Laser eye surgery

[Even Steven]

Anybody done it? I'm thinking about it. I'm around 3.5 and 4.0, kinda tired of wearing glasses by now.

What's the best clinic/procedure?

Is it true that in Vancouver the cost is much better?

[typhoon44]

I have severe myopia and have done a lot of research on the topic.

The benefits are obvious, but most people underestimate risks. For Laser eye surgery there is somewhere between 0.5 and 3% unsatisfactory outcomes. Some people still need to wear glasses or contacts, but many outcomes can't be solved with corrective lenses (flap problems, dry eyes, starbursts). With a stronger prescription the probability of bad outcomes increases. Read the fine print - they don't guarantee 20/20 vision.
The other negative is that if you are near-sighted and get laser eye surgery you will likely need reading glasses sooner. I am over 50 and my vision is actually improving (dropped from -10 to -8).
I am a model contact lens wearer so I opted against surgery. My brother has a much weaker prescription and got his eyes done and his vision is still great at 50 years old.

Most people have a great outcome. Talking to them gives you no insight into what might happen. Ask your provider to talk with someone who had a bad outcome and find out about their follow-up treatment.

[GordonH]

I’m sure there has been improvements in last 20 years, family friend had laser eye surgery 20 years ago and lost an eye.

[normaM]

Personally I'd not do it - heard horror stories. Someone I know now has had the second retinal detachment. Laser eye surgery done about 7 years ago

[OKkayak]

I know about 5 people who've done it, all are extremely happy with it.

I've pondered it, but still too hesitant.

Don't know if its cheaper here in Metro Van, I think the going rate is about $500/eye.

[OKkayak]

Don't be doing that capt.(assuming you fly....you know lotsa stuff about the industry)
Last I checked with Transport Canada, my CAT 1 medical would be voided. Maybe it has been changed recently.

You can get it, even with a CAT1 Medical, just be aware of the possible issues you may have down the road:

https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/medica ... ye-surgery

I still don't quite understand how the surgery works, my eyes right now are just under -2.20, twenty years ago they were around -1.50, so as you age, do you have to keep going back every few years for adjustments? Plus I've reached that age, even though I don't need reading glasses, I have to take my glasses off to read.

I don't really mind wearing glasses, though it is a pain carrying glasses and prescription sunglasses and having to switch all the time (not a fan of transitions) between the two.

[Jlabute]

Anybody done it? I'm thinking about it. I'm around 3.5 and 4.0, kinda tired of wearing glasses by now.

What's the best clinic/procedure?

Is it true that in Vancouver the cost is much better?

I had a procedure in Vancouver 10 years ago. I ended up with 20/20 from -6d and am still good. Some people end up with better.
It will correct astigmatism. So long as your cornea is thick enough you will likely be a candidate. It is nice to get away from glasses and contacts. There are infection risks with contacts, I had that issue. Depending on your age and whether or not you're starting to lose your near-sightedness, you can't expect perfect vision in all circumstances and sometimes they offer monovision as a compromise depending on your age. I would pay for the best technology available today.

It is not risk free, but the process is simple. 0.3% have serious problems. Millions of people have been done.
Some of the more concerning issues were night-time halos which typically go away.

You get anesthetic eye drops. The epithelial layer on your eye is pealed off (it grows back).
10 seconds of work per eye by a machine.
Boom, done, depending on the procedure type.
You get steroidal eye-drop prescription for your eyes.

Vancouver has been the least expensive so far mainly because they see more business. I would do research on the machines they use which are continually updated over the years. The machine does 100% of the work so I would use who-ever has the newest and greatest machines. Of the procedures, they will discuss what may be most suitable for you... it starts at $490 and may go up if you want fries with that ;-) there are 'customizations'.

[Bsuds]

I read awhile back that the fellow who invented Laser eye surgery was working on a newer version that he claimed would eliminate the need for glasses in most people.

That would put a bunch of companies out of business so we will probably never see it. (pun unintended)

[derrickholiver]

My friend had laser eye surgery a few years ago. He suffered from myopia and had been wearing glasses since he was a teenager. He was a very interested person in sports but was unable to engage in sports activities due to this vision problem. After years of wearing glasses, he tried contacts, but the results weren't satisfactory. At some point, he came to know about laser surgery **** and took the treatment. He said that the results were amazing because his vision got corrected nearly immediately by the day after the treatment. Also, he mentioned that no bandages or stitches are required after the surgery. From his experience, I think laser surgery is really worth the money for better vision. I'm not sure about price details, you should better consult an eye surgeon to get accurate details.