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Has anyone here had LASIK performed?

If so, has it affected your ability to evaluate coins in any way?

Comments

  • kiyotekiyote Posts: 5,588 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mmm, never done it but I've got good eyesight. I'd wait a few years to see how it looks long-term. New technology, especially on something like eyes, kinda scares me.
    "I'll split the atom! I am the fifth dimension! I am the eighth wonder of the world!" -Gef the talking mongoose.
  • BochimanBochiman Posts: 25,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They told me if I did do it, it would correct my distance vision but I would need glasses for up close.
    As it is, I need glasses for distance but not for up close....

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    I've always wanted to have it done. I'm young (22), and yet I have AWFUL eyes. I wear contacts most of the time, and they get very annoying....



    -Paul
  • rainbowroosierainbowroosie Posts: 4,875 ✭✭✭✭
    I'm toooo chicken despite most people's good results --- I know I would be the 0.0001%
    "You keep your 1804 dollar and 1822 half eagle -- give me rainbow roosies in MS68."
    rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
  • BochimanBochiman Posts: 25,556 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm toooo chicken despite most people's good results --- I know I would be the 0.0001% >>



    Ditto - I already have "dry eye" problems and from what I have heard, those that are in the minority and have issues with the procedure usually have the issue of extreme dry eyes.....and, let me tell you, it is PAINFUL already....to have it to an extreme? I have read about folks getting this done, having the extreme dry eyes issue, and wanting to kill themselves...literally!

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

  • raysrays Posts: 2,424 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How many opthalmologists do you know who have had Lasik?

    Telling.
  • mrpaseomrpaseo Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭
    20/15 vision here but I know plenty of Soldiers that had LASIK done. As for the up-close viewing... I don't know. There is another procedure called PRK but I don't know much about either of them.
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm toooo chicken despite most people's good results --- I know I would be the 0.0001% >>



    You and me both. I'll just keep my glasses. I only wear them when driving, anyway.

    Russ, NCNE
  • stealerstealer Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭✭
    I heard they actually peel the top layer off your eye. I don't care if it's even free, I'm not going to get it done.
  • kazkaz Posts: 9,257 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had Lasik done about 3 years ago. I have been extremely nearsighted most of my life, and had to start wearing bifocals at around age 45. I'm very glad I had it done. One eye was fixed for distance, one for closeup work. After a while your brain "switches" eyes automatically. My eyes were dry before the procedure, and they still are. No worse. Driving at night or at dusk, there is a slight loss of acuity, so I have a pair of low power distance glasses that I wear at those times, to make seeing signs easier. I can read even small print, but very tiny print requires some dollar store reading glasses.

    Not having to mess with glasses, or having to buy prescription sunglasses is fantastic. Sweating, or running in rain or snow is not an issue. No trouble viewing coins. And I have peripheral vision again!

    The procedure is quite simple. One laser cuts a flap in the cornea, then they swing the table under another laser. the surgeon lifts up the flap with a suction cup and the second laser sculpts the cornea based on computerized data collected during the preop exam. The surgeon smooths out the flap with a little sponge, then they do the other eye. You sit up and you can already see well without glasses. You have to use antiinflammatory drops and antibiotic drops for a few days, and sleep with eye shields on for a few nights, but that's no big. deal. Practically no discomfort. The extensive pre op evaluation determines if your cornea is thick enough for the procedure and the right shape. they also test for dry eyes.
    I find out I have high intraocular pressure, which was corrected separately, and did not affect the Lasik (or vice versa).
  • mrearlygoldmrearlygold Posts: 17,858 ✭✭✭
    How long is it supposed to last? A contractor who did some work for me told me his lasted 3 years and his eyesight was worse then before. Those kinds of stories keep me away. I had a customer in Scal who did this a long time ago. Told me he'd go in on a sat morning and make 10K. Almost like a coin dealer eh? Ha.
  • raysrays Posts: 2,424 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>How long is it supposed to last? A contractor who did some work for me told me his lasted 3 years and his eyesight was worse then before. Those kinds of stories keep me away. I had a customer in Scal who did this a long time ago. Told me he'd go in on a sat morning and make 10K. Almost like a coin dealer eh? Ha. >>



    The best candidates for LASIK are myopes (those with near-sightedness). The laser procedure relaxes the shape of the cornea, thus correcting the myopia. It is less successful for hyperopia (far-sightedness) as the cornea shape must be made steeper, which although technically possible with a laser, is usually considered temporary as the cornea relaxes over a period of time after the surgery.

    Some people also have a degree of astigamtism, which can be partially compensated for with LASIK. HOWEVER, some patients develop increased levels of astigmatism after LASIK.

    Finally, LASIK does nothing for presbyopia, which affects almost everyone over 50. Some people elect for purposely creating myopia in one eye (monovision) for reading, but LASIK does not cure the underlying cause of a thickened and inelastic lens.
  • Batman23Batman23 Posts: 5,001 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had it done a few years ago. I had very good vison up close if I did not have my contacts in. Like having a loupe vision. With correction (contacts) I did not have that magnification up close and I did not take my contacts out just to view things close. With eyeglasses it was best as I could look over them for things up close. The LASIK was worth it for me not to have to deal with contacts/glasses now. I am not in need of reading glasses yet we will see about the next decade.

    Oh and that .0001%, that was meimage My right eye took very well right off the get go. My left eye had problems. It required them to go in a few days later to reopen the flap, squeegie the excess cell buildup that was causing poor and double vision and replacing the flap. I had to go in within the year and have the vision re-tweaked again under laser. It is good to pay the little extra and go with a good eye doctor that will not leave you hanging. My doctor came in on the weekends just for me when I was having problems, no waiting until Monday. That and my re-tweaking was covered under the inital cost.

    My vision is now good for distance but I lost the magnified close up vision. I have to use a loupe now... but I did with contacts anyway.

    The only thing that still makes me cringe (other than the toe curling squeegie job) was how the doctor was able to go in a year later, re-lift the flap without cutting and re-lazer. Why did the flap not heal like a cut in the skin?
  • tydyetydye Posts: 3,894 ✭✭✭
    My wife had it done a little over a year ago. She would not go through it again. Having 3 kids was less painful she tells me. She also had dry eyes for a good 6 months.

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  • droopyddroopyd Posts: 5,381 ✭✭✭
    I've heard that a lot of people have problems with it 10-15 years down the road.
    Me at the Springfield coin show:
    image
    60 years into this hobby and I'm still working on my Lincoln set!
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    +125


    Oh , that's kind of like "+1" , except it's the magnificaton of my readers.

    edit to add:
    I put my readers on to see I misspelled magnification image
    LOL
  • I did it 5 years ago. I have 20/20 in my left eye and 20/15 in my right eye!! image

    I told the doctor if he messed up my shooting eye, we were going to have problems.

    It was by far the best 3 grand I have ever spent. I would do it again in a heart beat.
    The laser part kinda sucks, well actually it is just that crazy clamp they use to make it
    so your eye lids stay open. My left eye accept the cornea being flipped open with no
    problems. The right eye on the other hand didn't. They actually ended up having to do
    PRK on that eye. PRK is where they use a brush to scrap off your cornea. They put a
    contact in that eye and you get it removed 7 days later. I was in surgery for 5 minutes
    and 30 seconds......I know I was starting at the clock they put on the ceiling.


    Hasn't change my grading abilities!!

    Jaime image ~Proof Roosevelt Hoarder~ My Roosevelt Set
  • homerunhallhomerunhall Posts: 2,496 ✭✭✭
    I was told by my doctor not to do it. I am very near-sighted and apparently near-sighted people have extra magnification close up. Very good for coin grading!!!

    hrh

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had it done about 11 years ago. I can still read down to almost the bottom line of the eye chart (20/15 or even 20/10 on a good day). My eyesight prior to this was way bad - I couldn't even see the big "E" at the top of the chart (20/400+). I also didn't tolerate contact lenses very well. Glasses suck to. They limit your field of view, can get lost or broken, and are always getting fogged up or scratched. My old glasses wouldn't even pass for MS. About the time I hit a solid "cleaned, XF details" I'd get new ones. image

    Be aware that the recontouring of your cornea does make it into a flatter, more primitive lens (think frogs). There will be some tradeoffs. Against strong backlighting, like in an airport terminal I have a harder time making out fine detail in areas of shadow. It's difficult to describe but immediately noticable. I also had slightly scratchy, dry eyes for a year or so afterwords.

    I had my surgery done during my last week of medical school. 11 years later I can still see well enough to do hand surgery without loupes. Someday that will probably change. I am developing a touch of presbyopia, but that's a normal age-related phenomenon and happens even to people who had perfect vision.

    I can swim without glasses, I can see the clock when I get up in the morning, I know when it's time to clean the bottom of the shower now, and I can ride a snowmobile without fogging up. It is 99% awesome, 1% trade-off.

    I can still see coins and I can still shoot well at 400 yards.

    The surgery works a bit better in the younger population who are dealing with a single problem (myopia). Once you get older the eye loses some of its ability to focus quickly. My dad had the procedure done in his 50s. He likes it fine, but not as much as I do.


  • << <i>I've heard that a lot of people have problems with it 10-15 years down the road. >>



    I know a guy that I used to work with. He got the surgery done in 1989 when it was in the trial stages.
    I can still not believe he voluntered. He still has perfect vision.
    Jaime image ~Proof Roosevelt Hoarder~ My Roosevelt Set
  • jdimmickjdimmick Posts: 9,772 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I am very nearsighted as well, and also have herd it aides in grading. I can see close up extremely well, almost as if it magnified. The distant vision has been going down hill as of late and I went in to get corrective lenses for driving, has helped a lot. They could not improve my close up vision at all, but driving yes. One of th e other problems I have had recently was re-occurrring cornea abraison,(due mainly from the robbery) made worst by dry eye. I have to keep gel drops in at all times , dotor wanted to do a procedure to assist in this problem, but told me it could mess up my close up vision a little, so I passed.
  • stealerstealer Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>My wife had it done a little over a year ago. She would not go through it again. Having 3 kids was less painful she tells me. She also had dry eyes for a good 6 months. >>


    LASIK can only be performed once in a life time. Any more cornea cut off and your eye will have some serious problems. One of my to-be doctor co-workers explained it like taking a balloon and peeling off a thin layer of latex off of it. Any more cut off and it'll burst.
  • commacomma Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭
    One of my relatives had it done about 5 years ago, another one about 7 years ago. They both still have basically perfect vision, and they said the procedure itself was very easy...
    I don't have horrible eyesight, but do need glasses most of the time...so at some point I'd like to look into it too


  • << <i>I was told by my doctor not to do it. I am very near-sighted and apparently near-sighted people have extra magnification close up. Very good for coin grading!!!

    hrh >>



    It would be great to not have to wear glasses, but LASIK scares me. And what homerunhall said is pretty much the case for me; I have excellent close up vision. My wife is the other way around; God takes care of us.
  • DatentypeDatentype Posts: 1,677 ✭✭✭
    I had it done about 13 years ago and consider myself as having the toughest "cast iron" eye in the business and it was indeed one of the very best decisions I have ever made.


  • << <i>LASIK can only be performed once in a life time. Any more cornea cut off and your eye will have some serious problems. One of my to-be doctor co-workers explained it like taking a balloon and peeling off a thin layer of latex off of it. Any more cut off and it'll burst. >>



    This is 100% false!!
    Jaime image ~Proof Roosevelt Hoarder~ My Roosevelt Set
  • TPRCTPRC Posts: 3,814 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I had it done about 13 years ago and consider myself as having the toughest "cast iron" eye in the business and it was indeed one of the very best decisions I have ever made. >>



    image

    I had it done many years ago...I want to say almost 20, but to tell the truth I can't remember. It was just when they perfected it and I had the one after the initial procedure...RKT, if I remember correctly, which wasn't even laser surgery. Mine was before they perfected the flap, so they just scraped away at the outer coating to get to the eye.

    A great decision and my eyesight has been great since.

    Tom

  • dpooledpoole Posts: 5,940 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lasik is the closest thing to a Jesus experience I've ever had. You get in the chair. Bang-bang-bang; I was 20-200 and worse from kindergarten on--and then you can see like a fighter pilot! Just like that! (<angel background noise> )

    Sure I can see coins better.

    ..and flowers...and birdies..and children's smiles... image

    Still use the loupe for the varieties, though.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How much does this lasek surgery cost these days? My wife had it done several years ago when it was about $1000 per eye.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • I am a chicken about having it done, but can think of 5 people right now who had it done, all with good results. My sister had hers done twice, I"m not sure why as it's been many years. She has terrible myopia and I don't think it fully corrected it the first time or was blurry. But she's a music teacher and has no problems whatsoever reading music when she plays, and has tried talking me into it several times, without success! I'm the one who didn't even get my ears pierced til I was 30... woose!

    My eye doctor told me recently that if I ever need cataracts removed, I'll probably only need reading glasses after that - it's the same procedure. So how many in here have had cataract surgery?
    Have bought and sold on BST, many references available when asked.
  • pitbosspitboss Posts: 8,643 ✭✭✭
    I had my eyes done about 12 years ago and was told at the time I would need to get cataracts rempved in the future.

    I have been very happy with the surgery and am now starting to lose some vision and have surgery scheduled for March to get one of the

    cataracts removed.

    I never experienced dry eyes.


  • << <i>They told me if I did do it, it would correct my distance vision but I would need glasses for up close.
    As it is, I need glasses for distance but not for up close.... >>



    You have what is called monovsion. Basically one of your eyes works for distance and the other one works for near. if you did surgery you would correct the distance but you would loose your near vision well not loose it but greatly diminish it)

    Not really an advantage if you got surgery because you would need glasses for reading after surgery.
  • carew4mecarew4me Posts: 3,490 ✭✭✭✭
    I had Lasik 5 yrs ago. % minute procedure, dropped my glasses in an over flowing donation basket on the way out.

    Best move EVER.

    I did notice that up close viewing was a tiny bit MORE blurred than before, but I just have to hold the item about 6 inches farther
    away than before.

    Not having to full with glasses every day, 20/20 or better in both eyes...Priceless.

    Loves me some shiny!
  • CameonutCameonut Posts: 7,362 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I waited it out and now my distance vision is fine so I don't need glasses to drive anymore.

    But I used to be quite nearsighted - now I need readers for the close work. So for me, a trade off.

    Perhaps the next time in am in to my MD, I'll ask about the procedure. With the cost of glasses these days, it might be a good investment.

    “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

    My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!

  • rheddenrhedden Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had it done 7 yrs. ago. I was moderately nearsighted, and my vision was 20/15 without glasses when they were done. It's still nearly as good. I definitely do not see coins as well as I did previously, however. There is no doubt it affected my vision negatively on close objects. I don't care. Getting rid of glasses was worth it.

  • streeterstreeter Posts: 4,312 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he relayed that he had horrible driving and night vision and LASIK corrected that but he needed to buy glasses to read the newspaper about a year after he had the surgery. He read the paper without the glasses before the surgery.

    I guess it comes down to a choice, do you want to drive w/o corrective lenses or read a newspaper without glasses.

    Nobody is putting a laser on my eyeballs.
    Have a nice day
  • guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,290 ✭✭✭

    I had mine done in 2000 and have never regretted it. I was 20/400+ with a horrible astigmatism. Like a couple of the previous posters I couldn't see the big "E" at the top of the chart. Am (and have been since the surgery) reading the 20/20 and some of the 20/15 line.

    It's priceless to be able to roll over in the morning and read the numbers on the alarm clock and not reach for glasses that might be on the nightstand or might be wadded up under your pillow. No more contact solution or replacement contacts to buy.

    Since the surgery I have noticed a few constant "floaters", but you deal with them. Don't know if everyone experiences them afterwards but I had some recurrent floaters before having surgery.

    As far as coin sight, really really close in with no loupe there is some blurriness, with a loupe it is as sharp as a tack.

    My surgery cost $3500 and is worth a gazillion times that.

    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
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