Lasik

[Sheryl]

Everybody gets dry eyes if they were contacts for too long.

People with high prerscriptions require thicker contacts which in turn wil dry the eyes more quickly. I was exactly the same and as a result of Lasik I no longer suffer from dry eyes at all, since I no longer have to wear contacts.

However this is not to dispute ricklev's reported experience. Most people are pleased with the reuslts of Lasik but a minority are not, sometimes their problems occurred because of errors made by the surgeon (failure to screen for contraindications, or poor surgical care/post-op care), in other cases they are just unlucky.

The only sensible approach is to carefully review the literature (scientific literature, not promotional websites nor horror stiory blogs), have a consultation with a reputable experienced surgeon and get clear estimates of the risk and benefits specific to you, then weigh the pros and cons.

I probably would not have had the procedure if my myopia had been milder, if I could function at all without lenses, if I could wear glasses of normal thickness or if I could use extended wear lenses without difficulty. Also, I opted to do one eye at a time as a further precaution, starting with the worst eye, soas to minimize the damage if something went wrong. Kniowing that both eyes weren't at stake also reduced my anxiety during the surgery.

[lomatopo]

My brother is an Orthopedic surgeon, he had LASIK. Tiger Woods had LASIK. I had LASIK. All three procedures were successful (and were performed in the U.S.A.), although the former two people are a lot more successful than I am, and of course they rely on their vision for their livelihoods.

Once you decide on having the procedure I would recommend that your look for the best Physician available. I wouldn't focus on price, equipment, software revision on the laser, etc., but rather on the number of procedures that Physician has actually performed. With many tasks, including surgery, experience with a specific procedure is typically the number one criteria determining success. Many clinics here lump together all the procedures performed by all the Doctors and then present that figure, which most people accept at face value.

Given a number of criteria I doubt that any single Doctor here has a lot of LASIK procedures under his/her belt.

[Sheryl]

Wrong. Dr. Ekketet and some of the other docs at TRSC. All they do is Lasik, every day, and many of them first practiced in the US.

[lomatopo]

Wrong. Dr. Ekketet and some of the other docs at TRSC. All they do is Lasik, every day, and many of them first practiced in the US.

Most Lasik specialists choose to group all of their procedures into a single day. If you examine the schedule at TRSC you will note that Dr. Ekktet hardly does procedures all day, every day.

I find it irrelevant as to where a physician first practiced. I'd like to know what s/he has done lately.

I merely suggested that should you choose to have a LASIK procedure done then you might consider determining the experience level of the Physician. If you are comfortable with his or her experience level then proceed.

Given the relatively small prospective patient pool here I honestly find it hard to believe that more than one or two Physicians have completed a large number of LASIK procedures. But maybe the small patient pool is off-set by the small number of practicing specialists?

[cooL_guY_corY]

iam curious @ TRSC do they advise you whether to go for optimum / ultimate or what ? I remember reading the flyer and premium is said " will pass drivers test" .. so the only one that is wavefront is ultimate ? any suggestions about this.

[Sheryl]

Wrong. Dr. Ekketet and some of the other docs at TRSC. All they do is Lasik, every day, and many of them first practiced in the US.

Most Lasik specialists choose to group all of their procedures into a single day. If you examine the schedule at TRSC you will note that Dr. Ekktet hardly does procedures all day, every day.

I find it irrelevant as to where a physician first practiced. I'd like to know what s/he has done lately.

I merely suggested that should you choose to have a LASIK procedure done then you might consider determining the experience level of the Physician. If you are comfortable with his or her experience level then proceed.

Given the relatively small prospective patient pool here I honestly find it hard to believe that more than one or two Physicians have completed a large number of LASIK procedures. But maybe the small patient pool is off-set by the small number of practicing specialists?

I don't disagree with the importance of experience, what I was reacting to was the assumption that Thai physicians would not have much experience.

Dr. Eketet has been doing Lasik at TRSC for 10 years. Conservatively estimating that he does an average of 500 year (based on current schedule -- he has a heavier administrative load and thus lower caseload now than he did in the earlier days) that's at least 5,000 proce3dures here in Thailand, not co unting cases perfromed in the US. (Note that he took part in the original clinical trial on Lasik in the US). I mention hinm only because I am familiar with his qualifications, having researched them myself before selecting him to operate on me...but there are certainly other doctors in Thailand who also have thousands of procedures under their belt.

Yes, it's a small country, but the number of specialist and clinics is proportionately smaller, too (largely confined to Bangkok) and there is a thriving "medical tourism" factor as well.

In addition, there seems to be a growing number of Thai specialist who trained and worked in the West now returning to ptractice in Thailand (general comment, not specific to Lasik) and bringing with them extrensive experience from very large medical centers in more populous countries. All I'm saying is, don't assume that specialists in Thailand do not have much experienece. You may be surprised.

[Sheryl]

iam curious @ TRSC do they advise you whether to go for optimum / ultimate or what ? I remember reading the flyer and premium is said " will pass drivers test" .. so the only one that is wavefront is ultimate ? any suggestions about this.

Not sure what you mean by optimum and ultimate. The surgeon will try to get you as close to 20/20 vision as possible, the only common exception being if you decide to opt for monovision (leaving one eye slightly undercorrected to minimize the need for reading glasses as you age). These sort of isdsues are discussed during the initial consultation, at which time the doctor should also give you a quantifiable estimate of likely outcome, e.g. what percent chance you have of reaching 20/20, what opercent chance of reaching 20/30 etc.

If you do opt for monovision (I did and I love it), doing one eye at a time will help get the best result.

[lomatopo]

Dr. Eketet has been doing Lasik at TRSC for 10 years. Conservatively estimating that he does an average of 500 year -- You may be surprised.

No need for me to be surprised, I've already had the procedure done successfully in the U.S.A. It's other people who might want to avoid being surprised.

Honestly it's hard for me to fathom why you are so defensive on this matter?

How can you estimate how many procedures this Physician does, conservatively or otherwise, each year? Did you ask? If so, just share the figure rather than spewing out some SWAG.

[RAZZELL]

Very informative thread..

Anyone know what percentage of patients have "halo's" when seeing lights at night?

[Sheryl]

Very informative thread..

Anyone know what percentage of patients have "halo's" when seeing lights at night?

If you mean as a result of the Lasik procedure, I don't know, but it is a common problem in blue eyed people as they age. I have it -- pre-dated the Lasik and got neither better nor worse after it.

The only way I can drive at night is to wear yellow anti-glare snglasses.

When the problem first became bad, which is about 15 years ago, I made the rounds of opthalmologists and nobody had anything to offer. Said the case was unknown but common in ble eyed people. Eventally I gave up. Stumbled on the yellow glasses by myself. Haven't researched it since. If anyone out there knows anything would be interested to hear. It's quite a nuisance.

[cooL_guY_corY]

TRSC has a few different levels, Premium, Optimum, Ultimate.. from what i understand Ultimate uses Wavefront while the first 2 do not. But Ultimate is around 75 000 baht though ? seems steep. Any ideas about this?

[backflip]

My ideas, Cory? You're doing a disservice by placing a premium on the price, rather than the service itself. At $1,000 per eye, it's cheap. Of course, Cory, you can find LASIK procedures much cheaper and I'm sure you and your seeing eye doggie will be happier with those.

Wave front technology was originally developed to correct the focus of the Hubble telescope. Very cool.

[cooL_guY_corY]

Obviously when it comes to a procedure like vision correction price would not be an issue. I am just curious about the 3 and if people have experience with it? I am leaning to the Wavefront one (Ultimate) might as well do it with the best procedure available eh?

[Sheryl]

Obviously when it comes to a procedure like vision correction price would not be an issue. I am just curious about the 3 and if people have experience with it? I am leaning to the Wavefront one (Ultimate) might as well do it with the best procedure available eh?

I had my procedure done before these newer technologies came out so no personal experience with it. but my understanding is that the best techniqe depends on the individal eye. Best to go for a consultation and ask what the pros and cons are for each procedure specific to your eyes.

[doninusa]

Obviously when it comes to a procedure like vision correction price would not be an issue. I am just curious about the 3 and if people have experience with it? I am leaning to the Wavefront one (Ultimate) might as well do it with the best procedure available eh?

I had my procedure done before these newer technologies came out so no personal experience with it. but my understanding is that the best techniqe depends on the individal eye. Best to go for a consultation and ask what the pros and cons are for each procedure specific to your eyes.

Lasix in U.S. $1400 for both eyes with 20/20 guarantee. 4 buddies had it done and extremely satisfied.

[Sheryl]

To my understanding no one can absolutekly guarantee a specific outcome and I would question the honesty/reputableness of anyplace that did. Look for a doctor that gives you the odds for your particular case along with the disclaimer that nothing is 100% sure.

When I had it done I was told that I had a 70% chance of reaching 20/20 (I was a very high myope so my case is unusual) and better than 80% chance of getting 20/30 in at least one eye, more than 95% chance of getting at least 20/40. I was also told the statistiocal odds of a complication (very low). With all that information, I could make an informed choice. Since I was worse than 20/500 in both eyes, obviously the surgery was a good bet even if I didn't hit 20/20.

As it happened I got 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other, which is great since it gives me both near and distant vision without reading glasses. But I wasn't promised 20/20, and I'd beware of anyplace that makes or implies it. For that matter, anytime a 100% guarantee is made for the outcome of any surgical procedure, beware. There are no valid guarantees, just likelihoods.

Edited November 13, 2006 by Sheryl

[RAZZELL]

To my understanding no one can absolutekly guarantee a specific outcome and I would question the honesty/reputableness of anyplace that did. Look for a doctor that gives you the odds for your particular case along with the disclaimer that nothing is 100% sure.

When I had it done I was told that I had a 70% chance of reaching 20/20 (I was a very high myope so my case is unusual) and better than 80% chance of getting 20/30 in at least one eye, more than 95% chance of getting at least 20/40. I was also told the statistiocal odds of a complication (very low). With all that information, I could make an informed choice. Since I was worse than 20/500 in both eyes, obviously the surgery was a good bet even if I didn't hit 20/20.

As it happened I got 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other, which is great since it gives me both near and distant vision without reading glasses. But I wasn't promised 20/20, and I'd beware of anyplace that makes or implies it. For that matter, anytime a 100% guarantee is made for the outcome of any surgical procedure, beware. There are no valid guarantees, just likelihoods.

How long do the effects last? 10 years later can you be operated on again?

[Sheryl]

As far as I know the change in shape of the cornea is permanent. No reason to want surgery again in 10 years.

The trouble with near vision that people get as they age (if that is what you have in mind) is not due to the shape of the cornea but to decreased ability of the eye to adjust itself between far and near vision. -- not the same as the kind of "far sightedness" some [people have from youth. So LASIK doesn't help that. However undercorrecting one eye ("monovision") can help minimize the need for reading glasses, if one is having the surgery on account of myopia.

[Ceedee]

I love water sports and for me my LASIK operation has made life so much easier, I only regret that I haven't had it done earlier. Before I had it done here in Bangkok I did a lot of research and visited most of the LASIK clinics in town to gather information. If you are interested to read my review of the places and some of my thoughts that went into selecting one you find it all written up on my little website on medical services for foreigners in Thailand. The link can be found under my profile.

[sabaijai]

To my understanding no one can absolutekly guarantee a specific outcome and I would question the honesty/reputableness of anyplace that did. Look for a doctor that gives you the odds for your particular case along with the disclaimer that nothing is 100% sure.

When I had it done I was told that I had a 70% chance of reaching 20/20 (I was a very high myope so my case is unusual) and better than 80% chance of getting 20/30 in at least one eye, more than 95% chance of getting at least 20/40. I was also told the statistiocal odds of a complication (very low). With all that information, I could make an informed choice. Since I was worse than 20/500 in both eyes, obviously the surgery was a good bet even if I didn't hit 20/20.

As it happened I got 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other, which is great since it gives me both near and distant vision without reading glasses. But I wasn't promised 20/20, and I'd beware of anyplace that makes or implies it. For that matter, anytime a 100% guarantee is made for the outcome of any surgical procedure, beware. There are no valid guarantees, just likelihoods.

How long do the effects last? 10 years later can you be operated on again?

Good questions. No one knows how long the effects of Lasik will last. I had radial keratotomy (RK) done on my eyes in 1992 - before Lasik was available - and the positive effects began to fade after 10 years. The procedures (including Lasik) also speed up the onset of presbyopia ('old age vision', ie the need for reading glasses) in most people.

You can be operated on again but most optometrists advise against it, or so I was told at Rutnin. They said this was true for Lasik as well as RK, PRK, etc. All of these procedures weaken the cornea, and the risk of complications for further surgery increases significantly.

I think when we have 20 years of Lasik data behind us, we'll find that the effects fade just as for RK and other pre-Lasik technology. It has been suggested that one's eyes tend to regenerate cells to create the same corneal shape you were born with, after a certain amount of time.

I was happy to have 10 years of 20/20 vision. I was not so happy that presbyopia came more quickly than it would have if I hadn't had corrective surgery.

Another side effect of corneal surgery is that as the positive effects fade, your vision becomes less correctible with glasses. So it's a bit of a trade-off, in my opinion. You get 10 or more years of great vision, but your vision after that may get worse than it would have had you not had the surgery.

Surgically-induced stigmatism is another possibility for all corrective eye surgery, including Lasik. I never had a stigmatism before the surgery but within a few weeks of surgery I did, and it has since been diagnosed as surgically induced.

[tuffy]

This week while boating I lost my good glasses, I have been saying for years that I want to get laser surgery, now instead of buying new specs I will just use that money towards Lasik.

I plan on having the procedure done in BKK.

Can anyone give me advise on where to have the procedure done. What to look out for, what to expect, how much it costs, etc.

Thanks!

[chinthee]

I had mine done a few years ago at TRSC on Rama 4 close to Dusit Thani. lasikthaidotcom. This is definitely not the cheapest in town, and they do all the Thai celebrities, etc., but is very well known and a specialty lazik clinic. I had the founding doctor do mine, and I forgot his name, but find him on the website. As I recall cost was about 60k, but they have several machines and I opted for the latest most precise one. Couple of warnings: After the surgery, it became much harder to drive at night as I get reflections from lights (normal I was told). Also, even though I need reading glasses, before the surgery I could hold something very close and read it. Now, I cannot read anything with the reading glasses. So, if you're over 45, you may want to consider that point too. I've also heard the major hospitals have good lazik services.

[Steve2UK]

This week while boating I lost my good glasses, I have been saying for years that I want to get laser surgery, now instead of buying new specs I will just use that money towards Lasik.

I plan on having the procedure done in BKK.

Can anyone give me advise on where to have the procedure done. What to look out for, what to expect, how much it costs, etc.

Thanks!

Do a search for Lasik on this forum and you'll see several informative threads on the subject - most recent is from April this year.

[Dradam]

I was involved in the Health Care industry in Thailand for several years. I certainly recommend Thailand as offering first rate medical care, often superior to the many of the USA's best centers.

I had LASIK done at TRSC and would highly recommend it. They are the sponsors of this forum as well. They certainly have as much skill and experience as any of the top LASIK centers in the world.

Dr. Ekktet Chansue and Dr. Sukanda Swadibutra are excellent but you really can't go wrong with any of the doctors there. They set a very high standard and are very selective on which doctors can practice there.

Their level of service is extraordinary and they use the most advanced laser system available.

TRSC was my first choice. My second choice would probably have been Rutnin.

Their prices are about the same I would guess. Definitely don't try to save money on LASIK. While it is a very safe surgery, there can be complications at any LASIK center. Don't pick a doctor who promises too much.

There is nothing wrong with going to more than one LASIK center for an exam. If you are unsure, go to more than one. It is always better to have choices.

[eek]

tuffy..i was in the same boat as you, except i needed new contacts and noone stocked them (v short sighted with astigmatism). Decided to take the plunge and finally go for lasik. Did this around 2 months ago with TRSC.

I echo the previous posters statements about TRSC being a good place to go. They really put me at ease (and i was VERY nervous!). They even put you in a massage chair while your dilating drops take effect, hows that for service.

Anyway, I still have occasional fuzziness, but i hear that is normal for up to 6 months post lasik. I may also have some slight astigmatism returning. I get halos at night, but i had this before, and i dont drive here, so its not something I am too upset about.

Overall, no regrets, and TRSC was worth paying the extra for. I think its best, after all, to not be mess about over a few extra Bht when it comes to your eyesight.

[chinthee]

I had mine done a few years ago at TRSC on Rama 4 close to Dusit Thani. lasikthaidotcom. This is definitely not the cheapest in town, and they do all the Thai celebrities, etc., but is very well known and a specialty lazik clinic. I had the founding doctor do mine, and I forgot his name, but find him on the website. As I recall cost was about 60k, but they have several machines and I opted for the latest most precise one. Couple of warnings: After the surgery, it became much harder to drive at night as I get reflections from lights (normal I was told). Also, even though I need reading glasses, before the surgery I could hold something very close and read it. Now, I cannot read anything with the reading glasses. So, if you're over 45, you may want to consider that point too. I've also heard the major hospitals have good lazik services.

Correction - I meant I need reading glasses for any close work. Yes, I recommend TRSC highly too.

[Lazy Sod]

Me too, had Lasik at TRSC (Dr. Chansue) and highly recommend the place. Be aware that your vision will probably fluctuate in the first few weeks after surgery and if you are over 40 you may start to need reading glasses because your eyes are "set" for distance vision (you can check what your reading will be like during the pre-op exam). There also an option to set one eye for distance and one eye for reading, but some people find it hard to get used to this. The pre-op exam is only about THB 1,500 and there is no pressure to decide there and then. Instead of wondering whether to go ahead with Lasik or not, my advice is to book a pre-op exam, the Doc will inform you if you are a good candidate or not and advise you of the likely results, then decide.

By the way, the pre-op exam does not involve people touching your eyes, it's a series of tests and measurements.

[Rincewind]

I had Lasik at TRSC last July from Dr. Sukanda. I've been very pleased with the results. The entire staff is very courteous and professional, and very willing to help or answer questions.

[MTW]

I also had the surgery at TRSC last January. I paid for the most expensive choice, about 80,000 baht. I haven't had any problems, no halos, only had dry eyes for a short time. I had dry eyes ALL the time when I wore contacts. I am very happy that I did it.

[Beardog]

I had lasik surgery done12 years ago & was quite expensive back then about 160,500 baht. I had abad astigmatism in my left eye & was 20-400 1 step away from legally blind. My eyes are -.5 &1.0(the bad eye)

It was the best gift I could have given myself !Now the usuall price in the United States is $795.00 per eye 52,800 Baht. I wonder why Thailand being so inexpensive in most minor surgical proceedures they charge more than the U.S. & they don't whack you for the free prescreening exam and came with 11 years of yearly free after service(would be more but I live in Thailand now) Seems like they could get this down to 45,000-50,000 & still command a huge profit as a breast enhancement for the ladies are $3000+++ in the U.S. & only $1000 or so here & the lasix is much much more minor in comparison to a boob job.

I was told that 4-6 weeks down the road the stars or glare reflections should go away & they did in 5 weeks.

If the procedure is done properly you shouldn't notice much difference from night or daytime driving-except for what we all get when we get older. And the normal shadows that happen when night driving.

If those glare outs occur after 6 months I would ask my doctor why.I know 4 other people in Hawaii that had lasix done & all say their recovery was the same.( with no glare outs after 2 months)within 6 months all of our eyes were fully dialed in!

Reguardless I would go for it again & would have paid 2 million baht earlier to see everything in the world I was missing & my friends are a hel_l of a lot more confident when I am driving in the U.S. instead of driving with someone as blind as a bat!!!

It sure is Great to be able to see good worth the price!

The procedure after the eye exam they dialate your eyes & put a tube around the eye area & hit it with an intense laser beam for about 15 seconds they lightly scrape the dead tissue off as they do the 15 second blast ..They told me they were just testing & my first eye was done as they actually completed the eye - you can see 75% better immediately! It is really quite a mind blowing experience to see again.

It takes usually 2 -3 days for the minor discomfort to go away. Unless you have complications-which are pretty rare. Not to many shade tree mechanics get to do eye surgery & I would reguard Thailands top doctors as good as any other physicians in the world. Most have studied in Europe or the U.S. anyway

so anyone should feel confident to have it done in Thailand as well as their home country.

Enjoy your knew eyes. I sure am!!!

Edited May 31, 2007 by Beardog