LASIK - I’m looking for bad experiences

[wubears71]

I am seriously considering LASIK and everyone I‘ve talked to over the last decade raves about it. So, I’m looking for the bad experiences or horror stories anyone has personally experienced. I hope there are none but I’m always interested in seeking out the downside too. I’m also interested in hearing why you regret getting it (if anyone feels that way).

Thanks.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

Had mine done 26 years ago...I was 38 then. My experience was fabulous and still is. Why I write.....watch out for dry eyes. I'm not great at doing those things ya gotta do routinely every day....So be alert to dryness and be prepared for that.

 

[wubears71]

Had mine done 26 years ago...I was 38 then. My experience was fabulous and still is. Why I write.....watch out for dry eyes. I'm not great at doing those things ya gotta do routinely every day....So be alert to dryness and be prepared for that.

Thanks. This is the feedback I’m looking for. Nobody mentions that little detail.

 

[-CRW-]

Not a long term bad experience, but I had mine done midday an hour from my house and got stuck in rush hour traffic. My brother was driving, but you are supposed to go straight home and go to sleep. The numbing drops wore off and it was like sandpaper inside my eyelids. It was really uncomfortable. Once I got home and went to sleep I was fine and woke up a few hours later with no issues. It’s definitely worth it.

Mine had a warranty and that was over 10 years ago. My vision deteriorated enough to get a warranty claim. The second go around they remove the original flap and do PRK. That takes several days to heal and requires you to wear contacts that act as bandages for the healing cornea. One of mine popped off and again it felt like sandpaper. We called the doctor and they had us clean the contact with contact lens solution and see if we could replace it. My wife was able to do that for me bc it was painful for me to do. It worked, but that eye continued to hurt for several days. Everything eventually healed up and I’ve been good since. That was a few years ago. I still have 20/15 vision.

 

[fuffle master]

I can say both my brother and sister had LASIK and had issues.

My brother’s surgery didn’t go as expected and he had the ghosting issues. Literally sees double, and it took a second lasik process to help, but it never fully corrected.

My sister has the same condition as my mother and was told after surgery by some that she should never had been approved for lasik. Her cornea is thinner than the average person and due to the surgery shattered. This caused incredible pain and complications. She is fine and the surgery did work, but it took weeks till she could fully see without pain.

 

[wubears71]

I can say both my brother and sister had LASIK and had issues.

My brother’s surgery didn’t go as expected and he had the ghosting issues. Literally sees double, and it took a second lasik process to help, but it never fully corrected.

My sister has the same condition as my mother and was told after surgery by some that she should never had been approved for lasik. Her cornea is thinner than the average person and due to the surgery shattered. This caused incredible pain and complications. She is fine and the surgery did work, but it took weeks till she could fully see without pain.

This is my nightmare. I don’t want to deal with ghosting.

 

[pattyboy21]

Did mine in 2000 - best money I've ever spent.

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

My brother-in-law had his done at around age 40. No nightmare but they missed the correction slightly and he did not get his uncorrected vision back to 20/20. He can see fine without glasses for a lot of daily activities including sports and exercise so that's a win. But he still ended up needing to wear glasses to pass his drivers test. Which was a bummer after going through the procedure.

 

[DNice26]

I've threatened to get Lasik so many times.

Then I think of the potential issues and that occasionally wearing glasses helps me look more intelligent than I really am...

 

[Gyro25]

Had mine done 26 years ago...I was 38 then. My experience was fabulous and still is. Why I write.....watch out for dry eyes. I'm not great at doing those things ya gotta do routinely every day....So be alert to dryness and be prepared for that.

Did mine in 2000 - best money I've ever spent.

Either of you have to maybe have it redone? My uncles an optometrist and told me to wait until I I was at least 30 since I woukd likely need to do it again in 15-20 years

 

[AndyL0711]

I had it done a long time ago and had several issues. I ended up with abrasions on both eyes. I went back the next day for a checkup and had to have my brother take me since I couldn't see at all. When they called my name he had to guide me like a blind person...they laughed thinking I was joking. I was not. Really could barely open my eyes for 3 days. Very painful. Finally it got better but then I had ghosts and still do. Had it done again about 6 years ago hoping it would have helped. It did some. I don't wear glasses but still have ghosts and star burst at night while driving.

They did tell me that this will make reading glasses a must sooner rather then later.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

Either of you have to maybe have it redone? My uncles an optometrist and told me to wait until I I was at least 30 since I woukd likely need to do it again in 15-20 years

I was 38 when had it done. Have had absolutely no issues since.

 

[NeverWiff]

It was about 15 yrs back back… Went to a highly regarded lasik center. By the time I was done with the first consultation, they told me I had Glaucoma and something else, I can’t recall (another round of more in depth testing by them, and my regular eye guy proved I did not ).

The he cost was a real eye opener. It was going to be about $3k…. per eye and I’d still need reading glasses. (Which I was ok with). I don’t know how it works now, but back then they charged by how much correction was required… and I needed a bunch.

Once all was said and done, I lost confidence in the whole proposition and decided…. the hell with it.

that said… nearly everyone I know raves about their results. Good luck.

 

[sposey013168]

Either of you have to maybe have it redone? My uncles an optometrist and told me to wait until I I was at least 30 since I woukd likely need to do it again in 15-20 years

Had mine done in 2010 was at 20/200 before procedure . vision last week at check up was still 20/20 best thing I have ever done.

 

[sposey013168]

@wubears71 asking for bad experiences would be like asking why should I drive a car because some people get killed in car crashes.
I am not being a smart azz. Percentage of something bad happening is minuscule.
My only advice would be go to a reputable place, only bad experiences I have ever heard of was from people who did not go to a good place.

 

[wazzubrew]

Did mine in 2015 at age 25. I did PRK which left me bed ridden in absolute pain (like one of the most intense pains I have ever felt) for 3 days and took about 30 days for me to see 20/20. Apparently they prescribed me pain meds and no one knew until after, but I could not do anything on my own the whole weekend. On top of that extreme dryness with opening my eyes on wake up where it feels like my eye lids ripped a layer of my eye off and I can only cry and wince in pain with my eyes closed for the next 30 minutes to an hour for it to heal. This has happened less often over the years but still happens from time to time.

If I did it again I would do LASIK, but I still don't regret getting it at all. I was somewhere between 20/600 and 20/800 I think.

 

[DataDude]

I am seriously considering LASIK and everyone I‘ve talked to over the last decade raves about it. So, I’m looking for the bad experiences or horror stories anyone has personally experienced. I hope there are none but I’m always interested in seeking out the downside too. I’m also interested in hearing why you regret getting it (if anyone feels that way).

Thanks.

I like your attitude

 

[Rummpd]

Physician who worked at FDA and overall proven very safe and usually very effective-I wish I had done it a younger age. I recommend seeing at least two highly regarded area surgeons and just do it with one you feel most comfortable with. Nothing is perfect so you will hear naysayers but the tech has advanced so much in this area I would likely go ahead.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

Had it done 6 months ago just before turning 31. I am a non-eye toucher and couldn’t even put in drops before LASIK. The procedure itself wasn’t painful, but very unpleasant. Today I experience minor dry eye and increased sensitivity, but would 100% do again.

 

[AndyL0711]

@wubears71 asking for bad experiences would be like asking why should I drive a car because some people get killed in car crashes.
I am not being a smart azz. Percentage of something bad happening is minuscule.
My only advice would be go to a reputable place, only bad experiences I have ever heard of was from people who did not go to a good place.

Sorry not true about going to a "good place" but I do agree with you that something bad happening is minuscule.

 

[Joshnoble01]

I did it in 2007 or 2008. Still have 20/20 vision.

 

[sposey013168]

Sorry not true about going to a "good place" but I do agree with you that something bad happening is minuscule.

Good place not a good word should have said do your research and find a surgeon that has a lot of experience.
I had bladeless which was the more expensive option but I would rather pay for the beat option on things like this

 

[YukonLiving]

Thanks for starting this thread, @wubears71. Like you, I’ve considered it but haven’t followed through despite only hearing glowing reviews.

 

[wazzubrew]

Thanks for starting this thread, @wubears71. Like you, I’ve considered it but haven’t followed through despite only hearing glowing reviews.

I feel like I have had the worst experiences with it of any one I've talked to about it and I would still 100% do it.

 

[Jank]

I had mine done around 2014 and don't regret it a bit. The only downside (and I'm being nitpicky), was the smell of them doing whatever they do to your eye and the surgery was slightly uncomfortable as you are forced to keep your eyes open when your instincts are telling you to shut them. My sister was watching my surgery on the TV in the waiting room and she said she would never get the surgery after seeing it done, lol.