If you had to pick ONE thing to improve your quality of life, … Family and Tri…would you consider laser eye surgery?
The reason I ask…
… I love the sport. Put i often find that by wearing glasses, it ‘hinders’ enjoying random dips in the sea with my wife and daughter. In addition, Tri related, sighting in the pool and open water is not the best unless i wear contacts.
For those of you who have gone down the laser eye surgery route, how highly do you recommend it from a lifestyle perspective.
And for those who opted not to…why? (as this is also important)
Very much would like the input, as Im actually considering it.
(Male aged 35 …if that makes a difference?)
Eye correction is definitely near the top of my list. Contacts are great but the thought of waking up every morning and being able to SEE without first putting in my contacts or glasses is pretty invigorating.
I had Lasik done in 2000. Best investment I could have made at the time. I now wear reading glasses, age 60, but still have 20-15 distance vision. Before I had it done I could not read a license plate on a car at 10 feet.
Do not wear contacts when swimming. I used to, then got something called Ancanthamoeba kerratits. Can cause blindess. I was lucky recovered fully ,but it was months of excruciating pain.
Laser eye surgery is on my list. I wear prescription goggles and then prescription sunglasses. Problem is prescription goggles are generally crap and decent sunnies are expensive and if you need clear and tint in both it can cost about what laser surgey will. Suniees a re annoying when wearing an aero helmet, so much harder to get on. Plus I then had to change the visor to clear as I had too much tint
I had a PRK done in 1997, just when LASIK was becoming available (for about $2k per eye!).
Terrific investment. It was expensive ($1700) but was well worth it. Tremendous quality of life improvement for me, personally, as I had worn glasses for 12 years and contacts for 7 of those 12. Downside is that my eyes are now a little light sensitive but it’s an excuse to spend money on sunglasses :-p
I did it about 12 years ago and it was by far the BEST money I’ve ever spent. If they came to me today and said we undercharged you by $2k, I’d hand over the money in a heartbeat. I’ve never been so satisfied, pleased, happy, etc. with spending that kind of money. At nearly 47 I’m getting to the point where I need reading glasses but everything else is still perfect.
I am heading for surgery next week. I am really excited about it, mostly for the reasons you mention.
Between kids smashing into my glasses and bending them and the inconvenience of putting in my contacts to swim or so intense bike/run sessions, I figure it is worth it.
I also have a pretty bad astigmatism too, so I have to wait a while for my lenses to settle, which adds to my workout prep time.
Pricing has become very reasonable. Find a reputable office and try and get a referral in. The office provided a 20% discount off of what I already felt was a reasonable price under a friend’s and family type discount program.
This office also offers a lifetime guarantee on far-sightedness. As it triggered me to ask about near-sightedness. It was interesting to me tonlearn after age 45 they say most will begin to lose some form of near-sightedness and require reading glasses. They offer monocular vision, but I would rather wear cheaters in 5+ years.
I say go for it. Wish I wouldn’t have been so cheap and pulled the trigger sooner.
I had PRK done In the Army at 32, LASIK wasn’t an option, it’s a life changer and worth it. Was told by the Optometrist that the reshaping doesn’t last as long when you’re older. Get it, nothing to regret, Lasik s a cake walk from what I’ve heard, PRK you’ll what to gouge your eyes out for a week.
I had lasik earlier this year, maybe about 6 months ago. I’m 33, did it for the same reasons you mentioned. It has made pretty much everything easier, and I have no regrets. Vacation with the family - no contacts to worry about, losing glasses, bringing sunglasses (both prescription and non-prescription).
I would mention, I feel like my eyes are more light sensitive now. Just walking out of my office on a bright afternoon without sunglasses is annoying. But it’s squinting a bit for 30 seconds and then seems to get better. I also was much more sensitive to headlights and night time driving for about a month. There was a bit of a starburst effect, especially from cars with brighter or HID headlights. I don’t have any issues (at least that I notice) now.
Had it done earlier this yr (38). Has been life changing, wish I would have done it years ago. Makes everything easier, especially for active lifestyles.
Had Lasic done in 2007, went from coke-bottle glasses/contacts to 20/20. The first couple of days are a bit of an inconvenience, and nothing quite prepares you for the smell of burning ocular tissue during the procedure, but it has been worth every penny, particularly for endurance sports. Absolutely no regrets.
I had it done 6 years ago at age 30. Best thing I ever did. I was never able to do contacts. I tried many times but getting them in and out was nearly impossible. When I did manage to get them in I wanted them gone within seconds. I hated it.
For many years I suffered being able to not see at all doing martial arts. When went skiing, I needed these goofy looking over-the-glasses goggles and those never worked right really. When tri-ing I needed prescription goggles to even find the pool deck, prescription sunglasses, etc. Always a pain. The last straw (well one of them I guess) was a rather goofy embarrassing moment when I was getting out of the water at a race and left my prescription goggles on for the run into transition. I would NEVER find my bike otherwise. Some spectator yelled out “DUDE! You still have your goggles on!”
Yea…
That did it for me. That off-season I went and had LASIK done and I have never looked back. My vision is near-perfect (my right eye has drifted ever so slightly, but not enough to even warrant caring about). Glad I did it. Glad I spent the money. I would do it again in a heart beat. Just not having to deal with eye correction is an amazing freeing experience
Everyone that has had it will tell you how great it is (unless they’re one of the few that had complications). Those that haven’t will likely say it came down to cost / risk acceptance. Just like any elective surgery, there’s risk involved (although very small). You’ll have to make the decision on if you can justify the cost and accept the risk.
I’ve had PRK myself and don’t regret it one bit. It’s so nice not to have to put on glasses or contacts every morning.
The light sensitivity is temporary. Maybe a month or two of “halos” around fluorescent lighting. This is due to swelling of the cornea post surgery. As with any surgery, time will make it go away.
Almost 3 years since my surgery and I tell everyone with glasses to do it NOW.
Best decision I ever made.
So much healthier than sticking plastic on your eyes every day.
It is life changing.
After dirty contacts caused a corneal abrasian I’m pretty sure I picked up an eye infection from the water at a triathlon.
Not pleasant. I booked my surgery 8 months later.
I had the “all-laser” LASIK where the flap is cut with a precise laser.
Healing time was about a week.
My vision stabilised after about 6 months, and it took about 8-10 months before my night vision didn’t have any halos.
If you had to pick ONE thing to improve your quality of life, … Family and Tri…would you consider laser eye surgery?
Got this done ~12 years ago and never looked back. I had horrible vision. The surgery only got me to 20/25 but it’s stayed there since. It’s amazing. I recommend it to anyone who is tired of futzing with glasses and especially contacts.