9 Years Out From LASIK

I recently hit the 9 year mark post-LASIK, and thought I'd share my personal experience for the benefit of others considering the procedure (or similar ones).  I am not a physician, optometrist or any other type of medical professional, and what I've written here should not be construed as medical advice.

I was 16 when I first got glasses, though I probably needed them before that.  I was a sophomore in high school and I got to the point that the chalkboard was literally a blur.  If you look at my school picture from that year, you see a kid who doesn't seem quite focused on the camera.  I remember having eye exams when I was little (look at the 3-D FLY!), but hadn't been in several years.  So, I had an exam, found out I had mild myopia, and got some contacts.

I wore contacts and glasses off and on for years, with only a minor change in my prescription. I changed frames every few years, and used Accuvue lenses. In the early 2000's I became interested in what was happening with the various "permanent" corrective procedures, and started doing research on them.

My optometrist is affiliated with TLC, so I had the procedure done at the TLC facility in Indianapolis. It was completed very quickly. Cut a flap in each cornea, fold it back, then the automated laser did its thing.  Flap back in place, on to the next eye.  No pain, just a little fear that I would blink or move and mess things up. The doctor assured me the computer guiding the laser would automatically stop if either happened, and that it actually tracks along with any small movement to make sure it does exactly what it is programmed to do.

I had it done on a Friday afternoon, and was back at work on Monday.  Immediately after the procedure, my eyes were covered with protective bandages and they gave me some goggles to sleep in.  It's critical not to jar things during the initial few days of healing, and of course you must be very careful for weeks afterward, too.

When I removed the protection, I could already notice a significant difference.  It was amazing.  I could read a digital clock across the room, read signs along the road, see birds in the sky - all without glasses or contacts.  Wow!

I had the procedure done primarily because I was just sick of messing with contacts and didn't want to wear glasses for the rest of my life.  As a secondary benefit, I calculated the anticipated cost savings of having the procedure vs. purchasing glasses and contacts, and it was about a nine to ten year payback - so I'm there.

Today, I think we see just as many people wearing glasses as ever.  At least, people in their 20's and beyond - teenagers seem to still prefer contacts.  The recent move back to heavier, more "intellectual" frames has been fun to watch.  I suppose we will see the trend go back to lighter, smaller frames and lenses again at some point in the next few years.

Some people who have undergone the LASIK procedure require additional adjustments over time to fine-tune their vision.  I've been lucky in that regard - my distance vision has remained constant at 20/15 or so for almost 10 years now.

One side effect of the procedure that I didn't fully contemplate: dryness. For the past few years, I've used preservative free drops a few times a day, pretty much year-round to help with that.  My understanding is that roughly 30% of people who have LASIK experience dryness to some degree. I recently started taking a vitamin supplement to help with dryness, and after a month it seems to be working pretty well. Dry eye is definitely something to be aware of and ask about if you thinking about LASIK.

Many people are surprised that I now need reading glasses.  "Didn't you have LASIK? Why do you need reading glasses?"  As it was explained to me beforehand, LASIK reshapes the cornea.  It does not have anything to do with the lens inside your eye, the gradual hardening of which is responsible for presbyopia (i.e. the need for correction up close).  The doctor who performed my procedure gave me the option of just doing one eye.  This would enable me to avoid reading glasses longer, because my brain would adapt to using input from one eye for distance, and the other for up close work like reading.

Today, there is much more data available on the various procedures and their long-term outcomes than I had back in 2005.  If you are considering corrective surgery, do your homework.  Check the stats for various providers, and don't just focus on the lowest cost.  You want someone with a good reputation, who has done thousands of successful procedures, and has been doing it for years.