Laser Eye Surgery

Have had a few people ask me about laser eye surgery, including 'roid who just asked, so maybe I'll talk about it briefly.

I guess an important background is that my prescription wasn't too bad. I was like -1.5 and -2.5. I wasn't blind or anything. I could survive without glasses in general, though definitely not drive or read very much.

The surgery ended up costing around $4.5k total for both eyes, and lifetime guarantee. There are many reasons why it was this expensive. The technology has come to the point where "laser eye" surgery can mean so many things and that's why the price varies so much.

The old way of doing LASIK or laser eye surgery (that some places still do), is using a blade to cut a flap in your eye, and then opening the flap and using a laser for the surgery. This is often the mega cheap "$500 an eye" method you still hear about.

Bladeless LASIK - In this procedure they use a laser to both cut the flap in your eye and to do the procedure itself.

LASIK Intralase - Intralase is just the name of the femtosecond laser that some places can use to cut the flap. Higher frequency laser, more precise cut, faster healing etc. I'm sure these things are all true, but also allow them to up the price.

Wave-guided LASIK Intralase - This is the one I got. The wave-guided is the newest feature of these surgeries. They take a 3D map of your eye, and can perform the surgery to every fine detail that your eye would warrant. The main complain post-laser eye surgery used to be night vision and glare while driving. The wave-guided feature allows them to take measures to minimize the potential for those side effects. This method also includes the bladeless, and Intralase laser as mentioned above.

PRK - there's also a surgery called PRK that involves removal of an entire layer of your cornea instead of a flap. This is for people who's cornea's are generally too thin to do a flap. The recovery is a lot slower with this method, but some ppl might not have a choice.

The surgery was SUPER fast. Probably like 7-10 mins tops. Went under one laser and felt some warmth and could smell a bit of burning as they were cutting the flap. They peel the flap open and your vision goes blurry. They roll you over to another laser and they do the correction and it feels warm again. Then they roll you back and slide the flap back down and it feels pretty cool because as they smooth your flap down your vision restores, and its almost like they are smoothing vision over your eye.

Then they repeat for the next eye, which kinda sucks cause you know eveything that needs to happen and then you're done. Vision almost right away. There's no pain until the drops and stuff wear off and then it hurts a bit (like soap in your eye feeling) for an hour or two. You go home, take a nap, wake up and the pain is gone and you have vision! It's really as quick as that. I'd imagine the pain may last somewhat longer for worse prescriptions.

I'm about 6 months later now. My vision is 20/20 and sometimes even 20/15. Though I do feel a bit more strain in front of the computer, and take drops a few times a day. I don't often feel the need to take them but my optometrist tells me to do so. Overall, very happy and free of the hassle of contacts and glasses! It's also nice for sports too. I'd recommend it for sure.

/laser eye rant