Lasik

[teddybaer]

People tell me it hurts... does it help to take a load of nurofen or aspirin first? I don't want to jerk with sudden pain and have the laser go the wrong way. Jitter, jitter.

[Lazy Sod]

People tell me it hurts... does it help to take a load of nurofen or aspirin first? I don't want to jerk with sudden pain and have the laser go the wrong way. Jitter, jitter.

No it doesn't hurt, at least it didn't for me. At TRSC they give you a valium before the surgery to relax you, and some paracetamol to take home just in case. I didn't feel any pain at all during or after the surgery. I wouldn't take anything beforehand unless they give it to you at the clinic. The laser automatically shuts off if you move and can be started again where it left off, just try to relax. I was a bit worried I was gonna sneeze or something, but somehow your body knows to keep still, and even if you move it's no big deal apparently.

[kenji0682]

Before I had my treatment with Dr. Wiles at Lasik-1, I had trouble seeing clearly even with my glasses on. Now I can see my alarm clock without holding it in front of my face and I can see road signs without squinting. I don’t hate driving at night anymore. My life is so much better now; I only wish I had gone to Lasik-1 sooner! Thank you for helping me see what I’ve been missing!"

[phetjiu]

Hi Guys,

Great reading you all make about this serious but necessary proceedure. Just got a couple of questions I would like answered if possible.

Firstly, do they do both eyes at the same appointment or do you have to go back to have the other one done later.

Secondly can anyone of you fine Gentlemen or Ladies give me the address in BKK where I can go to make an appointment and will I have to wait long( I only have a week in BKK this time ), and would love to get it done and finished with if I can, also is there any time limit on how long you have to wait before flying, as I am told the differnce in air pressure can be uncomfortable.

Thanks in advance for any info you might offer.

Will be in BKK 0n 5thJune and can't wait, haven't been in LOS for over a year now,

Thanks Guys and Ladies.

[Axistar]

I had a similar treatment to LASIK callede PPK.

The differences being, because I had a stigmatism, they generally cut the flap on the eye and put the laser throough the eye but in my treatment they had to go straight through the eye's membrane.

Very quick procedure, only lasts 1 - 2 minutes but they fill you with eye drops and these are left to settle for an hour or so before procedure.

After allw as done, I had these awfull looking goggle stick taped to my face to stop me rubbing my eyes during the night.

I had a friend with me who had it done at the same time. What sight that would have been. Two Aussie dickheads stumbling around in the dark with goggles taped to their faces trying to gut a cab.

The next day I could see very well though through a blur of tears.

Not perturbed we go to a frieds place and played Monopoly ion a closed room full of smoke. MOST UNCOMFORTABLE and not recommended!

It was recommeded we stay in Pattaya (had it done December 2003 at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for around B50000) but not one to heed advice we flew back to OZ 2 - 3 days after having it done.

Apart from feeling like I had sand in my eyes for a few days there wasn't a lot of drama.

Highly recommend anyone who is thinking of doing this to take the plunge and go for it.

definitely changed my life for the better.

[teddybaer]

Thanks for the input guys - LASIK is on my list of new year's resolutions for 2008. I'll let you know how I went. Cheers, TB.

[Axistar]

I had a similar treatment to LASIK callede PPK.

The differences being, because I had a stigmatism, they generally cut the flap on the eye and put the laser throough the eye but in my treatment they had to go straight through the eye's membrane.

Very quick procedure, only lasts 1 - 2 minutes but they fill you with eye drops and these are left to settle for an hour or so before procedure.

After allw as done, I had these awfull looking goggle stick taped to my face to stop me rubbing my eyes during the night.

I had a friend with me who had it done at the same time. What sight that would have been. Two Aussie dickheads stumbling around in the dark with goggles taped to their faces trying to gut a cab.

The next day I could see very well though through a blur of tears.

Not perturbed we go to a frieds place and played Monopoly ion a closed room full of smoke. MOST UNCOMFORTABLE and not recommended!

It was recommeded we stay in Pattaya (had it done December 2003 at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for around B50000) but not one to heed advice we flew back to OZ 2 - 3 days after having it done.

Apart from feeling like I had sand in my eyes for a few days there wasn't a lot of drama.

Highly recommend anyone who is thinking of doing this to take the plunge and go for it.

definitely changed my life for the better.

[Sheryl]

Related threads have been merged minus the spam

[tuffy]

Hi again everyone! After a long wait I am finally geared up to have the Lasik surgery done at TRSC. I will go in the 2nd week of March for my exam with the doctor who did the retinal repair then have the Lasik done the next day. I am nervous but at the same time I am definitely ready!

Wish me luck and any last minute advise would be appreciated. Also any negative things about TRSC?

So far I have only heard positve about the place, maybe other than the high price?

[tuffy]

Hi Guys,

Great reading you all make about this serious but necessary proceedure. Just got a couple of questions I would like answered if possible.

Firstly, do they do both eyes at the same appointment or do you have to go back to have the other one done later.

Secondly can anyone of you fine Gentlemen or Ladies give me the address in BKK where I can go to make an appointment and will I have to wait long( I only have a week in BKK this time ), and would love to get it done and finished with if I can, also is there any time limit on how long you have to wait before flying, as I am told the differnce in air pressure can be uncomfortable.

Thanks in advance for any info you might offer.

Will be in BKK 0n 5thJune and can't wait, haven't been in LOS for over a year now,

Thanks Guys and Ladies.

Phetjiu,

Here is the website for TRSC, they communicate well through email and have set me up quickly with appointments.

http://www.lasikthai.com/

[Beardog]

Hi again everyone! After a long wait I am finally geared up to have the Lasik surgery done at TRSC. I will go in the 2nd week of March for my exam with the doctor who did the retinal repair then have the Lasik done the next day. I am nervous but at the same time I am definitely ready!

Wish me luck and any last minute advise would be appreciated. Also any negative things about TRSC?

So far I have only heard positve about the place, maybe other than the high price?

Good luck Tuffy,

I had mine done about 12 years ago & went from Mr. Magoo 20-400 20-800 is leagaly blind. I couldn't see much detail & My friends were scared to death to drive in my truck or motor home till I had my eyes corrected. Beside the operation there was no real discomfort during. Just a little freaky having your eye opened for a 1/2 a minute to a minute. within 2 days all discomfort was gone . My other eye did 30 days later & by the next morning no discomfort at all. since then 5 friends have had their eyes done no complications. My sister is next to go in. Most will get some amount of halo for a short while & it will usually go away shortly.

When you get done you can see right away & later you will find yourself thinking....why did I wait so long to do it.

My eyes are 20/20 on the astigmatism side & the perfect eye is 20/30 lost a marginal(very marginal amount over 12 years(about .5 in contact lens prescription.) If in 20-30 years my vision ever slips I would do it again if I am a candidate.

I doubt at this rate I will ever need a tune-up on my eyes. BEST INVESTMENT ON MYSELF I EVER MADE!

Seeing perfect has actually made me happier not having to squint to see!

Edited February 25, 2008 by Beardog

[tuffy]

Thanks Bear Dog, I can't wait, next week I go in...no turning back now!

[Beardog]

Good man Tuffy,

Make sure to let us know how it goes.and what your experience is with lasiks!

[sabaijai]

Hi again everyone! After a long wait I am finally geared up to have the Lasik surgery done at TRSC. I will go in the 2nd week of March for my exam with the doctor who did the retinal repair then have the Lasik done the next day. I am nervous but at the same time I am definitely ready!

Wish me luck and any last minute advise would be appreciated. Also any negative things about TRSC?

So far I have only heard positve about the place, maybe other than the high price?

Good luck Tuffy,

I had mine done about 12 years ago & went from Mr. Magoo 20-400 20-800 is leagaly blind. I couldn't see much detail & My friends were scared to death to drive in my truck or motor home till I had my eyes corrected. Beside the operation there was no real discomfort during. Just a little freaky having your eye opened for a 1/2 a minute to a minute. within 2 days all discomfort was gone . My other eye did 30 days later & by the next morning no discomfort at all. since then 5 friends have had their eyes done no complications. My sister is next to go in. Most will get some amount of halo for a short while & it will usually go away shortly.

When you get done you can see right away & later you will find yourself thinking....why did I wait so long to do it.

My eyes are 20/20 on the astigmatism side & the perfect eye is 20/30 lost a marginal(very marginal amount over 12 years(about .5 in contact lens prescription.) If in 20-30 years my vision ever slips I would do it again if I am a candidate.

I doubt at this rate I will ever need a tune-up on my eyes. BEST INVESTMENT ON MYSELF I EVER MADE!

Seeing perfect has actually made me happier not having to squint to see!

You won't be able to do it again, the surgery can only be performed once as the cornea is weakened and most doctors say it's unsafe to operate again. I had mine about the same time you did, unfortunately I've lost much more than .5 in the time period. It also sped up presbyopia, which is typical in most cases (ie, you will need reading glasses earlier than you would had you not had surgery) Personally I feel I had greater visual acuity corrected by glasses than by surgery. On the other hand it was very nice not to have to wear glasses for 10+ years (although within one year of surgery I had to start wearing reading glasses, probably could've gone another five years without). I also developed an astigmatism in one eye later that I've been told is surgically related.

[Beardog]

Hi again everyone! After a long wait I am finally geared up to have the Lasik surgery done at TRSC. I will go in the 2nd week of March for my exam with the doctor who did the retinal repair then have the Lasik done the next day. I am nervous but at the same time I am definitely ready!

Wish me luck and any last minute advise would be appreciated. Also any negative things about TRSC?

So far I have only heard positve about the place, maybe other than the high price?

Good luck Tuffy,

I had mine done about 12 years ago & went from Mr. Magoo 20-400 20-800 is leagaly blind. I couldn't see much detail & My friends were scared to death to drive in my truck or motor home till I had my eyes corrected. Beside the operation there was no real discomfort during. Just a little freaky having your eye opened for a 1/2 a minute to a minute. within 2 days all discomfort was gone . My other eye did 30 days later & by the next morning no discomfort at all. since then 5 friends have had their eyes done no complications. My sister is next to go in. Most will get some amount of halo for a short while & it will usually go away shortly.

When you get done you can see right away & later you will find yourself thinking....why did I wait so long to do it.

My eyes are 20/20 on the astigmatism side & the perfect eye is 20/30 lost a marginal(very marginal amount over 12 years(about .5 in contact lens prescription.) If in 20-30 years my vision ever slips I would do it again if I am a candidate.

I doubt at this rate I will ever need a tune-up on my eyes. BEST INVESTMENT ON MYSELF I EVER MADE!

Seeing perfect has actually made me happier not having to squint to see!

You won't be able to do it again, the surgery can only be performed once as the cornea is weakened and most doctors say it's unsafe to operate again. I had mine about the same time you did, unfortunately I've lost much more than .5 in the time period. It also sped up presbyopia, which is typical in most cases (ie, you will need reading glasses earlier than you would had you not had surgery) Personally I feel I had greater visual acuity corrected by glasses than by surgery. On the other hand it was very nice not to have to wear glasses for 10+ years (although within one year of surgery I had to start wearing reading glasses, probably could've gone another five years without). I also developed an astigmatism in one eye later that I've been told is surgically related.

I think I would not be a candidate for age as well as two times. They have to deem you are a candidate before you get the green light!

[tuffy]

Here's an update for any of you who are still following this thread.

So last year I had went in to get Lasik done and they found a thin spot on my retina that needed to be repaired by laser before i could continue with the Lasik. I had that done last year and after a quick check to make sure that surgery was completed correctly I went in for the Wavefront Lasik at TRSC on Monday. I will admit i was pretty nervous going into and during the actual surgery but it was completed quickly and very professionally. Immediately after i could see perfectly but everything was pretty foggy which i was told is normal. They put eye shields on me and set me to my hotel to return in the morning. The next morning after removing the eye shields I could see better than I ever could with my glasses. This is day # 3 now and other than being a little sensitive to wind and light I am 100% pleased with the outcome. I am still amazed at how well I can see and I keep catching myself reaching up to take off my glasses, which are there of course. The next 3 to 6 months will tell If I have any lasting side effects but so far it looks like I got lucky.

Good luck to the rest of you considering this procedure I would highly recommend it!!!

Tuffy

[Beardog]

Here's an update for any of you who are still following this thread.

So last year I had went in to get Lasik done and they found a thin spot on my retina that needed to be repaired by laser before i could continue with the Lasik. I had that done last year and after a quick check to make sure that surgery was completed correctly I went in for the Wavefront Lasik at TRSC on Monday. I will admit i was pretty nervous going into and during the actual surgery but it was completed quickly and very professionally. Immediately after i could see perfectly but everything was pretty foggy which i was told is normal. They put eye shields on me and set me to my hotel to return in the morning. The next morning after removing the eye shields I could see better than I ever could with my glasses. This is day # 3 now and other than being a little sensitive to wind and light I am 100% pleased with the outcome. I am still amazed at how well I can see and I keep catching myself reaching up to take off my glasses, which are there of course. The next 3 to 6 months will tell If I have any lasting side effects but so far it looks like I got lucky.

Good luck to the rest of you considering this procedure I would highly recommend it!!!

Tuffy

Sounds like a typical job . You should be over all the side affects soon. Nice to see great. Eh?

[tuffy]

Sounds like a typical job . You should be over all the side affects soon. Nice to see great. Eh?

I am still amazed Beardog! I wish I would have done it 5 years ago!

[Beardog]

Had they had the procedure or prk when Iwas 12 years old I would have sold my soul for being able to see. Best treat I ever gave myself!

Hope you have a quick recovery.

[Lazy Sod]

Good to hear Tuffy. For the first couple of weeks one of my eyes was a bit blurred (the other eye was perfect after only a couple of days), I was a bit worried but the blurred eye seemed to click into place after around 3 weeks, and then I could see perfectly with both eyes. If both eyes are already good then I guess it's a good sign that the surgery has gone really well.

[Daisy75]

I have thought of getting lasik but it is too expensive here and I feel kinda uncomfortable doing it in Thailand. Is is really safe to perform this procedure in Thailand?

[tuffy]

I have thought of getting lasik but it is too expensive here and I feel kinda uncomfortable doing it in Thailand. Is is really safe to perform this procedure in Thailand?

Daisy,

Too expensive here is a ridiculous statement (unless you come from India or Canada). The place I went to i chose the most expensive option for about 1/2 the cost of what it would have been in the US or UK. TRSC is also probably one of the most expensive choices in Thailand. You can go to one of the hospitals that cater to the Thai clientele for much much less. Will the results be as goo? I don't know i was willing to pay more not to find out...

As far as safety goes my experience here was as good or better than any clinic i have been in in the US. You have to do your own investigating on any place where you are considering having any procedure done, here or abroad.

[tuffy]

I am going in for my 1 week check up and so far everything is great. The only thing i do notice is pretty poor vision at night with the halos around street lights and those of other cars etc. They say it is normal and it should improve in the next few months...i hope so....Still all in all i am well pleased with the whole thing!

[Beardog]

The Halo's & night haze is normal & you are correct it should be just about done in 2-3 months(maybe sooner) Some cases are up to 6 months real slight amt of haze.

[ubonrthai]

Anyone else used the TRSC clinic lately. I've been thinking about doing this for many years. I've had coke bottle glasses and contacts for 21 years and I'm sick of it.

[JSixpack]

Anyone else used the TRSC clinic lately. I've been thinking about doing this for many years. I've had coke bottle glasses and contacts for 21 years and I'm sick of it.

But you could be sicker. Better consider the risks.

http://lasikdisaster.com/

Top ten reasons not have lasik:

http://www.lasikcomplications.com/TopTenReasons.htm

[Sheryl]

I too had that degree of myopia and got Lasik at TRSC, very glad I did. not very recent - almost 10 years ago.

People who don't live with vision of 20/500 etc don't I think realize just how much it affects one's quality of life. Thick coke bottle glasses are damned uncomfortbale. You have really lousy peripeheral vision, which creates danger driving. Serious problems engaging in sports. Contact lenses too at that prescription aren't like most folks' contacts, they are thicker and impossible to tolerate for even 12 hours let alone extended wear.

Not to mention having to grope for your glasses just to be able to get to the bathroom to put in the contact lenses..and being functionally blind if the glasses have fallen out of reach.

If I had had "normal" near sightedness like most people, i.e. been able to at least see enough without glasses/contacts to know I get find my way out of a burning building, and to be able to go swimming without them and still find the shore, I might have neen more hesitant about the small risks of surgery.

But I felt that my quality of life was sufficiently impeded that it was worth the risks. Of course, I minimalized those by chosing the very best, and paying more for it.. For sure, this is something one should not try to get a bargain rate on, and many of the "horror stories" result from people doing just that.

Which is not to say there aren't risks even with the very best surgeon. All invasive priocedures carry some element of risk. The doctors at TRSC will give you very clear, specific information about the risks as well as the extent of improevement you are likely to achieve, specific to your case and in quantifiable terms.

[raro]

I'm reading this thread with interest as I am also contemplating lasik for a while.

some questions:

1) TRSC is highly recommended in here. Any experiences with Rutnin? Any other recommendations? I'm happy to pay whatever it costs to get the best treatment, but if I can safe 10k for an equally good treatment elsewhere I would do this.

2) Could I do a long-haul flight ( smartasses, mind you....as a passenger...) 2 or 3 days after the operation?

3) I am quite difficult with medical procedures. The sheer mentioning of them causes me to faint and the vicinity of needles (even if safely stored in a box behind the doctor) can cause me to pass out. Valium is nice to have but what about Dormicum? Worked very well for my last blood test wheras those three Xanax taken beforehand still made me punch the nurse when she approached me...

4) What about swimming? How long until I can jump into the pool again?

[Sheryl]

Rutnin is definitely the best place for eye diseases. However IMO for LASIK, no place matches TRSC in experience and expertise. It's basically all they do and they have put enormous effort into fine-tuning their approach so as to get optimum results, and also to provide patients before hand with as accurate an understanding of likely outcome as they can.

They will not hesitate to say so if a particular patient is likely not to get a good result or if the risks outweigh the potential benefits.

All of your questions regarding aftercare, they will explain at the initial consultation (some may also already be explained on their website). Initial consultation is free and does not entail any invasive procures or injections or blood draws, so I suggest you start with that. After all, you might find out that it isn't worth it given your specific situation and vision in which case you need go no further.

One thing I can say for sure is that your vision will be erratic immediately afterwards, which is one argument in favor of doing 1 eye at a time. If you do both, it is possible you'll have some troubles due to trouble seeing for the first 2 weeks or so. Immediately afterwards the glasses/contacts you had before will no longer be right for you but you may also not yet have optimal vision and if you need to, one eye at a time is the way to go. in my case when i did it, I needed tio be able to work right afterwards. So I did 1 eye and then used 1 contact lens only (and had my glasses changed so that the operated side was an uncorrected lens)...and was thus able to resume work that involved hours on computer and reading documents by Day 2.

Another advantage to doing 1 eye at a time is that it can improve the chances of achieving monovision i.e. one eye fully corrected and 1 eye intentionally under-corrected, and this is a big help in avoiding/delaying the need for reading glasses. They can never predict with 100% certainty the final result post lasik, you may get to 20/20, you may fall a bit short, you may over-shoot and end up mildly over-corrected i.e. "far sighted" in that eye. Doing 1 eye and letting it stabilize means that when they do the second eye they'll know whether to aim for maximum correction or less than that. Monovision may not seem important now but it is a real blessing as you age. I turn 60 next year and still don't need reading glasses at all. Without mono-vision i'd still (about 15 years post-Lasik) be glasses- free for far vision but be needing reading glasses for all close vision.

In my case it also relieved anxiety a bit to know thatin a worse case scenario I was not risking my total eyesight.

[simon43]

I was short-sighted from 5 years old, wearing coke bottle glasses until the age of 20, (when my eyesight had stabilised at -12 opters ==> blind as a bat). Then started wearing hard contact lenses, (since soft lenses at that time could not be manufactured in the strength that I needed). Finally migrated to soft lenses a number of years later.

But without my contact lenses, I could only read a newspaper with the paper touching my nose.

After waiting a few years after LASIK became available, (to allow the doctors to get a bit of practice with their shiny new laser), I went for treatment in London at a top-notch place, one eye at a time, (since the doctor needed to 'burn off' quite a bit of eyeball in order to correct my vision.

After having the treatment, I have never had any problems or side-effects from LASIK.

>> This was one of the most important life-changing experiences in all my life <<

To put it bluntly - and Sheryl may agree with me - if you are extremely short-sighted, your life should take a very positive change when your eyesight is corrected by LASIK - the change is such a fundamental improvement for you and enabling you to lead a normal life without struggling to visualise people and objects that are just a blur without contact lenses or glasses

Simon