Hello,
I posted on this board before with dry eye problems. Well, they have cleared up and I think it is due to my thyroid medication change. It seemed as soon as I added T3 to my meds, everything cleared up. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/round.gif Anyway, today I went in for a Lasik screening. He said my eyes were very healthy, thick cornea and my nearsightedness was not very bad,which made me a good candidate. I was wondering if anyone could tell me the pros and the cons as I try and make this decision. Thanks http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

If you type LASIK into your web browser and poke around a bit, you'll get tons of info. There is one board (I don't think we're allowed to post the url) specifically for people who have had problems with LASIK. If you read that I can almost guarantee you will forget the whole LASIK idea! I was considering it for myself not too long ago, because I knew so many people who had had it done and were soooooo happy. But if you're one of the ones who have problems afterwards, it won't matter how successful it is "most" of the time.

It's also my opinion that if you have suffered from dry eyes in the past, then you're not the best candidate for LASIK, regardless of how good your eyes feel now.

It's good that you're gathering information and asking opinions. I think LASIK is great *IF* you're one of the ones (most people) who have good outcomes. But no one can guarantee you that in advance. I guess it comes down to how much of a risk taker you are. I would LOVE to be free of glasses and contacts, but I just can't take that kind of a chance with my vision. And now that I'm having non-vision-related eye problems, I really understand what a nightmare eye troubles can be.

Good luck! Hope I wasn't too pessimistic :-) But people tend to gloss over the "cons" and focus only on how great LASIK is.

If you have had dry eye problems in the past, then you are really taking a big risk with Lasik surgery. I also have very bad dry eye problems. A while ago I asked my dr about getting Lasik surgery and he said that even if my dry eyes were to somehow go away, I would still NEVER be a candidate for Lasik because I have had dry eyes. If you have had dry eyes, then I would say that you are not a good candidate for the surgery.

DO NOT DO IT! I did and will always pay a heavy price. If you have had any dry eye problems in the past, even problems with contacts, you will be in the worse hell ever! It is debilating. You will be tortured forever! I do not care what your doctor says, I went to one of the "best" in the world, and was left with terrible dryness like you have never imagened. DO NOT DO IT.

Thanks all who replied http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
I will really think this through. I am going to read as much as I can about it. You all gave me so much to think about, and I feel that it is more likely now that I won't go through with it! Thanks again http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/round.gif

LASIK is not used my the military as when you receive a blow to the head it opens up the cornea. pkk is safer but less effective. wait 2 more years for some new technology

Originally posted by eye2eye:
LASIK is not used my the military as when you receive a blow to the head it opens up the cornea. pkk is safer but less effective. wait 2 more years for some new technology

Not true. LASIK patients are now allowed to serve in the armed forces. I believe it's been allowed very recently.

What is 'pkk'? I've never heard of it...

What new technology will there be two years from now?

I had IntraLasik done on the 9th of this month. I am two days post op and can see 20/25. This was the lasik done without the blade using the IntraLase to cut the flap. The flap cutting is where most of the complications occur. So far, I am amazed at my results. My diopter was a -10 in both eyes, so I was extremely nearsighted. They checked me for moisture before the surgery. Right now I'm putting artificial tears in my eyes every 15 mins until I go back to the doctor tommorow for my second post op appt. Anyway, just my two cents. I have wanted to be out of contact lenses for the longest time. I started with soft lenes when I was 14 then went to RGP's when I was 19 and wore those for 12 years. Not the same pair. I've probably only had about 4 pairs of RGP's since I switched to them. I hated that with the RGP's I couldn't be out in the wind, because one piece of dust up underneath hurt like heck. Anyway, I'm rambling. So far so good with the Lasik, very minor discomfort, and each day I wake up it's better. I have an eye chart taped up and i'm seeing almost 20/20 now. I think my left eye is 20/20.