Need advice on laser eye surgery

Hi ATS, I'm seriously considering laser eye surgery. I've been wearing glasses since I was a kid, and would really like to be able to see without them. Many friends have had eye surgery; every one of them says the decision was a good one and none have regrets.

My dilemma is due to my age (middle) and my need for bifocal lenses (I wear progressive lenses now). I had assumed surgery would correct for distance, and I'd still need to wear reading glasses. But the doctor suggested a procedure for monovision...where they correct one eye for distance and the other for close up.

The concept freaks me out a little, since I can't imagine not having both eyes working together. Yet the doctor said the procedure is common and many people find it ideal.

Has anyone on the boards here undergone monovision correction? Can anyone give me first-hand reports of life after this surgery?

Thanks in advance!

I can not speak to the monovision, except to say that I'm thinking of having it done myself. What a drag it is getting old...

I did have PRK done several years ago, basically it's the same as LASIK, but there are a few differences that are beyond the scope of this message. I would do it again.

I had 20/400 in both eyes with severe astigmatism. Now I have 20/15 left eye and 20/20 right eye. It still amazes me some mornings when I wake up and can see clearly across the room. Or when I look across a distance at a tree and can see the birds and leaves distinctly. Yeah, I'd do it again, even with the pain of the PRK.

Good luck!!!

reply to post by avocadoshag


You may want to think about getting one eye done at a time. This is what most people in the film industry who operate cameras and such do. I am not a Dr. but it seems logical.

reply to post by avocadoshag


I'm in my early 30's and wanting to get the surgery as well, as far as the bifocals go you will still have to use those.

reply to post by Silverado292


Not if you get the monovision surgery, that's the whole point of monovision.

Due to the fact that I had regular surgery, and now I'm old, I have become more and more dependent on my reading glasses. I've even gotten to the point where I use them when I eat because it seems to make my food taste better when I can actually see it...lol

I have had Lasik surgery, but it wasn't a monovision procedure. As for your fear for have different visions for your eyes, I'd say a lot of people don't have eyes with the same visual acuity. It does sound strange concept. If they told me to consider it, I would be thinking, "Well, why can't they be the same?" I'm just going to say that it's probably OK just because my procedure went so well. I went from 20/40 and 20/50 to 20/15 in both eyes, which was better than any glasses I had. They know what they're doing. Why can't you get both of them the same? Are you not a good candidate for it?

Thanks for the replies so far...

@DragonTattooz, how long ago was your surgery? Have you had any advice from a doctor about the monovision option? I like your testimonial about waking up an being able to see immediately. For me, as silly as it sounds, I like the idea of being able to go swimming and see where I'm going.

it seems to make my food taste better when I can actually see it...lol

Thanks for the laugh!

@ satron: I can get both eyes the same, but it would be for distance...then I'd still have to wear glasses for reading. My regular optometrist told me they can't correct for both myopia and presbyopia. I'm planning to consult with an eye surgeon to find out what my best options are (given the state of my eyes). I'm testing out contact lenses for monovision, so far it's day two and they give me a headache. But I remember my first pair of bifocals did the same, so I'll give it a few more days before I pass judgement.

Originally posted by QuantumDisciple
reply to post by avocadoshag

 

You may want to think about getting one eye done at a time. This is what most people in the film industry who operate cameras and such do. I am not a Dr. but it seems logical.

I've never heard it done like that...what is the advantage of having one eye done at at time? Anyone I know that has had lasik surgery said the recovery time is 2 or 3 days.

reply to post by DragonTattooz


Well I stand corrected I never even heard of Monovision, I might need that surgery ASAP since I didn't even see the Monovision listed above

reply to post by avocadoshag


I was in the same situation as you and got lasik in both eyes. All the Dr's I asked about the mono thing advised against it. They didn't go into much detail but just said a lot of people have problems with it/ don't like it.

If you go with lasik in both eyes to correct your nearsightedness, you will actually need slightly stronger reading glasses as being nearsightedness helps compensate for it . As one Dr. put it, " you get over a little on needing reading glasses with myopia. After you have lasik, your eyes will be like everyone else's" -pretty good sales pitch I thought.

Rather than fiddle around with reading glasses at work, I just got a pair of glasses made that are uncorrected on the top and are magnified on the bottom. Seemed easier to me as I have to wear safety glasses anyway and I didn't get the surgery for looks so much as glasses are a nuisance for a lot of my hobbies/past times.

Good luck!

Originally posted by beezwaxes
reply to post by avocadoshag

 

I was in the same situation as you and got lasik in both eyes. All the Dr's I asked about the mono thing advised against it. They didn't go into much detail but just said a lot of people have problems with it/ don't like it.

If you go with lasik in both eyes to correct your nearsightedness, you will actually need slightly stronger reading glasses as being nearsightedness helps compensate for it . As one Dr. put it, " you get over a little on needing reading glasses with myopia. After you have lasik, your eyes will be like everyone else's" -pretty good sales pitch I thought.

Rather than fiddle around with reading glasses at work, I just got a pair of glasses made that are uncorrected on the top and are magnified on the bottom. Seemed easier to me as I have to wear safety glasses anyway and I didn't get the surgery for looks so much as glasses are a nuisance for a lot of my hobbies/past times.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice; that's what I'm after is the different experiences people have with lasik. I'm getting different advice from different doctors; mine says that monovision option is the best and most people like it. I'm trying out different contact lenses now (monovision) to see if I can get used to it. After 4 days I'm feeling like it's starting to work, so maybe it won't be so bad. I think I'll go back and have them try a different prescription on the contacts...one lens for distance, one for reading but my computer monitor is "in between". I would be OK if I had to wear reading glasses once in awhile.

reply to post by avocadoshag


No problem, wish I could have talked to a few more people before I had mine even though I'm happy with my choices. Sounds like a good plan you have. I have heard some stories like "my aunt had the mono vision done and loves it" so ? Guess it depends an what you do and who you are, I was afraid it would adversely affect my depth perception which would have put a serious crimp in my style.

I don't need readers for computer work even after having both corrected for distance but do pretty much need them for hard copy. I can still read a magazine/newspaper in the dentists office without glasses but it's tough and I have to hold it pretty far away. Getting older has it's ups and downs('')

reply to post by beezwaxes


I guess one thing I've learned from the replies here is that I need to see another doctor for a second opinion. I didn't realize there would be so many options...I just thought "get laser surgery or don't get it" was the only choice I would have to face, but it seems I have some more research to do.

I'm getting used to the monovision contact lenses, after 5 days, but viewing a computer monitor is driving me insane until I take the contacts out and put on my glasses again.

Why get laser eye surgery when you can heal your eyes naturally using the bates method?

The Bates Method

Yeah it may take you longer but it's free and pretty easy when you get the hang of it and best of all, no side effects.

The link is not the best but google is your friend! I might make a new thread on it actually because i feel more people need to know about this!

I'd like to add something to my original post. After a year and a half, I'm starting to think that the Lasik may have made my night vision worse. I've noticed that I'm not as confidence as I used to be driving at night, especially on country roads that have 40-50mph speed limit going around bends, or hills. I'm having a hard time seeing what's coming next, and it makes me nervous. I'm starting to let people drive ahead of me since I sometimes go slower than the speed limit, and the bright lights behind me just make it worse.

reply to post by satron


Thanks for the follow up Satron...I have heard that some people have trouble with night vision afterwards. Which procedure did you get? I heard that the newer methods make that less likely.

I've given up on the monovision idea...after a week of wearing the contact lenses it's still too weird to do anything properly. I had a consultation at a lasik clinic today, they said many of the people who have monovision surgery done originally come back later to have the other eye done for distance.

Barmy Billy thanks for the link...I'll check out the Bates method. Never heard of it before.

Well, I'm going in tomorrow (Friday) afternoon for the surgery. No monovision, just the regular correction for distance in both eyes. There's no blade used in the full-on laser technique, so the recovery time should be short...a day or two at most.

I'll report back here on my experience...safe to say I won't be staring at a computer monitor for a few days.

I'm not really sure what the exact procedure was called, but I can see everything near/far and everything in between fine. Just not at night.

This seems to be pretty close to what I had done.

reply to post by satron


Hah! I started watching this Friday morning...then had to turn it off. I'm not squeamish, but I was getting a bit nervous before the big event. I guess I can watch it now

As of now, I have 20/15 vision (it was 20/450 yesterday morning). So the surgery went well. My eyes are a little dry, adding drops every half hour, but the doc said this morning it was healing perfectly.

Thanks Satron for posting the vid.