bushpig 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 So, anyone on here done it? I'd like to hear any comments, good or bad, about your experiences. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 OK, I'll elaborate. I got it done in '97. Best thing I've done. I could no longer wear contacts, my eyes were drying out and glasses were very inconvenient. The correction gave me 20/20 for about 2 years and now I'm 20/30, and that's after 10 years. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 Good experience then! Thanks Thursday. I've heard the surgery itself is a bit freaky. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 It's freaky if you are nervous. Basically your cornea is cut to form a flap, the surgeon (steady... steady ...hands) lifts the flap. Several hits of laser, tic, tic , tic, like you're lighting your stove. Depending on the degree of correction, this could go on for 40 secons. I smelt burning when I was done. Like burnt hair smell. The flap placed back by the surgeon. Saline wash, sit for 20 mins. Go home after that. Simple. Make sure you don't have an alchie surgeon. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 My vasectomy surgeon: Oops. there's a little more blood than I'd like.. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 How much does that cost then? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 vasectomy or lasik? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 eye thing Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I paid US$4000 in '97, it'll now cost less than $2000 with newer techniques and machines. Both eyes. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 up to about 500000 yen in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 that's for the LATEST techniques and machines, though. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 always go for the best you can afford. Don't cut corners when cutting corneas. Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I think most people know I work at an eye clinic. We don't have it here & none of the ophthalmologists here would do it or recommend it. One doctor (who quit last year) did it and was pleased with the results. This doctor was a nice guy but he was obviously pretty comfortable with surgery as he was considering going to Oz to get his stomach stapled cos he was fat. About 10 or 20 of the 300 or so staff here have done it at the same place he went to with good results. It's a highly profitable procedure and is only training available is by the producers of the Lasik machines. I presume (but don't know) that the operators must be licensed MD's but they don't have to be ophthalmologists so choose carefully. If you are doing it in Japan, check whether the doctor had the "Specialist in Ophthalmology" qualification which will at least mean that he/she has a min of two years of eye-related surgical experience in a university affiliated hospital. I can find out about the place that the doc at my company went to if anyone is interested. If you find a place locally and need help figuring out how well qualified they are I might be able to help with that too. The positives: The obvious convenience of not having to use glasses or contact lenses. Relief of the side effects of CL or glasses wear. Like Thursday, a lot of people have done it and been very happy with the results. In most cases the procedure only has to be redone every 10 to 15 years. The negatives: There are quite a few side effects that affect different people to a lesser or greater extent. The risk of being affected does depend of the type of vision problem you have and on your pupil diameter but there is no way of knowing whether or not and if so how severely you will be affected until after the surgery. The most common side effects are blurred vision (non-correctable by glasses) during certain light conditions, especially dawn & dusk. In some cases people are so badly affected that they are unable to drive. Seeing "halos" over objects (especially bright lights at night, car headlights etc) is also very common. This also prevents some people from driving. Other people have complained of seeing stars, double or triple vision and problems with depth perception at night. In addition to the documented side-effects, I know one person personally who lost their sight in one eye because the surgeon's hand slipped. The most important point about the above is that if affected, there is NO TREATMENT, no going back and the problems usually can't be corrected by glasses, meaning that you may well be worse off than before. Most regular eye surgeons will not go near post-Lasik disasters. I don't need CL's and only use glasses for driving so I can't begin to imagine how stressful it must be, especially for most of the people on here who lead such active lifestyles. All the people I know who have done it, knew the risks and decided that they were worth it. Most of them are happy with the results and say it has changed their lives. Just make sure you know what you are getting into. There are lot's of web forums with people discussing the problems they have had post-Lasik. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Originally Posted By: Bushpig So, anyone on here done it? I'd like to hear any comments, good or bad, about your experiences. mate, speak to Taz as he had it done...said it was the best decision hes made! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 good info Jane. also like to add that if your cornea isn't thick enough, then it's a no go. The star effect is estigmatism which if you had before, would not be fully corrected. Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 thanks Thursday and meJane. BPG has been toying with the idea, cos she is almost as blind as a bat without her CLs or glasses. The risks you talked about there are stated clearly in the info we got. It's really a tough call to make, and having no sight probs whatsoever, I can't really imagine what it would be like. Because the risks are so high, it's not something I can really encourage her to do too strongly. CB, yeah I talked with Taz about it already. Was just wanting to hear some other people's thoughts about it. Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Hisashiburi people - Bushpig you lazy bum do a search before posting aye? Lasik thread that was already on this forum ;-) (p.s. dont like the new seach page, the older was much better simplier and much easier to use and find your results: it took me bloody ages to find that thread!) added to my experiences all readable on that other thread, my eyes are still better than average - I can see the second from bottom line on the Japanese Landolt ring eye chart (normal is the fourth from bottom line) My night vision is great again! dont know why but it flucuated a bit a few years ago, but now its back to a good level (maybe other health factors?) and pre-op my night vision was terrible. I had halos for a couple of months at night - they went away and now it back to normal. It's been 8 years and one month since I did it. BP - dont do it in Japan- I wouldnt, its too expensive and lack of general experience - find a pro overseas who has a excellent track record and a top notch clinic. its one time where you absolutely pay more and go for the best option. My sister went to the same guy I went to see about it and he refused to do her; she wasnt suitable, other sharks would have gladly taken her money. I believe it only got rubber stamped in 2000 or 2001 in Japan so they are just getting into their groove here, I met an Opthamologist in about 2000 and he was fascinated by it as it wasnt allowed then and he asked me a zillion questions. There are risks for sure but if you are a good candidate with no history of eye trouble other than your short sightedness your risks should be minimised. The success rate is pretty damn high these days. Rayinjapan got Lasik done IIRC after consulting with me about it soon after I made the first thread Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 12, 2007 Author Share Posted June 12, 2007 Damn, I didn't even contemplate searching for this! Cheers SG Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 so BPG doing it or not? Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 12, 2007 Author Share Posted June 12, 2007 dunno mate. She is very interested but a bit scared of the whole thing too. We are gonna wait till we are back in Aus next year and then maybe look into it a bit more. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Taz flew to Sydney to get it done too I think mate Hey SG, glad yer back giving peeps sheeet! Link to post Share on other sites
bushpig 0 Posted June 12, 2007 Author Share Posted June 12, 2007 yeah cheers CB. What's up mate? Link to post Share on other sites
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