LASIK: Stories
Write a Review6 Years out and Still Better Than 20/20! - Appleton, WI
- Amy1to3
- posted 2 years ago
- Worth It
- Cost: $6,500
- Avery Alexander (Appleton, WI)
I was very, very nearsighted with terrible...
- 16 Mar 2011
I was very, very nearsighted with terrible astigmatism in both eyes. I literally oculd not see my hand in front of my face. I had to put my glasses on to read my alarm clock 6 inches from my nose. My glasses were sooooo expensive (sometimes upwards of $500 a pair) and I needed new ones twice a year. I decided to have bladeless LASIK in 2004.
I am a pharmacist, and I noticed I was filling lots of premed Rxs for my patients from one particular surgeon. Upwards of 15 people sang his praises up and down and I went to see him on a whim one afternoon. I was very impressed with the office and staff. I was given very throrough instructions and was completely prepared for the surgery. I was not anxious, the whole procedure took about 10 minutes and my vision was better immediately (although a little blurry at the edges...like a dream sequence).
I had minimal discomfort, and was watching TV less than 3 hours after the procedure. The dry eye issue was minor and resolved after about 3 months. I have not needed lubricating eye drops for years. I had 2 full term pregnancies and had no visual changes (something I was worried about with glasses/contacts).
This procedure was worth every penny. Never missed a day of work and was 20/15 in both eyes a month postop...still am!
My Doctor: Join to view doctor's name
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The staff were all very educated and helpful. Dr. A has a gentle manner and explains things completely. He has his own surgery center which makes the whole process seamless!
As a pharmacist, you had an advantage over most Lasik candidates. You were able to hear directly from many patients about their Lasik results. Another advantage is that you are probably not intimidated by doctors and are comfortable asking all the right questions. Many people don’t know the right questions or are uncomfortable to ask the tough ones.
I elected to have my patient outcomes evaluated by an independent patient advocacy organization, which has certified that my patients meet or exceed the national norms. Not every community has a Lasik doctor who is similarly certified. Fortunately this patient advocacy also provides the “Fifty Tough Questions For You Lasik Doctor” that can help guide anyone to the better surgeons.
You mentioned bladeless Lasik. Bladeless Lasik is also often called all-laser Lasik. The first step in Lasik is to create a thin flap of corneal tissue. The cornea is the clear front of the eye. This flap is moved aside, the laser reshapes the cornea, and then the flap is repositioned over the treatment area. By applying laser energy in the deeper layers of the cornea, the eye is “fooled” into not realizing that it has had surgery. This mutes the healing response, which means very fast vision recovery and virtually no pain. Like you experienced, vision can be better immediately.
The devices that create the Lasik flap are called microkeratomes and there are two types. The mechanical microkeratome uses a specialized and ultra-sharp blade. The laser microkeratome uses a femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser creates the incision by making a series of tight gas bubbles within the cornea and is now considered the gold standard for safety and results. The all-laser LASIK is more expensive but considered the better option by most surgeons.
Enjoy your Lasik Super Vision!
Congrats on your results, Amy! I thought I had bad eyesight but your description trumps mine. LOL :) It must be great to get such an improvement.