From: hal@finney.org
Date: Wed Jun 09 1999 - 00:06:08 MDT
Steve Tucker, <stevet@megsinet.net>, writes:
> PS - I am preparing to undergo lasik surgery in several months, has
> anyone here any experience with it they would care to relate?
I had this procedure done last week. It involves slicing open a small
flap at the front of the cornea, zapping a hollow into the cornea with the
laser for a few seconds, then letting the flap close. Doing it this way,
with the tissue removed from under the flap it heals relatively quickly.
It was very fast and easy, only took about 10 minutes in the operating
room, then resting for the rest of the day. I could drive and do most
activities the next day.
My doctor does about a hundred of these every month so he has a lot
of experience. He does both eyes at once; many doctors will do one eye
and then wait to do the other.
My distance vision is now very good, 20-25 in the left eye and 20-15
in the right, although the doctor said I could expect it to continue to
vary somewhat over the next few weeks. This is much better than I was
getting with my glasses and contacts, both of which had somewhat out of
date prescriptions.
I haven't had any noticeable discomfort, the worst is that my eyes feel a
little dry from time to time, and I put in eye drops then.
The only problem I have found is that my near vision has become worse.
I have run into some problems reading up close in the last couple of years
(I am 43). Since the operation it is worse and I now have to use reading
glasses almost all the time in order to read if the print is at all fine
or the light somewhat dim. I think this is because my contacts were weak
before and so they were undercorrecting my nearsightedness. I notice this
more in the evening when I am tired.
Aside from this I am very happy with the result. The other night I walked
into the bathroom at bedtime and opened my contact lens solutions and
prepared to do my nightly ritual of removing and cleaning my contacts.
Suddenly I remembered I didn't have contacts any more. It's nice not
to have to worry about things like that.
Hal
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