Is it just me

[TheConfessor]

My LASIK remains the best money I ever spent.

To be fair, I had far more to gain than most people. I had reached a point where I could wear my contact lenses for shorter and shorter periods of time. That meant I wore my glasses more and more, and I hated them just as much as I'd hated the ones I'd had at at age 13. It wasn't mere vanity. I was having increasing difficulty in reading for more than a few minutes at a time, which most often would be followed by headaches. If I hadn't been desperate, I would not have been as motivated to get it done.

I don't think I'm being overly dramatic to say that LASIK gave me a new life.

That's a strong endorsement. I've always been interested, but never quite convinced myself. The main issue for me is how you deal with the inevitable(?) compromise between seeing well at a distance and seeing well for reading and other close up requirements. Did you opt for 20/20 at long distance, but require reading glasses for anything closer, or did you opt for monovision, with one eye optimized for long distance and one eye optimized for close vision? Or something else?

[hermillion]

It's that Senate Bean Soup, dont'cha know?

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I wish that I could stay here and be gratuitous, but I have to go bake.

I am taking dinner to my friend tomorrow. She started Chemo this week and she is having some nasty side effects. (By the way her cancer treatment is incredibly expensive. She is very grateful for all of the advice she got here, because the one thing that she doesn't have to worry about is how much her treatment is going to cost.)

I am also taking the girls to visit their great-grandmother tomorrow. She's on hospice now , but we bring her chocolately snacks to entice her into eating.

Emma is really good at dealing with her. Last week she said, "Grandma, we bought you chocolate cake, but you have to eat your breakfast first." It's cute when she says it, when I say it, it sounds like I am nagging.

[silvercamaro]

That's a strong endorsement. I've always been interested, but never quite convinced myself. The main issue for me is how you deal with the inevitable(?) compromise between seeing well at a distance and seeing well for reading and other close up requirements. Did you opt for 20/20 at long distance, but require reading glasses for anything closer, or did you opt for monovision, with one eye optimized for long distance and one eye optimized for close vision? Or something else?

I have the monovision, with my left eye set for about 16" maximum visual acuity, and the right eye set for distance. My previous contacts -- the ones I couldn't wear very long -- had been monovision, so I didn't face any particular adjustment.

Not only could I read again comfortably, but I could see stars again. Still can.

[hermillion]

Emma's a peach. If I were sick, I'd be delighted to have her visit.

[hermillion]

Not only could I read again comfortably, but I could see stars again. Still can.

I was thrilled when I put the new sunglasses on, looked up, and could actually see leaves instead of just a mass of green.

[kayrharris]

I wish that I could stay here and be gratuitous, but I have to go bake.

I am taking dinner to my friend tomorrow. She started Chemo this week and she is having some nasty side effects. (By the way her cancer treatment is incredibly expensive. She is very grateful for all of the advice she got here, because the one thing that she doesn't have to worry about is how much her treatment is going to cost.)

I am also taking the girls to visit their great-grandmother tomorrow. She's on hospice now , but we bring her chocolately snacks to entice her into eating.

Emma is really good at dealing with her. Last week she said, "Grandma, we bought you chocolate cake, but you have to eat your breakfast first." It's cute when she says it, when I say it, it sounds like I am nagging.

Give Emma a hug for me.

[TheConfessor]

That's a strong endorsement. I've always been interested, but never quite convinced myself. The main issue for me is how you deal with the inevitable(?) compromise between seeing well at a distance and seeing well for reading and other close up requirements. Did you opt for 20/20 at long distance, but require reading glasses for anything closer, or did you opt for monovision, with one eye optimized for long distance and one eye optimized for close vision? Or something else?

I have the monovision, with my left eye set for about 16" maximum visual acuity, and the right eye set for distance. My previous contacts -- the ones I couldn't wear very long -- had been monovision, so I didn't face any particular adjustment.

Not only could I read again comfortably, but I could see stars again. Still can.

Thanks. I've been using monovision contacts for several years, and liked them better than I expected to, but like you, I find them less comfortable as years go by. So I wind up wearing glasses most of the time. I may consult you in more detail if I get serious about LASIK.

[Here's Fanny!]

My first double post ever in all of recorded history! I'm so proud.

[Here's Fanny!]

That's good to know. I blink when I pluck my own eyebrows. God only knows what I would do if someone came at me with some kind of sharp instrument!

That's the beauty of modern Lasik. It's not like RK where they basically took an exacto to your eyes. It's a computer guided laser, so the only thing that comes at you is a beam of light.

Don't worry about blinking, they outfit you all Clockwork Orange and put some kind of drops in your eyes so you don't feel anything.

Here's the funny part. I was so worried about not moving my eye or whatever and was intent on paying attention that my first eye was done and I'd completely missed it! Okay, second eye, I'll be ready for it this time.....

Nope, missed it the second time as well!

I'm normally tighter than Dick's hatband, but I went to the most expensive guy in town for mine. My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

It's so weird. After living my entire life nearsighted, I can now read street signs at 100 paces but can't read the directions on the oatmeal package right in front of my face. Luckily a pair of Two Buck Chucks from Mecca takes care of that.

[kayrharris]

Now see, if I had just posted everything twice tonight I wouldn't have had to work so hard to catch up to LB!

[ulysses5019]

That's good to know. I blink when I pluck my own eyebrows. God only knows what I would do if someone came at me with some kind of sharp instrument!

That's the beauty of modern Lasik. It's not like RK where they basically took an exacto to your eyes. It's a computer guided laser, so the only thing that comes at you is a beam of light.

Don't worry about blinking, they outfit you all Clockwork Orange and put some kind of drops in your eyes so you don't feel anything.

Here's the funny part. I was so worried about not moving my eye or whatever and was intent on paying attention that my first eye was done and I'd completely missed it! Okay, second eye, I'll be ready for it this time.....

Nope, missed it the second time as well!

I'm normally tighter than Dick's hatband, but I went to the most expensive guy in town for mine. My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

It's so weird. After living my entire life nearsighted, I can now read street signs at 100 paces but can't read the directions on the oatmeal package right in front of my face. Luckily a pair of Two Buck Chucks from Mecca takes care of that.

I got double vision from reading your stereo posts.

[Here's Fanny!]

That's good to know. I blink when I pluck my own eyebrows. God only knows what I would do if someone came at me with some kind of sharp instrument!

That's the beauty of modern Lasik. It's not like RK where they basically took an exacto to your eyes. It's a computer guided laser, so the only thing that comes at you is a beam of light.

Don't worry about blinking, they outfit you all Clockwork Orange and put some kind of drops in your eyes so you don't feel anything.

Here's the funny part. I was so worried about not moving my eye or whatever and was intent on paying attention that my first eye was done and I'd completely missed it! Okay, second eye, I'll be ready for it this time.....

Nope, missed it the second time as well!

I'm normally tighter than Dick's hatband, but I went to the most expensive guy in town for mine. My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

It's so weird. After living my entire life nearsighted, I can now read street signs at 100 paces but can't read the directions on the oatmeal package right in front of my face. Luckily a pair of Two Buck Chucks from Mecca takes care of that.

I got double vision from reading your stereo posts.

Then my work here is done! YAY!!!!11

[secondchance]

My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

And what exactly is this "old person trombone syndrome?"...

[Here's Fanny!]

My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

And what exactly is this "old person trombone syndrome?"...

Your arms get shorter as you age, thereby making it impossible to read the paper.

[secondchance]

Aha! Well in addition to Simian Creases, I now know that I too have Trombone Syndrome! What a night!!

Feel better knowing, Fanny, that with or without the Lasik you would have been in an orchestra by now.

[Four Hour Stiffy]

My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

And what exactly is this "old person trombone syndrome?"...

Your arms get shorter as you age, thereby making it impossible to read the paper.

That ain't all, unfortunately...

[ulysses5019]

And what exactly is this "old person trombone syndrome?"...

Your arms get shorter as you age, thereby making it impossible to read the paper.

That ain't all, unfortunately...

What do you read your paper with?????

[littlebeast13]

Your arms get shorter as you age, thereby making it impossible to read the paper.

That ain't all, unfortunately...

What do you read your paper with?????

Imagine the paper cuts.....

lb13

[Ritterskoop]

I did not get the monovision arrangement. One eye was 20/400 and the other was 20/1000, both with astigmatism. We corrected both, then six months later they did a touch-up, which they said is very common when you start at those numbers. Then I had one eye redone when they said the flap had not closed properly and there were extra epithelial cells gumming up the works.

They said I would need reading glasses at age 45 or 50, like everyone else, or probably by then there will be a procedure for that also. And now there is, but I don't need it yet, having a few years to go before my lenses harden. I will probably get the five-dollar glasses though.

I have occasional dry eye but I only get it when I do not drink enough water the day before.

[earendel]

I'm with you, Kay! It even scares me to have the "puff" thing done to check for glaucoma.


I'm such a wimp when it comes to my eyes.

A few years ago I contracted something called iritis. The ophthalmologist gave me eye drops to treat it - I didn't like using them but I did so. The drops didn't work, however, so he had to resort to a more drastic measure. He injected medication directly into my eyeball. There is nothing more terrifying than watching a hypodermic needle coming right at your eye and not being able to move your head or blink. The medication worked, fortunately, but that experience remains one of the most terrifying of my life.

As for LASIK, I've been wearing glasses for 50 years and my self-image is so bound up with me in glasses that I can't even conceive of not wearing them, so I've never considered having LASIK (or any of the other forms of corrective surgery).

[Here's Fanny!]

I'm with you, Kay! It even scares me to have the "puff" thing done to check for glaucoma.


I'm such a wimp when it comes to my eyes.

A few years ago I contracted something called iritis. The ophthalmologist gave me eye drops to treat it - I didn't like using them but I did so. The drops didn't work, however, so he had to resort to a more drastic measure. He injected medication directly into my eyeball. There is nothing more terrifying than watching a hypodermic needle coming right at your eye and not being able to move your head or blink. The medication worked, fortunately, but that experience remains one of the most terrifying of my life.

As for LASIK, I've been wearing glasses for 50 years and my self-image is so bound up with me in glasses that I can't even conceive of not wearing them, so I've never considered having LASIK (or any of the other forms of corrective surgery).

My mom had cataract surgery on both eyes last month. She is the world's biggest wussy (she picked me up when I had mine done and wouldn't even go to the waiting area because they had the curtain open and were showing the procedures on a monitor for the curious) and she breezed right through it and is thrilled with how she sees now.

What does that have to do with this? Nothing except that she had to put drops in her eyes afterward and my sister and I would have to go over and do it for her (like I said, a total wussy).

People like my Mom and Grandma who have worn glasses since the Roman Empire fell look strange without them. My dad always said it was because their eyebrows rub off and their eyes sink back. I don't know if that's from a lifetime of glasses or age. My Grandma ended up not needing glasses after her cataract surgery, but she got some with clear lenses just because it was too weird to not have them on her face.

[Here's Fanny!]

Aha! Well in addition to Simian Creases, I now know that I too have Trombone Syndrome! What a night!!

Feel better knowing, Fanny, that with or without the Lasik you would have been in an orchestra by now.

Hold on thar, Baba Looey! I'm still not old enough for the average age when Trombone Syndrome kicks in! I still think the Lasik hastened the hardening (be quiet, FHS).

But occasional granny glasses that the kids can laugh at v. not being able to see two feet in front of me without my contacts? The tradeoff was worth it.

[earendel]

My only complaint is that a couple years after I had it done, I started getting old person trombone syndrome.

And what exactly is this "old person trombone syndrome?"...

Have you never seen the movie "White Christmas"? There's a scene that mentions this and illustrates it. Basically it's when someone has to move a piece of paper out and back to bring it into focus, much like a slide trombone player moving the slide.

[gsabc]

The thing is this is a college town and he advertised the lasik surgery for $300 per eye, which apparently is very inexpensive. The kids were flocking to him to have it done.

$300 is WAY low for this. Even the least expensive place will charge something over $1K. College town or not, the price alone should have shot up red flares about his reputability.

The possible problems with Lasik and similar eye surgeries are downplayed but real. Like all side effects, they only occur with a small percentage of patients. Small comfort if you're one of them, though.