Laser Eyes
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Laser Eyes
Anyone got info on Laser Eye Surgery? I am an engineer and am myopic. I have been considering this as I am fed up with the glasses and have worn lenses for 10-12 years and need a rest from these as well.
I have looked at a couple of web sites but none really say if after treatment your eyes continue deteoriating or if this is a more permanent fix? Any one know?
I have looked at a couple of web sites but none really say if after treatment your eyes continue deteoriating or if this is a more permanent fix? Any one know?
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Will let you know, I get PRK done courtesy of the USAF on 17 December. Here is a web site a local doctor has running, give a good explanation of the surgical options:
http://www.eyes4texas.com/
I was told for persons over 35 (which I am), there is a chance you'll need reading glasses earlier than you would normally would. But, I've had numerous buds, some fliers but not pilots, get this done with great success. Only one person I know has had any post-operative problems, excessive dryness of his eyes (made worse being here in Texas). He is a full colonel in the USAF thus is a little older than the average patient.
Let me state I am not a pilot, military or civilian, so I cannot say how this would affect a flying license.
Cheers!
http://www.eyes4texas.com/
I was told for persons over 35 (which I am), there is a chance you'll need reading glasses earlier than you would normally would. But, I've had numerous buds, some fliers but not pilots, get this done with great success. Only one person I know has had any post-operative problems, excessive dryness of his eyes (made worse being here in Texas). He is a full colonel in the USAF thus is a little older than the average patient.
Let me state I am not a pilot, military or civilian, so I cannot say how this would affect a flying license.
Cheers!
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Thank you sir, most appreciated....I note the hornets nest has been stirred up else where in this forum but for me as a ground engineer all I need is to avoid getting the rain on my glasses on a walk round!!! One again thanks and good luck.
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Yep, I've been reading the other thread about corrective surgeries and was immediately put off...some kind of voodoo herbal remedy is not going to help correct my 5.0 diaptor vision. I am just an intel officer with no flying duties at the moment, although there is a chance that may be changing next year if I get to go into AF Special Ops Command at Hurlburt. However, I was told this procedure will not prohibit me from doing so, and I believe it as I said earlier I have had buds who fly in F-15E's and B-1's who had it done and are still on flight status. But, like you, my primary reason for getting it done is I can't stand glasses and contacts aren't much better!
Not sure what your rules allow, I have a good friend who is a RAF liaison officer here and also carries a private pilots license. I seem to recall he told me the avaition authorities in the UK (I believe it's the CAA, right?) have not approved LASIK or PRK at this time or that there is a year's grounding after the procedure. Seems pretty drastic. I was not told of any duty restrictions in the USAF after having PRK (the only authorized procedure for us) completed.
I will let you know how it all goes in about a week and a half. I need a few days to let my eyes recover before I start squinting at the old computer screen!
Cheers!
Not sure what your rules allow, I have a good friend who is a RAF liaison officer here and also carries a private pilots license. I seem to recall he told me the avaition authorities in the UK (I believe it's the CAA, right?) have not approved LASIK or PRK at this time or that there is a year's grounding after the procedure. Seems pretty drastic. I was not told of any duty restrictions in the USAF after having PRK (the only authorized procedure for us) completed.
I will let you know how it all goes in about a week and a half. I need a few days to let my eyes recover before I start squinting at the old computer screen!
Cheers!
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Nope, right now the USAF only allows PRK, however our Army counterparts are allowed LASIK.
Well, it's been almost five days sinc ehte surgery, things are still kinda blurry but they expect it'll clear up in another day or so. So my initial thoughts are...well, I'm not quite sure yet. I had 50 seconds of lasers per eye, higher than average but nowhere near as much as can be done. I was 5.25 diopters and they will go as high as 8.0 diopters. The actual surgery itself wasn't too bad, the worse part was the "scrubbing" of they eye with what amounts to an electric toothbrush (not really but damn close!). It is also how they test to see if the eye is numb, so the first few goes are literally "pokes in the eye". The laser itself is no big deal, just stare at a blurry, flashing red light while the machine makes a clicking noise.
Let me tell you the first night was horrible, felt like a had a pound of sand in my eyes. They gave me some numbing drops to use only if things got really bad, and they did once. I didn't sleep too well that first night but after that the irritation was, well, irritating for the next few days. Four days afterwards I was seeing fairly clear (I would guess about 20/30) and they took the contact lens serving as bandages off, which made things a little worse blurry-wise. A day later and it hasn't improved much. I am also pretty sensitive to sunlight, which the USAF has taken care of by giving me an assignment from sunny San Antonio to a less-sunny Mons, Belgium (SHAPE) reporting in March.
Although I am not that "opti"-mistic <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> about everything at this time I expect it will be better in a few days. Given this free procedure costs $2-3K on the outside I can't complain, but I hope to have eyesight at least as good as it was before the PRK soon. I'll keep you posted.
Cheers!
Well, it's been almost five days sinc ehte surgery, things are still kinda blurry but they expect it'll clear up in another day or so. So my initial thoughts are...well, I'm not quite sure yet. I had 50 seconds of lasers per eye, higher than average but nowhere near as much as can be done. I was 5.25 diopters and they will go as high as 8.0 diopters. The actual surgery itself wasn't too bad, the worse part was the "scrubbing" of they eye with what amounts to an electric toothbrush (not really but damn close!). It is also how they test to see if the eye is numb, so the first few goes are literally "pokes in the eye". The laser itself is no big deal, just stare at a blurry, flashing red light while the machine makes a clicking noise.
Let me tell you the first night was horrible, felt like a had a pound of sand in my eyes. They gave me some numbing drops to use only if things got really bad, and they did once. I didn't sleep too well that first night but after that the irritation was, well, irritating for the next few days. Four days afterwards I was seeing fairly clear (I would guess about 20/30) and they took the contact lens serving as bandages off, which made things a little worse blurry-wise. A day later and it hasn't improved much. I am also pretty sensitive to sunlight, which the USAF has taken care of by giving me an assignment from sunny San Antonio to a less-sunny Mons, Belgium (SHAPE) reporting in March.
Although I am not that "opti"-mistic <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> about everything at this time I expect it will be better in a few days. Given this free procedure costs $2-3K on the outside I can't complain, but I hope to have eyesight at least as good as it was before the PRK soon. I'll keep you posted.
Cheers!
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It's been 9 days sinc eth eops and I just had a check-up. My vision is still a bit blurry but I can rad an eye chart to 20/20 in my left eye and 20/25 in my right. Don't ask me how I can do that but still can't read the speed limit signs until they are much closer than they used to have to be.
Anyhow, my feelings nine days out is the procedure is worth it. I have been told the blurriness goes away anywhere from one to four months after the surgery, but I am making steady progress (or I am gettin gused to the blurriness!) and expect to be right as rain at the 30 day point. The eyedrops are a pain, the moistening ones blur the heck out of my eyes for a while, but they must be used for a full month after the surgery. I am also on steroid drops for four months, decreasing amounts every month.
I'll keep posting on odd occassions, but was told by the eye doc today that my improvements will be less dramatic/noticible than they were the first week. A few folks I've talked to say it is like you suddenly realize you can see clearly again. I can't wait!
Cheers!
Anyhow, my feelings nine days out is the procedure is worth it. I have been told the blurriness goes away anywhere from one to four months after the surgery, but I am making steady progress (or I am gettin gused to the blurriness!) and expect to be right as rain at the 30 day point. The eyedrops are a pain, the moistening ones blur the heck out of my eyes for a while, but they must be used for a full month after the surgery. I am also on steroid drops for four months, decreasing amounts every month.
I'll keep posting on odd occassions, but was told by the eye doc today that my improvements will be less dramatic/noticible than they were the first week. A few folks I've talked to say it is like you suddenly realize you can see clearly again. I can't wait!
Cheers!
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Hey MMM good luck on finding the 'clearness' man! Thanks for posting, and do keep it up, it's been real interesting. I'm looking into it myself a little.....reaching into your eyes to put on and take off contacts everyday....probing your eyeball with a finger....it's just not natural!!
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Thanks, I mean to add another quick post stating all the typos in my previous posts were from my bad typing and not the laser surgery, but there is a minimum time limit between posts and I was too impatient.
My eyes seem a little clearer each day, I am very happy with my progress and moreso yesterday when I went to the gym and didn't have to deal with my glasses slipping off my sweaty face. The months I had to wear them (you can't wear contacts for thrity days prior to or during the evaluation period, or 30 days before the surgery) drove me crazy, my periphreal vision was horrible and when the sun was out I had a real hard time seeing (and remember I live in San Antonio, Texas, where the sun is usually out). I tried some USAF-issue sunglasses but the thick frames make my already poor periphreal vision even worse, and the clip-on lens for my glasses were impossible to deal with as well. Needless to say if there is any benefit from this surgery it is the fact that I tossed about 10 pairs of glasses into the donation basket at the clinic (they give them to charities).
I actually expect I will be one of the faster recoveries as I am progressing quite well (knock on wood!)
Cheers!
My eyes seem a little clearer each day, I am very happy with my progress and moreso yesterday when I went to the gym and didn't have to deal with my glasses slipping off my sweaty face. The months I had to wear them (you can't wear contacts for thrity days prior to or during the evaluation period, or 30 days before the surgery) drove me crazy, my periphreal vision was horrible and when the sun was out I had a real hard time seeing (and remember I live in San Antonio, Texas, where the sun is usually out). I tried some USAF-issue sunglasses but the thick frames make my already poor periphreal vision even worse, and the clip-on lens for my glasses were impossible to deal with as well. Needless to say if there is any benefit from this surgery it is the fact that I tossed about 10 pairs of glasses into the donation basket at the clinic (they give them to charities).
I actually expect I will be one of the faster recoveries as I am progressing quite well (knock on wood!)
Cheers!
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OK, it's bee a little over two weeks and although I still have a little blurriness from time to time, my vision is steadily improving. I can now see the VCR clock from across the room, not razor sharp mind you but at least I can tell what time it is. It is nice to be rid of my glasses, I sat in the sauna for the first time today after working out, sweated up a storm and didn't have those damn contraptions sliding down my nose all the time. I still don't like glare, be it from the computer or the Texas sun, I can take it for a while but not too long. Compared to others I have talked to my recovery seems to be ahead of the game. I have no complaints about that!
The next benchmark will be the one month point, when my next evaluation takes place. I'll let you know how it goes.
Cheers!
The next benchmark will be the one month point, when my next evaluation takes place. I'll let you know how it goes.
Cheers!
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Many thanks to MajorMadMax for these excellent posts on the post-op recovery for PRK surgery. I am currently considering one of the different forms of LASIK (that radar-mapped gizmo thingy that Boots have just started doing) and would greatly appreciate it if anyone who's had that surgery could write a brief "compare and contrast" piece about their own surgery and recovery, as I gather it's quite a different procedure.
Cheers, SSS
Cheers, SSS
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Howdy All! It's been a month today (almost to the hour), and my gradual recovery is still that...gradual. I still have some dislike for headlights and sunlight, I try not to stare at either and use sunglasses for the latter.
I am currently sitting about 180 feet or so from a large scren display across the ops floor, and can see it is Linda Stauffer on CNN (she's a babe). I can tell it's her but I can't read the tickertape below her. Before my PRK I could have read the larger print. But, again, I was told recovery woul dtake 1-4 months, so I think I am doing better than average. My wife's been asking me over and over again if I would do it again, knowing what I know now. To be honest for a while I wasn't sure about my answer, but lately I think I would have to say I would. Although my eyesight still fluctuates, when it is good it is good. Yesterday I took my 4-yr-old to the Monster Truck Races (a favorite Texas pastime) in the AlamoDome. The excessively bright lights and exhaust fumes really irritated my eyes, but I'd expect it did the same to most of the folks there. Sunset is another time of the day when my eyes hurt fro the glare, but it bothered me somewhat before I had the surgery so this shouldn't be a surprise.
OK, enough of my rambling, bottom line is my eyes feel pretty much OK most of the time, my vision is getting gradually better, and I think my overall eye health has been better since I stopped having to put contact lens in.
Cheers! M2
I am currently sitting about 180 feet or so from a large scren display across the ops floor, and can see it is Linda Stauffer on CNN (she's a babe). I can tell it's her but I can't read the tickertape below her. Before my PRK I could have read the larger print. But, again, I was told recovery woul dtake 1-4 months, so I think I am doing better than average. My wife's been asking me over and over again if I would do it again, knowing what I know now. To be honest for a while I wasn't sure about my answer, but lately I think I would have to say I would. Although my eyesight still fluctuates, when it is good it is good. Yesterday I took my 4-yr-old to the Monster Truck Races (a favorite Texas pastime) in the AlamoDome. The excessively bright lights and exhaust fumes really irritated my eyes, but I'd expect it did the same to most of the folks there. Sunset is another time of the day when my eyes hurt fro the glare, but it bothered me somewhat before I had the surgery so this shouldn't be a surprise.
OK, enough of my rambling, bottom line is my eyes feel pretty much OK most of the time, my vision is getting gradually better, and I think my overall eye health has been better since I stopped having to put contact lens in.
Cheers! M2
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Well, I had my one-month follow-up appointment yesterday six weeks after my surgery (don’t ask, it’s USAF logic). I am 20/20 in my right eye and 20/15.9 in my left (again, don’t ask how they can get that accurate). But, I also rode the motorcycle into work yesterday morning, so my eyes were a bit off because they dry out badly when I ride. It was very foggy and wet in the morning (in Texas, can you believe it?), so I had the visor up on my helmet, which compounds the dryness.
So, the usual questions....am I happy with the procedure? Yes, my vision has cleared up quite nicely but I still have some distance focus healing to do. Would I recommend it? 100% yes, it is great to be ride of glasses and contact lenses, my eyes feel great and less irritated in this allergenic area I live in. Any side effects? I have experienced none of the possible known problems (i.e. halo effect at night), but I still have a little trouble focusing on very small writing up close. I collect diecast model motorcycles, and sometimes it is hard to see very minute details on the bikes. However, again I emphasize the recovery process takes up to six months and I am only a month and a half into mine.
I have heard through someone that Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland, where I had my procedure done, is now doing aircrew only. I forgot to ask yesterday, they dilated my eyes for the check-up and I was more concerned about riding my motorcycle home with my pupils fully open!
I have my next follow-up on 22 Feb, my last before I leave for Belgium. Once I get there I will have to make the trip down to Ramstein every month for my appointments. Gee, twist my arm...
Cheers!
P.S. My four-year-old son bought me some Ray-Bans for my birthday. He was concerned about my eyes. Kids are great!
So, the usual questions....am I happy with the procedure? Yes, my vision has cleared up quite nicely but I still have some distance focus healing to do. Would I recommend it? 100% yes, it is great to be ride of glasses and contact lenses, my eyes feel great and less irritated in this allergenic area I live in. Any side effects? I have experienced none of the possible known problems (i.e. halo effect at night), but I still have a little trouble focusing on very small writing up close. I collect diecast model motorcycles, and sometimes it is hard to see very minute details on the bikes. However, again I emphasize the recovery process takes up to six months and I am only a month and a half into mine.
I have heard through someone that Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland, where I had my procedure done, is now doing aircrew only. I forgot to ask yesterday, they dilated my eyes for the check-up and I was more concerned about riding my motorcycle home with my pupils fully open!
I have my next follow-up on 22 Feb, my last before I leave for Belgium. Once I get there I will have to make the trip down to Ramstein every month for my appointments. Gee, twist my arm...
Cheers!
P.S. My four-year-old son bought me some Ray-Bans for my birthday. He was concerned about my eyes. Kids are great!
