Lasik recommendations?

[JRink]

Anyone had Lasik done? Any recommendations? Getting tired of paying for contacts...

Thanks

[STANMAN]

Jesse, go to Hale Vision in Brookfield. Lenny Hale does the Brewers, Bucks, Packers, ect. I mean he is a little more expensive (I paid $4300) but "discount" and "my vision" shouldn't be in the same equation, lol. What I did was put into flex spend for a year (not using any), and then having it carry over to the next year. Also put in that year, where you get to spend the whole amount the 1st of the year, use previous years and current year before the previous years contribution expires (you have until mid March I think?) and walla, it becomes a lot easier to swallow. You will get a discount if someone refers you, and feel free to use me (Robert Stanisch).

As someone who couldn't even wear contacts because I can't stand anything touching my eyes, it was a pretty easy process. He only uses the latest technology and is very adement about your satisfaction. Just a great experiance for me and every other person I have ever talked to that has been there.

[Prince Valiant]

prices range from inexpensive (I think some are as cheap as 250/eye) to expensive (2500/eye) and mostly what you're paying for is the technology of the tools doing the surgery.

I went mid-priced (~1,250-1,300/eye) and couldn't be happier. Essentially the machine that did my eye was far more sensitive and better at tracking small eye movements and thus could make far more precise "burns" and reducing the likelyhood of having night halo's. The only thing my surgery lacked that the more expensive ones generally feature was a laser scalpel to make the initial incision.

Part of the price included an optional lifetime guarantee...don't know what to make of it since they are pretty fanatical about eye exams at a cost of 100/year. So in 10-12 years if I need the surgery again, well, I paid a good chunk of what it'd cost anyways. The guarantee is for the same tech, which by the time I might need it again may well be obsolete or damn cheap and not worth the guarantee...my only worry was the first few years anyways so I might cease in a year or two.

Ended up with better than 20/15 eyesight though (20/10 in the dominant eye). No pain or complications afterward. Went to the Lasik institute on bluemound over by olive garden.

Definitely shop around and look for deals.

[jimez1]

The Lasik Institute is the place to go on Blumound in Brookfield. Dr Ireland Is really cool and amazing at what he can do. You can have most of your pre op visits done close to home if you do not live out that way. I had all mine done in Racine and everything was faxed to him. He does the mapping of the eye to put into the machine so he is confident of what is going to happen.. As was stated brfore DO NOT GO CHEAP! The cheap ones do not account for some of the odditys that your eye may have. Also the more expensive ones follow the micromovements of your eyes so it is spot on. If your vision is not up to the standard they will correct it up to a year after for free. With the cheap on i.e. (300 or so per eye) it is a one shot deal. If they got it wrong you will have to pay to have it done again.

[TransAm12sec]

How old were you guys when you got it?

Robert, do you know the percent discount that is offered with a referral?

[STANMAN]

How old were you guys when you got it?

Robert, do you know the percent discount that is offered with a referral?

I do not remember, I used someone that I worked with, it was like $200 off I think?

[Prince Valiant]

How old were you guys when you got it?
35.

I will say this...the first month reading was a little hard...I had to set the text size larger on the computer and some of my books were difficult to get a good focus on. After the initial adjustment, reading text of pretty much any size is a breeze...though I notice small pictures are difficult to get clear details on for me.

[Z You L8r]

I second the Lasik Vision Institute on Bluemound in Brookfield. I had my eyes done about 9 years ago even with now old techniques and I'm still 20/20. I was 20/15 for the first few years after the surgery. I didn't wear contacts or glasses prior but definitely needed them. I had to squint to see everything slightly far away. No problems what so ever. They are definitely cheaper than Hale Vision.

[Prince Valiant]

One of the nice things about the surgery these days versus when it first became big is the eye mapping technology.

In the old days, you went to get your eyes checked by an optometrist who'd check your vision, dimensions, etc...then based on that they'd enter the info into the machine that would proceed to correct your vision. Much of the outcome depended on the skill of the optometrist taking the measurements.

Now, you look into a device that scans your eyes...it's pretty cool. You'll see a blurry image and then it scans the shape of the eye/etc and then viola! The image becomes crystal clear. Based on it's measurements it was able to add a correction so that you can now see what you'll see like after the surgery. The info is loaded onto a flash drive which is then loaded into the laser machine so no entry errors are likely to occur either.

[Yooformula]

this sounds very interesting and worth looking into.

[JC70SS]

this sounds very interesting and worth looking into.


I agree with my Acuvue Oasis at $35 per box!

[Yooformula]

I agree with my Acuvue Oasis at $35 per box!

yeah but I cant use contacts and having only 1 eye left and it being impaired doesnt leave alot of options left besides annoying glasses.

[deuceWI]

Probably not the recommendation you're looking for, but I'll say don't do it.

My fiance is a grad student in the ophthalmology dept at UW Madison where she works with many PhDs, MDs, and research scientists. She has asked the opinion of many of these experts since she had considered lasik herself, and they have all said they wouldn't get it done.

Personally, I'd say make sure you research it well and understand the risks.

[jimez1]

I was 36 When I got mine done. Before the surgery I could not see shit without my glasses. I couldn't even read a book unless it was touching my nose! After though, I can see everything. Like the Prince said, the first few weeks reading in kind of a bitch. The first couple of days for me I couldn't even see the tv screen. It was just a lit up radiio for me. And reading anything that was back lit i.e a computer? Forget it. I could not make anything out on it for just about a week. Then all of a sudden.......Crystal clear vision. The one thing that I have noticed though is it seems like the humudity plays with hoe clear my vision is. I never used eye drops before the surgery, but noe when things start to get a little fuzzy for me I put a drop a Systane in and I am good to go.

[Prince Valiant]

Probably not the recommendation you're looking for, but I'll say don't do it.

My fiance is a grad student in the ophthalmology dept at UW Madison where she works with many PhDs, MDs, and research scientists. She has asked the opinion of many of these experts since she had considered lasik herself, and they have all said they wouldn't get it done.

Personally, I'd say make sure you research it well and understand the risks. I know an opthamologist who won't get it done either....

And his reasons are simply because "it's a trade-off"

I, nor he, can speak for the phD friends, but in his case, he'd rather have to correct nearsightedness rather than farsightedness. It's true...getting lasik worsens immediately your farsightedness (ability to read close). Beyond that, there aren't too many downsides and complications are rare. Of course, in his case, he spends considerable time, energy, and effort focusing on the close objects, so being able to go w/o corrective appliances like glasses or contacts during the surgeries/exams/etc he performs is important to him.

Myself on the other hand, I don't work in the same environment. In fact, needing corrective measures for the far off stuff hinders me considerably and complicates things that should not be complicated. In my case, I also require corrective hearing devices, so needing both glasses and hearing aides is quite a pain...and though my friend eschews the lasik surgery, he thought that it would be very helpful to me.

A good lasik surgeon would help sift through what a person does and does not need...and of course, not all are "good" lasik surgeons per se.

IMO, the risk are small in the grand scheme of things....it's the trade-off's that loom larger. For most though, the benefits of lasik outweigh the negatives. But still, certainly something that is important to consider.

[STANMAN]

I was also 36 when I had it done.

[jimez1]

One other thing that I forgot to mention and hasen't been yet. I was told by the Dr's that did the pre, exams as well as Dr. Ireland that most people that have Lasik done will enjoy corrective free vision for quite some time. However they have said that as your age reaches 45 and past the likelyhood of needing reading glasses is greatly increased. As for me that gives me about 10 years of no glasses. No fogging of glasses in the summer after getting out of the airconditioned car, and no fogging of glasses in the winter coming inside from the cold. It is a win win for me. I am glad I did it and sorry I did not do it sooner!

[Cryptic]

I went to the Lasik Vision Institute about 10 years ago.... I'm considering going in for a touch up. (lifetime warranty)

google map (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=lasik+instute&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.036776,-88.137817&spn=0.111166,0.154667&z=13&layer=c&cbll=43.0368,-88.138077&panoid=7Rpr9HZOgkEoZR-WpHuNnA&cbp=12,350.11,,0,-3.4)

[jimez1]

Damn!, [I]forgot about that little tid bit of information too. Lifetime If you are not cheap about it

[srt4eh]

The Army paid for mine and I love it. If you have the option...take the PRK over LASIK. The healing time is a little longer but the chances of issues with the "flap" are taken away.

[Ricky Bobby]

Goin to the lasik institute on monday for my free checkup and go from there

yes i know its a old thread but didnt need to start a new one just to see if anyone else has some input on this procedure

[Anakonda69]

i will be maing my appt. at lasik vision inst. just went thru their website and my wife had it done there roughly 9 years ago with the old method of actually cutting the lens open. she just now had to get anti glare glasses to wear for night driving only because her astigmatism causes glaring. they have free consultation there.

[Ricky Bobby]

Im here right now I believe its free and they are saying the consult is 2 hrs