LASIK INFO.
Hi,
I really should sit down and plan this reply so it is in logical order. I will, however, toss out my thoughts as they come to mind.
I was a doctor in an office that did nothing but cataract surgery and refractive surgery. This was after I retired the second time. I was just an employee. I have not actually done refractive surgery. I have sat in on and worked with a bazillion patients who were going through the process.
If you need bifocals now or if you need to remove your glasses to do close work, you will still need glasses after the surgery. For this group of people there is a refractive surgery technique called monovision.
I VERY STRONGLY advise that you do not have monovision surgery until you have tried monovision with contact lenses. Many people respond poorly to monovision. Monovision does have an effect on your depth perception and woodworkers do work with sharp thingies and fast twirly thingies that can cause harm.
If you do need two different powers (one for far and another for near) and the monovision contact lenses work for you, go ahead with the surgery if you desire.
For the typical nearsighted or farsighted person with moderate, or less, astigmatism, the surgery is considered safe and has a very high success rate. There are many people who can have successful results if they do have a significant amount of astigmatism. However, this is more complicated and patient requirements are more stringent (how thick are your corneas, how large are your pupils, etc. etc.). This is strictly on an individual basis.
Your eyes will be dryer after LASIK or PRK refractive surgery. If you have dry eyes now, it will be worse later.
Immediately after LASIK surgery, you sit up, look across the room and can see the clock, calendar or whatever. PRK is non-invasive---the surgeon does not cut into the eyes. The surface layer (epithelium) of the cornea is retracted (sort of like removing Saran Wrap from around a billard ball), the laser works on the surface, the epithelium is replaced. PRK vision gets better and better over time.
Last Sunday I was at a seminar on LASIK and PRK. This was presented by a flight surgeon for the USN and Marine Corps. He is aircraft landing certified. However, his main thing is research in refractive surgery for military purposes. Until recently, if you were a USN or USMC pilot, the only refractive surgery the millitary permitted was LASIK. This was because of the very rapid recovery rate (you can fly in about 3 days). PRK has been the only choice for USMC "grunts" and anyone else who is apt to be in a jungle, forrest, or similar. Because no incisions were made in the eye it was assumed to be physically stronger than the eye of a LASIK patient.
They have recently done LASIK on rabbits, then after one day post-op (look at eye the next day with various instruments) the rabbit was subjected to 8 G forces and to an air blast of 400 miles an hour (I am not positive of the 400 number---I would have to look it up). LASIK flaps did NOT dislodge so the fears of problems from ejection, etc. appear groundless.
Even though PRK does not involve cutting the eye, there is much more discomfort than LASIK. LASIK gives better vision the first month, approx. equal to PRK the second month, and after the third month PRK is slightly better. Please realize these numbers represent a bazillion eyes, a statistic. Any single case is a case unto itself, it may be greatly different than the statistical average.
As in any surgery or treatment there are complications. Personally, I think 50,000 (or any other thousand) cases without a problem is B.S. I do not have current statistics. However about 3 or 4 years ago I was at a seminar and the statistics at that time were one complication in twenty for LASIK.
I am basically retired. I work at Camp Pendleton, Calif. two or three days a week doing routine eye exams for military, retired military, and their families. I see a lot of patients who have had refractive surgery. I am impressed by the quality of the work done in the military hospital. I am also aware that a lot of civilians, who should not have refractive surgery, are getting the surgery anyway. I am sure $$$ has nothing to do with this.
I have probably created more questions than you had before. If you have questions post them (I look at email, FWW, etc. about once a week so don't expect rapid reply) and I will do my best to answer them.
There are people out there who are much more up to date than I am. Yes, I see patients all of the time. However, I have not even been in a surgery for several years. I do attend seminars when the doctors presenting them do not have an axe to grind (have their own private office, on staff for an equipment manufacturer, etc.). It is always joyous when the doctor is promoting his office or showing how wonderful his companies laser equipment is compared to the other guy's.
It is the end of a very long day. I am very tired. I don't know why I answered this tonight instead of another day. I am not even going to read this or check my spelling. Good night.
Enjoy,
Jim