2007 UPDATE

I've received a few emails asking me for an update, so here it is. It's been almost 5 years since my surgery and my perspective now has changed.

Overall, I'm doing well. The only lingering issues have been dryness and a slight decrease in the overall quality of my night vision. However, I have punctual plugs and I've been using Restasis for about 6 months and the dryness is not an issue (I find Restasis to be quite helpful now; I first tried it a month or two after my procedure and I think it was too soon to use it at that point). Also, I'm used to the difference in my night vision.

At this point, I would say if you really dislike wearing glasses or contacts, and if you found a very good doctor that you can trust, I would consider getting LASIK. I would also seriously look at some of the new technologies, including Wavefront and bladeless procedures. Both of these technologies seem to be an improvement. Another point regarding the doctor and facility: make sure they are not a "chop shop" that are just doing as many procedures as possible. Make sure they are qualified and do a careful evaluation. And find out what kind of support you will get. Even though I had a negative experience post-op, looking back, I'd have to say my doctor (Dr. Greg Scimeca) was quite supportive and did help me. If he wasn't helpful, I think the experience could've been a diaster.

Finally, I would make sure your expectations are realistic. Your vision will certainly be better with LASIK, but it may not be perfect (I still have a slight prescription, about half a diopter of both myopia and astigmatism in both eyes). I don't need to wear glasses anymore. However, I usually do when driving or watching TV (just to get that extra bit of crispness). I also use special computer glasses (basically reading glasses) when I work on the computer, which I do a lot, to help reduce eyestrain (I did this before I got LASIK as well). I would also prepare myself for months of healing, not days or weeks like a lot of LASIK centers claim. I think if you're prepared for the long haul, it will be easier. In addition, try to keep a positive attitude during the healing process. I got really upset because I was just not prepared for the experience (I took it a bit too lightly) and when things got tough with the healing process, it hit me hard. This is serious surgery and you should consider it as such.

My last word of advice is, if you really want it, go for it. But if you have any doubts or reservations, just wait (a little fear is normal, but anything more than that means you should hold off – you really need to be a bit of risk taker to undergo LASIK). The procedure continues to be refined and in the years since I've gotten it, they've already widely introduced two major technologies (Wavefront and bladeless), so I would think even more progress will be made.

Good luck!

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