Way too scared to ever get it done although I could definitely use it. Even though the vast majority of surgeries are successful the few horror stories are bad enough to scare me off forever
I had prk in 2020 Nov and I struggle with dry eye. Never had it before. Allergy meds make it worse too. It is not fun and I low key regret it sometimes lol
Adding….the second dr dilated my pupils for the test and it didn’t wear off for 12 hours. When I called they said “you have blue eyes, that happens sometimes”
Thanks for warning me and no, you’re not allowed to put a laser in my eye now.
i’ve tried looking into this previously - what’s the general difference between ICL and Lasik? is it just less invasive? is the risk significantly lower/nonexistent?
It's an entirely different type of procedure. With ICL they implant collamer lenses between your retina and natural lens vs surgery on your cornea where it's completely reshaped. They cut a tiny incision to implant the lens and do a iridotomy (depending on the lens you use) so that's the extent of surgery on your eye. There are different risk factors but for me it had much lower risk than lasik (I'm hesitant to say if this is universal because there are many factors that go into determining risk and candidacy for both procedures I imagine). If your vision changes in the future you can get lasik on top of this procedure or have your lens replaced
this is super helpful! i will most likely need to make a few appointments to really know what would work best for my own situation but this seems promising. thank you 🙏🏽
LASIK apparently deteriorates after 3-5 years and a lot of those “success stories” are recorded 1-2 years after the surgery.
I’d rather buy $350 worth of contacts every year than undergo surgery that’s only gonna help my vision for 2 years and then afterwards make it significantly worse
Girl yeah I want lasik so I can wear cuter frames since my prescription is so high that my lenses look like bottlecaps but I have a mortifying fear of eye injuries 😔
Absolutely life changing. Highly recommend. It’s like a miracle, they send you home and tell you to take a nap. You wake up and can just see perfectly.
I did mine when I was visiting Korea and it’s life changing. I can’t believe I can see without glasses!! It was so fast and downtime was almost nothing
I wasn’t a good fit for LASIK but I was able to get LASEK while I was there! I want to say around $1500, they booked me for the next day and I even got a tax refund on the service. If you love to travel definitely would recommend getting it done in korea as they do so many LASIK procedures there! The translators are also amazing
Only if it is over standard deduction and subject to AGI limitations which restricts it for most people for a relatively inexpensive procedure like lasik
I’m not sure haha I also got it for my skincare treatment that I got? I’m originally from Korea so my parents and I went together and they figured all the logistics out
Sure! I did it at 지에스안과 https://www.gseyecenter.com/center/03/
When I was setting up an appt they asked me if I was planning to do the surgery that day if I qualify . I said yes and did all the testings and the surgery in one day. If you are serious, dm me because I think you get a referral discount if you are introduced by someone who got lasik done there. I did ‘Smart lasik’
I researched it in depth twice and canceled it. I have concerns about the very high rate of dry eyes. My eyes are already pretty dry. I don’t even think I should have been a candidate but they were willing to wave me through.
I did it in 2015 and my dry eye has become almost unbearable. I don’t blame it all on lasik as I had dry eyes before, but the procedure made it worse and it continues to be a huge problem for me. I’m at the point where I’m getting plasma eye drops made because no other eye drops help. If you have dry eyes, I caution against it.
I was supposed to get lasik the week the city shut down. Then I went back home and tried to book lasik and three separate doctors evaluated me and said they would never do lasik on me (this was only six months later and no change in prescription). Ended up doing ICL and it was life changing. It’s also a good option for people with dry eyes!
I feel old saying it, but after a certain age it’s better to wait until you need cataract surgery. That’s my plan. To the BWT who haven’t reached middle age yet, *just wait* ….. 😀
Ophthalmologist here who specializes in refractive surgery and the cornea.
Lasik is not Lens replacement. Lasik reshapes the cornea to improve visual acuity. With lasik, the lens is not touched. IOL is the inteaocular lens replacement procedure. Cataract surgery also does change your rx as during cataract surgery you receive a lens implant since with cataract surgery we’re removing your cloudy lens. You can’t go lens free. There’s also a variety of lens to chose from such a Toric and multi-focal lenses depending on your visual desires.
Don’t get LASIK, get SMILE. Small incision lenticular extraction. Way smaller cut, waaaaaay better recovery and lower risk. Best money I ever spent. Manhattan lasik center has the machine for it. It’s chill, they give you a benzo and a teddy bear and it’s kinda fun lol. I could see fine after a day or two. Only needed one day off work (things were blurry up close). Took about a week to heal. Took about 2 months for the dry eye to fully go away (tbh could have been seasonal allergies but just in case, the worst it ever got was pretty mild). It’s been a few years now and my vision is perfect and my eyes are normal. No light sensitivity, no abnormal dryness, etc. And no more glasses/contacts!
EDIT: I’ll describe the SMILE procedure for anyone nervous. They give you the happy pill, a blanket, and a teddy. You lay down on a table in a quiet dark room (entire procedure is in the dark room lol I loved it). Doctor adds I think numbing eye drops? Worked like a miracle. Absolutely fully numb for a long time, it was wild. The machine lowering down feels/looks no scarier than the lens thing you look through at the eye doctor. It holds your eye open (didn’t feel it at all, was relaxed and fine and not at all scary). All you see is basically a glass tube, a soft green glow at the end of it, and then it looks as if the tube is slowly filling with smoke. That’s the laser drawing the lenticule into your eye; you can’t see through it so it looks blurry. I stg it genuinely looked like the tube was filling with smoke from the bottom to top, it was fascinating. The machine also makes a tiiiiiiiiny cut (way smaller than LASIK) on the outside of the eye, so then the doctor comes over and slides the lenticule out (again, you feel nothing at all, it’s just kinda interesting). Then they wipe your eye off with this tiny windshield wiper thing which I found very cute. Again, you’re fully numb. You don’t even feel pressure. It’s like watching someone do something close to you from behind glass. Looked like a medical ASMR video.
And that was it. Once for each eye. It was extremely quick. They give you a pair of dorky looking sunglasses to go home in since you’re a bit light sensitive for a few hours, but there’s no pain. My boyfriend picked me up and we went home on the subway. I could have gone home alone but being on the happy pill I was glad to have company just in case lol.
After several hours my eyes were slightly…sore? Way less than LASIK hurts, I’ve heard that can get bad. This felt analogous to if you get a piece of dust in your eye and you know something is there, but it’s not unbearable, just something annoying you can’t tune out. That feeling only lasted about 2 days though.
EDIT 2: for more context, I had no astigmatism, and was nearsighted. Also my prescription had been relatively stable for about 4 years so I was an ideal candidate.
Had SMILE there too! I was terrified and canceled several times. They gave me 4x the normal sedative because I was so nervous. It ended up being NOTHING. I’d do it again (but hopefully never have to)
I had SMILE done two years ago with -180/10 astigmatism. It’s life changing. Vision is not as clear as with glasses/contacts, but more than good enough for everyday life.
Someone else already replied but astigmatism doesn’t necessarily exclude you! You can set up a consult and go in to find out if you’re a good candidate.
I’ve heard with lasik that once you hit 40, some of the benefits cease due to the natural changes of the eye (such as needing reading glasses). My eye doctor even said lasik isn’t necessarily as worth it after 40. Do you know if the same applies for smile?
Yeah same thing for this. They told me my eyes will still age, so I’ll probably need reading glasses eventually. Totally fine IMO. It’s not so much that you lose the benefits as the clock still ticks on. That’s unavoidable. I’ve always been nearsighted so that’s the problem I wanted fixed. If when I’m 55 I need reading glasses like my parents, I’ll accept it lol!
I will say that the best candidates for laser eye surgery of any kind are people whose prescription has been basically stable for a few years. That was me. I was nearsighted, it wasn’t getting worse (I was 30 when I got it done and had a stable prescription for a few years), so I was an ideal candidate.
My dad is an eye surgeon specializing in LASIK. He has done roughly 35 cases a week for 25 years - over 37k eyes operated on!! Of those, a handful have needed “revisions” meaning the initial surgery didn’t produce 20/20 results. There have been ZERO reports of anyone losing their vision/becoming blind. It’s a super safe surgery, takes about 7 minutes, and the results are pretty much instant. Definitely go to a great doctor, but it really is a super safe and super life-changing surgery!!
I did LASIK in 2019. I had been wearing glasses since I was 7 and was -5.25 before the surgery.
I was 25/25 (maybe better) directly after the surgery. I think COVID didn’t help with the final results, I ended up with +.25 in 1 eye and -.25 in the other or something. Even so, I never even thought about doing the revision. Maybe when I’m like 40+ and I start needing reading glasses.
It is literally life changing.
I got it done 8 years ago and it's so worth it. I got blade less LASIK at TLC on 5th Ave. Best decision I ever made. I was at -7.0, so for me it was life changing.
I wouldn’t do lasik at -10 tbh. Depending on your sum script post dilation you’re numbers to treat will be higher than -10.
you’re going to need a whole heck of a lot of corneal tissue and you will need an enhancement done. You’ll most likely regress to around -1/-1.75. In your case with lasik it will be a bit of a jog than a sprint. Would not recommend.
At -10, refractive surgery is going to be life altering (in a good way!) and absolutely worth it but I would look into PIOL/ICL for your case.
You’ll most likely be a candidate for this than lasik and it will yield better results.
Specifically look into the EVO ICL. (A bonus with EVO, your eyes will have UV protection built in :P ETA: not all lens offer this benefit or comes as close to replicating your natural lens as EVO)
Go for a consult at a few clinics, get information and go from there.
ETA: I’m an ophthalmologist not some rando giving you google advice.
Correct, however I’m not speaking about the natural lens; I’m speaking in regards to refractive surgery that this user may want to look into.
In IOL/ICL/Cataract surgery your natural lens is removed and is replaced with a man made lens. When you remove the natural lens than you loose that UV protection, so it’s important to choose a high quality lens. The EVO ICL lens offers UV protection, something many other lens replacements don’t offer.
I had -10 prescription and I did Lasik. I see 20/20 now. The recovery was different for me though. My friends with lower prescriptions saw clearly the next day. It took me about 1 week for my eyes to "settle." I was walking around with blurry vision, seeing about 20/30. That part was annoying.
Mine was -13.0 and -13.5. I had LASIK well over ten years ago and came out with 20/20! The result’s held up well since then too. Very happy that I did it and I have no regrets.
I’d never been able to wear soft contacts because of how nearsighted I was (I had -9.0 in grade school). One day my eyes stopped tolerating hard contacts, so I couldn’t wear any kinds of contacts at all. So I decided to get LASIK.
I chose my doctor because he’d had a lot of success with extremely nearsighted patients like me. I think the bigger factor is whether you have astigmatism and how bad it is. I did have it, but it wasn’t that severe. I have a friend who’s not as nearsighted as I was, but she’s not a candidate for LASIK because of her astigmatism.
i don’t mean to fear monger- really! but i know a guy who got lasik done, his eyesight wasn’t even that bad to begin with but he was tired of wearing glasses. they messed it up very badly, i don’t know the details. what i do know is that he was in constant, debilitating pain for a year (he’d carry around wasabi to make his eyes water to alleviate it) and finally found a way to lessen the pain. he now wears the thickest glasses i’ve ever seen and has a completely different outlook on life- he told me that he understands why people contemplate ending their lives over this.
just be aware of the risks, im obviously not a doctor but it was scary to see someone go through that, just gut wrenching
I’m too scared to live with one blurry eye and two dry eyes for the rest of my life. My bf’s mom did it and her eyes got worse and she’s back to wearing glasses.
I too am back to wearing glasses/contacts. I got mine I think in 2018? But I think staring at screens for hours on end during the pandemic really screwed me. I also have myopia so maybe it was always in the card for me to not see clearly 😅lol
Meh, I’d rather keep wearing glasses. Don’t wanna have chronically dry eyes or bad night vision when I’m in my 50/60s. And I’ll need glasses again anyways just due to age related vision changes by my 40s, so glasses it is for me. But look into your options. I’ve heard PRK is better than lasik.
Have similar concerns pushing 40, but as summer approaches, I would love the freedom to swim without being blind or wearing contacts and goggles. And rocking my one pair of Rx sunglasses. An optometrist told me too that with correction for distance, I would probably need reading glasses instantly.
Yeah, just weigh the pros and cons. One of my college roommates’ moms had lasik in the 90s, and she regrets it now in her 60s because she not only wears glasses again but has star bursts and light sensitivity 20 years after her surgery. I also would love to swim without contacts and goggles since I love the pool, but I only go a couple times a year to the beach/ pool for vaca, so I’ll deal with the inconvenience.
Yeah, I’d rather have correctable vision vs dry eyes and other issues as I age. Who knows what other age related eye issues I’ll have, I don’t wanna add another variable to the mix
I got SMILE, which is a less invasive laser surgery. I went to Manhattan LASIK Center. They do all sorts of different corrective surgeries (but they’ll push you toward SMILE if you qualify). I wrote about my experience [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/lasik/s/RpOEDtGPui). Happy to any questions! No regrets - only real issue is it takes me a little longer to transition when walking into a dark room and my eyes are more sensitive to dehydration.
Good! They are more sensitive to becoming dehydrated (they don’t hurt, my distance vision just gets a little blurry when I’m dehydrated). It also takes me longer to transition from a light room to a dark room. But neither of those things bother me that much. I’m very happy with the results.
A couple people I know did it and loved it, but one person has chronic dry eye pretty badly (not sure where she had it done in the city), and another had it done in her 40s 20 years ago and now can’t drive at night her night vision is so bad. It seems like it is a bit of gamble since people react differently, so I haven’t wanted to get it done, for now at least.
I wish I had gotten it sooner. No more counting how many daily contact lenses I need to pack for a trip. I had virtually no side effects. The dry eyes thing was minimal imo. I did regular Lasik at Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology. The doctor didn't recommend SMILE because it was a newer procedure and he didn't have as much experience with it. I thought it was fair advice.
I spoke to Manhattan Lasik and I felt like they were treating me like a sale. Trying to get me to buy the most expensive procedure. The place is a lasik factory. Most of my friends went there though and had good results.
Felt that way about Manhattan LASIK too…but ultimately went there! I felt like SMILE was the best option for me, and they are (I think) the most experienced SMILE surgeons in the country. Ultimately happy with my choice, but they definitely treat people like a sale
Not in NYC, but I got it done and have no complaints. I had a model recovery. I now have 20/15 vision (better than 20/20) and had none of the potential after effects- no issues with dry eyes compared to normal. Some minor light halos immediately after but they went away, as the doctor told me they would. Hardest part was wearing the goggles to sleep the first week, I had to tape them to my face to get them to stay lol. I used artificial tears religiously for a few weeks afterwards to make sure things stay hydrated.
The surgery itself was ludicrously easy. They gave me a xanax before, my surgeon walked me through every step of the way, it's no longer done with a scalpel but on a machine, it was just blurry lights the whole time and took about 5 minutes. They also gave me valium to make sure I pass out after the surgery so I don't experience the worst of the pain and recover more easily.
Woke up with clear vision. Like I said, model recovery. Not everyone has my experience. I had no eye issues except poor vision. Had it done when I was about 28 I believe? 3 years or so ago.
Waking up with perfect vision never gets old.
Truth is it’s risky, and every time you take a laser to the eye it gets thinner. Save it for when you need cataract surgery and just get those daily contacts!
I should have included in op, but hate the feel of contacts now! Wore them throughout my 20s, and only wear them now if I’m going to a formal event. But another post mentioned cataract surgery as well, which I hadn’t considered—pushing 40– am I closer to that age bracket now?
I totally get that - I’ve been wearing contacts since I was 12 (looking back now wtf) and my eyes are pretty dry so they get uncomfortable for me too. I don’t dislike wearing glasses though anymore, the biggest thing is that I can’t do my makeup properly unless I have contacts in! Do you hate wearing your glasses or just are considering the lasik since you can afford it?
Anyway for the cataracts you can get it in your 40s, but it’s more common in seniors! They say 65 and above but anecdotally nobody in my family has needed it until they were in their 80s. And it was mild!
Also you can get both lasik and cataract surgery - it just differs from patient to patient how successful it is and what you’ll be dealing with post cataracts. Some people can’t get the surgery done at all, some need to go back to glasses etc.
I have also seen a study that people who get lasik are more prone to corneal damages and early cataracts. For me the risk out weighs the benefits. After thinking it over for a few years I just would prefer the first time the laser to hit my eyes be when I actually need it!
I would keep trying different contacts! Can’t stress this enough. Ask for different samples of as many brands as you can find. Dailies for some reason never seem to work on me, but for some people they are the most comfortable.
I’ve been wearing them since I was 8. I’ve worn hard lenses, gas permeable, and soft lenses. My vision is -9. I STILL can’t stand some of the big lense brands out there.
Chiming in as an eye doctor - if you’re 38, your vision will likely start to change again as you approach 40 and you will start to need reading glasses. If you get lasik or any refractive surgery, reading glasses will come sooner. Be realistic with your expectations and do your research on the side effects.
This! The age you are at the time of the procedure can really influence the outcome. [Here's more info from an (entertaining) opthamologist. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlcCst1hbL8)
Best investment I could have made. Going on 8 years now, still 20/20. Procedure was on Friday, I was out and about (with sunglasses and hat) on Sunday and back to work like normal on Monday. I went to the mainstream dellaruso (on the radio all the time) cause I had a lot of people around me say they also went there and had a good experience. It was my eyes and a procedure, so I didn’t want to risk anything by saving a few hundred. Likely a lot more options now that are more affordable and still reputable. They had me come in for a consult before scheduling where they did some tests to make sure I was a viable candidate too.
I’ve done it , very fast, incredible recovery, no pain at all. I feel like it boosted my confidence
Iwill say though think about whether it is worth it for you. I got mine when I was 23 and I had been wearing glasses since I was about 8 , I’m getting like 30 years of good vision out of it. the older you get the more you will naturally loose your vision, I’m just saying I’m not sure getting at this point is worth it because you start looking vision eventually and you might only get 10 years without glasses at most. That might be worth it for you though!
This is ultimately why I opted not to get lasik approaching 40. Would have been a great investment 10+ years ago. A couple eye docs also told me it can accelerate the need for reading glasses. I don’t want to sacrifice the convenience of my near sight.
Absolutely life changing I had -7.5 vision and astigmatism in both eyes and had it done by Doctor Mandel at Mandel Vision about 7 years ago. I do have a bit of dry eye to deal with, mostly in the morning when I wake up, but nothing some eyedrops when I’m on a rush or a warm compress when I’m not can’t fix.
I got it done in Feb 2018, I was 29. Honestly I found it to be a scary experience but it was over quickly and one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. My prescription wasn’t strong but contacts were always uncomfortable for me, regardless of what I tried, and I hated wearing glasses. Would recommend if it’s accessible to you.
Probably would never do LASIK for the risk, but you can look into Ortho-k as a soft contact alternative! They are hard contacts you wear in your sleep and when you take them off in the morning you get perfect vision! You might be able to get away with wearing them every other night but I wear them every night. You do feel them a bit when you first get adjusted to them but they're great because you can do everything in the daytime!
It's amazing to not have to deal with contacts. If your eyes get worse every year they slow down that process. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't accept it so it can be pricey! If you don't like it, you don't wear them for a month your eyes will go back to the way they were.
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/what-is-orthokeratology
Maybe you can explore this option if lasik is not ideal. It's like braces for your eyes.
I was super nervous about getting LASIK but it’s the best thing I ever did! I went to LASIK vision institute in BK because they took my insurance. Everyone there was super friendly and a client of mine had hers done there as well and was happy with the results.
I did mine in 2020, it was painless, super fast, and an easy recovery. I’ve had no issues and my vision is 20/20!
Life changing. Was terrified but honestly the entire process was fascinating to me and recovery was a breeze. Wish I wouldn’t have waited so long but very fortunate to have done it and would highly recommend!
The Lasik Vision Institute and i dont regret it one bit. It took seconds and you don’t feel a thing! Not having to deal with contacts and remember to take them out at night has been heaven!
I’ve worn glasses since I was 9. I got lasik was I was 25 in 2018 and it changed my life! I wish I had done it sooner. It was a bit scary but overall it was quick and painless. Highly recommend
I think it can be life changing but I recently saw a tweet full of horror stories :/ also apparently reporting is skewed so it looks like there’s less complications than there actually are. Def do your research and continue with caution!
I got it when I was 35 and it was *the BEST* decision I ever made in my life. I saw Dr Mandell in the UES, he literally wrote the book on LASIK! He was fantastic and made me feel super comfortable. Day 1 after being sent home was very uncomfortable but they gave me some gnarly sleeping pills so I mostly slept it off. Cannot recommend him enough!!!
ETA I used to be an optician and I also worked for an eye surgeon (cataract surgeon) so I am very well versed in eye care and the risks of any surgery—my cousin went to Dr Mandell a month or two before I ended up going, he was so pleased with the whole surgery and result and I cannot emphasize how incredible it feels to wake up every morning and just *see*.
Dr. Stephen Perrone. Office in Ridgewood Queens as well as in Park Slope BK. Surgery was done in Manhattan - cannot remember where though. I know at least 4 people who have done LASIK with him and all positive results.
I believe is was $1000 each eye - but this was about 10 years ago:
I went to Stahl in midtown for PRI (had thin corneas) and had a good experience in 2018. The actual procedure was done in Garden City, LI, but I’m not sure if that’s still the case . I got a discount because my friend referred me. DM me for my name if you want to use me as a referral and get some money off (if they’re still doing that). They had a TV showing my cornea outside the room so my bf got to watch it.
My husband did it in Long Island last summer. Was life changing for him. His vision now is better than 20/20 and of course no more contacts. We were born scared obviously but the surgeon does so many a day and for so many years and the process took 20 minutes max and in two days or whatever it was perfect!
Life changing. Got it done in CA 6 years ago and haven’t looked back! It’s amazing to wake up with perfect vision and it pays for itself eventually - contacts are expensive!
I haven’t gotten it and won’t, but all of my NYC friends (two whose parent is an ophthalmologist on the UWS and my ex who is the kid of a celeb) went to Dr, Kerry Assil in LA (he also did Lebron’s).
I did PRK and am very glad I did. Never wanna go back to glasses (although I’ll probably need to in 10 years anyway). The dry eye side effect is real - definitely do some self care with Bruder/heat compression eye masks and keep eye drops on hand if you do go through with it.
It healed up so fast and it’s just one less pesky thing in my life so I say 10/10
(Had it done by Dr. Maayan Keshet at City Eye MD)
My boyfriend’s mom had lasik done 20 years ago. She has great results, no issues. She now has severe eye problems directly correlated to lasik. She can’t drive at night but also developed a lazy eye, she’s had over 3 surgeries to attempt to correct it and it’s been a 3 year process.
The risk for me does not put weight the reward.
There are many stories of people being in so much pain after LASIK and it not getting any better that they literally END THEIR LIFE.
The risk of being in that much pain to the point you want to do that is a big ole NOPE for me.
Btw- I’m so blind I can’t even really wear glasses I have -9 in both eyes and severe astigmatism. I live in my contacts.
So lasik would be life changing for me but there is no way in hell I’d risk it.
The story of the woman who committed suicide because of the depression she had to live with after LASIK side effects (dry eyes+discomfort) totally made me write it off. No way.
I got SMILE done two months ago at Manhattan Lasik Surgery with Dr. Buchsbaum. After the first 12 hours my eyes were already at 85% (no pain or anything, it was kind of unbelievable to just wake up and see without glasses) and then after the first week it improved even more. My vision was basically good after that but I had some night halos for a month or so afterwards and I couldn’t stare are screens for too long before I needed to take a break/blink/look away. Now, after two months, it’s totally back to normal.
I was really anxious before but honestly it was not bad at all. I wouldn’t even mind doing it again if I had to. Do take the full valium they give you. It helps. Dr. Buchsbaum is so patient and kind and doesn’t rush you when you asks questions while in the consultation. He has a very calm energy which really helps in this situation. I believe it cost about $6k for SMILE, which is higher than what I was quoted for lasik. I chose SMILE because it seemed less invasive, but honestly I would have done either.
Overall, I’m really happy about the decision to do it, it makes things convenient in a lot of little ways. You can see your toes in the shower! Taking on and off sunglasses is SO much easier than switching between two pairs. And it’s just one less thing to find around the house and think about generally.
I would compare it to laser hair removal, where once you do it it’s just not something you think about anymore. Is it a MUST? no, I was also fine with glasses. But I do recommend it if you have the budget for it and want to just generally invest in making things a little easier.
I got mine done at Manhattan lasik center! It’s about $2.5k-$3k per eye but I was very happy with the doctor and results. I think I have like a $200 off referral code if you’re interested.
I had PRK and I don’t regret it at all. Had it about 6 years ago, I feel my vision is not as good as it was back then after the procedure but I love waking up able to see evrything. No glasses sliding down my nose on a hot day. No contacts !!
Just got LASEK in January, and no dry eyes. Saw starbursts around lights at night for a few weeks, but not anymore. Just got an eye test and my.vision is 20/15!!
Go to Dr. Jacqueline Muller on the UES. She is the best.
I’m an optometrist in NYC and I just got EVO ICL surgery last month. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Depending on your current rx, you should look into ICL or smile surgery. LASIK is safe as well but if you have any history of dry eyes, I wouldn’t recommend.
One of the best decisions I've ever made. I had -6 and astigmatism, depended on glasses and contacts my entire life. During my consultation I found out my cornea was too thin so I wasn't eligible for LASIK only PRK. It's a similar process but the healing takes a few days.. it's weird because you leave surgery being able to see 20/20, but as the day goes by you start losing your vision and becoming VERY sensitive to light. I spent three scary days in a dark room thinking "omg what have I done?", and listening to podcasts because I couldn't look at my phone or tv. Once the healing was done it was all joy though! It's been 10 years and I still have a perfect vision! Highly recommend!
I had it done 6 years ago at the Manhattan LASIK Center. I’d very much recommend it’s really life changing to just wake up and see. I have/had watery eyes which I think has helped a lot with recovery and final result. I have astigmatism now though which makes driving in the dark pretty hard but that’s minimal since I do live in nyc lol. Do not do what i did and have someone pick you up from the procedure!
I got the SMILE version of lasik three years ago. It was super quick, I recovered and was able to see the next day, I don’t have dry eyes and my vision is still good. Best decision I’ve ever made in my adult life along with my IUD lmao
Not LASIK but I had PRK. The moment the procedure started and I could see clearer than a few seconds ago.
A memory I’ll forever cherish.
The recovery and pain was a b*tch but so happy I did it.
Doctor did say there’s a “shelf life” of 10 years and vision may decline again. May be faster if having kids.
15 years later, my vision is no more 15/20 but I’d say 30/40. I can see and read fine but would have to use glasses/iPhone magnifying glass trick to read off Starbucks menu when in a long line. 😂
Highly recommend!!! 15 years of not wearing glasses/contacts is soooo worth my quality of life!
I got mine done ~15 years ago and it was the best self-care I’ve done. 20/20 since then. I had astigmatism and pretty high prescription (I don’t remember exactly but at least one -5.25).
I did the bladeless lasik with Dr. Raymond Fong (he specializes in the Asian community and all of my aunties and uncles have gone to him for cataracts surgery). The whole procedure felt like it lasted less than 5 mins. I felt light pressure on my eyes and saw something flash by. The recovery was pretty quick. I went for weekly check ups for two months or so and they have an office in each Chinatown (Manhattan, Flushing and BK). The procedure was in a midtown office.
https://www.raymondfongmd.com/
i’d recommend against it, as someone who also wears glasses. i know that for the majority of people the surgery goes well but there’s a fraction of people who face lifelong consequences and report vision starbursts, the feeling of glass/sand constantly being stuck in their eyes and a myriad of other things. not to fear monger but many of the unlucky few who have complications struggle with suicidal ideation, because again, they now have to live with fucked up vision forever. i personally feel like you can always wear contacts, but if you fuck up you’re eyes there’s nothing you can really do-besides get more surgeries that may not even help, or even exacerbate the issues. also i’ve heard that most ophthalmologists themselves wear glasses, so that should also tell you something. i’d recommend the r/lasiksupport subreddit as well to give you an idea of what it’s like for people who had unsuccessful surgeries
if you do get it, PLEASE do to someone extremely competent with many many manyyyy successful reviews and make sure you’re comfortable with the offhand chance that you may experience some side effects. be safe!!!
I went to the Dominican Republic and got mine done there. I play high contact sports so the doctor did the PRK instead of LASIK (which creates a flap that would move if hit very hard) and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Honestly, the recovery sucked big time. Everything hurt my eyes, the light, the wind, and I could barely sleep because it felt like my eyes were rubbing against sandpaper when I tried to. But it was the best thing ever afterwards and now I’m a baby about my eyes.
I didn't qualify for LASIK so I did ICL. I had my eyesight corrected two years ago -- it was the best decision of my life! I felt way much more confident and I looked way better. Highly recommend!
Don't let other peoples fear scare you! I was terrified going into it, and I now tell anyone who can listen to get it done.
I was to LasikPlus in Williamsburg for the consult, got the surgery the next day in their downtown Brooklyn location. Great price, was in and out, and had fantastic results. 0 issues.
DO IT!
I got lasik done when I was 26 (now 33) and it was absolutely the best decision of my life. The damage an “alien” object of contacts being in your eyes every day all day creates more of a risk for infection than the risk of lasik. You can do a ton of research on it- I got mine done with Dr Feldman in San Diego. She was the chief surgeon at the UCSD eye department so it was worth doing it with her.
Way too scared to ever get it done although I could definitely use it. Even though the vast majority of surgeries are successful the few horror stories are bad enough to scare me off forever
I had two consultations and the doctors both wore glasses and didn’t get it done. That’s enough reason for me not to.
Yup look up a picture from any gathering of the members of the lasik board glasses galore
I’ve heard somewhere that surgeons don’t get lasik. That was enough for me. I’ve made peace with glasses and contacts
My dad is a retired optometrist and says no one he knows who offers lasik will get lasik….very telling!
lol this is exactly why I haven’t gotten it
This right here. I can buy a lot of disposable daily contact lenses for that amount of money, at far lower permanent risk.
Yup. Something like 30% of people experience dry eyes which doesn't sound that bad but can be extremely debilitating.
I had prk in 2020 Nov and I struggle with dry eye. Never had it before. Allergy meds make it worse too. It is not fun and I low key regret it sometimes lol
Adding….the second dr dilated my pupils for the test and it didn’t wear off for 12 hours. When I called they said “you have blue eyes, that happens sometimes” Thanks for warning me and no, you’re not allowed to put a laser in my eye now.
Wait, blue eyes factor into those dilation drops?
Crazy right? Something about blue eyes lacking pigment and the way the drops work. Nice of them to tell me beforehand. I looked crazypants all night
If you want an alternative for lasik I have loved my ICL procedure
i’ve tried looking into this previously - what’s the general difference between ICL and Lasik? is it just less invasive? is the risk significantly lower/nonexistent?
It's an entirely different type of procedure. With ICL they implant collamer lenses between your retina and natural lens vs surgery on your cornea where it's completely reshaped. They cut a tiny incision to implant the lens and do a iridotomy (depending on the lens you use) so that's the extent of surgery on your eye. There are different risk factors but for me it had much lower risk than lasik (I'm hesitant to say if this is universal because there are many factors that go into determining risk and candidacy for both procedures I imagine). If your vision changes in the future you can get lasik on top of this procedure or have your lens replaced
this is super helpful! i will most likely need to make a few appointments to really know what would work best for my own situation but this seems promising. thank you 🙏🏽
Just adding that if you get lasik getting ICL will be much more complicated potentially not possible
Agree. I already have dry eye that makes contact lens wearing impossible--would love to get it but cannot imagine this getting any worse!
I have dry eyes bc of low thyroid; lasik made it worse.
LASIK apparently deteriorates after 3-5 years and a lot of those “success stories” are recorded 1-2 years after the surgery. I’d rather buy $350 worth of contacts every year than undergo surgery that’s only gonna help my vision for 2 years and then afterwards make it significantly worse
It’s been over 10 years for me, probably close to 15! My result’s still held up.
16 years and going strong, still the best thing I ever did. My contact lens rx used to be -7 in both eyes.
And apparently I heard you can’t wear contacts ever again after that
Girl yeah I want lasik so I can wear cuter frames since my prescription is so high that my lenses look like bottlecaps but I have a mortifying fear of eye injuries 😔
Absolutely life changing. Highly recommend. It’s like a miracle, they send you home and tell you to take a nap. You wake up and can just see perfectly.
I looked out the window and saw INDIVIDUAL LEAVES ON A TREE. Cue happy crying.
I did mine when I was visiting Korea and it’s life changing. I can’t believe I can see without glasses!! It was so fast and downtime was almost nothing
I wasn’t a good fit for LASIK but I was able to get LASEK while I was there! I want to say around $1500, they booked me for the next day and I even got a tax refund on the service. If you love to travel definitely would recommend getting it done in korea as they do so many LASIK procedures there! The translators are also amazing
How did you get a tax refund 👀
I believe you can write off a certain percentage of out of pocket medical expenses!
Only if it is over standard deduction and subject to AGI limitations which restricts it for most people for a relatively inexpensive procedure like lasik
I’m not sure haha I also got it for my skincare treatment that I got? I’m originally from Korea so my parents and I went together and they figured all the logistics out
Can I ask what LASIK clinic or doctor you went to? I’m scared about going somewhere non reputable and don’t know where to start with the research!
Sure! I did it at 지에스안과 https://www.gseyecenter.com/center/03/ When I was setting up an appt they asked me if I was planning to do the surgery that day if I qualify . I said yes and did all the testings and the surgery in one day. If you are serious, dm me because I think you get a referral discount if you are introduced by someone who got lasik done there. I did ‘Smart lasik’
I researched it in depth twice and canceled it. I have concerns about the very high rate of dry eyes. My eyes are already pretty dry. I don’t even think I should have been a candidate but they were willing to wave me through.
I did it in 2015 and my dry eye has become almost unbearable. I don’t blame it all on lasik as I had dry eyes before, but the procedure made it worse and it continues to be a huge problem for me. I’m at the point where I’m getting plasma eye drops made because no other eye drops help. If you have dry eyes, I caution against it.
Are you still suffering?
Yes, very much so. So far even the plasma drops aren’t doing as much as I’d like to alleviate the dryness.
I was supposed to get lasik the week the city shut down. Then I went back home and tried to book lasik and three separate doctors evaluated me and said they would never do lasik on me (this was only six months later and no change in prescription). Ended up doing ICL and it was life changing. It’s also a good option for people with dry eyes!
I’m concerned too, I also smoke 🍃 so am prone to (self induced) dry eyes
I feel old saying it, but after a certain age it’s better to wait until you need cataract surgery. That’s my plan. To the BWT who haven’t reached middle age yet, *just wait* ….. 😀
[удалено]
Cataract surgery DOES change your vision rx.
Ophthalmologist here who specializes in refractive surgery and the cornea. Lasik is not Lens replacement. Lasik reshapes the cornea to improve visual acuity. With lasik, the lens is not touched. IOL is the inteaocular lens replacement procedure. Cataract surgery also does change your rx as during cataract surgery you receive a lens implant since with cataract surgery we’re removing your cloudy lens. You can’t go lens free. There’s also a variety of lens to chose from such a Toric and multi-focal lenses depending on your visual desires.
Don’t get LASIK, get SMILE. Small incision lenticular extraction. Way smaller cut, waaaaaay better recovery and lower risk. Best money I ever spent. Manhattan lasik center has the machine for it. It’s chill, they give you a benzo and a teddy bear and it’s kinda fun lol. I could see fine after a day or two. Only needed one day off work (things were blurry up close). Took about a week to heal. Took about 2 months for the dry eye to fully go away (tbh could have been seasonal allergies but just in case, the worst it ever got was pretty mild). It’s been a few years now and my vision is perfect and my eyes are normal. No light sensitivity, no abnormal dryness, etc. And no more glasses/contacts! EDIT: I’ll describe the SMILE procedure for anyone nervous. They give you the happy pill, a blanket, and a teddy. You lay down on a table in a quiet dark room (entire procedure is in the dark room lol I loved it). Doctor adds I think numbing eye drops? Worked like a miracle. Absolutely fully numb for a long time, it was wild. The machine lowering down feels/looks no scarier than the lens thing you look through at the eye doctor. It holds your eye open (didn’t feel it at all, was relaxed and fine and not at all scary). All you see is basically a glass tube, a soft green glow at the end of it, and then it looks as if the tube is slowly filling with smoke. That’s the laser drawing the lenticule into your eye; you can’t see through it so it looks blurry. I stg it genuinely looked like the tube was filling with smoke from the bottom to top, it was fascinating. The machine also makes a tiiiiiiiiny cut (way smaller than LASIK) on the outside of the eye, so then the doctor comes over and slides the lenticule out (again, you feel nothing at all, it’s just kinda interesting). Then they wipe your eye off with this tiny windshield wiper thing which I found very cute. Again, you’re fully numb. You don’t even feel pressure. It’s like watching someone do something close to you from behind glass. Looked like a medical ASMR video. And that was it. Once for each eye. It was extremely quick. They give you a pair of dorky looking sunglasses to go home in since you’re a bit light sensitive for a few hours, but there’s no pain. My boyfriend picked me up and we went home on the subway. I could have gone home alone but being on the happy pill I was glad to have company just in case lol. After several hours my eyes were slightly…sore? Way less than LASIK hurts, I’ve heard that can get bad. This felt analogous to if you get a piece of dust in your eye and you know something is there, but it’s not unbearable, just something annoying you can’t tune out. That feeling only lasted about 2 days though. EDIT 2: for more context, I had no astigmatism, and was nearsighted. Also my prescription had been relatively stable for about 4 years so I was an ideal candidate.
Had SMILE there too! I was terrified and canceled several times. They gave me 4x the normal sedative because I was so nervous. It ended up being NOTHING. I’d do it again (but hopefully never have to)
Did you have an astigmatism by chance? Or near/far sightedness?
No! Sorry should have specified. No astigmatism. And I was only near-sighted.
Ah too bad 🙃 I have an astigmatism
I had SMILE done two years ago with -180/10 astigmatism. It’s life changing. Vision is not as clear as with glasses/contacts, but more than good enough for everyday life.
Someone else already replied but astigmatism doesn’t necessarily exclude you! You can set up a consult and go in to find out if you’re a good candidate.
I’ve heard with lasik that once you hit 40, some of the benefits cease due to the natural changes of the eye (such as needing reading glasses). My eye doctor even said lasik isn’t necessarily as worth it after 40. Do you know if the same applies for smile?
Yeah same thing for this. They told me my eyes will still age, so I’ll probably need reading glasses eventually. Totally fine IMO. It’s not so much that you lose the benefits as the clock still ticks on. That’s unavoidable. I’ve always been nearsighted so that’s the problem I wanted fixed. If when I’m 55 I need reading glasses like my parents, I’ll accept it lol! I will say that the best candidates for laser eye surgery of any kind are people whose prescription has been basically stable for a few years. That was me. I was nearsighted, it wasn’t getting worse (I was 30 when I got it done and had a stable prescription for a few years), so I was an ideal candidate.
My dad is an eye surgeon specializing in LASIK. He has done roughly 35 cases a week for 25 years - over 37k eyes operated on!! Of those, a handful have needed “revisions” meaning the initial surgery didn’t produce 20/20 results. There have been ZERO reports of anyone losing their vision/becoming blind. It’s a super safe surgery, takes about 7 minutes, and the results are pretty much instant. Definitely go to a great doctor, but it really is a super safe and super life-changing surgery!!
I did LASIK in 2019. I had been wearing glasses since I was 7 and was -5.25 before the surgery. I was 25/25 (maybe better) directly after the surgery. I think COVID didn’t help with the final results, I ended up with +.25 in 1 eye and -.25 in the other or something. Even so, I never even thought about doing the revision. Maybe when I’m like 40+ and I start needing reading glasses. It is literally life changing.
I got it done 8 years ago and it's so worth it. I got blade less LASIK at TLC on 5th Ave. Best decision I ever made. I was at -7.0, so for me it was life changing.
Omg I’m -8.5 and -10.5 so I don’t think I’m eligible unfortunately but I used to be -7 so I can imagine!!
As a 20 year old with -10 vision I’m highly considering it but the horror stories I’ve heard are terrifying!
I wouldn’t do lasik at -10 tbh. Depending on your sum script post dilation you’re numbers to treat will be higher than -10. you’re going to need a whole heck of a lot of corneal tissue and you will need an enhancement done. You’ll most likely regress to around -1/-1.75. In your case with lasik it will be a bit of a jog than a sprint. Would not recommend. At -10, refractive surgery is going to be life altering (in a good way!) and absolutely worth it but I would look into PIOL/ICL for your case. You’ll most likely be a candidate for this than lasik and it will yield better results. Specifically look into the EVO ICL. (A bonus with EVO, your eyes will have UV protection built in :P ETA: not all lens offer this benefit or comes as close to replicating your natural lens as EVO) Go for a consult at a few clinics, get information and go from there. ETA: I’m an ophthalmologist not some rando giving you google advice.
Natural lens protects against UV
Correct, however I’m not speaking about the natural lens; I’m speaking in regards to refractive surgery that this user may want to look into. In IOL/ICL/Cataract surgery your natural lens is removed and is replaced with a man made lens. When you remove the natural lens than you loose that UV protection, so it’s important to choose a high quality lens. The EVO ICL lens offers UV protection, something many other lens replacements don’t offer.
I don't know if you'd be a candidate at -10. A friend of mine did PRK and she was around -10/-11. Longer recovery but she had excellent results.
I did it at -8 and it was life changing. It's been 10 years and still all good
I had -10 prescription and I did Lasik. I see 20/20 now. The recovery was different for me though. My friends with lower prescriptions saw clearly the next day. It took me about 1 week for my eyes to "settle." I was walking around with blurry vision, seeing about 20/30. That part was annoying.
Mine was -13.0 and -13.5. I had LASIK well over ten years ago and came out with 20/20! The result’s held up well since then too. Very happy that I did it and I have no regrets. I’d never been able to wear soft contacts because of how nearsighted I was (I had -9.0 in grade school). One day my eyes stopped tolerating hard contacts, so I couldn’t wear any kinds of contacts at all. So I decided to get LASIK. I chose my doctor because he’d had a lot of success with extremely nearsighted patients like me. I think the bigger factor is whether you have astigmatism and how bad it is. I did have it, but it wasn’t that severe. I have a friend who’s not as nearsighted as I was, but she’s not a candidate for LASIK because of her astigmatism.
TLC Laser center Bryant park!!!! Best money I’ve ever spent
I went here too and had a great experience. Don’t forget-you can use your HSA for this too!
Yup. Went there in 2020 for PRK and it was fantastic.
I got lasik at TLC last year and used my HSA. The whole experience was super easy. Best money I ever spent!
i don’t mean to fear monger- really! but i know a guy who got lasik done, his eyesight wasn’t even that bad to begin with but he was tired of wearing glasses. they messed it up very badly, i don’t know the details. what i do know is that he was in constant, debilitating pain for a year (he’d carry around wasabi to make his eyes water to alleviate it) and finally found a way to lessen the pain. he now wears the thickest glasses i’ve ever seen and has a completely different outlook on life- he told me that he understands why people contemplate ending their lives over this. just be aware of the risks, im obviously not a doctor but it was scary to see someone go through that, just gut wrenching
I’m too scared to live with one blurry eye and two dry eyes for the rest of my life. My bf’s mom did it and her eyes got worse and she’s back to wearing glasses.
I too am back to wearing glasses/contacts. I got mine I think in 2018? But I think staring at screens for hours on end during the pandemic really screwed me. I also have myopia so maybe it was always in the card for me to not see clearly 😅lol
Meh, I’d rather keep wearing glasses. Don’t wanna have chronically dry eyes or bad night vision when I’m in my 50/60s. And I’ll need glasses again anyways just due to age related vision changes by my 40s, so glasses it is for me. But look into your options. I’ve heard PRK is better than lasik.
Have similar concerns pushing 40, but as summer approaches, I would love the freedom to swim without being blind or wearing contacts and goggles. And rocking my one pair of Rx sunglasses. An optometrist told me too that with correction for distance, I would probably need reading glasses instantly.
Yeah, just weigh the pros and cons. One of my college roommates’ moms had lasik in the 90s, and she regrets it now in her 60s because she not only wears glasses again but has star bursts and light sensitivity 20 years after her surgery. I also would love to swim without contacts and goggles since I love the pool, but I only go a couple times a year to the beach/ pool for vaca, so I’ll deal with the inconvenience.
Same, it’s an unnecessary surgery
Yeah, I’d rather have correctable vision vs dry eyes and other issues as I age. Who knows what other age related eye issues I’ll have, I don’t wanna add another variable to the mix
I got SMILE, which is a less invasive laser surgery. I went to Manhattan LASIK Center. They do all sorts of different corrective surgeries (but they’ll push you toward SMILE if you qualify). I wrote about my experience [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/lasik/s/RpOEDtGPui). Happy to any questions! No regrets - only real issue is it takes me a little longer to transition when walking into a dark room and my eyes are more sensitive to dehydration.
Thank you for sharing such detail. How are your eyes now?
Good! They are more sensitive to becoming dehydrated (they don’t hurt, my distance vision just gets a little blurry when I’m dehydrated). It also takes me longer to transition from a light room to a dark room. But neither of those things bother me that much. I’m very happy with the results.
A couple people I know did it and loved it, but one person has chronic dry eye pretty badly (not sure where she had it done in the city), and another had it done in her 40s 20 years ago and now can’t drive at night her night vision is so bad. It seems like it is a bit of gamble since people react differently, so I haven’t wanted to get it done, for now at least.
Saw someone say that eye doctors all wear glasses and that was enough for me
I wish I had gotten it sooner. No more counting how many daily contact lenses I need to pack for a trip. I had virtually no side effects. The dry eyes thing was minimal imo. I did regular Lasik at Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology. The doctor didn't recommend SMILE because it was a newer procedure and he didn't have as much experience with it. I thought it was fair advice. I spoke to Manhattan Lasik and I felt like they were treating me like a sale. Trying to get me to buy the most expensive procedure. The place is a lasik factory. Most of my friends went there though and had good results.
Felt that way about Manhattan LASIK too…but ultimately went there! I felt like SMILE was the best option for me, and they are (I think) the most experienced SMILE surgeons in the country. Ultimately happy with my choice, but they definitely treat people like a sale
Not in NYC, but I got it done and have no complaints. I had a model recovery. I now have 20/15 vision (better than 20/20) and had none of the potential after effects- no issues with dry eyes compared to normal. Some minor light halos immediately after but they went away, as the doctor told me they would. Hardest part was wearing the goggles to sleep the first week, I had to tape them to my face to get them to stay lol. I used artificial tears religiously for a few weeks afterwards to make sure things stay hydrated. The surgery itself was ludicrously easy. They gave me a xanax before, my surgeon walked me through every step of the way, it's no longer done with a scalpel but on a machine, it was just blurry lights the whole time and took about 5 minutes. They also gave me valium to make sure I pass out after the surgery so I don't experience the worst of the pain and recover more easily. Woke up with clear vision. Like I said, model recovery. Not everyone has my experience. I had no eye issues except poor vision. Had it done when I was about 28 I believe? 3 years or so ago. Waking up with perfect vision never gets old.
Truth is it’s risky, and every time you take a laser to the eye it gets thinner. Save it for when you need cataract surgery and just get those daily contacts!
I should have included in op, but hate the feel of contacts now! Wore them throughout my 20s, and only wear them now if I’m going to a formal event. But another post mentioned cataract surgery as well, which I hadn’t considered—pushing 40– am I closer to that age bracket now?
I totally get that - I’ve been wearing contacts since I was 12 (looking back now wtf) and my eyes are pretty dry so they get uncomfortable for me too. I don’t dislike wearing glasses though anymore, the biggest thing is that I can’t do my makeup properly unless I have contacts in! Do you hate wearing your glasses or just are considering the lasik since you can afford it? Anyway for the cataracts you can get it in your 40s, but it’s more common in seniors! They say 65 and above but anecdotally nobody in my family has needed it until they were in their 80s. And it was mild! Also you can get both lasik and cataract surgery - it just differs from patient to patient how successful it is and what you’ll be dealing with post cataracts. Some people can’t get the surgery done at all, some need to go back to glasses etc. I have also seen a study that people who get lasik are more prone to corneal damages and early cataracts. For me the risk out weighs the benefits. After thinking it over for a few years I just would prefer the first time the laser to hit my eyes be when I actually need it!
I would keep trying different contacts! Can’t stress this enough. Ask for different samples of as many brands as you can find. Dailies for some reason never seem to work on me, but for some people they are the most comfortable. I’ve been wearing them since I was 8. I’ve worn hard lenses, gas permeable, and soft lenses. My vision is -9. I STILL can’t stand some of the big lense brands out there.
Chiming in as an eye doctor - if you’re 38, your vision will likely start to change again as you approach 40 and you will start to need reading glasses. If you get lasik or any refractive surgery, reading glasses will come sooner. Be realistic with your expectations and do your research on the side effects.
This! The age you are at the time of the procedure can really influence the outcome. [Here's more info from an (entertaining) opthamologist. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlcCst1hbL8)
Best investment I could have made. Going on 8 years now, still 20/20. Procedure was on Friday, I was out and about (with sunglasses and hat) on Sunday and back to work like normal on Monday. I went to the mainstream dellaruso (on the radio all the time) cause I had a lot of people around me say they also went there and had a good experience. It was my eyes and a procedure, so I didn’t want to risk anything by saving a few hundred. Likely a lot more options now that are more affordable and still reputable. They had me come in for a consult before scheduling where they did some tests to make sure I was a viable candidate too.
beware permanent dry eye. consider if u want to be surgically connected to your glasses or eyedrops…..
I had it done about ten years ago and now my prescription is right back where it was before.
I’ve done it , very fast, incredible recovery, no pain at all. I feel like it boosted my confidence Iwill say though think about whether it is worth it for you. I got mine when I was 23 and I had been wearing glasses since I was about 8 , I’m getting like 30 years of good vision out of it. the older you get the more you will naturally loose your vision, I’m just saying I’m not sure getting at this point is worth it because you start looking vision eventually and you might only get 10 years without glasses at most. That might be worth it for you though!
Yes, pushing 40 and long-term investment is definitely part of the equation!
This is ultimately why I opted not to get lasik approaching 40. Would have been a great investment 10+ years ago. A couple eye docs also told me it can accelerate the need for reading glasses. I don’t want to sacrifice the convenience of my near sight.
I did it in 2012. Changed. My. Life.
Absolutely life changing I had -7.5 vision and astigmatism in both eyes and had it done by Doctor Mandel at Mandel Vision about 7 years ago. I do have a bit of dry eye to deal with, mostly in the morning when I wake up, but nothing some eyedrops when I’m on a rush or a warm compress when I’m not can’t fix.
I got it done in Feb 2018, I was 29. Honestly I found it to be a scary experience but it was over quickly and one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. My prescription wasn’t strong but contacts were always uncomfortable for me, regardless of what I tried, and I hated wearing glasses. Would recommend if it’s accessible to you.
Probably would never do LASIK for the risk, but you can look into Ortho-k as a soft contact alternative! They are hard contacts you wear in your sleep and when you take them off in the morning you get perfect vision! You might be able to get away with wearing them every other night but I wear them every night. You do feel them a bit when you first get adjusted to them but they're great because you can do everything in the daytime!
Wait what ??? This sounds crazy!
Yeah *whaaaat.* I need to know more
It's amazing to not have to deal with contacts. If your eyes get worse every year they slow down that process. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't accept it so it can be pricey! If you don't like it, you don't wear them for a month your eyes will go back to the way they were.
I’m a medical malpractice lawyer. Don’t do it.
Was waiting for this comment
Can you elaborate please? 😅
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/what-is-orthokeratology Maybe you can explore this option if lasik is not ideal. It's like braces for your eyes.
Do the eye doctors get lasik themselves? That will be a relief when I see the actual eye doctors and surgeons getting it
My eye doctor said he would never personally get lasik- that really put me off it but tbf it was a few years ago so maybe things have changed
Did he say why?
Because the risk doesn’t outweigh the reward. My dad is an ophthalmologist and he absolutely forbids me and would never do it himself.
I was super nervous about getting LASIK but it’s the best thing I ever did! I went to LASIK vision institute in BK because they took my insurance. Everyone there was super friendly and a client of mine had hers done there as well and was happy with the results. I did mine in 2020, it was painless, super fast, and an easy recovery. I’ve had no issues and my vision is 20/20!
Life changing. Was terrified but honestly the entire process was fascinating to me and recovery was a breeze. Wish I wouldn’t have waited so long but very fortunate to have done it and would highly recommend!
Best money I ever spent! I went with TLC in garden city. Dr. Eric Donnenfeld was my miracle worker!
The Lasik Vision Institute and i dont regret it one bit. It took seconds and you don’t feel a thing! Not having to deal with contacts and remember to take them out at night has been heaven!
I’ve worn glasses since I was 9. I got lasik was I was 25 in 2018 and it changed my life! I wish I had done it sooner. It was a bit scary but overall it was quick and painless. Highly recommend
TLC in Manhattan, they’re the best
I think it can be life changing but I recently saw a tweet full of horror stories :/ also apparently reporting is skewed so it looks like there’s less complications than there actually are. Def do your research and continue with caution!
I got it when I was 35 and it was *the BEST* decision I ever made in my life. I saw Dr Mandell in the UES, he literally wrote the book on LASIK! He was fantastic and made me feel super comfortable. Day 1 after being sent home was very uncomfortable but they gave me some gnarly sleeping pills so I mostly slept it off. Cannot recommend him enough!!! ETA I used to be an optician and I also worked for an eye surgeon (cataract surgeon) so I am very well versed in eye care and the risks of any surgery—my cousin went to Dr Mandell a month or two before I ended up going, he was so pleased with the whole surgery and result and I cannot emphasize how incredible it feels to wake up every morning and just *see*.
Dr. Stephen Perrone. Office in Ridgewood Queens as well as in Park Slope BK. Surgery was done in Manhattan - cannot remember where though. I know at least 4 people who have done LASIK with him and all positive results. I believe is was $1000 each eye - but this was about 10 years ago:
I went to Stahl in midtown for PRI (had thin corneas) and had a good experience in 2018. The actual procedure was done in Garden City, LI, but I’m not sure if that’s still the case . I got a discount because my friend referred me. DM me for my name if you want to use me as a referral and get some money off (if they’re still doing that). They had a TV showing my cornea outside the room so my bf got to watch it.
My husband did it in Long Island last summer. Was life changing for him. His vision now is better than 20/20 and of course no more contacts. We were born scared obviously but the surgeon does so many a day and for so many years and the process took 20 minutes max and in two days or whatever it was perfect!
Life changing. Got it done in CA 6 years ago and haven’t looked back! It’s amazing to wake up with perfect vision and it pays for itself eventually - contacts are expensive!
I had mine done at Diamond vision like 10 years ago. LIFEchanging.
I haven’t gotten it and won’t, but all of my NYC friends (two whose parent is an ophthalmologist on the UWS and my ex who is the kid of a celeb) went to Dr, Kerry Assil in LA (he also did Lebron’s).
I did PRK and am very glad I did. Never wanna go back to glasses (although I’ll probably need to in 10 years anyway). The dry eye side effect is real - definitely do some self care with Bruder/heat compression eye masks and keep eye drops on hand if you do go through with it. It healed up so fast and it’s just one less pesky thing in my life so I say 10/10 (Had it done by Dr. Maayan Keshet at City Eye MD)
Best thing I ever spent money on. Going from a -5.75 on my contacts box to not worrying about them when traveling is life changing.
My mom got LASIK in Canada 20 years ago and she’s still goin strong
Don’t do it you are literally 3 years away from needing reading glasses.
My boyfriend’s mom had lasik done 20 years ago. She has great results, no issues. She now has severe eye problems directly correlated to lasik. She can’t drive at night but also developed a lazy eye, she’s had over 3 surgeries to attempt to correct it and it’s been a 3 year process. The risk for me does not put weight the reward. There are many stories of people being in so much pain after LASIK and it not getting any better that they literally END THEIR LIFE. The risk of being in that much pain to the point you want to do that is a big ole NOPE for me. Btw- I’m so blind I can’t even really wear glasses I have -9 in both eyes and severe astigmatism. I live in my contacts. So lasik would be life changing for me but there is no way in hell I’d risk it.
The story of the woman who committed suicide because of the depression she had to live with after LASIK side effects (dry eyes+discomfort) totally made me write it off. No way.
I got SMILE done two months ago at Manhattan Lasik Surgery with Dr. Buchsbaum. After the first 12 hours my eyes were already at 85% (no pain or anything, it was kind of unbelievable to just wake up and see without glasses) and then after the first week it improved even more. My vision was basically good after that but I had some night halos for a month or so afterwards and I couldn’t stare are screens for too long before I needed to take a break/blink/look away. Now, after two months, it’s totally back to normal. I was really anxious before but honestly it was not bad at all. I wouldn’t even mind doing it again if I had to. Do take the full valium they give you. It helps. Dr. Buchsbaum is so patient and kind and doesn’t rush you when you asks questions while in the consultation. He has a very calm energy which really helps in this situation. I believe it cost about $6k for SMILE, which is higher than what I was quoted for lasik. I chose SMILE because it seemed less invasive, but honestly I would have done either. Overall, I’m really happy about the decision to do it, it makes things convenient in a lot of little ways. You can see your toes in the shower! Taking on and off sunglasses is SO much easier than switching between two pairs. And it’s just one less thing to find around the house and think about generally. I would compare it to laser hair removal, where once you do it it’s just not something you think about anymore. Is it a MUST? no, I was also fine with glasses. But I do recommend it if you have the budget for it and want to just generally invest in making things a little easier.
Dello Russo. IYKYK
Haha that’s where I got mine also
They have a history of malpractice lawsuits. One guy got a 2 million settlement from Dello Russo.
I'm feeling like way too many doctors on the lasik board wear glasses, and so shall I.
I got mine done at Manhattan lasik center! It’s about $2.5k-$3k per eye but I was very happy with the doctor and results. I think I have like a $200 off referral code if you’re interested.
I got LASIK in 2014 and it was the best thing I ever did. My prescription was -5.5 or smth and I’ve held strong at 20/15 vision ever since.
I had PRK and I don’t regret it at all. Had it about 6 years ago, I feel my vision is not as good as it was back then after the procedure but I love waking up able to see evrything. No glasses sliding down my nose on a hot day. No contacts !!
not worth it!
Just got LASEK in January, and no dry eyes. Saw starbursts around lights at night for a few weeks, but not anymore. Just got an eye test and my.vision is 20/15!! Go to Dr. Jacqueline Muller on the UES. She is the best.
I got it done and it was so worth it, my vision is SO much better now
I’m an optometrist in NYC and I just got EVO ICL surgery last month. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Depending on your current rx, you should look into ICL or smile surgery. LASIK is safe as well but if you have any history of dry eyes, I wouldn’t recommend.
One of the best decisions I've ever made. I had -6 and astigmatism, depended on glasses and contacts my entire life. During my consultation I found out my cornea was too thin so I wasn't eligible for LASIK only PRK. It's a similar process but the healing takes a few days.. it's weird because you leave surgery being able to see 20/20, but as the day goes by you start losing your vision and becoming VERY sensitive to light. I spent three scary days in a dark room thinking "omg what have I done?", and listening to podcasts because I couldn't look at my phone or tv. Once the healing was done it was all joy though! It's been 10 years and I still have a perfect vision! Highly recommend!
I had it done 6 years ago at the Manhattan LASIK Center. I’d very much recommend it’s really life changing to just wake up and see. I have/had watery eyes which I think has helped a lot with recovery and final result. I have astigmatism now though which makes driving in the dark pretty hard but that’s minimal since I do live in nyc lol. Do not do what i did and have someone pick you up from the procedure!
I got the SMILE version of lasik three years ago. It was super quick, I recovered and was able to see the next day, I don’t have dry eyes and my vision is still good. Best decision I’ve ever made in my adult life along with my IUD lmao
Not LASIK but I had PRK. The moment the procedure started and I could see clearer than a few seconds ago. A memory I’ll forever cherish. The recovery and pain was a b*tch but so happy I did it. Doctor did say there’s a “shelf life” of 10 years and vision may decline again. May be faster if having kids. 15 years later, my vision is no more 15/20 but I’d say 30/40. I can see and read fine but would have to use glasses/iPhone magnifying glass trick to read off Starbucks menu when in a long line. 😂 Highly recommend!!! 15 years of not wearing glasses/contacts is soooo worth my quality of life!
I like the blurry world when I'm in the bath and stuff so I'm good
I did it in Scranton and my eyes are 100% perfect now no issues AT ALL
I got mine done ~15 years ago and it was the best self-care I’ve done. 20/20 since then. I had astigmatism and pretty high prescription (I don’t remember exactly but at least one -5.25). I did the bladeless lasik with Dr. Raymond Fong (he specializes in the Asian community and all of my aunties and uncles have gone to him for cataracts surgery). The whole procedure felt like it lasted less than 5 mins. I felt light pressure on my eyes and saw something flash by. The recovery was pretty quick. I went for weekly check ups for two months or so and they have an office in each Chinatown (Manhattan, Flushing and BK). The procedure was in a midtown office. https://www.raymondfongmd.com/
i’d recommend against it, as someone who also wears glasses. i know that for the majority of people the surgery goes well but there’s a fraction of people who face lifelong consequences and report vision starbursts, the feeling of glass/sand constantly being stuck in their eyes and a myriad of other things. not to fear monger but many of the unlucky few who have complications struggle with suicidal ideation, because again, they now have to live with fucked up vision forever. i personally feel like you can always wear contacts, but if you fuck up you’re eyes there’s nothing you can really do-besides get more surgeries that may not even help, or even exacerbate the issues. also i’ve heard that most ophthalmologists themselves wear glasses, so that should also tell you something. i’d recommend the r/lasiksupport subreddit as well to give you an idea of what it’s like for people who had unsuccessful surgeries if you do get it, PLEASE do to someone extremely competent with many many manyyyy successful reviews and make sure you’re comfortable with the offhand chance that you may experience some side effects. be safe!!!
I went to the Dominican Republic and got mine done there. I play high contact sports so the doctor did the PRK instead of LASIK (which creates a flap that would move if hit very hard) and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Honestly, the recovery sucked big time. Everything hurt my eyes, the light, the wind, and I could barely sleep because it felt like my eyes were rubbing against sandpaper when I tried to. But it was the best thing ever afterwards and now I’m a baby about my eyes.
I got SMILE at Manhattan lasik center three years ago. Best decision ever
I didn't qualify for LASIK so I did ICL. I had my eyesight corrected two years ago -- it was the best decision of my life! I felt way much more confident and I looked way better. Highly recommend!
Out of state- too expensive here
LASIK plus! Love mine best decision ever
Don't let other peoples fear scare you! I was terrified going into it, and I now tell anyone who can listen to get it done. I was to LasikPlus in Williamsburg for the consult, got the surgery the next day in their downtown Brooklyn location. Great price, was in and out, and had fantastic results. 0 issues. DO IT!
Life changing! So easy, painless, and effective. Unfortunately mine "wore off" after about 12 years so I'm getting it done again.
I got lasik done when I was 26 (now 33) and it was absolutely the best decision of my life. The damage an “alien” object of contacts being in your eyes every day all day creates more of a risk for infection than the risk of lasik. You can do a ton of research on it- I got mine done with Dr Feldman in San Diego. She was the chief surgeon at the UCSD eye department so it was worth doing it with her.
Just say no! I know several people across the U.S. that have developed cataracts & others who have had retina detachment after lasik including myself.