Lasik anyone?

[MDP727]

Just curious if anyone has had this procedure? Also any opinions or thoughts. Just checking into it here with 20/40 vision. I know it's now FAA approved, however I'm scared to death of anyone touching my eyes.

 

[FMR_RGNL_PLT]

Dude,

if your vision is 20/40 right now , i wouldn't bother with anytype of corrective eye surgery.....

 

[Thunderchief]

LASIK

I had it done in may of 1997 and have had NO problems. My eyes before the procedure were -2.75 plus an additional -1.5 of astigmatism, thats about 20/400 ish. I could see 20/20 the day after the procedure and have stayed better than 20/20 since. I can read the 20/15 line with both eyes, no problem. I had halos at night for a short period, but even then it didn't affect my vision.

The FAA wanted a letter from the doc performing the procedure and that my vision was ok. They sent me a letter saying they recieved the info and if I had any problems I should police myself and my medical would be invalid (if you have any health problems of any kind and you know about it, technically your medical is invalid anyway so it was a statement of the obvious)...

PM me if you wanna know more.

-TC

 

[Rhinosky]

I had PRK, similar to lasik, in sep 2002. I had a great experience as my vision improved from 20/400 to 20/10. There was no problem with the FAA and the approval process was simple. It's changed my life for the better but there is always a risk. If something does go wrong, for pilots, its not just your eyes, its your career. However, procedures are such now that the risk is very minimal. Do your research online and find a good surgeon. Not a time to try to save a few bucks!

 

[scubabri]

I just had it done 3 weeks ago.. -2.00 in each eye before, 20/20 3 hours after. A little hazyness at night, but the doc tells me that will go away. I flew the day after the surgery.

The whole procedure took less than 15 minutes, and the worse part... the taste of the anitbiotic drops you use in your eyes for about a week. Blech. ACK pHut!

 

[AKAAB]

Implantable Lens Option

The FDA just gave conditional approval for implantable lenses. I had first heard about them a couple of weeks ago from an opthamologist I met by happenstance at the local science museum. The idea looks promising to pilots because there are only two very small incisions made (1-2mm?) and the lens is inserted. The intention is to create less damage to the cornea, thus reducing side effects such as glare and halo's. Another benefit would the be reversability of the procedure - unlike LASIK.

Here's one of the latest updates from Reuters:
>>>
UPDATE 1-Staar lens implant backed by U.S. advisers
Fri October 3, 2003 06:09 PM ET
(Adds recommended conditions, background)
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. advisory panel on Friday recommended approval of Staar Surgical Co.'s STAA.O implantable lens to correct near-sightedness, a possible alternative to laser eye surgery.

The final decision will be made by the Food and Drug Administration, which usually approves devices supported by its advisory panels.

The panel voted 8-3 to recommend approval with conditions that included further study of corneal cell loss in some patients.

Staar's product is a refractive lens that physicians inject through a small incision and place behind the iris.

The lens is designed to stay in place, but it can be removed and replaced if vision changes, the company said.

Staar has said it expects to reach profitability during the first half of next year if it wins a go-ahead to sell the lens in the United States. The lens already is sold in Europe and Asia.
>>>

Good luck!
AKAAB

 

[regionalcap]

There was an interesting article in the ALPA magazine this year about Lasik. Basically, the surgery went bad and it ruined this pilot's vision. I am not sure what month it was but it was the beginning of 2003.

 

[AKAAB]

http://www.eyeworld.org/Nov02/1102p18.html

The pilot won a lawsuit for 4 million dollars, but the key witness has recanted his testimony.

Would loss of license insurance cover side effects from an elective procedure?

AKAAB

 

[cvoav8r]

Forget Lasik...Epi Lasik is what you wan

Forget Lasik, what you really want is epi-lasik performed with the subepithial seperator. NO cuts in to corneal(this is a big benefit), heals in 5 days and is as predictable as lasik or prk with out most of the complications. No problems with night vision or contrast sensitivity. This is what the astronauts have performed on them in houston. Best part... no scaring....not detectable after just about a week. Do your homework, you find this is the future and is much safer.

 

[Lear70]

I had mine done out of country back in '94 before it was approved stateside. Was 20/350 left, 20/400 right, better than 20/20 after the surgery, minor halo stuff that went awayafter 7-10 days, been great until the last two years but I'm starting to slip - probably 20/25 or 20/30 in my right eye, left eye is still good to go.

I'm looking into those reshaping contacts you wear at night, looks like it might do the trick to keep me up to snuff for medicals and such although I've been scraping by so far. Might be a good alternative to surgery for your 20/40 vision...

 

[ss278]

Had it done four years ago, best thing I ever did for myself. My eyes were so bad I couldn't see the "Big E" without glasses. I'm 20/15 in both eyes now. And I know of at least 20 others who went through it with no problems whatsoever.

Just be sure you go to a reputable surgeon. I know two people who went the cheapie route and had bad experiences. One guy had the right eye turn out fine but the left was not. Took two follow-up procedures to correct the first goof, but eventually the left eye was all right.

Second guy, not so lucky. Left eye turned out okay, but he's legally blind in the right eye now. Couldn't be fixed.