Lasik with Dr Coad & Nicole was a breeze, I was so nervous but i shouldn't have been. All went well, amazing day after results & I'm overall very pleased with everything. Surgery itself took about 10 minutes, so easy & this team are pros at it. Dr Coad is also a full blown ophthalmologist so while there are specific lasik clinics, I had comfort that he is a full service surgeon & treats a variety of eye conditions. I personally was happy to pay more for this comfort.
The procedure itself was a breeze. Recovery was fine also. My reading is phenomenal now, prior I'd get headaches, tired and give up. Looking at my phone & computer prior the treatment lead to all sorts of neck & shoulder problems. I'd know I'd be doing it, I'd 'crane' my neck into an awkward position to read text on my phone and PC screen. As much as I'd tried to stop doing it, it would continue to occur. My own theory that I was fighting my own astigmatism in attempting to get clear text with the letters not merging on the page. Glasses helped but I always knew that they could not be perfect. The frames would move slightly, get dirty and lose some of their value in trying to correct the astigmatism. People who say lasik can only be the same glasses should consider this element. Glasses can only be correct if 100% clean and centered perfectly on the face, which is never. I also had very poor depth perception or 3D. My right eye was a little 'lazy' not noticeably but it was there and along with the astigmatism caused me to see things on a flat plane. I knew where objects were placed but would never see the distance between them. That has now been corrected. I see 3D and its a very surell experience! Distance is not perfect yet but I was told prior to the procedure that it will come into focus in a few weeks. Doesn't concern me greatly as I can see after a few days it's getting better. I can literally hear my brain processing as it now tries to work out the new vision after so many years with poor visuals. The procedure was in New York City & I can only recommend the clinic I went to. They were phenomenal from start to finish and they have stayed in touch with me since the procedure to make sure I'm travelling well. I used to fly business and first class for work on major airlines a couple years ago. I can only liken the clinic as a flying first class, it was almost a pleasurable experience! My top tips is to do the surgery without shoes on. I just lay there and started dreaming. My laser time was on the long side, 50 seconds+, so I just drifted off and thought about others things other than the being lasered! Another tip is to put your post treatment drops in the fridge, just feels nicer when they hit the eye cold. Final side effect that has been nice is I no longer have the 'pained' squint look on my face. In photographs I'd always notice I'd look half tense which was my eyes and facial muscles fighting to look clear. That disappeared on day two and has been noted by people who didn't even know I had lasik, they said I look so relaxed without glasses! Was it all worth it? Absolutely. Be realistic, recovery takes time, make sure your a good candidate and find a clinic who cares about your results. Updated on 30 May 2015: Vision has become more stable, distance vision is honing in and becoming clearer. I can feel the swelling has gone down or dissipated. It really took a week to feel normal again. I walked around in a sense of amazement. Rust on steel has become a new fascination because I can now see it. I sense I'm getting to a stage whereby I'll forget I even had the operation but I still search around for my glasses in the morning even through I don't actually need them. I use the tear drops still but not because I need to, I just feel I should keep my eyes lubricated as I heal.
Haze after PRK is managed with UV protection (sunglasses) and topical steroid drops. Often surgeons use a topical medicine called Mitomycin C immediately after the procedure to minimize haze formation. Most surgeons employ a post-operative steroid drop taper over weeks to months. Typically I use prednisolone or Lotemax four times daily for 4 weeks and the reduce its frequency by one drop each week over the subsequent month so that the drop finishes at about 2 months after the surgery. Most haze formation does indeed improve over time. If concerned, it's best to discuss with your surgeon.
PRK and LASIK are both excellent surgeries to correct refractive errors and each has pluses and minuses. LASIK uses a flap to speed recovery whereas PRK requires removal of the outer layer of the cornea (epithelium) before reshaping the underlying cornea stroma. It generally takes 3-5 days for the epithelium to regenerate and 2-4 wks for the vision to stabilize. Ultimately the end results are the same excellent post-operative vision. There are some reasons to prefer PRK over LASIK such as thinner corneas or epithelial conditions and perhaps more serious dry eyes. Discuss with your surgeon.
LASIK can treat most astigmatism but if the eye never has seen clearly (lazy) or turns out or in (strabismic), LASIK will not "treat" the condition. LASIK basically treats the refractive error of the eye ( the need for glasses).
Blurry vision after LASIK is not the norm. Please see your surgeon for an explanation. Dryness and over or under correction are probably the more common causes and usually can be treated.
Dry eyes after LASIK is common but generally improves over weeks and months (certainly over 3-months). Dry eye is often under treated though. If lubricating drops alone are not addressing the condition, consider prescription eye drops, punctual plugs, oral omega supplements or other therapies. Remember that dry eyes become more apparent with age, certain activities like computer work, medicines like allergy meds, weather like dry, cold winters, medical conditions like thyroid disease among many others. It is best to discuss with your surgeon.
