Lasik - Post Op

HUBER

Active member
Jan 9, 2003
16,964
138
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Several of you guys asked for me to talk about my recent Lasik operation after I had the procedure done. Just a recap since that thread was on the old board, I had Lasik surgery performed in Lexington by Dr. Ferguson at Commonwealth Eye Surgery a little over a months ago. Years before I went to a place in Louisville called Lasik Plus and left feeling like I had just walked off of a used car lot. They were pushy and were willing wheel and deal to get some money out of me that day and schedule the procedure.

After a couple years pass from that experience, I thought about Lasik again and after asking several doctor friends, all recommended Dr. Ferguson at Commonwealth. The staff was great through the testing and through the whole procedure. The procedure to me was about like having a vasectomy, in your mind its going to be horrible, painful, and makes you sick to your stomach to think about. In reality, there was no pain and the whole procedure took about 10 minutes.

I took it easy for a couple days but I wasn't one of those people who say they opened their eyes and had perfect 20/20 vision. My vision was ok but very blurry. I drove myself to the doctors office for the day after checkup and could see ok enough to drive, but road signs and license plates were blurry. I just paid $4000 to have worse vision?

After complaining about my vision and unhappiness, Dr Smith, my consulting doctor at Commonwealth looked at my eyes and said everything looked great and that the blurriness was part of the healing process and to not get worried. My next check up was scheduled at the 2 week after post op.

For the next 2 weeks, my vision goes in and out of being crystal clear to blurry. Sometimes I'm blown away by how great I can see then all of a sudden things get cloudy. I go in for my 2 week checkup and Dr. Smith again says my eyes look great and that I need to keep waiting. After my vision test I was 20/30 in one eye and 20.60 in the other. He said that if my eyes don't get to 20/20 they would have to wait atleast 3 more months for corrective surgery. This is not what a guy with ADD wants to hear as I expected 20/20 vision out of the box. He reminded me that the prescription for my eyes was pretty bad to start with and that had to zap alot of my lens away during the surgery and that my brain also had to relearn to process what it was seeing. We also switched my eye drops up to the gel that stays in your eyes longer as my eyes were getting alittle dry throughout the day. He guaranteed me by my month post op meeting with him, things would be better, I called BS and left unhappy and thinking I have made a bad decision getting Lasik done.

Fast forward to last week for my one month post op meeting. He was right, my vision has been crystal clear. I tested out at 20/20 vision and he said my eyes will still probably get even better. While everyone has different recovery times after Lasik, not everyone opens their eyes to 20/20 vision like so many say they do. If you can deal with some occasionally blurriness and cloudiness and let the healing process work, Lasik may be right for you. I would recommend Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Smith at Commonwealth Eye surgery here in Lexington as they have been great to work with.

I can SEE.
:sunglasses:
 

jwheat

Member
Aug 21, 2005
97,624
11,400
42
My eyes have gotten steadily worse since high school. I heard someone say that your prescription must be the same for two years before they can do lasik, is that true?
 

BBdK

New member
Sep 21, 2003
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Interesting...I'm not a "candidate" for Lasik either, per at least 4 doctors -- never even heard of that surgery.
 

TruBluCatFan

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2001
19,300
2,481
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Glad you caught Dr Smith in the office. I think he'd give up optometry to mountain bike full time.
 

ukalum_rivals311718

New member
May 9, 2002
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Several of you guys asked for me to talk about my recent Lasik operation after I had the procedure done. Just a recap since that thread was on the old board, I had Lasik surgery performed in Lexington by Dr. Ferguson at Commonwealth Eye Surgery a little over a months ago. Years before I went to a place in Louisville called Lasik Plus and left feeling like I had just walked off of a used car lot. They were pushy and were willing wheel and deal to get some money out of me that day and schedule the procedure.

After a couple years pass from that experience, I thought about Lasik again and after asking several doctor friends, all recommended Dr. Ferguson at Commonwealth. The staff was great through the testing and through the whole procedure. The procedure to me was about like having a vasectomy, in your mind its going to be horrible, painful, and makes you sick to your stomach to think about. In reality, there was no pain and the whole procedure took about 10 minutes.

I took it easy for a couple days but I wasn't one of those people who say they opened their eyes and had perfect 20/20 vision. My vision was ok but very blurry. I drove myself to the doctors office for the day after checkup and could see ok enough to drive, but road signs and license plates were blurry. I just paid $4000 to have worse vision?

After complaining about my vision and unhappiness, Dr Smith, my consulting doctor at Commonwealth looked at my eyes and said everything looked great and that the blurriness was part of the healing process and to not get worried. My next check up was scheduled at the 2 week after post op.

For the next 2 weeks, my vision goes in and out of being crystal clear to blurry. Sometimes I'm blown away by how great I can see then all of a sudden things get cloudy. I go in for my 2 week checkup and Dr. Smith again says my eyes look great and that I need to keep waiting. After my vision test I was 20/30 in one eye and 20.60 in the other. He said that if my eyes don't get to 20/20 they would have to wait atleast 3 more months for corrective surgery. This is not what a guy with ADD wants to hear as I expected 20/20 vision out of the box. He reminded me that the prescription for my eyes was pretty bad to start with and that had to zap alot of my lens away during the surgery and that my brain also had to relearn to process what it was seeing. We also switched my eye drops up to the gel that stays in your eyes longer as my eyes were getting alittle dry throughout the day. He guaranteed me by my month post op meeting with him, things would be better, I called BS and left unhappy and thinking I have made a bad decision getting Lasik done.

Fast forward to last week for my one month post op meeting. He was right, my vision has been crystal clear. I tested out at 20/20 vision and he said my eyes will still probably get even better. While everyone has different recovery times after Lasik, not everyone opens their eyes to 20/20 vision like so many say they do. If you can deal with some occasionally blurriness and cloudiness and let the healing process work, Lasik may be right for you. I would recommend Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Smith at Commonwealth Eye surgery here in Lexington as they have been great to work with.

I can SEE.
:sunglasses:

Did he tell you before the surgery that it may take a month or more for you to get the final results that you now have? If you had known ahead of time what to expect you might haved saved yourself some anxiety.
 

Beavis606

Well-known member
May 29, 2001
293,151
668
113
Did he tell you before the surgery that it may take a month or more for you to get the final results that you now have? If you had known ahead of time what to expect you might haved saved yourself some anxiety.
Did you read the post you quoted? The doctor repeatedly told him it was normal.
 

ACCat#23

New member
Mar 12, 2006
39
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Dr. Ferguson is one of the best ophthalmic surgeons in the nation. He's MENSA and develops his own techniques. Brilliant man. I did some rotations there and know him quite well. A Duke fan though....
 

HUBER

Active member
Jan 9, 2003
16,964
138
63
Did he tell you before the surgery that it may take a month or more for you to get the final results that you now have? If you had known ahead of time what to expect you might have saved yourself some anxiety.

I didn't know it would take that long and if they told me I didn't pay attention, probably from being scared shitless. Had I known, I would probably not had the anxiety about it, but with now having 20/20 vision... who cares?

My only recommendation is this, if your going to have Lasik done, go to a well thought of doctor over the discount lasik places. My testing at Lasik Plus was about 45 minutes total before they got into selling mode. AT Dr. Ferguson's I was there for over 2 hours doing testing. He told me that a majority of people that have serious eye issues after lasik are the ones who should have been weeded out in the first place. Some places are more about getting your $$$ than protecting your vision.
 

AthensCatFan

Active member
Nov 8, 2007
54,203
273
83
I had it back in 2008 and my vision was fairly bad. I think my contacts were around -6.5 and -6.25. My brother-in-law had much worse vision and had it done as well.

I was 20-50 when I left the office that day and when I woke up that evening after the Valium wore off I could see very well. I think I was 20-30 the morning after for my followup appointment. My whole procedure was about as seamless as possible. I had 20-15 vision a year later at my 12 month followup, but haven't had my eyes checked since then.

The only negative I've had is sensitivity to light when driving in darkness. Street lamps and headlights are the only thing that bother me and it has to be completely dark for it to cause a problem.
 

Chuckinden

New member
Jun 12, 2006
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Everyone heals differently. I had mine in '98 at Lasik Plus in Cincy ($499 per eye) and was able to drive downtown that evening for dinner. My eyesight is still perfect and I'll be 61 in a few months. My son just had it done at the same place ($799 per eye) and has perfect eyesight and no complications.

Go wherever you are the most comfortable with. I went to someone who had done thousands of procedures and a very high success rate. He just happened to be the least expensive around and he is a UK graduate.
 

buckmaster022

Member
Jan 28, 2004
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48
I don't know what your vision was before, but you had a similar experience that my wife did. Her vision before was terrible (her contact prescription was something like -6.75 & -7.25) and it took a few months for it to come around.

I had PRK done back in February and it's still awesome for me. Took a few weeks, but dryness was the big issue for both of us.

Both of us had it done at Lasik Plus - in different cities. I've been pleased with the follow up and the care given by doctors in both places.