[localhost3000]

My eyesight deteriorated significantly during 2020-2022 to the point where I could no longer legally drive without glasses (I had been 20/20 or better my entire life). I bit the bullet in 2023 and had LASIK, which brought me back to the baseline I'd been used to for 35+ years. Age definitely played a part, but the speed of decline was really wild to experience and I attribute at least some of that to my lifestyle and work changes during covid (working 12+ hours per day from a small bedroom in San Francisco). LASIK is amazing, for anyone who is considering it.

[cityofdelusion]

LASIK is amazing when it’s no side effects. I’m needing to repair my corneas about 7 years post LASIK through stem cell therapy. My eye surgeon told me that LASIK severs an incredible amount of nerve endings and many eyes basically stop producing tears. The surface of the cornea then slowly erodes away. There are alternative procedures that don’t destroy as many nerves. I wasn’t aware of any of this before I went under the knife, wish I did.

[aeternum]

If you had to do it over again, which procedure would you choose, or would you skip it altogether due to the potential risk?

[cko]

Alternatives like implantable contact lenses? I hesitated because something with cataracts and them needing replacement every ten years.

My eyes are -10.5 each and my biggest risk is retinal detachment.

[latentsea]

I got ICLs 16 years ago and my advice is I would think twice about it.

Right after the surgery and ever since I get very bad halos in high contrast environments. I haven't been able to drive at night ever since because the halos from street lamps and headlights obscure a significant portion of my vision making it very dangerous.

In addition I had an eye checkup several years ago and was told I had cataract and would need to keep an eye on it. I tracked down the surgeon who did my operation all those years ago and got a second opinion. He told me my eyes were actually fine, and wrote a letter to the first optometrist explaining what she was seeing and recommended me a different optometrist who he knew had experience with ICLs.

I recently needed glasses to drive again as my vision has gotten slightly worse over time as it does naturally.

On balance I have extremely mixed feelings about it.

[djtango]

Is this also true for PRK?