Lasik eye surgery

strange1

strange1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Location
Elkin
I've been wearing glasses for almost 32 years now. I am seriously considering getting the surgery done, but only if I can afford to pay cash. I hear about the "deals" on the radio everyday to and from work, but am wondering what is a real world cost estimate? Has anyone on here had it done through Graystone Eye in Hickory? (they were recommended by my optometrist)
 
My wife had it done and she loves it! She went to the big place in Charlotte and they wanted 1500 per eye.. so she went to New Orleans where her mom got it done and it was 1500 for both. So id say defiantly shop around. After the fact the place in Charlotte call and said they would had matched the price....so just goes to show they will get what they can
 
My buddy and I unknowingly had the surgery only a few weeks apart. He had his done at the Christenbury place you hear about on the radio in Charlotte, mine was done at Duke University. We both had good results, and both cost about the same.

Do it, its definately worth it. It works out to have a monetary payback of about 10 years (if you wear contacts), but the lack of hassle is enough in itself.
 
Don't have any recommendations on places to get it done, but it is the BEST money I ever spent. Had mine done 14 years ago. Ditching the contacts and glasses....Priceless! For the record $3000 does sound a little on the high side.
 
I had it done about 4 years ago. Had Dr. Terry Kim at Duke do mine. Was about 5K total. My wife had it done a year later and it was about 4K (I guess business was slow). I figured since we are talking about my eyes, I wasn't looking for the cheapest place. I'll save money somewhere else. Not saying the guy at the kiosk at the mall with the paring knife won't do a good job, just saying what I did. Now Duke did put the wrong organs in that little girl a few years ago and was using diesel fuel to clean their surgical tools so they aren't exactly perfect either I guess o_O. My understanding at the time was Dr. Kim was the best of the best so that was my decision. As long as you get a good job done, you will LOVE IT! Woke up the next morning with perfect vision. Truly felt like a miracle. Not had an issue since. I am told I'll need readers eventually (am in my mid 40s) but so far so good. My biggest challenge is I now need to put safety glasses on every time I turn around doing something at work or home.
 
I've been talking to a guy at work that paid $2k per eye plus $500 for lifetime "tune-ups". That sounds high to me. I agree with not wanting to price shop on my eyes, but do want to make sure I'm not overpaying.
 
I did mine last year in Raleigh and it was $3000 to have both eyes done. It was very difficult for the to agree to pay that much but after having it done I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was money well spent. Get a good experienced place to do it. You only have one set of eyes and the surgery can go wrong if not done properly.
 
@cgm147 @Falko @89wrangler @benmack1 @fourwheelinj1

Have you (or those you know) had any side effects such as difficulty seeing at night, etc? I looked into it a couple years ago, but couldn't pull the trigger because I felt like contacts are still the safest option in the long run. And they are like mini safety glasses!
 
fourwheelinj1 said:
You only have one set of eyes and the surgery can go wrong if not done properly.
Click to expand...

And the fear of that is what's kept me in contacts. Maybe some day, but at the moment, that's just not a risk I'm willing to take. For the 30 seconds a day it takes to put in/take out contacts, do I really want to mess with my eyes???

jeepinmatt said:
@cgm147 @Falko @89wrangler @benmack1 @fourwheelinj1

Have you (or those you know) had any side effects such as difficulty seeing at night, etc? I looked into it a couple years ago, but couldn't pull the trigger because I felt like contacts are still the safest option in the long run. And they are like mini safety glasses!
Click to expand...

Same here...no personal experience, but for every success story, I hear a horror story about how they needed multiple procedures or the surgery still didn't get them to 20/20 and they have to use corrective lenses in certain situations. And not surprisingly, everyone goes to 'the best doctor in the country'...and it's rarely ever the same name.


Edit...didn't mean to come across like I was bashing, I'm also interested in info...just too much of a chicken shit to pull the trigger at the moment, I suppose.
 
jeepinmatt said:
@cgm147 @Falko @89wrangler @benmack1 @fourwheelinj1

Have you (or those you know) had any side effects such as difficulty seeing at night, etc? I looked into it a couple years ago, but couldn't pull the trigger because I felt like contacts are still the safest option in the long run. And they are like mini safety glasses!
Click to expand...


I wouldn't call this a side effect necessarily, but my eyes would tire easier it seemed in the first 2-3 months after the surgery. The most apparent thing I noticed was after a long day at work (on computer alot) the green road signs would be harder to focus on driving home on the freeways. However, that has seemed to gone away a long time ago. Now it feels as close to perfect as I could ever hope. Definitely better than I ever had with glasses day, night, tired, strained or any other situation.

I had the surgery on a Thursday at 3PM (takes all of 5 minutes as I recall). I was gone by 4PM and that included an eye examine just prior to the procedure to reconfirm the data (measure twice, cut once I guess :D). Felt kinda shitty that night, vision blurry as hell, eyes were itchy but nothing like any kind thing I would call pain and I just went home and went to sleep (had a valium just before the op so sleep was easy). Woke up the next morning at 6AM and could see perfectly - BAM! You have antibiotic and steroid drops for a couple weeks to keep infection and inflammation down. Had a return visit to Duke that next morning at 9AM and I went to work after that. I was cautioned about looking at my monitor for long periods that next few days but hell I worked probably 10-4 that next day off and on the computer. Felt fine, eyes got tired toward the end of the day. But after that, it has been no issue whatsoever. I can suggest you do as I say not as I do, and just take a couple days off after the surgery and lounge around the house. It takes a few weeks to heal completely. Actually before I went to work that next day I went to walmart and bought myself some sunglasses. Was a real treat to just pick up some plastic sunglasses I could wear as stupid as that sounds, it was the highlight for me.

The surgery I had was two different lasers. The first one was something like a 270 degree incision (not sure what word to use here, it's a laser cut) of the outer cornea to make a flap. Then off to another laser. The doc flipped those flaps back and the other laser resurfaced what is I think the corneal stroma (don't quote me on all that, I don't know but don't have to which is why I paid HIM to do it). Again, maybe 60 seconds per eye of laser time. He then flips the flaps back down and walked me out to the waiting room and I went home. Done.
 
My reluctance to get this started has always been a financial decision. Of course eye surgery is scary, but it has become an everyday thing now. Getting an appendix out or tonsils removed has more risk than lasik now.
 
1500 per eye is what mine was 8 years ago and it is what they doc quoted my wife earlier this year. I only had one eye done and it went from 20/200+ to about 20/40. Still not perfect but a hell of a lot better than it was.

Duane
 
I've been considering Lasik also I'm 23 now and have worn glasses/contacts since I was 6. For the last 4years I haven't worn contacts because they make my eyes hurt after 6-8hrs of wearing them. But I have terrible vision 700 I think is what they said today getting some new glasses. Any recommendations in Charlotte?
 
I'm not sure if it can help everyone but FWIW a good friend of mine had Lasik done in Raleigh a few years ago at 45yo and it made him cry......................he cried after the recovery because his sight is now better than when he was a kid and he was sorry/upset he had considered, but not done it sooner.
 
Last edited:
jeepinmatt said:
@cgm147 @Falko @89wrangler @benmack1 @fourwheelinj1

Have you (or those you know) had any side effects such as difficulty seeing at night, etc? I looked into it a couple years ago, but couldn't pull the trigger because I felt like contacts are still the safest option in the long run. And they are like mini safety glasses!
Click to expand...

I have had no side affects. As stated, readers are needed for my close up work now (50's) but I was told that I had the surgery done.
 
I had my surgery done by the Army. Scary right? Was payed for by tricare. It was definitely the best thing I have ever done for myself. The actual surgery part took all of 15 seconds per eye. As soon as the doctor rinsed my eye out with drops after the laser did it's thing I could see perfect. It was freaky. I have never seen so clear in my life. I had the surgery almost 3 years ago and still have better than 20/20 vision. Just make sure to use your drops exactly as told by the doc. It makes sure everything heals like it should and you don't get a film over your eyes which would lead to another dose of the laser.
 
I have inherited cornea dystophy, or something like that. I'm Not a candidate for Lasik. Probably 1 year or 2, ago, was the last TV story on lasik problems. Some were having dry eyes, & or night driving problems, like, star-burst,around lights. Hope all the Good stories here, remain positive!
 
jeepinmatt said:
@cgm147 @Falko @89wrangler @benmack1 @fourwheelinj1

Have you (or those you know) had any side effects such as difficulty seeing at night, etc? I looked into it a couple years ago, but couldn't pull the trigger because I felt like contacts are still the safest option in the long run. And they are like mini safety glasses!
Click to expand...


I do have some increased star-bursting around dim lights. Bright lights like headlights is the same as before, but now dim lights like tail lights and street lamps have some. It is not enough for me to be bothered and if they could have demonstrated the effect beforehand I would hsve still gone through with it. When I talked to the doctor about it at my one week follow up, he said the treatment area of the lense has increased over the years which has mitigated this effect to most people. He said 10 years ago some of his patients were scared to drive at night after the procedure. Certainly not the case for me.
 
Asked my wife she said at first she had the halo effect at night but its gone almost 95%. She also said that its a little tough during rain at night but would go back for anything. She did have a big irritation issue with contacts so for her it was a no-brainer.
 
I've worn glasses since the 3rd grade, and have thought about this off and on since first hearing about it. I've never been to a doctor to find out if I am a good easy candidate. A friend of a friend had it done about 10-15 yrs ago (that was when I met him) and he was constantly putting drops in his eyes. I've just been too scared to pull the trigger. This thread has got me thinking though. I just bought new glasses, so will likely put it off for a few more years.
 
I've had glasses since first grade, so over 20 years now. Started wearing contacts in 6th grade. I'm terrible about taking my contacts out. I can't tell you when I put the pair in I have in now. So it would be healthier for me to have the LASIK done. My current eye doctor is a follow up eye doctor for the Shapiro place in Winston. He claims i'm a perfect candidate for it. I need to go talk to them and see what it will cost. I hear it all depends on the person. I really want to do it this year. I don't remember a time not having to worry about losing a contact swimming or something. I know the cost will buy a ton of contacts but I can't imagine what is like getting up in the morning not having dried out contacts from sleeping in them for the last month, or not having to make sure I have spares for just a trip wake boarding.
 
The two biggest aggravations to me for wearing glasses is sweating in them when working outside in the heat, and fogging up when wearing goggles. My internal thermostat is a little off. I can start to perspire sitting in a house that is 74 degrees, so when working outside in any amount of heat, it is dripping off of my entire body. It would be really nice to not have to deal with those issues.
 
Back
Top