Richard asks…

Laser Eye Surgery Reviews in Denver?

I’m thinking about getting Lasik done on my eyes. I have astigmatism and am right above being declared legally blind. But these are my eyes were talking about and I’m more than a little bit hesitant. With so many different advertisements and the overwhelming amount of information but lack of personal reviews available on the internet, I’m not sure where to start. I was hoping to get referrals from personal experiences. Thank you very much.

admin answers:

Well, I can’t really send you to website or anything. But I can tell you my experience. I used Corneal Consultants ( http://corneacolorado.com ) which is located near Highlands Ranch. Dr. Damiano was my doctor. I used doctors from this office for normal eye check ups for at least a decade before I had the eye surgery. Both Damiano and Forstot have impressive resumes. I was happy with my results (I did PRK instead of LASIK, but they are pretty similar). I felt more comfortable with them since they are both corneal surgeons that do much more complicated procedures than LASIK (things like transplants). I figured if anything went wrong, I had a doctor who could do something about it. And the ‘cutting’ involved in PRK or LASIK would be simple compared to what they normally do (and do well). There are two drawbacks. First, they are more expensive than other places. I personally think my eyes are worth the expense of a doctor I trust. And the ‘money back’ offers are so silly in my opinion. “Hey, we just blinded you, but don’t worry, here’s you $200 back!” THe second drawback is that these guys are busy, so it can be harder to get quality time with the doctor. Almost all the office contact I had was with a trainee. But then again, you don’t feel bad about asking a trainee a bunch of stupid questions. And the trainee had an MD as well, so he knew what he was talking about.

Well, I hope that helps. My advice would be go for a consult and find a doctor you trust. And good luck! I really do like waking up in the morning and being able to read the alarm clock.

Sandra asks…

How safe is lasik surgery these days?

I am seriously debating getting Lasik surgery within the next month or two. I have read many reviews online about how 20% of patients have complications and that after 5 years they are back to having poor vision. All of these articles are old and I am really wondering how much things have improved now that we are in 2010. Anyone know the complications percentage? What the safest procedure is to correct eyesight AND astigmatism? Anyone have any recommendations? I’ve heard TLC was good, but the reviews online from 5+ years ago are not too comforting, also I saw LasikPlus less reviews, but some people have the same horror stories… Advice please :D

admin answers:

Complications vary quite substantially, because they’re dependent on the individual surgeon, the model of laser being used, and the post-operative care (what type of antibiotics, frequency of steroid dosing, etc.) Generally speaking, things are less risky than they were five years ago, because everyone in the field is constantly striving for improvement. Off the top of my head, I’d say the big risks are visual disturbances (haloes, glare, etc), infection, and loss of best-corrected visual acuity. The first one is fairly common, probably around 10%, but in many cases improves 6-12 months after surgery. The second should be next to nothing at any surgical centre, provided you follow their directions for drops afterwards. (When I went for my procedure, I was quoted a rate of less than 1/100,000, because they’d done 100,000 procedures and hadn’t had one yet.) Loss of BCVA is more troubling, I’d estimate it’s probably under 1%, and is certainly better with wavefront technology and aberration measurements, which are more or less standard nowadays. A lot of people complain about needing glasses or contacts afterwards; I think it’s important to remember that wherever you go, they can’t stop your eyes from changing or aging, and realize that the goal of laser surgery generally is to improve your vision and decrease your dependence on glasses.
The safest procedure to correct astigmatism (with or without myopia or hyperopia) is custom / wavefront-guided refractive surgery. I’m not convinced that LASIK (with bladeless technology, aka IntraLase) or PRK is better; visual outcomes tend to be the same. LASIK is much more comfortable during healing than PRK, so it’s generally the preferred procedure. I’d never recommend the microkeratome-based (non-bladeless) procedure to anyone; many of the flap-related complications are much more common with this older method.
TLC has a good reputation, but so do many other centres, including smaller regional ones. Surgical outcome is really more dependent on the surgeon than the centre, whereas price and warranty and so on are centre-dependent.

Mary asks…

What’s the best age for Lasik surgery?

I’m 21, and I’ve heard mixed reviews on when I should get it.. I really want it done, but I don’t want to have to get it redone after a few years.. Should I wait longer?

admin answers:

Around 20 and 30

James asks…

lasik eye surgery price?

Hey guys I live in the Av It’s north of L.A. and I have been saving for Lasik eye surgery for quite a while now. I just lost my job but I’ve managed to save $2700. I was going to get my eyes done at the Sattleback lasik eye center. My friends mom told me about it and said that they did each eye for $1000. It sounded great, but last night I went online and read some reviews about the place, and came across a lot of reviews that sounded similar. Many people claimed that it was like a assembly line in that personal care and attention was not given to them. And that the staff was very blunt and rushed them along, and were not friendly at all. Many people listed the price they paid and it was a lot more than my $2700 lol. I have now been discouraged of going there. I’m going to be joining the Army soon probably in Nov, and want my eyes to be perfect so as not to have them hold my training back. I know many people might say you can get Lasik for free in the Army but I’m willing to pay to have it done before. Can anyone tell me of a Doctor that they know of in L.A. or close by where I can get both eyes done for $2700 or less, I would greatly appreciate it.

admin answers:

You can easily check your minimal health care rates in internet, for example here – health-quotes.talk4fun.net

Donna asks…

Good Laser Eye Surgery Pompano Beach centers and Pompano Beach Lasik services?

Can anyone help me I am looking for good places for Lasik in Pompano Beach Florida. I have been reading about it online and spoken with a few people but it is still challenging to find a good Pompano Beach Laser Eye Surgery center or one in the immediate area that I can trust. Are there any good Laser Eye Surgeon Florida review sites out there?

admin answers:

I was very nervous about getting a lasik surgeon initially. To learn abut Lasik I read the book Refractive Laser Eye Surgery by Chris Knobbe. It was very helpful. I found a doctor fairly easily online here is a list of Lasik Pompano Beach, FL centers

http://www.adventlocal.com/find_a/Laser_Eye_Surgery_in/Pompano_Beach_FL.html

I used the Rand Eye Institute they were nice, quick and easy. Once you do it will change your life.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers