LASIK Experience

tonyw · January 7th, 2005, 16:18

There have been a lot of questions about LASIK here on the boards so I figured I'd go ahead and post my experience. I had it done this morning.

As for the procedure itself, it is not pleasant, but it is not too bad. They first put some numbing drops in your eyes so that you don't feel the cut. Then they put a suction cup on your eye, and it feels like your eyeball is going to come right out of your head. Then there's a little buzzing and vibration as they make the incision. That's really the worst part!

After the suction cup is removed, they pull back the flap, and that's when the laser gets to work. You don't feel or see a thing. You just hear a popping noise and then you smell the results. It smells like melting plastic.

After the laser is done, they rinse your eye out, put some drops in there to prevent infection and to reduce inflammation, and then they put the flap back in place..

They do both eyes, put you in a rest area where you sit with your eyes closed for ten minutes, then they examine your eyes to make sure the flap has resealed, and then they send you on your way.

Before I left the operating room, I was able to read the clock -- and this is a guy who couldn't read the big E on the eye chart without glasses!

You go home and sleep for a few hours, and then you wake up and put some more anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drops in your eyes.

The results are amazing. Right now I am typing this at a normal distance from the computer. Before the correction, there is no way I could have even tried to do it.

I've got a follow up appointment tomorrow, and I'll post after that.

Mavmb · January 7th, 2005, 17:04

I got lasik done about four years ago before I started flying. I see 20/20 out of both eyes now! If you are currently flying, you should probably take a month off though if you are considering the surgery because you're night vision may be blurred but that goes away after a month or so. I'd recommend the surgery for anyone who hates wearing glasses or contacts.

aloft · January 7th, 2005, 17:23

Tony! Thanks very much for the report, but aren't you supposed to be resting those newly-zapped peepers?

Where'd you have it done? Was it a wavefront-guided procedure? What'd it set you back?

DE727UPS · January 7th, 2005, 18:31

Congratz. Lasik was the best money I've ever spent.

Be careful in the shower to not get the water blast in your eyes. It can tear open the flap for up to a month, if I remember right.

I've regressed a bit over the last couple of years. One eye is 20/40. I wear glasses when I fly but other than that get by without them. Used to be 20/200 or worse for years before the lasik, so a bit of regression doesn't bother me.

aerotim · January 7th, 2005, 18:40

Glad to here things working out good. I work in an ophthalmalogy office and am concidering having it done. I trust it completely, at least where I work. Did a blade cut your flap or was it the new laser method? We use the laser, Intralase, and it seems the way to go.

TheShortOne · January 7th, 2005, 23:16

LASIK was definatly the best thing that i've done! I love being able to get up in the morning and read the clock without squinting

tonyw · January 8th, 2005, 10:24

Day two -- went back to make sure the flaps were healing okay, and they were. I was seeing 20/50 out of one eye and 20/30 out of the other one. They expect it to continue to improve/stabilize over the next week or so.

My eyes really feel fine. No itchiness, swelling, or pain at all. The only time I can tell that I had the surgery is when I put the drops in. Then I can sometimes smell that melting plastic that I was talking about yesterday.

Now on to the questions. I got it done at a TLC in the area. The patients my doctor had done convinced me to get it done with him. He did a couple of astronauts so I figured, well, if he's good enough for them, he's good enough for me.

It cost $3600 and I have set that money aside in my flexible spending account. Cool thing is that I got 180 days same as cash financing, and I can claim the money from my FSA right now, put it into my interest bearing account, and collect the interest until I have to pay!

They used the microkeratome to make the flap. First they put a suction cup on there, and that was the worst part of the entire process. It felt like my eye was going to get sucked out of my head! The actual incision didn't hurt all that much. There was a vibration and that was it.

BCTAv8r · January 8th, 2005, 11:34

It's an interesting procedure. Do any of you know the youngest I can be to get LASIK? I have to wear glasses to but considering I hate them, I just wear them in class.

TheShortOne · January 8th, 2005, 19:44

As far as I know, there really isn't an age limit, though under 18 you'd have to have parental consent - however they do require your perscription to be stable for a certain length of time before they'll do it

BCTAv8r · January 9th, 2005, 01:06

I've heard something like 20-22 although I wanted to confirm. Doctors say that a person should wait until their eyes are fully developed or something like that.

Vaid · January 9th, 2005, 11:16

[ QUOTE ]
I've heard something like 20-22 although I wanted to confirm. Doctors say that a person should wait until their eyes are fully developed or something like that.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I heard, my wife had her procedure done when she was 21, and I know that she wanted to get it done right after High School but the doctors said wait a few more years.
(She is now 15/20 on both eyes.)

TheShortOne · January 9th, 2005, 13:08

I got it done when I was about a month shy of my 19th B-day.

GrantHubbell · January 9th, 2005, 17:31

I am considering getting Lasik surgery done. I am just worried about losing my night vision because I've heard a few stories where thats happened and then the pilot has to quit his job. But anyway, I have 20/80 in both eyes. If you have Lasik done, and you have 20/20 is it possible to fly in the Navy or Air Force? I want to serve my country by being a pilot if at all possible. O yea and correct me if I"m wrong. You can't fly in the Navy or Air Force if you have glasses and/or contacts. But what about National Guard, or Air Force Reserve?

Good Day

CaptainChris87 · January 9th, 2005, 18:37

Im thinking of having the procedure done as well but I should wait a few more years until a little after I get hried by my first RJ. because since this is fairly new no one really quite knows the long term effect of it. but it would be awesome if I could also get my eye color changed to blue

BCTAv8r · January 9th, 2005, 18:58

Are there Asians with blue eyes out there?

CaptainChris87 · January 9th, 2005, 19:23

[ QUOTE ]
Are there Asians with blue eyes out there?

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually toward the reigon of Northern china/mongolia in boundary with Russia there are ORIENTAL looking people with blonde hair blue eyes not too many of them though, but my College prep and Honors geography book did make a mention of that and even had a picture.

tonyw · January 10th, 2005, 00:10

What are you talking about? This is a new procedure? Dude, it's been around for a long time. This ain't something that they just came up with last week that just got out of clinical trials!

And the WRONG time would be to get it done when you're first hired because guess what you can't do for about a month after you get the procedure done. That's right, fly.

aerotim · January 10th, 2005, 08:39

[ QUOTE ]
What are you talking about? This is a new procedure? Dude, it's been around for a long time. This ain't something that they just came up with last week that just got out of clinical trials!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes this has been around for some time now, but there is a chance your vision will become distorted again. The technology is getting better, but prior patients should be talked to to see how thier luck has been. In the end though everyone will need glasses to read. It is just the way it is.

tonyw · January 10th, 2005, 11:08

[ QUOTE ]
In the end though everyone will need glasses to read. It is just the way it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's right -- in fact, in the consent form they make you sign, they specifically say that LASIK cannot cure presbyopia.

For me, things are going well, but it's only three days later. I am so glad that I will be finished with the eye drops to prevent inflammation and infection today. It's amazing. I put those in, and my vision gets a little blurry. Then it clears up. I can't wait until those aren't needed anymore.

It's like I'm constantly wearing my contacts. Last night, before I went to bed, I was like, I gotta take my contacts out.

vsnick · January 10th, 2005, 19:18

I am also looking into Lasik surgery and just have a few Q's maybe you guys could answer. I am guessing you would have to get a new medical before you went flying after the surgery, but correct me if I am wrong. Also once you pass the medical does the doctor remove the "must wear protective lenses" statement?

Someone mentioned that you must wait 30 days after surgery to fly again. Is this just recommended or is there an actual set time-frame governed by the FAA? I am really interested in Lasik, I just don't want to miss out on too much dual given

And right now would be the time to do it with the weather and all. Thanks for any input

tonyw · January 10th, 2005, 23:41

Once your vision stabilizes, you have your opthamologist fill out the eye evaluation form. Then you're good to go until your next medical.

Just in case, hang on to your glasses so that you don't violate the terms of your current medical if you're ramp checked.

That's what I was told by a friend of mine who works for ALPA.

Lima_Charlie · January 11th, 2005, 22:08

I had my eyes done in Jan of 2002. I got my 1st class medical in June of 2003. I received a letter from the Good 'ole FAA suspending my medical sometime around May of 2004. In order to have it reinstated, I had to get an updated eye exam and send the results to the main AME in Oklahoma. All in all, everything worked out just fine. I have never had any problems since my surgery, and continue to have nearly perfect vision. Having my eyes fixed has literally changed my life. I have been able to do so much more than I ever had before the surgery... skiing, swimming, running, hoops... No longer have glasses holding me back is amazing!! I highly recommend getting it done. Just make sure you find a VERY reputable doctor!

tonyw · January 13th, 2005, 09:43

And not the BNL song.

I went for my one week follow up today and the news is good. One eye is 20/20. The other one is 20/30 or so. They expect things to continue to improve and stabilize over the next month or so and they expect that if anything I will be looking at (pun not intended) no worse than 20/20, with a strong possibility that I'll be doing better.

I have to keep putting moistening drops into my eyes for the next month. They said my eyes were dry and I need to make sure they stay moist.

I asked the doctor if he'd fill out the eye evaluation form for me today, and he said he wanted to wait until things were stabilized.

Amazing. Last week, I couldn't even dream of going flying without my contacts or glasses. Less than one week later, and my eyes are good enough to do it, even though it wouldn't be smart.

I think I'll take the day off on the day of my one month follow up so that I can get the eye evaluation form filled out, and then go up and celebrate flying without contacts or glasses!

BCTAv8r · January 15th, 2005, 18:49

Well I just go my glasses today. The lenses are kind of thick but the glasses are small and have no support around the lenses. I can't wait to get this surgery once I'm old enough. Off course, these glasses are only needed for school while taking notes down and when driving, but they're still glasses.

My eyes burn when I use the computer. I've heard of something called "Computer vision syndrome" or something like that but I need to do some more research into it.

rhs · January 16th, 2005, 00:03

[ QUOTE ]
My eyes burn when I use the computer. I've heard of something called "Computer vision syndrome" or something like that but I need to do some more research into it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is posting 20+ times a day to JC a symptom?

January 7th, 2005, 16:18	#1
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	LASIK Experience There have been a lot of questions about LASIK here on the boards so I figured I'd go ahead and post my experience. I had it done this morning. As for the procedure itself, it is not pleasant, but it is not too bad. They first put some numbing drops in your eyes so that you don't feel the cut. Then they put a suction cup on your eye, and it feels like your eyeball is going to come right out of your head. Then there's a little buzzing and vibration as they make the incision. That's really the worst part! After the suction cup is removed, they pull back the flap, and that's when the laser gets to work. You don't feel or see a thing. You just hear a popping noise and then you smell the results. It smells like melting plastic. After the laser is done, they rinse your eye out, put some drops in there to prevent infection and to reduce inflammation, and then they put the flap back in place.. They do both eyes, put you in a rest area where you sit with your eyes closed for ten minutes, then they examine your eyes to make sure the flap has resealed, and then they send you on your way. Before I left the operating room, I was able to read the clock -- and this is a guy who couldn't read the big E on the eye chart without glasses! You go home and sleep for a few hours, and then you wake up and put some more anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drops in your eyes. The results are amazing. Right now I am typing this at a normal distance from the computer. Before the correction, there is no way I could have even tried to do it. I've got a follow up appointment tomorrow, and I'll post after that.

January 7th, 2005, 17:04	#2
Mavmb Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 2,169	Re: LASIK Experience I got lasik done about four years ago before I started flying. I see 20/20 out of both eyes now! If you are currently flying, you should probably take a month off though if you are considering the surgery because you're night vision may be blurred but that goes away after a month or so. I'd recommend the surgery for anyone who hates wearing glasses or contacts.

January 7th, 2005, 17:23	#3
aloft Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Inside your OODA loop Posts: 7,018	Re: LASIK Experience Tony! Thanks very much for the report, but aren't you supposed to be resting those newly-zapped peepers? Where'd you have it done? Was it a wavefront-guided procedure? What'd it set you back?

January 7th, 2005, 18:31	#4
DE727UPS Old Skool Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 6,547	Re: LASIK Experience Congratz. Lasik was the best money I've ever spent. Be careful in the shower to not get the water blast in your eyes. It can tear open the flap for up to a month, if I remember right. I've regressed a bit over the last couple of years. One eye is 20/40. I wear glasses when I fly but other than that get by without them. Used to be 20/200 or worse for years before the lasik, so a bit of regression doesn't bother me.

January 7th, 2005, 18:40	#5
aerotim Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 63	Re: LASIK Experience Glad to here things working out good. I work in an ophthalmalogy office and am concidering having it done. I trust it completely, at least where I work. Did a blade cut your flap or was it the new laser method? We use the laser, Intralase, and it seems the way to go.

January 7th, 2005, 23:16	#6
TheShortOne Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 3,380	Re: LASIK Experience LASIK was definatly the best thing that i've done! I love being able to get up in the morning and read the clock without squinting

January 8th, 2005, 10:24	#7
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	Re: LASIK Experience Day two -- went back to make sure the flaps were healing okay, and they were. I was seeing 20/50 out of one eye and 20/30 out of the other one. They expect it to continue to improve/stabilize over the next week or so. My eyes really feel fine. No itchiness, swelling, or pain at all. The only time I can tell that I had the surgery is when I put the drops in. Then I can sometimes smell that melting plastic that I was talking about yesterday. Now on to the questions. I got it done at a TLC in the area. The patients my doctor had done convinced me to get it done with him. He did a couple of astronauts so I figured, well, if he's good enough for them, he's good enough for me. It cost $3600 and I have set that money aside in my flexible spending account. Cool thing is that I got 180 days same as cash financing, and I can claim the money from my FSA right now, put it into my interest bearing account, and collect the interest until I have to pay! They used the microkeratome to make the flap. First they put a suction cup on there, and that was the worst part of the entire process. It felt like my eye was going to get sucked out of my head! The actual incision didn't hurt all that much. There was a vibration and that was it.

January 8th, 2005, 11:34	#8
BCTAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 6,140	Re: LASIK Experience It's an interesting procedure. Do any of you know the youngest I can be to get LASIK? I have to wear glasses to but considering I hate them, I just wear them in class.

January 8th, 2005, 19:44	#9
TheShortOne Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 3,380	Re: LASIK Experience As far as I know, there really isn't an age limit, though under 18 you'd have to have parental consent - however they do require your perscription to be stable for a certain length of time before they'll do it

January 9th, 2005, 01:06	#10
BCTAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 6,140	Re: LASIK Experience I've heard something like 20-22 although I wanted to confirm. Doctors say that a person should wait until their eyes are fully developed or something like that.

January 9th, 2005, 11:16	#11
Vaid Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Florida, US Posts: 40	Re: LASIK Experience [ QUOTE ] I've heard something like 20-22 although I wanted to confirm. Doctors say that a person should wait until their eyes are fully developed or something like that. [/ QUOTE ] That's what I heard, my wife had her procedure done when she was 21, and I know that she wanted to get it done right after High School but the doctors said wait a few more years. (She is now 15/20 on both eyes.)

January 9th, 2005, 13:08	#12
TheShortOne Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 3,380	Re: LASIK Experience I got it done when I was about a month shy of my 19th B-day.

January 9th, 2005, 17:31	#13
GrantHubbell Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hanger A-10 Posts: 833	Re: LASIK Experience I am considering getting Lasik surgery done. I am just worried about losing my night vision because I've heard a few stories where thats happened and then the pilot has to quit his job. But anyway, I have 20/80 in both eyes. If you have Lasik done, and you have 20/20 is it possible to fly in the Navy or Air Force? I want to serve my country by being a pilot if at all possible. O yea and correct me if I"m wrong. You can't fly in the Navy or Air Force if you have glasses and/or contacts. But what about National Guard, or Air Force Reserve? Good Day

January 9th, 2005, 18:37	#14
CaptainChris87 Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Location: O.C. Posts: 1,779	Re: LASIK Experience Im thinking of having the procedure done as well but I should wait a few more years until a little after I get hried by my first RJ. because since this is fairly new no one really quite knows the long term effect of it. but it would be awesome if I could also get my eye color changed to blue

January 9th, 2005, 18:58	#15
BCTAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 6,140	Re: LASIK Experience Are there Asians with blue eyes out there?

January 9th, 2005, 19:23	#16
CaptainChris87 Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Location: O.C. Posts: 1,779	Re: LASIK Experience [ QUOTE ] Are there Asians with blue eyes out there? [/ QUOTE ] Actually toward the reigon of Northern china/mongolia in boundary with Russia there are ORIENTAL looking people with blonde hair blue eyes not too many of them though, but my College prep and Honors geography book did make a mention of that and even had a picture.

January 10th, 2005, 00:10	#17
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	Re: LASIK Experience What are you talking about? This is a new procedure? Dude, it's been around for a long time. This ain't something that they just came up with last week that just got out of clinical trials! And the WRONG time would be to get it done when you're first hired because guess what you can't do for about a month after you get the procedure done. That's right, fly.

January 10th, 2005, 08:39	#18
aerotim Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 63	Re: LASIK Experience [ QUOTE ] What are you talking about? This is a new procedure? Dude, it's been around for a long time. This ain't something that they just came up with last week that just got out of clinical trials! [/ QUOTE ] Yes this has been around for some time now, but there is a chance your vision will become distorted again. The technology is getting better, but prior patients should be talked to to see how thier luck has been. In the end though everyone will need glasses to read. It is just the way it is.

January 10th, 2005, 11:08	#19
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	Re: LASIK Experience [ QUOTE ] In the end though everyone will need glasses to read. It is just the way it is. [/ QUOTE ] That's right -- in fact, in the consent form they make you sign, they specifically say that LASIK cannot cure presbyopia. For me, things are going well, but it's only three days later. I am so glad that I will be finished with the eye drops to prevent inflammation and infection today. It's amazing. I put those in, and my vision gets a little blurry. Then it clears up. I can't wait until those aren't needed anymore. It's like I'm constantly wearing my contacts. Last night, before I went to bed, I was like, I gotta take my contacts out.

January 10th, 2005, 19:18	#20
vsnick Junior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 86	Re: LASIK Experience I am also looking into Lasik surgery and just have a few Q's maybe you guys could answer. I am guessing you would have to get a new medical before you went flying after the surgery, but correct me if I am wrong. Also once you pass the medical does the doctor remove the "must wear protective lenses" statement? Someone mentioned that you must wait 30 days after surgery to fly again. Is this just recommended or is there an actual set time-frame governed by the FAA? I am really interested in Lasik, I just don't want to miss out on too much dual given And right now would be the time to do it with the weather and all. Thanks for any input

January 10th, 2005, 23:41	#21
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	Re: LASIK Experience Once your vision stabilizes, you have your opthamologist fill out the eye evaluation form. Then you're good to go until your next medical. Just in case, hang on to your glasses so that you don't violate the terms of your current medical if you're ramp checked. That's what I was told by a friend of mine who works for ALPA.

January 11th, 2005, 22:08	#22
Lima_Charlie Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 563	Re: LASIK Experience I had my eyes done in Jan of 2002. I got my 1st class medical in June of 2003. I received a letter from the Good 'ole FAA suspending my medical sometime around May of 2004. In order to have it reinstated, I had to get an updated eye exam and send the results to the main AME in Oklahoma. All in all, everything worked out just fine. I have never had any problems since my surgery, and continue to have nearly perfect vision. Having my eyes fixed has literally changed my life. I have been able to do so much more than I ever had before the surgery... skiing, swimming, running, hoops... No longer have glasses holding me back is amazing!! I highly recommend getting it done. Just make sure you find a VERY reputable doctor!

January 13th, 2005, 09:43	#23
tonyw Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland Posts: 15,629	One Week And not the BNL song. I went for my one week follow up today and the news is good. One eye is 20/20. The other one is 20/30 or so. They expect things to continue to improve and stabilize over the next month or so and they expect that if anything I will be looking at (pun not intended) no worse than 20/20, with a strong possibility that I'll be doing better. I have to keep putting moistening drops into my eyes for the next month. They said my eyes were dry and I need to make sure they stay moist. I asked the doctor if he'd fill out the eye evaluation form for me today, and he said he wanted to wait until things were stabilized. Amazing. Last week, I couldn't even dream of going flying without my contacts or glasses. Less than one week later, and my eyes are good enough to do it, even though it wouldn't be smart. I think I'll take the day off on the day of my one month follow up so that I can get the eye evaluation form filled out, and then go up and celebrate flying without contacts or glasses!

January 15th, 2005, 18:49	#24
BCTAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boca Raton Posts: 6,140	Re: One Week Well I just go my glasses today. The lenses are kind of thick but the glasses are small and have no support around the lenses. I can't wait to get this surgery once I'm old enough. Off course, these glasses are only needed for school while taking notes down and when driving, but they're still glasses. My eyes burn when I use the computer. I've heard of something called "Computer vision syndrome" or something like that but I need to do some more research into it.

January 16th, 2005, 00:03	#25
rhs Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Lone Star State Posts: 219	Re: One Week [ QUOTE ] My eyes burn when I use the computer. I've heard of something called "Computer vision syndrome" or something like that but I need to do some more research into it. [/ QUOTE ] Is posting 20+ times a day to JC a symptom?

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