surgeries makes me feel icky. Not nearly as nauseated as that famous vasectomy thread