Vision

[rican]

Has anyone tried or known someone who has tried the vision improvement treatment called See Clearly? If so what were the results? Thanks in advance.

 

[jumppilot]

Don't bother

I tried that stuff a few years ago when I had extra money to burn and didn't see any results. Information on the internet will back me up.

Stay away, it is a waste of money...Get PRK if you are serious about your vision...I got it 3 months ago and am 20/20 both eyes with no problems (the healing process is *slow*, I've just recently stabilized at 20/20)

Of course people have different views about eye surgery, but I've been happy.....very happy.

Good luck!

 

[rican]

rican

Thanks for the info. that saves me a good chunk of change.

 

[bobbysamd]

Eye surgery

I would consider that option very carefully before forging ahead. Take a look at this web page by a med mal law firm. You may decide that taking a laser to your eyes isn't worth the risk.

I understand that airlines have liberalized their positions greatly on eye surgery the past few years. Twelve years ago, telling them you had eye surgery was a sure invite to the door. Even if you didn't tell them, their doctors could tell by examination, and you were then shown the door. Now, I understand that the only thing that most airlines care about is that you hold a valid First Class Medical. They don't care particularly that you achieved good vision via eye surgery.

Good luck with your plans.

 

[Snakum]

A warning from a wannabe ...

I spoke to a retired US Air Captain at INT last Summer who said they had an A320 FO do the laser surgury a few months before we spoke, and the FO has now lost his medical due to diminished night vision and 'halos' around objects at night.

Wow ... talk about SUCKING MOST!

Minh

 

[embdrvr]

why does the surgeon still have glasses?

I looked into that option. What dissuaded me was that the surgeons themselves will not undergo the procedure. If it's not safe enough for them it's not for me. I just need the glasses for flying. I get by fine without them outside of the cockpit.

 

[bobbysamd]

Re: why does the surgeon still have glasses?

I looked into that option. What dissuaded me was that the surgeons themselves will not undergo the procedure. If it's not safe enough for them it's not for me. I just need the glasses for flying. I get by fine without them outside of the cockpit.

Interesting point - although my optometrist, whom I love dearly, underwent vision correction surgery on her eyes. I concluded that because she 's in the business she might have access to services that are not available to others - or she got a major professional discount.

One other point about eye surgery. It is not a cure for presbyopia, meaning that no matter how eagle-eyed you are, you will eventually need reading glasses. If you already use vision correction you will need bifocals. Bifocals aren't so bad, really. I was sort of bummed when I first got mine, but that lasted about five minutes.

Good luck with your choice of vision correction.

 

[GoldenEagle]

Improve Your Vision...

Don't waste all that money on the See Clearly Method. If you want to try most of the eye exercises including in their program, just get the book "Improve Your Vision Without Glasses or Contact Lenses." (what a long title!)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684814382/002-9501926-3862451?vi=glance
It's by some of the same doctors that made the See Clearly Method and can be had at Amazon.com for $8.80. If you are really cheap, then you can even get it at one of your local libraries (that's what I did). I haven't had a chance to try the program yet, but many on the amazon.com user reviews claim it works. Anyway, it's worth a try, i guess, especially at the price its selling at.

 

[jumppilot]

Just a note...

Make sure you investigate eye surgery very well, you will always here about "my friend's friend who lost his medical" or "This guy I knew about"....For everyone of those stories there are thousands more that you don't hear about because everything went so well....Kinda like air travel, one crash can scare the whole public for years.

even though I am 20/20 I still use glasses when I fly due to astigmatism (VERY MILD, only use them for my comfort, can still pass a medical with no limitations), but for everyday life this is fantastic.

Good luck!

EDIT: DON'T GET THOSE SPECIAL $200/eye DEALS! Go with a great doctor and expect to pay about 2500 - 3000. I paid 2700.

 

[ERJpusher]

My father is a captain at a major, and he told me never get eye surgery if I ever planned to work at his airline. During the medical exam before hiring you, they do an extensive examination of the eyes. If they find any scar tissue from corrective surgery, you are automatically disqualified.

 

[jumppilot]

That will go away with time, just like wearing glasses did.

 

[ERJpusher]

Maybe yes, maybe no. That info was still accurate with the 2001 newhires (last group to be hired).

 

[Mercy98]

Had Lasik surgery just over two years ago on both eyes. Went in for enhancements on each eye 6 mos. and one year later. Just completed my first class medical last month, with 20/15 vision in each eye uncorrected.
Have never had any problems post op. with the surgery. Never had halos, dry eyes, fluctuating vision, you name it, I didn't get it.
My vision was poor before the surgery...6 diopters was the worst I had, and Lasik can work for up to 12 diopters, I'm told. Can't fathom how bad 12 diopters would be, if mine was somewhere about 20/200 on a (really) good day.
If you are intersted in this procedure, don't go on the cheap. Many doctors can do this, few correctly, as you would want them to as a pilot sitting under their laser. My doctor had well over 10,000 surgeries under his belt before he saw me, some of them very famous. Do not cut corners with your career! One captain I flew with a number of years ago did, and they gave him astigmatism. I had astigmatism, and now its gone completely.

 

[fly2002]

hey

hey so you had astigmatism? I'm about 20/180, 20/200 respectively. I've often thought about getting lasik but i've decided that I won't get lasik UNTIL I HAVE TO. But as time has gone by i've found it harder and harder to pass these eye exams (first class)...ie the doc can help.

I'm concerned that as time goes by I will be unable to be corrected to 20/20 near/norm/distant. Did this same sort of scenerio happen to you or did you just choose the surgery for cosmetic reasons? Thanx.

 

[Mercy98]

My vision was previously corrected with Ortho-k, a procedure that corrects with progressively flatter lenses, if not familiar. It is not a permanent procedure. After having done that for many years (wearing the "cap" lens to keep my vision stable) I found that sometimes I had trouble with direct sunlight at times. It was time for a change.
I had been researching Lasik for sometime. My sister had it done in So. CA two years before me with good results. An Opthamologist came highly recommended; he is associated with TLC Laser Eye Centers.
The picture they took of my cornea before and after my Lasik showed the correction of my astigmatism. If you will, it was like the difference between the Rockie mountains and the Plains of Georgia. Quite a difference, although not quite the analogy expressed here.
Would I do Lasik again? Absolutely.

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

mercy,
no night problems? blur, spots etc?
thanks

 

[Mercy98]

I would say that for about 4-6 weeks max. I would occasionally have very slight fluctuations in my vision. Was it always because of the surgery? I honestly couldn't say, but I'm sure it was a factor. At about that time or shortly before, it was apparent that one of my eyes was not as close to 20/20 as I would like, so when I flew, I would wear a contact lens on it.
After the surgery there is some cloudy vision, but that cleared up within about 24-36 hours. When flying at night I have no problem with either interior or exterior lighting. When I used to wear contacts, I could "see" the edges of my contacts, as it would tend to flare some lighting. That is not the case now. The clarity now is like the difference between wearing glasses to contacts. They don't compare.

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

mercy,
I have seen some ads from Emory here in ATL and they have a machine that takes a picture of your eye, puts it on a computer and shows you what it looks like now and then what it will look like after. Is that the same as what you were shown? It was quoted as $2500 a side!
thanks

 

[Mercy98]

It is a machine that takes a topographical picture of your eye. Just like a sectional chart shows varying terrain. In this case, reds are peaks and greens are valleys. Not sure of the official name. They never showed me what my eyes "could" look like, only what they actually looked like. I know the price is coming down, and what you quoted would be about right, or maybe a little on the high side. Should be lower now though.