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[KiloKAHN]

I started out with contacts but moved to glasses because they're so much less of a hassle, but I'm looking to get laser eye surgery eventually. Was thinking of going with LASEK because despite the longer healing time it's apparently better if you plan to do any sort of contact sports later, as LASIK apparently weakens the strength of your cornea, which can be trouble if you get punched in the eye or something. I've also heard that some people have encountered complications like permanent floaters or hazy vision due to the flap healing improperly with LASIK.

For those of you who are interested in getter laser eye surgery or have already done it, which method are you opting for/did you get?

[Cyrano]

I'm due to get a PKR (excimer) operation on one of my eyes in two weeks time. The other eye should follow shortly after (2 weeks ?). But I've got to admit I'm a bit anxious about its outcome, although theoretically everything will be fine... Plus it's going to hurt a lot, dixit my doc. Are you myopic ? I'm hypermetropic and I've been wearing glasses since I was 4. And I tried contacts but can't bear them anymore...

[KiloKAHN]

I'm due to get a PKR (excimer) operation on one of my eyes in two weeks time. The other eye should follow shortly after (2 weeks ?). But I've got to admit I'm a bit anxious about its outcome, although theoretically everything will be fine... Plus it's going to hurt a lot, dixit my doc. Are you myopic ? I'm hypermetropic and I've been wearing glasses since I was 4. And I tried contacts but can't bear them anymore...

Good luck with the PRK. How long does your optometrist say it's going to be before your eyes completely recover from the surgery? Is laser eye surgery usually done one eye at a time with a break in between?

I'm myopic. My eyesight didn't start to go bad until I was 13. I've also got Red–green color blindness and astigmatism, with worse astigmatism in my left eye as apparently it's shaped more like an oval than a circle.

[FrankGarrett]

I'm myopic. My eyesight didn't start to go bad until I was 13. I've also got Red–green color blindness and astigmatism, with worse astigmatism in my left eye as apparently it's shaped more like an oval than a circle.

This is the same with me. I started squinting at the age of 14 and I've always had trouble with red and green, especially when those colours are beside each other.  I only decided to get my eyes tested in October and I'll probably get laser eye surgery in August.

Here's what my local optician has to say about laser eye surgery:

"For many people considering laser eye surgery, there can be confusion when researching which treatment is right for them. This article is designed to set out the key differences between the two main techniques for laser vision correction, LASIK and LASEK.

By far the most popular option is LASIK, with approximately 90% of candidates opting for this method. The remaining 10% either opt, or are advised, to undergo a LASEK procedure. Visual outcomes are typically excellent with either procedure, and do not vary based on which of the two the patient opts for.

The primary difference between the two options is the location at which treatment takes place. With LASIK, a flap is created in the outer window of the eye known as the cornea, the flap is lifted, the laser is applied to the inner layers of the cornea, and the flap is replaced.

By contrast, with LASEK, the laser is applied to the surface of the cornea to correct the prescription. Consequently, those with thinner corneas are typically advised to undergo LASEK. Other patients for whom LASEK is often recommended include those with irregular corneal shape.

After LASEK is performed, a contact lens is applied to act as a bandage for a period of approximately four days as the eye heals. Though the bandage is removed after this, it may take up to seven days following the procedure for the patient to achieve the expected visual outcome.

In contrast, the flap created by the LASIK procedure acts as a natural bandage, and visual recovery typically takes only 24-48 hours. Not only are visual recovery and healing times faster with LASIK, which allows for less time off work and less disruption from daily life, there is also less discomfort associated with LASIK than LASEK. In addition, LASIK can be used to treat a wider range of prescriptions than LASEK."

Just go to a clinic and get them tested. My brother got it done in 2003 and his vision was brilliant afterwards, so I'm not scared of going blind or anything.

[Medium Drink Of Water]

I've actually had both.  LASIK in 2008 and then LASEK in 2012 because my eyesight got worse during those four years.  The 2nd doctor advised me to get LASEK rather than to re-open my old flaps, and I'm glad he did.  I had dry eyes for four years that went away after the LASEK.

LASEK had a longer, more painful, more difficult recovery period but it was worth the end result.  My advice is to do LASEK but one eye at a time.  I was pretty much blind for 2 weeks after LASEK because I couldn't stand to open my eyes if there was any light around.

[Cyrano]

The optometrist said it would hurt real bad for a few days (maximum a week) and that my (inhanced) sight wouldn't come back until around two weeks after the operation. Only then will I be able to see normally with the operated eye. Some people get both their eyes operated (PKR wise) on the same day but this would imply one of two weeks of blurred vision and pain on both eyes at the same time which wasn't a viable option for me (can't afford to miss uni classes and remain idle that long) so like most people I decided to get them treated separately (plus, in case anything bad was to happen one of my eyes is still operational).

[Cyrano]

@ MDOW: How's your sight now ? Need to wear any glasses/contacts ? Damn I'm eager to cast those aside.

[Medium Drink Of Water]

20/15

[Carter]

What about ICL?   From Wikipedia .

"Implantable collamer lens or ICL, called by its manufacturer Visian ICL, is a soft, flexible gel-lens used in refractive surgeries for the permanent correction of myopia (nearsightedness), made of a collagen copolymer material, named by combining "collagen" and "polymer".[1] The ICL procedure is a popular alternative to LASIK and PRK since it requires no removal of the corneal tissue and reportedly produces better visual results." 

[KiloKAHN]

What about ICL?   From Wikipedia .

"Implantable collamer lens or ICL, called by its manufacturer Visian ICL, is a soft, flexible gel-lens used in refractive surgeries for the permanent correction of myopia (nearsightedness), made of a collagen copolymer material, named by combining "collagen" and "polymer".[1] The ICL procedure is a popular alternative to LASIK and PRK since it requires no removal of the corneal tissue and reportedly produces better visual results."

Wow, ICL looks almost too good to be true. I'm going to start looking around the web and read up on reviews from people who got it done. The procedure being reversible if your prescription changes is what really catches my interest.

[Wannabegiant]

I did LASEK, and I used to have astigmatism and be near sighted. The procedure is very fast, the put some clams around your eyes so they wont close, pour some anesthesia into the eyes and then you look at a green laser dot pointing at your eye, one at a time. It turns red for like 15 seks while you can smell something burnt.

After both eyes are done they put the patch lenses into your eyes and at this point you will be very sensitive to sunlight, so they give you sunglasses. After almost a week you can remove the lenses and the sensitivity should slowly be going away and your sight should already be close to perfect, but it might take a few days longer.

The only negative thing i experienced with this procedure was a lot of pain in my eyes as the patch lenses scuffed against my eyes (this doesnt seem to happen to everybody, i think i might have gotten to small patch lenses or something)

But i stayed strong for 5 days because when i was sleeping and had my eyes closed the pain wasnt so bad. when i got the lenses removed the pain went away instantly and when i went back to the clinic they told me i had no damage on the eyes and that they where healed properly. They said pain was unusual and where sorry for the experience that i had. I should have called them earlier about it but i thought it was part of the procedure to feel some pain at the time.

[Cyrano]

Hi guys,

Just got my PKR (lasek) today on my left eye. My eye is sore but thanks to medicine it doesn't hurt much. It's pretty dry though. I'll most likely wait a month or two (time to see what becomes of the first one) before I get my right one done too. I'll let you guys know about the outcome of this operation over the next weeks, when I really start to see a difference (my sight is blurred right now). 

See you,

[KiloKAHN]

Thanks for the update. Hope the dryness goes away. I hated wearing contacts since they made my eyes dry so fast.