[manveet]

Was doing some research on the FDA website regarding generic drugs and stumbled on this Flash .. it explains the Lasik process in a simple animation .. pretty explanatory ..

US FDA/CDRH: LASIK - Animation

[MonkSansFerrari]

Wow ! A very interesting discussion here.

@DocG

What exactly do you do? And can you throw more light on Presbyopic Lasik?

[Iswear]

Hello everybody. First of all thanks to Sam who stared this thread. Pretty useful and opens up many eyes (literally!)

I would like to reply to many of the posts, or maybe comment and add my life's experiences here!

To give a brief background about my eye's case - I suffer from a condition of the cornea called "Keratoconus". It basically means 'thinning of cornea'.

So what happens with this condition is that, after a certain point spectacles cannot give you correction, then the stage where soft lens cannot help, then the stage where you keep changing different lens as and when the need comes, and then the stage where nothing helps and you need a cornea transplant - where they replace your cornea with another! The success rate of this cornea transplant is NOT 100% and there might be 'rejection' of the donor cornea, as someone else here too pointed out! ...

I am at the point where I use a 'piggyback' lens - A combination of semi-soft lens (Heck! I call them hard infact!) on top of a soft lens (this soft lens is purely for comfort). And the thing is my eye cannot tolerate this combination for more than 10 hours in a day (For some people a maximum of 14-16 hrs). Imagine adjusting every aspect of your life to accomodate these 10 precious hours!

Originally Posted by tsk1979

... He clearly told me that he can do LASIK, but does not recommend it as Indians (and other people having similar genes) have thin cornea. He has seen a success rate of 98% odd. and he feels 2% is too big a risk ...

Yes. Perfectly true. The case of Keratoconus (thinning of cornea) is more amongst Indians. And the process of LASIK involves thinning of cornea. Infact, there have been cases where people had something called 'LASIK induced Keratoconus'. Trust me, you don't want that!

Originally Posted by shajufx

... My eyes are (I assume) perfect subject to any research minded optometrist. Right eye is -13.00 and left is -3.00 ... After coming back to bangalore ... 'narayana nethralaya' here, another famous hospital in hyderabad, another famous one in Ollur (tamilnadu) ...

Lasik is a money making field as I understand ... It is the most important information in my life that can come from anyone ....

How come so much of difference in the eye numbers? Did you ever try to get diagnosed for Keratoconus? In my opinion, you should! And which place are you from exactly? I can guide you to very good hospitals with no commercial motives. I have been going to Shankara Nethralaya in Chennai from 2003. Very sweet and innocent people, I should say!
And LASIK is definitely money-minting field for many hospitals. Please be adviced about them!

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

... Damn, I hate those weights on my nose (already have dark spots on my nose where the glasses rest), Its a handicap I have to live with. Sometimes I wonder when it will end... when...God Give me a break ...

lambuhere1, please read the story above and also PM me if you like to. Trust me, I would love and die to be in your position where I am still able to wear glasses, Ah! such a comfort. Just pick it up and place them on your eyes. Imagine having to wear painful contacts for only 10 hours (which 10 hrs do you choose?!) in a day and also not sure when would you need a change to those contacts. I understand everybody feels their condition is worse and feels bad and hurt looking at other people enjoying without any problems, but all I am saying is you are in very good shape brother!

Originally Posted by phamilyman

.. Yes, I want my life back. But no 2% for me :( ...

You haven't lost any life phamilyman :-) And as you rightly pointed out 2% is a really BIG number when it comes to something precious and irreparable as EYES!

Originally Posted by DocG

...

Hello Doc. Maybe you can throw more light on all this Keratoconus thing? and maybe I am a good case study for you? !!

Originally Posted by appuchan

Well, for me also it was a big shock when I knew that her power is -22. She is "almost blind" ... She enjoys her job as a school teacher ...

-22? ... Did you ever get her checked for Keratoconus appuchan? And please let her enjoy her life as it is now and don't take this risk of LASIK. Please ...

Originally Posted by shajufx

... Kerato Conus

If I can spare 30/40 days totally cut off from the world, this is my way to go. And I believe it will be a permanent correction without regrets or side-effects. Hope this info helps atleast someone.

That's the word. Keratoconus! ... And shajufx, please do a thorough research. I know you might have done. Just that this is a VERY sensitive thing.

Oh ya! Did I mention that the actual cause of Keratoconus is still a mystery and people are still researching about it. And also, keeps on progressing for almost the rest of your life (unless you are lucky!)?

To add my life experiences here. I cleared JEE and entered IIT Madras in 2002. And in 2003, I paid a normal visit to Shankara Nethralay as I felt the numbers of my spectacles have changed. And then I was diagnosed with this.

After that I couldn't study too much at IIT Madras because of this. But by God's grace, got a good job at the end of my B.Tech. And then came to Bangalore in 2006. Worked for one year. And then left for an Ivy League School in USA, Duke University, only to drop out within 2 months as my eye problem progressed suddenly and I couldn't pursue the studies anymore, not emotionally, and most important - financially!

And then returned to India and was between jobs for 5 months ... And currently in my 3rd job.

I've always been a 'bright student', so to speak, but then life always plays games with you, doesn't it?

Sorry for the really long post guys. I can still go on and on. It was not a nice journey. But I just thank GOD for helping me overcome this till now and also having blessed me with an awesome girlfriend who understands all this and infact suites HER lifestyle to accomodate mine :(

[GSMINC]

Hi,
As the thread title says, I would like to know if one can comfortably drive a car after having the Lasik laser surgery.
After surgery is your vision 100% perfect ?
I am wearing glasses since a long time & my wife is pestering me to go for this treatment.It's supposed to cost around 30-40 thousand rupees.
But, I love to travel & I dont want to be in a situation where after the surgery I cant drive for long hours or the vision is slightly better but not 100% pucca.Imagine no more car driving, no better nightmare than that
Now I drive with glasses & sometimes all night & no problem as such.

So guys,
Pls help me. have anyone of you guys gone for this treatment.
Is it really worth it ?

[Eddy]

You may discuss here

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...iscussion.html

[GSMINC]

My query is with regards to Car driving after Lasik surgery

[joslicx]

So what is the query?

[Sam Kapasi]

lol.
If you are a doctor and wish to drive after performing Lasik, this is OK.

If you are a patient and wish to drive after receiving Lasik, I suggest you wait for 4 days before driving.

If you do not know how to drive a car or do not have a license, then I suggest you don't drive both before and after Lasik surgery.

[adityamunshi]

Ha ha ha Sam, Good one

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

lol.
If you are a doctor and wish to drive after performing Lasik, this is OK.

If you are a patient and wish to drive after receiving Lasik, I suggest you wait for 4 days before driving.

If you do not know how to drive a car or do not have a license, then I suggest you don't drive both before and after Lasik surgery.

[AbhiJ]

If you could drive before the surgery, you should be able to drive fine after it...

[joslicx]

If the query is regarding driving after surgery, as such there is no problem. Only thing is that after Lasik eyes tend to dry up so after some time your eyes will feel tired. You will need to use lubrication (artificial tears). This is especially a problem for night driving.

[cancerm]

Hi
Well I too had got my Lasik done,
It is not advisable to drive atleast for 2 days after the surgery is done because it takes atleast 48 hrs for ur eyses to heal after the surgery is performed thats why.

Pl feel to ask me if there is anything you would like to know abt LASIK.

[Eddy]

Poor Guy. This is what he had posted

Hi,
As the thread title says, I would like to know if one can comfortably drive a car after having the Lasik laser surgery.
After surgery is your vision 100% perfect ?
I am wearing glasses since a long time & my wife is pestering me to go for this treatment.It's supposed to cost around 30-40 thousand rupees.
But, I love to travel & I dont want to be in a situation where after the surgery I cant drive for long hours or the vision is slightly better but not 100% pucca.Imagine no more car driving, no better nightmare than that
Now I drive with glasses & sometimes all night & no problem as such.

So guys,
Pls help me. have anyone of you guys gone for this treatment.
Is it really worth it ?

[joslicx]

Dont know to whom I am answering but I can help with some of the Qs:

I would like to know if one can comfortably drive a car after having the Lasik laser surgery.

>> The answer is Yes. I had Lasik done 3 years back. I drive a car daily.

After surgery is your vision 100% perfect ?

>> Know that is is a surgical procedure (with very high rate of success but not 100%). Normally the vision should be 6/6 if everything goes well (more than 99% of the time everything goes well)

I am wearing glasses since a long time & my wife is pestering me to go for this treatment.It's supposed to cost around 30-40 thousand rupees.

>> It cost me 35k in 2005.

But, I love to travel & I dont want to be in a situation where after the surgery I cant drive for long hours or the vision is slightly better but not 100% pucca.Imagine no more car driving, no better nightmare than that
Now I drive with glasses & sometimes all night & no problem as such.

>> The only problem with Lasik is your eyes tend to become dry after few hours so you'd start feeling drowsy and eyes will feel tired. As a remedy you'd be required to use lubricants (called artificial tears) 2-3 times a day. Its a small sacrifice to make to get those thick glasses removed...
Dry eyes is especially a problem for night driving.

So guys,
Pls help me. have anyone of you guys gone for this treatment.
Is it really worth it ?

>> Yes it is worth it in my eyes Hope it helps. But you should know that it is a surgical procedure and a tiny risk of something going wrong cannot be ruled out. The chances of losing vision are negligible however (Lasik is now categorised as a cosmetic surgery!)

[paras211]

a friend was adviced by his doc. no going to places where there s a lot of smoke and no smoking either for at least a few months till the thing heals up.

Poor guy was smoking with his eyes closed the other day.lol