[Nurse_sero]

I'm busy gathering opinions and what not from people who've done it (it's always worth researching expensive death-star-firing-in-to-your-eye events before going through it....) and the forum search gave me a million results from Period Pain to I'm looking for a Japanese Kendoka husband. Neither of which suggest informed opinions about laser eye surgery....so:

Have you done it? What was it like? Has it improved your eyesight, for kendo specifically? Any drawbacks to your practise etc? Any other things worth considering?

I can find all the horror stories and what not on the net myself, so unless it's directly kendo related nothing like "My mate's dad's cousin's dog died when someone fired a Lasik laser at his balls" or anything similar.....

Cheers!

[mbaueee]

I had the old PRK method done on one eye in London and LASIK done on the other here in Oz.

LASIK is much less painful and heals more quickly - vision is fixed immediately as opposed to weeks.

I have no real issues apart from occasional dry eyes and halo effects on car headlights at night - not enough to stop me driving.

I don't do kendo but I have no problem with Tameshigiri - apart from technique!

[ZanazaKar]

Done it last year. No issues whatsoever. It was very uncomfortable for a few days, but it gradually got better and within a week I was back in Kendo.

Considering my eye sight was so bad that I couldn't even read people's zekken unless my face was right in front of their crotch, it's really good now. Unfortunately I have no more excuse for missing my cuts : (

[Ettiominiw]

Unfortunately I have no more excuse for missing my cuts : (

Indeed - see my technique post!

[secondmertg]

Results a generally very good (somewhere in the upper 90's %-wise). Can lead to dry-eyes and halo's around lights at night.

Main thing is:

It's surgery!!!

It's not just getting zapped with a magic laser and you're cured.

Do some srious research on who is the guy/gal doing the operation on their succes rate. Do NOT go with somewhere just because they are cheap or doing a special offer. You want this done once only if possible.

Find the surgeon with the best success rate and use them.

If you get the right person doing the op the results should be well worth the money and you will likely to not need specs/contact lenses at all until your mid to late forties (for reading). There is a slim chance you may still need a small prescription for specs for things such as: "Long distance driving"; "using a computer all day" or similar, but he better the surgeon the less likely this becomes.

Long-winded answer I know, but I know a bit about the subject - check my details page if in doubt.

David

[BqTyG9eS]

yugay where have you been !!!!!!!!!!!! you have changed your name and dont come out to play anymore? have you grown up or somthing?

[VodsNittats]

....David

Thanks David. I've checked up with a lot of people who've used the clinic I'm planning on going to and have always heard good praise both for results and the after care as well. I'll see if I can find stuff on the doc(s) but I doubt my written Japanese to make proper sense of it!

[weluvjessicaalba]

I've been thinking about it myself after a couple of friends have had it done. They both report excellent results but suggested not taking any of the the cheaper options (there are quite a few alternatives apparently).

[wheettebott]

I've been thinking about doing it too. A chap in my dojo had it done a couple of years back, with good results. The only problem was he couldn't do anything that might involve getting hit on the head for 3 months afterwards. Not very good for Kendo or Jodo.

[pepBarihepe]

I had it done in my 40's and it has been about 10 years now. I had/have astigmatism so was a borderline candidate.

I had an immediate improvement to 20/20 in the right eye. They under corrected the left eye and I had to go back and ended up with 20/25. I also needed reading glasses after that which they had told me would be the case.

I am now back to wearing glasses full time. You lose some of the correction over time. I do not need them for kendo and what have you. It is nice to do kendo without contacts and be able to see.

Down side is you can lose some visual acuity for nighttime , I did. Having to go back was a pain, but if they screw up and over correct that is a problem too. No dry eyes and I really do not have much of the halo effect at all. I would probably do it again since the technique and lasers are better now.

[Thydaysuh]

I've been thinking about doing it too. A chap in my dojo had it done a couple of years back, with good results. The only problem was he couldn't do anything that might involve getting hit on the head for 3 months afterwards. Not very good for Kendo or Jodo.

Ask around as differents ops have different results and recovery regimes.

[adoreorerie]

For those interested:

http://www.opticianonline.net/Articl...key=REFRACTIVE AND SURGERY

http://www.rcophth.ac.uk/about/public/laser

http://www.rcophth.ac.uk/about/publi...active-surgery

http://www.rcophth.ac.uk/docs/public...eMarch2006.pdf

The main thing is to go somewhere you have had recommended.

You may still need specs for specific purposes. Although usually at a much reduced power.
e.g. You may be very myopic (short-sighted) now and cannot drive or see the tv without your specs or contact lenses. After the op you are now (may be) legal to drive without specs or contact lenses and see the tv. However you may need to wear specs to read the teletext or subtitles on the tv; and to be able to see road signs just a little bit easier. Results vary.

You will need specs at some stage in the future, late 40's onwards generally, for reading at least. (Although for some this may be YEARS away!!)

Anywhere that doesn't warn you that the above may or can happen is probably just after your hard-earned cash!!



There is also the chance you might told you are not suitable for refractive surgery. There are alternatives to correct your vision that would be suitable for JSA. Ask a professional. Explain what it is you do and they should be able to offer alternatives.

(The keyword being "should" as "opticians" don't all have the same staff!!)



David



Wow a serious post from me!?

Must go read some "Jokes of the Day" quick . . .

[SoftrermaBioniaSat]

Checked into it a few years ago. After having the surgeon outright lie to me about whether I was a good candidate for the surgery, I backed off. It's virtually (by Canadian standards) unregulated surgery for a profit. I don't care to take the risks for the benefit of convenience.

This site used to have great info a few years ago when it was surgicaleyes.org, not sure how good it is now.

[MyOwnStyle]

my wife and my lil sis both did it, and so did one of my lil cousin. they all got it done by one of my cousin. my wife's eyes are still doing great. my lil sis needs glasses now, and then, but not all the time. not sure about my lil cousin. i don't talk to her too often.. maybe once a decade.

my cousin suggest that i get it done too, and he's rather good at this thing. but i just hate to have someone poke around my eyes, even if it's my cousin doing it.

but most people that i know who has done it love it.

pete

[egexgfczc]

After a ton of research my wife had it done, she had horrible vision prior. Her glasses were like coke bottles no joke. She now has 20/20 in one eye and very close to that in the other and she doesn't need glasses or contacts now, and that was 10 years ago. I've heard horror stories as well, most of the time from the surgery being performed by people who weren’t qualified. There was an actually bus turned into a Lasik surgery lab if you can believe that. Anyway she highly recommends it to people as long as they're going to have it done by someone highly qualified and in a hospital.

[assonomaf]

Just also:

I haven't had it done and wont have it done.

[SergeyMaikov]

Ill start by saying i have not had the surgery, but my best friend had it. As a third party observer, he was pretty sore for a couple days, but then he was fine, aside from some tearing up from having the tear ducts blocked. I dont know why they do that. His vision is pretty much spot on now though he was told it could have to be redone in ten to fifteen years or not at all depending on how his eyes naturally degenerated. Good luck .

[Clunlippibe]

One of our member had it done last week Friday. His doctor recommended that he not come to practice for a few days (worrying about the impact), but he'll be there this Friday. I met him passing by classes and he said his eyes feel normal, if not a tad sensitive from time to time (but then again, it's only been a few days, so that should be expected).

[kristloken]

Thanks for the info gents!

.......unfortunately I got home to some horrendously fat credit card bills last night that have just put this back 6 months.....bugger.

At least the info is all here for when I'm "allowed" to do it again. Sigh.

[crumoursegemo]

YEAH! In an ace turn of events the destruction of the twin moons of Endor, or my eyes, is on again! I've got the first appointment this thursday. Unfortunately no keiko for the week, but we're on again!