Laser Eye Surgery, you got it?

[staphaureus]

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I'm thinking about getting laser eye surgery, but hesitant because so many ophthalmology residents and attending who still wear glasses... I figure, if the guys performing these procedures don't want it themselves, they must think there is significant enough risk. Any comment? any of you OMDs or OMDs in training still wearing glasses?

 

[Meibomian SxN]

I'm thinking about getting laser eye surgery, but hesitant because so many ophthalmology residents and attending who still wear glasses... I figure, if the guys performing these procedures don't want it themselves, they must think there is significant enough risk. Any comment? any of you OMDs or OMDs in training still wearing glasses?

They may not be eligible due to their corneal thickness, etc. I myself would be somewhat leary of getting LASIK from someone who wears distance glasses, but then again I have seen overweight/obese GI surgeons performing gastric bypass, ER & cardio docs who smoke, and overweight weight trainers!

I just purchased a brand new Acura from a salesman who drives an '88 Acura, yet he knew so much about my product as if he drives one everyday! 😕

Bottom line, ask them why they do not have LASIK.

 

[Ophtho24]

I am an ophtho resident and want LASIK or PRK done but haven't gotten it done because I don't have the cash to have it done by someone I trust. My attendings would probably give me a break but they get 6000 for two eyes, so I am not sure how affordable it would be. Also after 1st year of residency, we are in the OR usually at least once a week and I wouldn't want to miss a bunch of OR days if I had postop complications that made it so I couldn't see well for a while (ie haze or if PRK just waiting to reepithelialize.) Lastly, cataract surgery is hard enough with my 20/20 vision I would hate to have my best corrected acuity go down much (even though most people can correct well.) If you look at studies, ophthalmologist as a group have the highest rate of anybody having had refractive surgery. (I may be wrong but I thought it was something like 30% in an applicable age range.) So I think a lot of us think it is safe, but doctors in general are conservative and a reasonable refractive surgery candidate needs to plan on downtime which a lot of ophthalmologists don't have a ton of.

 

[stochastic2]

What have you guys heard of LASEK? Better than LASIK or PRK? I'm also considering getting corrective surgery.

 

[JMK2005]

What have you guys heard of LASEK? Better than LASIK or PRK? I'm also considering getting corrective surgery.

It's not necessarily better than LASIK or PRK. If you're serious about it, you'll probably get better information if you get a pre-operative consultation and from here. Lots of places will probably do it free.

 

[Brachiocephalic]

any updates on new techs? A while ago i heard about some sort of wavefront laser that's supposed to be safer

 

[monkey7247]

I do wavefront (aka custom) LASIK/PRK as a fellow with use of intralase laser for flap creation. I haven't had LASIK done on myself because 1) I have a small correction (20/30 without glasses) 2) I'm a hyperope and the regression rate is higher. If I was a myope, especially -3 or more, I would not hesitate to have an evaluation for LASIK surgery. BTW, it's perfectly legit to ask why your doctor hasn't had LASIK.

 

[Pastrami King]

I don't mind my CTLs/occasional glasses, and when I'm 50 and still operating, the myopia will help with seeing things on instrument trays, minor procedures, etc.

 

[MstaKing10]

Plenty of my co-residents had lasik/prk. I cannot afford it on my poor fellows salary and my correction is very small (-1.25D OU) so I do well at near without glasses and need them for distance only for tasks that require fine vision.

If I had a higher prescription I would seriously consider it though.