Laser Surgery on Eyes
- Thread starter aqua0
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
I was operated in November 2000.
At first I had decided on Lazik, but about a week before doing the first eye, the surgeon called me and said that during a recent conference in the US he had learned that PRK is better suited in the long term, despite being older.
He was the specialist, so I went along with his proposition (I suppose his advice was for real, since Lazik is more expensive than PRK).
I had my right eye done on November, 15th, I stayed ten minutes in the operating room (which actually looks like a dentist's cabinet), and then was free to go home bandaged, with advice on taking up to 6 antipain tablets a day ("you will need them").
The pain was bearable with 4 tablets a day for two days, then it suddenly disappeared.
The bandage went away three days after the operation.
The second eye was done exactly one week after the first: the pain was a little longer, but this was due to cicatrization problems, which forced me to go on cortisone drops for a few months.
A friend of mine, who was operated with Lazik six weeks after me had less problems in the beginning, but she's now lost part of what she had gained and will probably be forced to wear glasses while driving at night.
As for diving: the surgeon told me I should wait until after Christmas for normal pool sessions, but a full four months before going out into open water, I honestly don't know whether this was due to my particular problems or if it's usual practice.
At first I had decided on Lazik, but about a week before doing the first eye, the surgeon called me and said that during a recent conference in the US he had learned that PRK is better suited in the long term, despite being older.
He was the specialist, so I went along with his proposition (I suppose his advice was for real, since Lazik is more expensive than PRK).
I had my right eye done on November, 15th, I stayed ten minutes in the operating room (which actually looks like a dentist's cabinet), and then was free to go home bandaged, with advice on taking up to 6 antipain tablets a day ("you will need them").
The pain was bearable with 4 tablets a day for two days, then it suddenly disappeared.
The bandage went away three days after the operation.
The second eye was done exactly one week after the first: the pain was a little longer, but this was due to cicatrization problems, which forced me to go on cortisone drops for a few months.
A friend of mine, who was operated with Lazik six weeks after me had less problems in the beginning, but she's now lost part of what she had gained and will probably be forced to wear glasses while driving at night.
As for diving: the surgeon told me I should wait until after Christmas for normal pool sessions, but a full four months before going out into open water, I honestly don't know whether this was due to my particular problems or if it's usual practice.
I also found this info on Lazik: http://www.freediver.net/freedivelist/faqstuff/faq_lasik.html
Ontario Diver
Guest
I had it done.. It was great. No pain, no complicaitons. I realy like not having to look for glasses/contacts without having glasses on 
My other had it as well and required a second session in one eye, no problem - cost covered by dr. She is very happy as well
Be very very careful with the dr that you choose. make sure that the dr. has a fair number of procedures under his/her belt, doesn't recycle blades for the microkerotome (sp?), and does the procedure themselves rather than having a technician do it for them. Religously take the eye drops for the first week and use a lot of artificial tears for the first couple of months.
Good Luck
My other had it as well and required a second session in one eye, no problem - cost covered by dr. She is very happy as well
Be very very careful with the dr that you choose. make sure that the dr. has a fair number of procedures under his/her belt, doesn't recycle blades for the microkerotome (sp?), and does the procedure themselves rather than having a technician do it for them. Religously take the eye drops for the first week and use a lot of artificial tears for the first couple of months.
Good Luck
this procedure, with great trepidation <sp>. I am very nervous about anyone "going at" my eyes. Are there any Drs on board here that can give us some unbiased opinions..(I know any of the medical profession on this board are unbiased) ????
Lloyd
Contributor
Butch,
I am a Dr. and will try to give you a little background information on LASIK. The former link was good. Also try www.surgicaleyes.org. For most people lasik works well, but you need a good surgeon. I see about a 10% complication rate from all Dr.s overall. You need to see a good Dr. who will give you unbiased feedback on your case. Each patient is different and you must be personally evaluated by your Dr. You do want to be careful about diving to soon afterwards since you can get an infection under the flap. Your surgeon must monitor your healing and set restrictions based on your eyes. The best advise is to remember it is not without risk and find a well experienced corneal specialist if you elect to have it done. Then follow their advise.
Lloyd
I am a Dr. and will try to give you a little background information on LASIK. The former link was good. Also try www.surgicaleyes.org. For most people lasik works well, but you need a good surgeon. I see about a 10% complication rate from all Dr.s overall. You need to see a good Dr. who will give you unbiased feedback on your case. Each patient is different and you must be personally evaluated by your Dr. You do want to be careful about diving to soon afterwards since you can get an infection under the flap. Your surgeon must monitor your healing and set restrictions based on your eyes. The best advise is to remember it is not without risk and find a well experienced corneal specialist if you elect to have it done. Then follow their advise.
Lloyd
earl
Registered
Joel, a PADI Instructor and the owner of 3 little devils, had lazik done several years ago. I would say he is 35 years old, and his doctor had him stay out of water for 6 weeks. I asked him for his opinion and he loves it.
In case anybody wants to talk to him, here is his contact info. Give him a call; he'd be happy to talk to anyone.
http://www.3littledevils.com/about.htm
-earl-
In case anybody wants to talk to him, here is his contact info. Give him a call; he'd be happy to talk to anyone.
http://www.3littledevils.com/about.htm
-earl-
I had lasik surgery done three weeks ago tomorrow, between my pool and OW sessions for my OW c-card. My doc's advice was two weeks before you open your eyes underwater and they put me on prophylactic antibiotic drops since I was doing my dives in a quarry.
My eyes were BAD before and now I have something like 20/25. Haven't had any problems except for dry eyes and some residual bruising from the retractors they use for the surgery.
The whole procedure, both eyes, took less than ten minutes and I drove myself to the follow-up appointment the next day.
I HIGHLY recommend the procedure, but as others have said, pick your surgeon carefully.
Good luck to you!
Rachel
My eyes were BAD before and now I have something like 20/25. Haven't had any problems except for dry eyes and some residual bruising from the retractors they use for the surgery.
The whole procedure, both eyes, took less than ten minutes and I drove myself to the follow-up appointment the next day.
I HIGHLY recommend the procedure, but as others have said, pick your surgeon carefully.
Good luck to you!
Rachel
Finally had my surgery on Friday October 4th and I am really glad that I had the surgery. My vision is still blurry, (some) and the dry eye is a little inconvenient. My surgeon was excellent. My wife is an RN and worked with a lot of this surgeon's patients and she said he was the best...I can't wait for the vision to clear 100%, and of course to start diving again. Although November up here gets a little chilly................
Ontario Diver
Guest
Hey Butch!
Congrats! Glad it all went OK. I can't regret mine at all!
Keep up with the eye drops. :crazyeyes
Congrats! Glad it all went OK. I can't regret mine at all!
Keep up with the eye drops. :crazyeyes
Similar threads
