LASIK vs PRK

Has anyone had LASIK eye surgery?  I just found out it's covered in my vision plan, and I'm beginning to do some research.  Actually, I found out that both LASIK and PRK are covered, but I'm leaning towards LASIK because of the higher chance of hazing with PRK.

I'm not looking for medical advice, just personal anecdotes.

nathan
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

I too am planning to have one. My eye sight (right)
is high  -8.0 and left is low -3.5

Did someone have with such high power. And does someone know a good place near oxnard/camarillo area in CA .

What was like working on the computer after you had it?

K
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

http://www.surgicaleyes.com/

 
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Lasik is the more common procedure.  PRK is used for special cases I think.  Make sure that the place you do the Lasik uses Wavefront (also called Visix) technology.  That increases the accuracy of the procedure.

I would do it in a heartbeat if I had the cash.  Anyone want to donate?

Walt
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Cost is not unbearable -around 1500 $ , i think

K
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Scott has written about this on his blog - check it out.

http://www.computerzen.com

Prakash S
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

I've done it in July 2003 with the LASIK technology, which is probably the standard by now. The ophtalmologist who did the operation was recommended by 4 people I know very much: an uncle, an aunt, my sister's friend, and a friend of mine. They all now have a 20/20 vision and never had a problem, and they all did it more than 2-3 years ago.

Well, I guess I'm not lucky since I still have to wear glasses.

I had -6.75, -6.25 + strong astigmatism. I now have -1.00, 1.25 + little astigmatism. So the operation is far from being a failure. What they garantee you is that your vision won't be worse, and there is 96% chances that your vision will be 20/20 after the operation. But there is still a 4% of people, like me, who have still to wear glasses or lenses.

Anonymouche
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

I had LASIK done back about 4 years ago.  My eyesight went from 175/20 to 20/15 which is better than 20/20 vision.  I've recommended the procedure to a number of people who've had it done.  Two of these had to go back to get an additional procedure.

When I got mine done, I was told to keep my eyes closed as much as possible for two days after the procedure.  I followed orders.  One person was told he'd be fine the next day.  He was also a smoker, so I think he had more risk of irritating his eyes which is one of the reasons he had to go back.

Wade Winningham
Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Even if LASIK had only, say, a 0.1% failure rate, I'd hate to be the one guy in a thousand who ruined his only set of eyes.  And I think the failure rate is a fair bit higher than 0.1%.

Kyralessa
Thursday, March 25, 2004

I doubt that failure resulting in blindness is anywhere even remotely close to 0.1%.

Minimizing the risk means picking the best surgeon with the best equipment, not the lowest price.

Brad Wilson (dotnetguy.techieswithcats.com)
Thursday, March 25, 2004

Indeed -- do NOT confuse FAILURE rate with COMPLICATION rate.  All the failure rate means is the number of people who didn't get 20/40 or better after one or two operations, and is strongly correlated to the abberation of the corrected eyes.

The complication rate is the number of people who end up with serious problems.  When you're shopping for surgeons, always get statistics on their failure rates!

I had LASIK a few years back -- for my experience, see my blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/archive/2004/03/15/89889.aspx

Eric Lippert
Friday, March 26, 2004

I did consider it but I changed my mind, largely after reading this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2746147.stm

http://www.quackwatch.com also has a few things to say on the subject.

Fernanda Stickpot
Friday, March 26, 2004

Lasik might be more common but it has more complication and is more intrusive than PRK.  I had PRK done. I had the option to do one of the other but PRK was suggested because my cornea was too thin for a 2nd eye surgery(if I had needed it).

In any case, I just had my 1 yr exam today and my vision is now 20/15 in both eyes(it had been 20/20 since the surgery).

eve
Tuesday, March 30, 2004

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