TELL me about LASIK!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > TELL me about LASIK!

Broose: Oct 28, 2007

PittTheElder posted:

In a nutshell, by a patient and not a doctor:

ICL - This is what it was called where I got it (Gimbel Eye Center, Calgary AB) - Implanted Corrective Lenses - seems to be called a few different things. For patients with really bad prescriptions or really thin corneas (me on both counts), there's not enough corneal thickness to do the eye reshaping. So instead an incision is made in the eye, and a physical corrective lens is implanted in the eye, basically just a permanent contact lens. Same as cataract surgery, but your natural lens stay in. It was expensive ($4400CAD/eye, the lenses are custom made for your eyes, ask me about the eye ultrasound I got), but really easy; surgery was 20 minutes per eye, my vision came back just as soon as the assorted eye drops they'd given me wore off. I was given permission to drive the following morning, and there was essentially no discomfort. I had laser iridotomies done about two weeks prior to the lens implantation - they use a laser to make holes to allow fluids to get where they need to once you have an extra lens in your eye - but it sounds like that may not be necessary now, lenses that allowed fluid flow were on the horizon.

I now have enough money saved up to fix my eyes and I really want to do it. I am scared shitless about it though since Murphy's Law has it out for me. I am curious though if ICLs have the same drawbacks as normal contact lenses (barring dry eye/discomfort issues)? For me everything gets darker and halos when I put contacts in and I've never had a contact lens that didn't feel like I had an eyelash in my eye. First time I was forced to night drive was a VERY scary experience. I'm worried I'm gonna spend thousands of dollars and still end up with halos and night vision problems, where with glasses I don't have any problems other than them being coke bottles.

I also seem to be on that borderline for lasik at -8.5-ish diopter so there is worries on that as well. I can't tell if what I'm reading online is just marketing shtick or real cause it seems like everyone has got different answers.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2017 20:59

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# ¿ Apr 30, 2024 20:24

Broose: Oct 28, 2007

That certainly puts me a little at ease. So you still get halos and you just ignore them, or are they gone? Also thank you for giving a price. I couldn't find one for icl's anywhere.

Though it seems like I'm the only person on the internet to have poorer night vision with contacts since I can't find mention of it anywhere.

# ¿ Apr 12, 2017 22:21

Broose: Oct 28, 2007

Car Hater posted:

Got my eyeballs lasered last night, nothing but light sensitivity and perfect vision this morning, A+++ would laser with Dr Haddad in Troy mi again

How bad were your eyeballs before the laser? I think this year is gonna be the time I do something about my eyes.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2018 13:20

Broose: Oct 28, 2007

How is your vision in the dark compared to when you had glasses? Is everything the same brightness? I've tried contacts but between usual discomforts of contacts, and dark places being somehow darker than when I had glasses, I couldn't handle it. Anything in shadow was darker than what it was when I had glasses on. I want to get lasik or some other eye correction but I'm super afraid of getting stuck with that weird side effect even after. I couldn't drive at night cause everything was pitch black aside from direct light sources. I could at least see past my own headlights with my glasses on. Google is no help for finding any answers.

# ¿ May 5, 2018 17:58

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > TELL me about LASIK!