Laser eye surgery

[jonf]

I'm Considering finally going for laser eye surgery. Have a consult at Focus next week. Wondering if anyone on here has had experience with them, or any other local places. Would you recommend? Anything I should expect that I may not have considered? Is there anything you wish you would have known?

[jonf]

I would specifically be interested in hearing from anyone who has done the PRK procedure, as I am leaning that way for the structural benefits. How much discomfort was there? How long until you were able to see reliably without glasses?

[dlb]

Ottawa Eye Institute at the General Hospital .... IMO ... the best place in town. LasikMD=sausage factory ....

[sliceleft]

My ophthalmologist just mentioned to me that if you ever need cataract surgery, it's harder for people who have had their corneas scarred previously. I bought some new glasses.

[DenisO]

I had PRK 6 years ago, but I had mine done in Toronto by an ophthalmologist working out of the Herzig Eye Institute. I remember being done in about 10 minutes, and looking over at the clock on the wall and actually being able to see it without my glasses.
I was told there would be more discomfort with PRK during recovery, and boy was there. The first 24 hours were fine, but after that I was in a lot of pain for another 24 hours. It was like sand-paper on my eyes, constantly burning and watering, even with popping T3s as often as I could.

At my one-week checkup, my vision was a lot better (20/40 or something like that?) and I was well on my way to perfect vision. It took another month before I got very close to 20/20. Afterwards, I would get big starbursts at night around lights, but now they're a lot smaller. I also had really dry eyes even before the surgery, so that likely made it worse.

If I had to do it again, I definitely would, because not having to wear glasses is amazing. Just make sure you do your research on the doctor beforehand, and make sure s/he has a lot of recommendations and has been doing them for awhile.

[atomic]

I had the intralase SBK done at Focus 3 or 4 years ago. Definitely worth the extra cost in my mind. The procedure was pretty quick, and the discomfort was minimal. They cut a flap with a laser, push it aside, do the laser correction, and place the original flap back on your cornea. If you are going to use Focus, pm me. I think that they have a slightly cheaper rate for anyone with a referral vs just walking in off of the street.

[rezadue]

I went to Focus eye center to have a free assesment. They said they would correct one eye for near and one for far. Then I went into the office where they talk price, and was shocked.

I was quoted $5000! And when I said their radio commercials said that it could be as cheap as three pairs of glasses, I was told "Well sir, some people require special glasses coasting upwards of $1500 a pair". total misleading advertising.... That, and the price turned me off, so I walked out.

[FIRM PUTTER]

Are you still thinking about it jonf ?

[FIRM PUTTER]

Ya, I went to Focus Eye as well, cost me $2400 for one eye, I've got monovision like one reply above, one eye corrected for reading. It's worth every penny, their shouldn't be a cost for having very good care of our eyes.

The attention to detail there is great, I'm not usually good with this, but wasn't scared at all with them and they give you all the details as you go along. I could see correctly about 30 seconds after the procedure was done. I can only encourage you to do it, you will be glad not to have to wear the glasses. And even though I have monovision now (one near and one far) it doesn't affect my depth perception in golf.

[FIRM PUTTER]

Ya, I went to Focus Eye as well, cost me $2400 for one eye, I've got monovision like one reply above, one eye corrected for reading. It's worth every penny, their shouldn't be a cost for having very good care of our eyes.

The attention to detail there is great, I'm not usually good with this, but wasn't scared at all with them and they give you all the details as you go along. I could see correctly about 30 seconds after the procedure was done. I can only encourage you to do it, you will be glad not to have to wear the glasses. And even though I have monovision now (one near and one far) it doesn't affect my depth perception in golf.

Ooopss sorry the price was $2700 for one eye.

[Break68]

Ottawa Eye Institute at the General Hospital .... IMO ... the best place in town. LasikMD=sausage factory ....

I totally recommend you get a referral from your Ophthalmologist to go see one of the Eye Surgeons at the Ottawa Eye Institute, I have an eye disease and have had both my surgeries done at the Ottawa Eye Institute at the General Hospital. I would never let any surgeon at one of these places touch my eyes. Granted my surgery was only being done by 3 surgeons in the entire country.
Having said this my sister had laser eye surgery in Vancouver and she was very happy with the results.
Be careful, make sure you check out the doctor that is going to do the surgery.

[dlb]

I totally recommend you get a referral from your Ophthalmologist to go see one of the Eye Surgeons at the Ottawa Eye Institute, I have an eye disease and have had both my surgeries done at the Ottawa Eye Institute at the General Hospital. I would never let any surgeon at one of these places touch my eyes. Granted my surgery was only being done by 3 surgeons in the entire country.
Having said this my sister had laser eye surgery in Vancouver and she was very happy with the results.
Be careful, make sure you check out the doctor that is going to do the surgery.

Yes Sir .... I had an infection in my eye that LasikMD never caught !!! Total sausage factory .... give me your cheque and move on in. I had to wait 3 weeks for the infection to clear up .... its been 9yrs now and I'm 54 and still don't need glasses. The Ottawa Eye Institute is a pioneer in Laser Surgery and has ALL the up to date equipment. Very thorough and true pros with highly experienced surgeons .....

[DenisO]

My sister is an Ophthalmologist and she also highly recommended not to go to LasikMD or Focus Eye Center, and to go to the Ottawa Eye Institute as well, just FYI.
From her experience, there's been too large of a number of patients getting their eyes 'fixed' due to screw ups at those places.

[sharkshooter]

My wife also had hers done at the Ottawa Eye Institute several years ago with excellent results.

If you are a public servant, the PSHCP will soon include a $1,000 lifetime benefit for laser eye surgery...

Effective October 1, 2014, benefit enhancements will be introduced:

• Expanding vision care benefit to include reimbursement for laser eye surgery with a lifetime maximum benefit of $1,000;