June 11, 2010

Would you consider LASIK?

Hello lovelies,

It's Fab Fridays again. What have you got lined up for your weekend?

Anyways, on to the topic at hand. Of late I've found myself toying with the idea of getting LASIK. For the uninitiated, it's short for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis."

It's basically a simple surgery procedure using laser to correct problems such as short-sightedness and long-sightedness.

For one such as myself who's been a four-eyed kid since I was 10, the idea of never having to wear glasses is awfully tempting.

If all goes well, it'd mean no more fumbling by the bedside table in the mornings for my glasses and no more repeated blinkings at the end a long and tiring day from wearing contact lenses. Some people might have no issues with contact lenses, but my eyes get very very exhausted if I wear them for too long.

(Of course, vanity could be a factor too. Just a wee teeny weeny bit.)

I know of a few friends who have gone for the procedure, and from what they say, they sure don't regret the money spent. And most importantly, they said there was "no pain".

Just to give you a very visual idea of what the procedure's like, here's a video of a successful procedure. (Please don't click on it if you're squirmish. Some parts are a little eeeks.)



I'm only at my initial stage of considering the procedure. And of course, I realise that any procedure, no matter how simple, will have risks.

Have any of you had the procedure done before? What was your experience? Would you recommend it?

As for the rest of the four-eyed community, assuming that the surgery fee was not an issue at all, would you consider LASIK? Yes or No, and why, please. I would really love to hear your views.

Have a great weekend ya'll!

16 comments:

AskMeWhats said...

Your photo with huge glasses look so cute! I want to pinch you! hehehe

I will probably consider Lasik if the time comes that its needed! Scary to watch the video though hahaha

cucumpear said...

This is a huge decision! I wasn't as young when I first got glasses, I was 16-ish. I've never been able to wear contacts (which annoyed me at first), but I got used to my brainy specs and by now I actually love the way they balance my face.
For me LASIK is not an option, simply because the long-term effects are not known and I don't feel that I need it. In the end it's a very individual choice, though.

Anonymous said...

Hi Syen,
I wore glasses at the age of 9 myself and contact lenses irritated my eyes if I wore them for more than 3 hours. I recently had LASIK procedure done because I found it troublesome to wear specs all the time and contact lens does me no good.
Get a proper consultation regarding your eyes condition is very important. I used the same doctor who dealt with my brother in law, his sister and collegues.
From what I've been told, the risk is minimum as long as u are a good candidate. Side effects such as dryness varies among gender and age, but it only lasts for a short while.
I also watched the videos of lasik procedure when I was still considering lasik, but the reality was the op room was too damn cold to give me time to think abt the videos when the procedure was done on my eyes :P.
Also with the current technology, the discomfort and risk are also minimized. Go for it, I'd say :) and choose a very good doctor ^^
P.s. Sorry if I wrote too long

Paris B said...

Ahem. I have authority on this one :P Speaking as someone who has been under the laser, I'd say it was one of the best things I ever paid for. Still, its one of those things that differs from person to person. I won't lie. There is pain - if you'd consider a smarting sensation "pain" but there is no pain in the sense of "OMG I hacked off my leg!" pain if you get what I mean :P Still, I had one of the rarest lasik surgeries around so if I survived that, conventional flap lasik is nothing!

Anonymous said...

I would have Lasik but am worried about the side effects. It is a small percentage but the side effects are lasting ones.

My eyesight is bad 650-675 and I would like to not be blind as a bat. I even take a shower with glasses because I'm afraid of being attacked by an insect - the typical insect which shall not be named. Though have never actually happened before but i keep thinking it's cos of the glasses lol!

If you do go through with it, maybe you could do a series of posts about it? Would be informative for all of us considering it too.

rinnah said...

me too! i'm considering lasik, but always hesitate because i think that they'll find a way to make the procedure safer or reduce chances of side effects each year... basically just talking myself out of it each time... :P

Amy C said...

hey couz,

i have been considering it too lately but i've been told by the optometrist it's a no-no for me at this stage because my prescription is still not stable yet.

i'd say to go for the consultations first, listen to what the pro have to say and then consider it :) i know of people who have done it recently, and they say it's NZ$6500 worth spending (and yes, it costs that much to get it done here!)!

i'm used to the idea of fumbling for my glasses in the morning and being a blind bat, but the idea of not having to do that ever again is awesome - too bad i'll have to wait :(

let me know if you decide to get it done ok :)

Tine said...

I'm definitely considering the option. Pretty tired of being dependent on glasses. My mum had hers done, but there were problems after the procedure. The doctor overcorrected her eyes and she had to live with blur vision for over a month before they could get her eyes fixed. Having said that, I'm still very keen on Lasik and hopefully could get that done within the next few years.

slegna said...

Hi there! I've had lasik and never regretted it! The morning you wake up opening your eyes to instant clarity is a morning to remember. Not to mention, I do think my nose bridge is in better shape now that I don't have glasses weighing them down.

Anonymous said...

free yourself, do it!

here's my lasik experience: http://evilmachinations.blogspot.com/2006/02/holding-eurydice.html

Eli said...

I thought about it but don't think I will do it. It's like my crooked teeth and braces. I know its there but it doesn't bother me enough to fix it.

My current optician (and the previous one) doesn't really recommend it either.

Syen said...

Hey girls,

Thanks so much for all your feedback. It seems like many of you are also either considering or have had Lasik done before.

As of now, I think I'll still sit on the fence for a bit. I am still considering it, but not at the instant moment. (Still slightly chicken at the thought of laser beams shooting into my eyes, and the thought of "What IF something does go horribly wrong?")

But I'll agree with Slegna alright. Love that "morning" quote of yours. =)

Syen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
yani said...

sorry to go waaaay offtopic, but was that picture taken in the netherlands?

Syen said...

Yani: Hehehe.. yea it was. I was in Amsterdam visiting Kahani then. =)

Packgal said...

I'm delurking to share my LASIK experience. I had the procedure in 2003 and it was terrific. I did pay alot and went to a very reputable center, and the procedure was quick, painless, and successful. Apart from some mild dryness, I had no issues. However in 2008 I noticed that my eyesight wasn't as good...went to get it checked and sure enough it had regressed. It has continued to slowly worsen, although overall my nearsightedness is mild and nowhere near as bad as it used to be. But yes I am back in glasses, which I now wear all the time. I have contacts too, but I hate removing them so only wear them occasionally.
I wasn't aware that this happening was a possibility. I was told that I would need reading glasses in my 40s, but never informed that my eyesight could worsen again. This summer I will be back home so I will likely go see if I can have LASIK done again (it can only be repeated if my cornea is still thick enough). Overall though, the 5 years I went without glasses or contacts were worth the price I paid! I still recommend the procedure, just try to get as much info as you can beforehand.