Ask HN: Laser Eye Surgery?

[alexanderdmitri]

Recently been considering laser eye surgery to help with my near-sightedness. I have something like 20/210 vision, which I think makes me legally blind. Has anyone here had the operation? How did it affect your work and life in general?

[wizofaus]

It was great for 13 years...then disappointingly in the last 12 months my eyesight deteriorated sufficiently that I'm back to wearing glasses, which is mainly annoying because I can't actually use the computer/phone/read books etc. with them on, but need them for seeing anything 5+ metres away clearly. Still, no regrets and I consider it some of the best money I ever spent. Given how much it costs now and the fact it's unlikely they could fix my vision to compensate for my reduced focusing ability ("presbyopia" is apparently the technical term*), I doubt I'll do it again, especially if it was only going to last another 10 or so years.

*) just googled and apparently they way they "fix" it is to adjust one eye so it's good for long-distance vision, and the other so it's better for short-distance vision. So I suppose that might mean in my case I'd only need to have one eye operated on. Interesting idea...

[robocat]

Very very strong recommendation: get one eye done and wait a month or more before you consider getting the other done.

They will recommend you get both done at once.

Reason for recommendation: it is the only way to give yourself a before/after objective comparison between the operated eye and an native unoperated eye. If you get both done at once you lose all perspective (groan). Also one at a time lowers your risks a little I think.

I got one eye done years ago, and have kept using a contact lens in the other (never operated on). I was not thrilled with the stellation, which you can only objectively judge if you have one unoperated eye. Using a contact lens is annoying, but the option of not using it gives me some extra superpowers.

[voisin]

I had it to correct my short sightedness and it was amazing. 5 years later I am still astounded by the clarity of vistas that would previously have been fuzzy. It was, without a doubt, the best money I’ve ever spent on myself and I wish I’d done it 10 years earlier. Three of my siblings had it at varying times as well and all reported the same happiness.

My father in law just had his far sightedness corrected which is a more intense procedure (replace the lens). He had inflammation that lasted two months and he and his doctors weren’t happy with the results (seemed he had traded far sightedness for near sightedness) so they did laser and now he is shouting from the rooftops with happiness as to the result.