Laser eye surgery questions (+ Milwaukee details)
April 8, 2013 10:30 AM Subscribe
I am seriously considering getting laser eye surgery for moderate case of nearsightedness. I am hoping the hive mind can help me get started in learning more, including practical details like what the recovery time is like, what typical costs are, and whether there are specific providers in the Milwaukee area that you can recommend.
I got laser eye surgery almost 2 years ago. Recovery time to functional is one day -- basically they send you home and tell you to sleep/use your eyes as minimally as possibly until the next morning, but they were unconcerned about me driving myself to my 24-hour follow-up appointment, and in fact it was fine. You have to use lots and lots of eye drops for a few weeks, and then some eye drops for a while -- dry eye is a long-term problem for a lot of people, but I was good after a few months and only eye drop once in a long while. I did go to regular follow-up appointments for 6 months.
I did have "haloing" at night, where lights get all big and fuzzy (you know if you look at street light at night with your glasses off? like that) for a while -- I was able to but a little uncomfortable with driving at night for a month or so, but that was down to completely minimal within 6 months or so.
The base price was $2500/eye for me, my insurance discounted it a little bit. That included all 6 months worth of follow-up appointments. That was a pretty standard price around me. I am not in Milwaukee.
Do it, it's awesome. Yaaay.
posted by brainmouse at 10:39 AM on April 8, 2013
I did have "haloing" at night, where lights get all big and fuzzy (you know if you look at street light at night with your glasses off? like that) for a while -- I was able to but a little uncomfortable with driving at night for a month or so, but that was down to completely minimal within 6 months or so.
The base price was $2500/eye for me, my insurance discounted it a little bit. That included all 6 months worth of follow-up appointments. That was a pretty standard price around me. I am not in Milwaukee.
Do it, it's awesome. Yaaay.
posted by brainmouse at 10:39 AM on April 8, 2013
Link, link, the wavefront suggestion is out of date at this point, I would imagine. As I understand it, there are still people who are not good candidates for LASIK, and who still get PRK.
I cannot help you with Milwaukee.
posted by oflinkey at 10:46 AM on April 8, 2013
I cannot help you with Milwaukee.
posted by oflinkey at 10:46 AM on April 8, 2013
I had laser eye surgery done 5 years ago. at the time, it cost $2,300 per eye (based on how poor my eyesight was then). the procedure was absolutely painless, and actually only took about 60 seconds. I had to wear sunglasses home that day (and was encouraged to wear them to bed in case I tried to scratch my eyes while sleeping) and use a few different kinds of eye drops. my vision was blurry that first day but I didn't have any pain or feel like there was sand in my eyes (a common side effect). the next day, my eyesight was perfect and I had no pain. I didn't really have the dry eye problem but I stuck to the eye drop regimen and went for follow up appointments 24 hours, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after my surgery. everything went according to plan and my eyesight is perfect. I haven't had any haloing or weird night vision problems.
I highly encourage you to do it. I did it mainly because I wasn't sure I would have health benefits once I graduated from university and I didn't love the idea of paying $300-500 every time I needed glasses. I didn't hate wearing glasses, but now that I don't have to wear them and I can buy cheap sunglasses off the rack without thinking twice, I'm even more glad I did it. it hasn't happened in a while, but I used to wake up in the middle of the night and grab for my (non-existent glasses), only to realize I could see my alarm clock/phone just fine. very cool.
posted by gursky at 10:48 AM on April 8, 2013
I highly encourage you to do it. I did it mainly because I wasn't sure I would have health benefits once I graduated from university and I didn't love the idea of paying $300-500 every time I needed glasses. I didn't hate wearing glasses, but now that I don't have to wear them and I can buy cheap sunglasses off the rack without thinking twice, I'm even more glad I did it. it hasn't happened in a while, but I used to wake up in the middle of the night and grab for my (non-existent glasses), only to realize I could see my alarm clock/phone just fine. very cool.
posted by gursky at 10:48 AM on April 8, 2013
My partner recently had LASIK done in Madison at Dean by Dr. Croasdale. It was about $2000/eye paid upfront (insurance didn't cover), which included all follow-ups and free "adjustments" (if needed) for a year. He also had had free consultations done at both Dean and UWHC prior to the surgery. Overnight, he went from something like 20/200 to 20/30, and at his most recent exam was better than 20/20. He's incredibly happy with the "new eyes".
Recovery time was more-or-less as others have described: I drove him home, then woke him up every two hours for drops until late in the evening, and the next day he was fine (although I insisted on driving him to the follow-up because he was entirely too distracted by the pretty world). I think the prescription drops went to every four hours during the second day, then maybe once on the third. He wore thick sunglasses for the first day and eye shields overnight for several days, and he used swim goggles while showering for maybe a week. He had halos for about a month but could comfortably drive at night after a couple of days, and hasn't needed saline drops since the first few days.
I'm totally envious.
posted by teremala at 12:13 PM on April 8, 2013
Recovery time was more-or-less as others have described: I drove him home, then woke him up every two hours for drops until late in the evening, and the next day he was fine (although I insisted on driving him to the follow-up because he was entirely too distracted by the pretty world). I think the prescription drops went to every four hours during the second day, then maybe once on the third. He wore thick sunglasses for the first day and eye shields overnight for several days, and he used swim goggles while showering for maybe a week. He had halos for about a month but could comfortably drive at night after a couple of days, and hasn't needed saline drops since the first few days.
I'm totally envious.
posted by teremala at 12:13 PM on April 8, 2013
I had LASIK done about six weeks ago at a TLC in Rockville, MD. All laser, meaning they don't use a knife to cut the flap - they use one laser for the flap, another for the actual procedure. Cost for procedure, all my follow ups, and any re-treatment that could be necessary was 5K - my insurance (Aetna) would have given me a discount to go to another center, so TLC just matched that discount - I paid $4250.
They gave me a Xanax at the center before the procedure, and told me to go home and sleep a few hours after. They gave me numbing drops which I woke up to use a couple times - it was more of a sandpapery feeling than real pain, but it was keeping me from sleeping.
I also drove myself to my followup the next day, but my eye doctor indicated that it wasn't entirely legal - my license says I must have corrective lenses, and until I amend that I could technically get a ticket for driving without my glasses.
I have said several times that the procedure itself was totally painless, but it was deeply, deeply weird. I had no pain at all the next day either. I do need sunglasses pretty much all the time during the day - even on cloudy days - my eyes are more sensitive to bright light.
My doctor said at one month that I'm at 20/25 using both eyes, because my right eye is 20/30 - when I go back in at the 3 month mark, we will decide what, if anything to do about it. Re-treatment of my right eye is totally an option (and will be free), and I think that's what I will do.
posted by ersatzkat at 12:50 PM on April 8, 2013
They gave me a Xanax at the center before the procedure, and told me to go home and sleep a few hours after. They gave me numbing drops which I woke up to use a couple times - it was more of a sandpapery feeling than real pain, but it was keeping me from sleeping.
I also drove myself to my followup the next day, but my eye doctor indicated that it wasn't entirely legal - my license says I must have corrective lenses, and until I amend that I could technically get a ticket for driving without my glasses.
I have said several times that the procedure itself was totally painless, but it was deeply, deeply weird. I had no pain at all the next day either. I do need sunglasses pretty much all the time during the day - even on cloudy days - my eyes are more sensitive to bright light.
My doctor said at one month that I'm at 20/25 using both eyes, because my right eye is 20/30 - when I go back in at the 3 month mark, we will decide what, if anything to do about it. Re-treatment of my right eye is totally an option (and will be free), and I think that's what I will do.
posted by ersatzkat at 12:50 PM on April 8, 2013
I had really bad nearsightedness with astigmatism and lasik changed my life. I had it done shortly after moving to Oregon and basically as soon as I could get the money together after paying off the last of my credit cards after college. It is no problem and was pain free for me. I got a valium at the place, got through the procedure (the light you stare for the aiming mechanics bothers you worse than the laser) and then had a two hour drive home (my wife drove me). I had a LOT of eye watering issues and forgot to take my next dose of tylenol with codiene they give you (only discomfort I had and it was more due to a bright sunny day than the actual surgery). So the only bad effects (and not too bad at that) is light sensitivity and glare issues (for me anyway). I never had halo issues (I had worse halos before the surgery-probably the astigmatism) or dry eyes.
I picked my surgeon by finding out who in Portland (the nearest big city) did it for the sport teams there. Those guys get paid big money for their athletic abilities and eyesight is very, very important to them so I figured who they used is the best in town. He was about 1500 more than the next guy but I had a tough surgery. He said I was one of the longest laser times he had ever done-almost 45 seconds per eye, my wife was about 10 seconds per eye and she had minor nearsightedness with no astigmatism. So, while I don't know who in Milwaukee, that is my recommendation for finding the best doctor in your area. They usually advertise when they do handle the sports teams as a selling point and that was the recommendation I had gotten from a previous ophthalmologist.
posted by bartonlong at 6:20 PM on April 8, 2013
I picked my surgeon by finding out who in Portland (the nearest big city) did it for the sport teams there. Those guys get paid big money for their athletic abilities and eyesight is very, very important to them so I figured who they used is the best in town. He was about 1500 more than the next guy but I had a tough surgery. He said I was one of the longest laser times he had ever done-almost 45 seconds per eye, my wife was about 10 seconds per eye and she had minor nearsightedness with no astigmatism. So, while I don't know who in Milwaukee, that is my recommendation for finding the best doctor in your area. They usually advertise when they do handle the sports teams as a selling point and that was the recommendation I had gotten from a previous ophthalmologist.
posted by bartonlong at 6:20 PM on April 8, 2013
Had it done and it did not work and apparenetly I had the easiest perscription...they said they could tweak it but no thanks. I do know that I would go with the laser and not the flap...Dr. Foote would be my choice if I did want to go back and is my recommendation for physician not that place on Bluemound, do a bit of research before you pick.
posted by irish01 at 7:51 PM on April 8, 2013
posted by irish01 at 7:51 PM on April 8, 2013
I had mine done by Dr. Stephen Dudley in Neenah - a little bit north but not too far. If I recall about $3,200 total. The procedure and the doctor highly recommended.
posted by yclipse at 8:09 PM on April 8, 2013
posted by yclipse at 8:09 PM on April 8, 2013
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posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:39 AM on April 8, 2013