Comments on: I was not expecting the odor

By: Sabina

Sabina — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:49:22 +0000

I was thinking of getting this but I am still so scared of it. But thanks Zuzu for sharing.

By: Jadzia

Jadzia — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:17:22 +0000

Best money I EVER spent. I had it done in 2001 with re-correction in 2003. My eyesight was so bad that it was basically disabling; having the procedure done changed my life for the better in so many ways.

By: Tata

Tata — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:05:35 +0000

I’m overjoyed for you, Zuzu. Joyed and overjoyed!

By: tamens

tamens — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:33:39 +0000

I had LASIK surgery January, 1998. I was in the bottom 95th percentile for astigmatism, and not much better for my near-sightedness. At that time they did not have FDA approval to fix “over-corrections” so I did end up having follow up re-do surgery on both eyes over the next 12 months. Both of the re-do’s were free.

I LOVE not having glasses! I went from having coke bottles to cute sunglasses in one day. Now, almost 12 years later my left eye is beginning to get a little fuzzy for distance, but the right eye is still fine. So I’m still, in my mid-40’s, good for reading and driving.

The best $3600 I ever spent! Ever.

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:14:05 +0000

They do a whole bunch of tests to see if you’re even a candidate; if your eyes are unhealthy, or if your corneas are too thin, you can’t do it. Astigmatism, from what they tell me, isn’t an issue anymore in all but the most severe cases because of the way they do the mapping.

My biggest concerns were large pupils and dry/itchy eyes. But it turns out neither was a huge problem — they have long since figured out large pupils, and my eyes were mostly dry and itchy because of the contscts (I was wearing Accuvue Oaysis, which were an improvement over the last version of Accuvue I’d been in, but not as good as bare). But you take out your contact lenses a week or two before the testing, and two weeks before the surgery, so you get a better sense of what’s what.

And believe me — I thought long and hard about the risks.

By: Larkspur

Larkspur — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:42:05 +0000

Oh, zuzu, I would so like to get this done, but have been scared off not only by the expense, but because I’m afraid I might end up with a bad result.

When they evaluated you to see if you were a candidate, did they say aything that might be useful to pass on to us? Like, astigmatism: did you have it? Were your eyes real different from each other in terms of impairment? What kind of lenses had you been using for the last several years? Do you have any seasonal allergies that have ever made your eyes feel itchy? Did you have any significant problem with eye dryness before the Lasik? Were they able to say that you were an ideal candidate, or did they hedge at all? I mean, no one can guarantee a good result with 100% certainty - weird shit can happen in the absence of any negligence - but did you feel like they’d have declined you if they hadn’t felt confident?

OMG, I would like to see stuff in the middle of the night - not just angry mobs, but, like, shooting stars or fireflies, or my shoes, and not have to stock my emergency earthquake kit with all of the contact lens paraphernalia. I know I’m lucky to have vision that’s correctable; I get that. But you still feel like when the big unholy rumpus comes down, and modern society has an inconvenient interruption in service, you, with your woefully sub-par visual acuity, are gonna be among the first in the herd to get culled.

I know I’m catastrophizing - I honestly don’t mean to sound so dire. Mostly I think it’s exciting and cool that you had this done. Yay, zuzu!

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:34:12 +0000

Unree, I’m getting pre-op exams and multiple checkups (1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year) as part of the package, for about $900. Which isn’t cheap, I know. But I’m on a payment plan. The clinic in Quebec (Laservue) referred me to the Dr. here.

No painkillers; it only really hurt for the first few hours, and the rest is just antibiotics, lubricating drops and maybe anti-inflammatory drops (I wasn’t given them in Montreal, but the guys down here have given me a scrip).

Megan, let me know if/when you decide to do it! I can’t believe how much of a difference it’s made. I’m so glad I took the plunge.

By: megankay

megankay — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:27:40 +0000

thanks! I’m super interested in this surgery. It’s at the top of my priority list (other than paying back personal loans) once I get a job.

By: Unree

Unree — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:22:09 +0000

Congratulations!
I am also four-eyed in NYC and you inspire me to follow in your footsteps. What kind of pricey followup care goes with this surgery? Do the Quebec docs ask American patients to have a US eye doctor to monitor post-op progress? And did you need painkillers?

By: Zuzu

Zuzu — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:02:12 +0000

Thanks!

As for cost, I started adding up how much I would be spending on contact lenses ($400/year) and new glasses ($500-1200, depending on frame (because I am vain and want good-looking frames) and type of lenses), not to mention contact-related supplies, and it made financial sense to do this. Which isn’t to say that I didn’t want to save money where I could.