Lasik

ilovethisdeen · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 08:37 PM

I just had a Lasik Eye Consultation today. I am thinking about going ahead with the surgery as early as this Thursday. Has anyone had Lasik? Anything I should know / ask prior to the surgery? Thanks!!

Revert · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 08:48 PM

My bro In Law had it done last eyar...it worked out fine for him.

Ahmad89 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 08:56 PM

I'm going to need Lasik in the next couple years because my eye sight is getting worse and worse. I'll be legally blind within ten years unless I do something.

Salika · #4 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 09:54 PM

I had it, mom had it, husband had it, friends had it, we all love it. Do it

Just make sure the doc is good.

Questions to ask: how up to date is your machine?
What qualifies me as a good candidate? Any possible complications?
You can even ask for other patient contact information (those patients give permission) to contact them and ask about their experiences. My doc did at least.

Hope that helps!

wheelworks · #5 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:00 PM

My eyes don't bother me that much. I'm gonna stick with contacts indefinitely insha Allah. Maybe I'll get LASIK done one of these decades...if it still gets called that, that is

Ahmad89 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salika

I had it, mom had it, husband had it, friends had it, we all love it. Do it

Just make sure the doc is good.

Questions to ask: how up to date is your machine?
What qualifies me as a good candidate? Any possible complications?
You can even ask for other patient contact information (those patients give permission) to contact them and ask about their experiences. My doc did at least.

Hope that helps!

Big question for me: Does it hurt?

Like, are you awake while they operate on your eyes? Or do they give you a shot of anesethia directly into the eyeball or something?

What's the surgery like?

wheelworks · #7 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahmad89

Big question for me: Does it hurt?

Like, are you awake while they operate on your eyes? Or do they give you a shot of anesethia directly into the eyeball or something?

What's the surgery like?

Lol they use lasers. As far as I know lasers are painless.

Ahmad89 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelworks

Lol they use lasers. As far as I know lasers are painless.

To my understanding, the laser shining into your eye burns away the bad material.

Also, it's extremely uncomfortable to shine a laser or extremely bright light into your eyes. Won't Lasik be the same thing?

wheelworks · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahmad89

To my understanding, the laser shining into your eye burns away the bad material.

Also, it's extremely uncomfortable to shine a laser or extremely bright light into your eyes. Won't Lasik be the same thing?

No idea if it will blind you or not. I've heard it's painless though.

YOUSUFofSD · #10 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 03:06 AM

wow, i've wanted to get lasik done for a while, but the idea of it, just scares me like crazy!

thejellymill · #11 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 03:53 AM

something i have heard before is that people go in with the expectation that they will never have to wear contacts or glasses again and more often than not that isn't the case. many people still have to wear reading glasses or lower power glasses. i wonder how common that is. i hardly remember the days when i would wake up and not have to put on glasses or contacts (i was 7!).. that would be so nice inshallah! my eyes are -8 and -8.5 so i need it pretty bad

sumiyia · #12 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 08:17 AM

i'm getting it done after the bar exam iA..

those of you who've had it done, can you please share your experiences? what does it feel like exactly? are you awake the whole time? could you see everything? did it hurt?

Salika · #13 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 08:53 AM

It's definitely a weird experience. It's not painful but it's pretty uncomfortable. They give you some relaxing pill (it's common, can't remember its name) then some drops in your eye so you're kind of happy going in. You are awake during the procedure but the whole thing is like 10 minutes. They cut the top layer of your eye and the laser reshapes your retina (or some part of your eye). Some doctors use the laser to cut the eye some do it manually. I asked my doctor about that and he said it's mainly liability, that is those who use lasers to cut the eye can claim less liability if something goes wrong, and it's way more expensive (like twice as much) for no real reason.

Anyways, your eyes are numb so you don't feel the cutting anyway but it's weird because you can kind of see it. They also use clamps to keep your eye open so you don't blink. They shoot the laser in your eye and you smell a burning smell and feel pressure. Then he reseals your eye.

You have to use drops in your eyes for afew days and recovery is easy. You go home and just sleep. You can't rub your eyes and girls can't wear makeup for 5 days. It takes time also for people to reach 20/20. It could take up to six months actually (took me about 4 for my eyes to completely recover, but took me a week to be fine and going on with my life without much though). My eyes were just slightly dry for those 4 months, very slighty (which caused the bluriness).

sumi, I asked my doc about if it made a difference before or taking it after the bar exam and he said it doesn't really matter. What he DID suggest is that if you read up close, to use low rx reading glasses so your eyes don't get weird again (basically the eye gets used to seeing up close and adjusts that way runing your vision for everything else).

anyways, here's a youtube video: YouTube - My Lasik Eye Surgery (if you're scared, don't watch it!)

Salika · #14 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejellymill

something i have heard before is that people go in with the expectation that they will never have to wear contacts or glasses again and more often than not that isn't the case. many people still have to wear reading glasses or lower power glasses. i wonder how common that is. i hardly remember the days when i would wake up and not have to put on glasses or contacts (i was 7!).. that would be so nice inshallah! my eyes are -8 and -8.5 so i need it pretty bad

Depends on the person but most people I know don't wear anything afterwards. Although when you hit 40-ish your eyes might need another round because your vision starts to deterioriate again. My mom did it twice.

Salika · #15 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahmad89

Big question for me: Does it hurt?

Like, are you awake while they operate on your eyes? Or do they give you a shot of anesethia directly into the eyeball or something?

What's the surgery like?

It doesn't hurt but you do feel pressure and discomfort. Ya your eyes are numbed and you're on some type of happy pill.

Oh one thing I love about not wearing contacts anymore... makeup doesn't bother me