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Hey anyone have experience and/or knowledge on this and the options? Think I'm ready to get over the fears and get fixed up, but know little about it. Really don't mind glasses, but I hate contacts and need to wear them for sports. Going next week to the local lasik office for a consult to find out what it is about and that is about how far I have gone with it.

My younger bro got his done at Bachner in Toronto. He was really pleased with it.

He's become a shittier goalie since then though. Better watch out.

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

Well it would appear he did not close his eyes when shot upon in the past. This concept of keeping ones eyes open is intriguing may have to try it.

Someone should tell Carey Price too(or not, considering that he's in Toronto's division).

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!

I did it in the summer of 2005 in Toronto, with the company TLC. It was pricey because the bladeless technology I used at the time was brand new (Intralase), but I'm guessing this is now totally standard.

The operation itself was fine, though obviously I was nervous. The recovery wasn't nearly as bad as some have described (apart from some pain the very first day).

One thing to keep in mind is the speed at which your vision deteriorates naturally, because this won't change. Before the operation I was -5.5/-5.75. While my vision is way, way better than that now, I'm nevertheless back to wearing glasses when I drive at night or watch TV and movies. My vision is still pretty good without correction -- I don't note it on my driver's license, for example, but definitely not as sharp. To be honest, while I'm still very happy with the choice (my contacts were driving me nuts around the time I decided to get it done), I never felt that my corrected vision was absolutely perfect, as to the sharpness of when I'm wearing glasses... but then I never really felt this with contacts either.

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I did it I think about 10 years ago and am happy I did it. I never liked glasses or contacts. I can't remember what the technology was but it has for sure changed by now anyway. For me it was great. For the first few years I had >20/20. Recently like Jyrki I started to need glasses for diving at night or seeing things far away in poor light. I passed the eye test at the DMV. Once I started wearing glasses and contacts more often it seemed like I needed them more and more, not sure if the eyesight is deteriorating or if I am just getting used to them. When/if my prescription stabilizes I'll get a re-touch of the laser.

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thanks guys for the experiences. You know Jyrki you really hit on it for me with the fact that I never feel my vision is all that great in contacts...then add to that the discomfort. Sometimes I wonder if because I only put contacts in for Hockey and take them out after three hours maybe three four times a week I never get use to them like someone wearing them all day most days.

oh ya btw for me the procedure itself and recovery were no biggie, I was at work the next day.

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I timed it so that I was doing my bar exams at the time so as not to have to make that decision (they used to be a bit of a joke in Ontario -- I just didn't go to the classes for a week), but I did do some of the "bad" things like watch TV and read. I did try to take it easy, though. Even if there wasn't a ton of discomfort, my vision was still on the upward curve at that point, so it wasn't super-easy to watch anything (since I no longer had corrective lenses that would work, of course, even if I wanted some).

One thing to note, Hounsy -- because there is some trauma on the eye surface when they are putting their instruments in place, I had visible red patches on the whites of my eyes for at least a couple months afterward. It wasn't horrific, but it was noticeable. So if, for example, you were hoping to have some commemorative family photos or an ID card done at a specific date following surgery, you might want to take that into consideration.

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Hounsy,

I did the no-touch procedure through the London Eye Center about 5 years ago.... curiously, my opthamologist is the guy that trained everyone on Lasic here in Vancouver... and he told me to do the no-touch instead. Today's technology means its pricier, but also less frequent touchups required...

It cost me about $3000 in total, but its the best money I've spent... They basically clamp open your eye a la clockwork orange - which is uncomfortable but not painful. They zap each eye with a laser for 30 seconds. Only down sides are that you can smell your eye burning - smells like hair burning to be honest - and the recovery can be painful. 10 percent of people are back at work the next day. It really depends on the size of your eyes... whatever the part is they're reshaping... mine are fairly large, thus more recovery time... my recollection is that I was in pretty good pain for a good 10 days, but they do give you freezing drops and other drops so its manageable.

I wouldnt plan on driving for two weeks after though - one eye was perfect immediately after, the other was blurry as hell for a good 10 days... apparently thats totally normal...

People often have dry eye after surgery... I did for a bit but havent in ages...

The good news - I was like -6.25 and -5.5, and now I'm 20/20 if not 20/15. I'm 5 years down the road, and no need for glasses at all... So nice not to have the feeling of dried out contacts in my eyes anymore...

hope this helps...

Oh yeah, that is worth mentioning for sure: to this day I have pretty dry eyes, and I still put in drops every morning (for comfort, not because I have to). I always had that a little bit, though.

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my eyes are not to bad. 1.00 in right and .75 in left so I would imagine that means not a lot to burn away.

I checked into this a few years ago and decided that I wasn't a good candidate... My prescription is too high (-8.75 in the left, and -9.75 in the right) and my corneas (?) are too thin, a combo which would put me in high risk envelope. So I've continued with eye glasses and more recently, contact lenses...

Same here but I'm a 6 or something to that effect.

-9.75!?!?

I checked on this a few years back but found the risk a bit too much. I could never get used to contacts and was always trying the ones that supposedley let your eye breath. I could never wear them longer than 8 hours. And when I exercise my eyes get even drier so I have to take them out then too. Getting sweat or dirt in your contacts is quite possibly the worst thing ever.

Now I don't wear contacts at all. I'm older and don't really feel the need to aesthetically please people any longer. I have a pair or prescription sunglasses so that helps out tremendously. I also have no frame glasses that I wear for excercise. These seem to work ok. I guess I am going to find out how well when I play in the old man's league in a couple weeks.

I can't even imagine having Eye surgery and my eyes being even drier. I'd have to take a sedative to have my eye propped open. Not sure if I would ever entertain surgery again after reading some of the horror stories and lack of standardization. Good luck to you. Let us know how it goes.

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Hey Harmy if I could wear glasses in net I wouldn't even consider the surgery, but that is my big problem and when I need contacts.

What Razz is referring to is PRK which to my understanding is actually an older method than lasik. In lasik they actually cut a portion of the cornea away like a flap, do the corrective laser surgery on the eye directly, then close the flap. PRK is where the laser literally burns your eyes into the right shape as Razz describes. The video I saw at my eye doctors was really pushing that lasik was the way to go. Less pain (or so it claimed) and you don't have to wear "bandage" contact lenses as some people invariably do. Again this was a promotional tool so take it with a grain of salt.

Went on a date a few years ago with a girl who claimed her friend underwent lasik and the machine actually cut the cornea completely off! The doctor literally picked the cornea flap up off the floor and manually put it back on. After quite an ordeal this girl claimed her friend was okay, but the surgery was a failure--her vision was the exact same as it was before the procedure. Of course given the circumstances I guess she should consider herself lucky. Mind you this is hearsay from a girl whom I only went on a date with twice so it could be complete bullshit...just thought I'd put it out there.

I have a nasty perscription, too. Not sure what it is, but I know when people jokingly put on my glasses they tend to go blind with shock. My optomitrist once asked me if I wanted it, but then I was a university student and completely broke. I might consider it now, but I've never looked into it. Maybe it's not feasible at all, but the fact that I was once asked about it hopefully means it's not complete batshit crazy to consider.

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Injustice? Cobain died and Eddy Fucking Vedder lived to haunt us with his shitty fucking voice, trite lyrics and his Eddy Vedderness.



- Ancient Chinese Proverb

Yes somehow I doubt I will be able to wear these glasses with my lacrosse helmet on as well. But I've seen the kids do it so maybe it can be done.

http://www.sporteyes.com/hilrxspt.htm#T-zone

This website says these work.

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Hell I wore my coke-bottle glasses under my helmet from 3rd grade until high school. It can be done you know.