My experience with Lasik
A friend recently asked me about Lasik. I wrote a long synopsis of my experience, and thought I would share it with the world.
The short answer: I would be hesitant to recommend Lasik. Read below.
Before surgery
My vision was very near sighted. Right: 20/600 Left: 20/750
I wore glasses most of the time. I used one-day contact lenses for skiing and other stuff.
First surgery Dec. 2001
I had Lasik done on both eyes at the same time. My surgeon was Dr. Dishler, a well-known eye surgeon in Colorado.
Result: better vision, but not full correction. Right: 20/150 Left: 20/200
Side effect: very dry eyes. I had to have plugs put in my tear ducts to solve this problem. The dry eyes would continue to be a problem for the next two years.
Second surgery early 2002
I had a Lasik enhancement done on the right eye.
Result: Much better. Right: 20/40
Third surgery mid 2002
I had a Lasik enhancement done on the left eye.
Result: Much better. Left: 20/30
A few years passed.
Foggy vision mid 2004
Then I started noticing that the vision in my left eye was getting foggy. I thought it was due to dryness. The doctors at Dr. Dishler’s office thought that it was due to an uneven suface of my eye. After half a dozen visits, my vision continued to get worse, and the doctors were clearly stumped. Finally, I went for a second opinion at a local ophthalmologist. The result: I had a cataract in my left eye.
Most people have cataracts in their 70s. I was 40. My cataract surgeon, Dr. Kevin Cuevas, says that no studies have been done, but he is seeing many more young patients requiring cataract surgery. All of these people are lasik patients.
Sidenote: if you need an eye surgeon, I highly recommend Dr. Kevin Cuevas.
Fourth surgery Sept. 2005
Lens replacement surgery for my left eye. Due to my lasik surgeries, it is hard for the doctor to calculate the strength of my new artificial lens.
Result: I end up a bit far-sighted in my left eye.
Fifth surgery Dec. 2005
Lens replacement surgery for my left eye (again).
Result: Perfect! Now at 20/20 in my left eye.
Sixth surgery Feb. 2006
I still had a bit of fogginess in my vision. My cataract doctor used a “Yag laser” to blast a hole in the back of the capsule surrounding the lens in my left eye. This was the least invasive surgery of the six.
Result: Now at 20/20 in my left eye, no fogginess.
Current status Dec. 2006
Right: 20/100 Left: 20/20
Yes, my right eye has gotten more near sighted again. It’s so minor that it doesn’t bother me. I may get some glasses for night driving. I have started using reading glasses occasionally (near sighted people generally can wait longer for this, but I’m no longer near sighted).
Recommendations
If I then what I know now, I would have stuck with my glasses. After thousands of dollars and six surgeries, my eyesight is very good. I just hope that it stays that way.