Any DHers had LASIK?

BigRedBike · Nov 13, 2011

I am in the same boat. Really interested to hear feedback on this. One suggestion though, would be to always wear goggles, even if you have to use clear lenses with some anti-fog stuff.

drastic. · Nov 13, 2011

what type of lenses do you wear? i never once had my contacts fall out. semi-dry from not blinking, yes...but never particularly an issue, and nothing blinking a few times cant take care of.

try thinner contacts? i wear once-a-days. superr thin, breathable, and holds wetness well. there's 2 versions. normal, and another called aqua-wet or something, making them retain their wetness better..that may be an option you should look into. combine that w/ an eye drop or 2 before dropping in on a run?

SLOPE · Nov 13, 2011

I have the same issue. Just keep telling myself to blink. I only seem to have the issue on the first run and it seems worse when it gets cold out.

motomike · Nov 13, 2011

I battled with contacts for years, then finally stepped up and got LASIK done a few years ago. Immediately after the process I had 20/10 vision, then after about a week it settled in to 20/15. The contacts had completely ruined several race runs and I got sick of it. Its hard to get pinned if you can't see the trail and I can definitely say that Lasik is worth it.

edit: I get dirt in my eyes all the time, not a single issue so far.

Frisco · Nov 13, 2011

I also had lasik surgery a few years ago. It was one of the best things I've done for riding. I don't have any problems with dirt bothering my eyes.
Man I hated contacts.

BigRedBike · Nov 13, 2011

My lenses used to fall out before I got toric lenses. I have astigmatism which causes the traditional lenses to not fit very well. This could be part of the issue. There are now toric dailies that you might want to check into. I am excited to hear that LASIK has worked for some of you guys! I might be saving up for it!

gnarbar · Nov 13, 2011

Day to day I wear hard GP lenses, but to ride I wear "Hydraclear" soft lenses. No hassles at all, they stick like glue to my eye and never dry out in hot or dry weather (including +30 temps).

Looking at LASIK myself but it may be a year or two down the road. -11 prescription !

CHepler · Nov 13, 2011

I wore contacts until my eyes would no longer let me wear them. Wore them for everything all the time and deprived my eyes of O2 so long my brother (my optometrist) told me it was time to give them a rest, and go back to glasses for a while. We had been talking about corrective surgery since radial keratotomy and he kept telling me this was something that was going to advance rather quickly. RK to laser to cold laser to custom LASIK over the years. We agreed it was time. So about 7 years ago I had it done and have not had one regret or problem since.
Was at his office visiting yesterday and can still do 20/15 from 2 feet behind the line on the eye chart. Started as about a -3.75 or -4 something like that.

frorider · Nov 13, 2011

i researched LASIK heavily a few years ago but decided against it since a) I already have dry eyes, and therefore I'm more likely to have issues after LASIK b) I have very large pupils, which means the laser ablation edge zone is within the diameter of my pupil...which means I'm much more likely to have massive starbursts from lights at night. of course most lasik doctors are like slimey used-car salesmen and didn't tell me those issues up front, but eventually i got in touch with a good one.

but frankly your vision is so poor it seems like a no brainer for you to get lasik.

SuboptimusPrime · Nov 13, 2011

My issue with LASIK would be the possibility of dislocating the flap in a wreck...although this is pretty damned unlikely and would not be the end of the word as it can usually be relocated to its correct position. To avoid this, the other option would be PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) which is quite similar but has no flap. The downside is longer recovery time as they actually remove the top layer of cells from your cornea before doing the laser...it takes a week for these cells to regrow and this is uncomfortable. All that said, if it were my eyes and I was set on refractive surgery, that is what I would have done.

Regardless of what you get done, I would have a very experienced practitioner using a femtosecond laser do the procedure. Be sure that you have no dry eye issues prior to getting all your measurements done for the surgery (no contacts for a while prior if you can manage it) -- the better the measurements, the better the outcome. If you have serious dry eyes, this surgery is not for you.

Good luck.

Nick · Nov 13, 2011

I have. One of the best decisions I've made in my life. Seriously.

joelsman · Nov 14, 2011

I had lasik done in about 5yrs ago, and it was one of the best things I have done. I recommend it, if done by a good doc. ask around and see who is good. don't be afraid to pay a bit more for a better doc., you only have 2 eyes.

the first 6-8 weeks after surgery are the most important and that is the time you need to keep dirt out of your eyes. I also still use some lubricating eye drops from time to time if my eyes feel dry.

cmoney · Nov 14, 2011

I had Lasik done about eight years ago hands down the best money I have ever spent.I was -750 in one eye and -675 in the other and came out with 20/20 I have had zero problems with my eyes since.
Ask the doctor about the flap thing I guess anything is possible but your eye ball has a kind of inner vacum that holds the flap in place,I think that was what the doctor told me.

penguinofdoom · Nov 14, 2011

i'd agree with everyone else here, i got lasik done 10 years ago, one of the best things i've ever done. you're worrying too much about the 'flap', i get slight halos around lights at night, but nothing too bad. i'd do it again without hesitation.

ALEXIS_DH · Nov 14, 2011

I had lasik done a few weeks ago too. One of the best decisions in my life so far.

Now, the important stuff.
Statistically, ophtalmologists get better results and lower complications after 200-250 procedures... so it´d be good to go for a seasoned one.
then, while the flap never 100% heals (i too have heard horror stories), severe complications are usually caused by trauma (like getting hit in the eye with a baseball)... so I guess, even if you havent had lasik under such conditions, you´d still get seriously hurt.
there are different kinds of procedures, lasik with the flap, prk. i believe prk does not require cutting the flap and is reserved for severe myopia/corneas too thin.

your best bet would be to research online for a few days, and then set up an appointment with an ophtalmologist to discuss your options, as LASIK is not for every one, and not every technique is for everyone...

BigBoi · Nov 14, 2011

I got Lasik in 2002 and it was the best decision I ever made. My night vision isn't perfect because I catch a bit of glare from lights while driving. However, I used to catch a similar amount of glare from wearing my contac(t?)s. I have and always have had very sensitive eyes so the idea of having a flap cut into my eye freaked me out. But the procedure only lasted a couple of minutes and my eyes were better than I ever remembered within a week. I think all you need is to give yourself a couple of weeks to heal without riding. Dirt also won't affect your eyes the way it does now. I remember how much it hurt and scratched my eye when I had a bit of dirt or lint got in my eye when I was wearing contacs. You barely even notice it once you don't have contacs in your eyes anymore. Go for Lasik and you won't look back.

bizutch · Nov 14, 2011

My sister in law had it done and works for an eye doctor. That eye doctor took over the practice of an eye doctor who refused to have it done on himself.

Sister in law had to have it done a second time to fix something from the first go round. That alone makes me not EVER want to have it done.

Plus, I've had all sorts of various surgeries and everything is never overall BETTER than before. There's always some catch if you get worked on.

To boot, this last month and a half I've developed some sort of severe irritation in my left eye. I've worn contacts (soft only) since I was 15 and am 39 now. Love my contacts. But the doctors can't figure out what is wrong with my eye. It should have gotten better by now.

But every time I pop a contact in, it starts flaring up and feels like I've got something in it. Doc says there is no sign of sloughing of skin cells or infection. WTF!!!

IH8Rice · Nov 14, 2011

i had it done over 10 years ago (2001) and it has been amazing. i started to become allergic to my contacts so my eyes were always killing me and were bloodshot a lot. but now, i couldnt imagine still having contacts.

i did have some problems for about a year after i had it. mainly at night when it rained, i saw a lot of halos around lights

hotrodmarlin · Nov 14, 2011

I got Lasik over 10 years ago and have been 20/15 ever since. Besides my wife and kids- LASIK WAS THE BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE! Make sure you do the research and go to a reputable place that has done thousands of them. I get some glare at night but no big deal.

MDJ · Nov 14, 2011

I had been considering Lasik for at least 10-15 years but last fall I HAD to have a lens replaced in one eye and in doing so they corrected for distance. I am now far-sighted in one eye and near-sighted in the other. It can be wierd at times but for the most part my brain has adapted and I don't even notice. I was really hesitant to get Lasik but after having a lens replacement I wouldn't think twice about Lasik now. Not having to worry about glasses or contacts is sooo worth it. Waking up in the morning and being able to see is priceless.

joeg · Nov 14, 2011

I had PRK done, which is basically when they laser off the top surface of your eye instead of making a flap. The doctor I went to did procedures for pro athletes in San Jose, and when we spoke about my concerns about the flap getting messed up while riding, he said that a lot of them go for PRK because if you're hit in the face with a ball, having your eye get messed up isn't good for your career.
I wasn't aware of PRK having any difference in chances of corrective lenses afterward. My prescription was -8.5, and I had the same issues with contacts that have been mentioned. Once I had both lenses pop out on a bike ride, at night, and had to have friends pilot me home, following a red blinky light while not being able to see anything else. crazy.

The PRK procedure (also referred to as LASEK) is a bit more uncomfortable immediately following, but I'm 20/15 now, and don't regret it at all - best upgrade I've done, and its been around 6 years now. A month after it, I was riding and had a twig/branch rake across my eyes coming around a turn. It justified my decision right then. Plus, it was a grand cheaper than lasik was, same doctor.

Good luck

slothy · Nov 14, 2011

Some interesting points here, I'm unusual in that I have had PRK and Lasik done on me. I had one eye done with PRK years ago like in 1997 I think , I then got Lasik done about 2005.
The reason I took so long to get my other eye done was I really didn't enjoy the PRK experience, basically PRK the scrape the cornea of the eye with a laser to change the shape. It was performed in London and then I flew back to Dublin where I live, they didn't give me enough eye drops or something but it was very unpleasant experience that went on for days.... couldn't open my eye without it scratching against my eyelid,.... then afterwards if I got the slightest bit of dirt I would feel my eye was being ripped out. I then wore glasses or one contact for a few years! eventually I got sick of it , and decided to get Lasik, it was amazing, no pain after minimal discomfort for like a day... and you can see really well straight away,. maybe a bit blurry.... I found a really good guy, he said my corneas were a really good thickness so I went for it.... I would highly recommend Lasik. The flap is an advantage as the lasered part is not exposed.
I

CHepler · Nov 14, 2011

bizutch said:
My sister in law had it done and works for an eye doctor. That eye doctor took over the practice of an eye doctor who refused to have it done on himself.

Sister in law had to have it done a second time to fix something from the first go round. That alone makes me not EVER want to have it done.

Plus, I've had all sorts of various surgeries and everything is never overall BETTER than before. There's always some catch if you get worked on.

To boot, this last month and a half I've developed some sort of severe irritation in my left eye. I've worn contacts (soft only) since I was 15 and am 39 now. Love my contacts. But the doctors can't figure out what is wrong with my eye. It should have gotten better by now.

But every time I pop a contact in, it starts flaring up and feels like I've got something in it. Doc says there is no sign of sloughing of skin cells or infection. WTF!!!

You and your family need to find better doctors, instead of price shopping for the cheapest. Two pages of nothing but good and you turn out to be the turd in the punch bowl. Figures :rolleyes:

joeg · Nov 14, 2011

Mr Nug said:
Hmmm interesting to hear you had PRK Joe. I could have sworn I read that starburst effects were more prevalent too. Weird.

How long did it take for you to recover from the procedure?

I won't downplay that it sucked for the first 3-5 days afterward. I was close enough to the doc, I went back and got the higher strength pain drops, and used them for relief. Procedure was on Friday morning, was back at work the following Tuesday, on my bike and driving within a week. It took 4-6 weeks to get full vision back so I could read highway signs at a distance. From talking to lasik people, their recovery was less painful and faster.
The starburst lights at night is noticeable, but mostly when I'm tired or dry eyed. Compared to driving with contacts at night which was similarly bad, its well worth it. I had my contacts fall out of my eyes on my motorcycle so many times I had spares in the toolkit, and was always paranoid about it.

If I hadn't raked my eyes with that branch 4 weeks after PRK, I'd probably be saying go lasik and save the initial pain.

CHepler · Nov 15, 2011

Mr Nug said:
Lol harsh!

Yeah probably. Sorry about your Sister in-laws bad experience Biz and all yours too.

slothy · Nov 15, 2011

Dont know if I made it clear but I find with my PRK eye (no flap) and my Lasik eye, the PRK is/was way more sensitive, If ever I wake up in a dusty place the PRK eye is very sensitive and that is years later..
If you are suited to the Lasik get it done. I never have any sensitivity in it. If you are are a MTB'er the PRK is much more sensitive to bits of dirt, its not covered with a flap its just exposed.
If you Fight MMA or play Rugby in the forwards you may get some eye gouging now and again, so maybe not the Lasik, but I have poked it with the odd branch... and its fine!
Go Lasik, its the best in my experience. You are focusing on the negative with the Lasik but PRK has negatives too.

BigBoi · Nov 15, 2011

Not sure how much this matters but I always wear protective eyewear when riding anyway. Since Lasik, my eyes are either more sensitive to the sun or maybe I'm just more cautious since the sun was probably the cause of my poor vision in the first place. I was riding my BMX every day as a kid in the bright CO sun without sunglasses.
Therefore, I wear sunglasses when riding cross country and goggles when riding DH. I guess I'm just a little confused why there seems to be a concern about eye gouging. I understand the concern about the flap, I get it. But shouldn't you be more concerned about your eye getting gouged in the first place?

bizutch · Nov 15, 2011

CHepler said:
You and your family need to find better doctors, instead of price shopping for the cheapest. Two pages of nothing but good and you turn out to be the turd in the punch bowl. Figures

Mr Nug said:
Lol harsh!

Bizutch it doesn't sound like your sister-in-law had a terrible experience... They do say that occasionally patients may require an adjustment after the main surgery (Tiger Woods is a famous example) but don't think that's too much of a problem. Is she not happy with the results at all? You'd think that she'd be looked after having worked in the surgery - great advertisement if nothing else.

...

No turd. I'm trying to express skepticism. I have a massive fear of someone carving into my eyes. Oral surgery over the years had extra trauma that caused the tooth to "resorb" 15 years later. Nobody mentioned that at the time, but it was the best option and now I have a bridge that worries me.

Ligament surgery may lead to arthritis down the road. Limited movement. Weaker than original knee joint. Same with thumb/hand.

See where I'm going?

I'm just freaked out by the thought of someone modifying my eyeball and thinking if they screw up, I could be blind in the future. And these procedures aren't that old, so no one knows the long term effects.

Will I go blind earlier or later in life if I have it done?
I have a history of glaucoma in the family. What happens long term with that scenario?

Since all of the long term is so unknown, I'm mortified. I really, REALLY WANT the surgery. But am flat out chicken!

That make more sense?

BigBoi · Nov 16, 2011

Mr Nug said:
It's not so much about getting gouged - just that I'm very aware that the structural integrity of the eye is compromised with LASIK which is added risk. Adding that on top of possible complications later on in life, it seems like it'd be a good thing to avoid if I can. I used to play a lot of rugby and do martial arts and will never count out doing both again. I just don't want to feel held back by the surgery...

I have slightly dry eyes too which could be a deciding factor against LASIK (slightly higher risk than PRK)

edit: I also suffer quite badly from hayfever so am slightly concerned I could rub my eye without thinking/in my sleep and cause some damage!

I think I'll go for a consultation and find out what my options are. It could be that I'm only suitable for one anyway(!). The doctors at Moorfields are ridiculously well qualified and well recommended so feel like I can trust them over your standard high street laser company.

If I remember correctly, I was given some really sweet goggles to wear for the first couple of weeks at night to prevent me from rubbing my eyes.

bizutch · Nov 16, 2011

BigBoi said:
If I remember correctly, I was given some really sweet goggles to wear for the first couple of weeks at night to prevent me from rubbing my eyes.

IH8Rice · Nov 16, 2011

BigBoi said:
If I remember correctly, I was given some really sweet goggles to wear for the first couple of weeks at night to prevent me from rubbing my eyes.

a couple of weeks? they must have been playing a joke on you

BigBoi · Nov 16, 2011

stock-footage-woman-wearing-cool-goggles-with-air-blowing-her-hair.jpg

I said they were sweet

Any DHers had LASIK?

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