It's not what you think!

It's about my eyes. Here's some background...

When I was in second grade I had to get glasses. I had no idea that the world was clearer than what I saw, but a very astute teacher saw me squinting and struggling to see and told my mom I should see an eye doctor. I did and they found I was severely nearsighted.

I wish my scanner worked so I could post the pic of me in my brand new, pink, cat's eye glasses in Mrs. Kinnarney's 2nd grade class...but I digress. (<--the pic is a piss and I laugh at it whenever I see it)...

When I was 17 I got contact lenses and never turned back. I took my "coke bottle" wire framed (I had progressed to at least John Lennon style by then) glasses and wrung them like an old dish rag and swore to never wear glasses again. After all, guys don't make passes at a girl who wears glasses...right?

My sight worsened through the years...and then it leveled out...and has maintained a certain prescription for over 2 decades now. Or so I thought...

Last week I had a pretty bad eye irritation/infection (my eyes were red and when I woke they were ooey gooey icky and swollen). I had to go get my eyes examined anyway because I was on my last pair of lenses, so off I went with a heavy heart...thinking the worst. Upon sight inspection, the doc surely thought the worst too, cause she said there will be restrictions if she can't get a reading or do a dialation or do a fitting for lenses...and she seemed to be dooming me before the actual examination...but I insisted we press on.

Some people can't stand any contact with their eyes. I am just the opposite...I have always said that anything that helps me see better, be it the doc having to take out my eyeballs and roll them around on a pool table if she/he must, is ok with me! Happily...that wasn't necessary...lol!

They took my old glasses to get a reading from them to see if my script changed within the past 15 years. I owned one pair of glasses for when it was absolutely necessary to take my lenses out (if I was drop dead drunk or something) and let my eyes rest or to go to sleep. Now remember...I got contacts at 17 and I am 47 now. In that whole time I have only had one pair of glasses and I didn't get them till much later after I got my lenses and destroyed my daily glasses.

LONG STORY...HUH?????

Oh...be patient guys...I swear I have a point!

So anyway...She tested for glaucoma (the puff test), she put dye in my already irritated eyes to check my cornea's to see if they were scratched or something was lodged in them (like leather ot textile from work...or something), she didn't dialate my eyes cause I had driven to the store alone (WHEW!)...and then we did all the usual tests. "Put your head in here and you forehead againt the bar"...lenses drop at a pace that someone my age can't distinguish "better or worse"?...so I ask to see it again so I can concentrate...blah, blah, blah. Then I have to read the chart. What chart? More lenses drop...OHHHHHHHHHHHH...that chart! A R O P D Q...right? More lenses drop...B A D P (ding, ding...got that one right) R O...GEEZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!

"Lixy? How old did you say you were?" Um....Um...*barely a whisper* "47...why?" "Can you read anything on this paper in front of you?" It's an exerpt from The Swiss Family Robinson...should I tell her I read the book? "Um...yes...I can read the first line" (the smallest letters)...

AND I COULD...NOT FROM MEMORY...BUT I COULD SEE IT CLEAR AS DAY!!!!!!!

My Point?

*waits for the the huffing and puffing and sighs to cease* LOL!

She got a reading on my vision...my sight has improved from -6.00 and -5.75 (l and r eye respectively) to -5.50 and -5.00 (l an r eye respectively)...THE FIRST TIME EVER IN MY LIFE FOR AN IMPROVEMENT! And...I have a new script for my regular glasses that has improved as well.

Not to mention...she gave me a pair of bifocal contact lenses that make me feel 20 y/o again!!! I don't have to wear reading glasses anymore!

My reason to put this in the advice forum? I was heavily considering surgery on my eyes to improve the vision so I don't have to ever wear glasses or contacts again.

Has anyone had such surgery...and could you share your stories (good or bad). Are you nearsighted as well as farsighted? Do you know if the surgery can be done on both vision corrections? Anything you can contribute would be wonderful insight (pardon the pun) for me!

P.S. I forgot to tell you...my eye irritation/infection was due to my using "Equate"® brand Multi-Purpose Lens Cleaner...which has a higher concentrate of preservative...and the preservative was one that I am highly allergic to. It's similar to when I was younger and there was only one kind of saline solution which had Thimerosol (preservative) in it. I was highly allergic to that. Now there is a "sensitive eyes" saline that is Thimerosol free!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Summer had laser eye work done and she had a stigmatism in addition to her deficiency. It went well and she was really happy to chunk her glasses.

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Lixy Darlin as I understand it the surgery (Lasek or wheteveryadamncallit) only works for nearsighted folks. One of my friends at work had it done and said he wouldn't trade it for anything. He's several years older than us too. I'd say talk to a few places and if they think you can benefit from it why thehell not? Best wishes in either case... we love Ya as you are but seeing better is a great thought huh?

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Oh Lil...that's good news! I have a very slight astigmatism in my right eye (I think it's the right one) but it's so slight I can still wear "regular" contacts. They now have lenses for more severe astigatisms. Good news for the folks that could never wear lenses at all!!!!!

For those that don't know..."ASTIGMATISM" corneal irregularity suggestive of blurred and/or distorted vision.

TY Bear! I hadn't really asked anyone about both corrections before. And this time...when I saw this new doc...I wanted to clear up the infection first. Then I thought...if I ask her about lasek surgery, "will she treat me differently, thinking she'll not have a client again after my surgery?".

I've been thinking....just haven't investigated as yet!

TY for the input!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Living in Dallas they talk about this alot. Apparently one of the doctors (Tylock I think is his name) is supposedly like a doctor that teaches other doctors how to do it etc.

Anyway all I know is that even though it is expensive I have been thinking of doing the same thing. I have had about 3 friends from the area (meaning Louisianna, Arkansas, and Oklahoma come "visit' me when they were having their eyes done.

I would do a search and find out who all can offer the procedure around you meaning in a few hundred mile area radius and go with one of the people that are the most knowledgeable and have been in it the longest. I wouldn't go with someone that was new or charging the least amount possible unless they also had the successful surgeries etc to prove it.

I say this because I had one friend who had it done in Houston and it wasn't done properly and he had some problems until he bit the bullet and made the drive here.

Just as with any other big dollar investment (especially health related) I would suggest doing some research. Quite a few places will give free screenings to see if you are an elegible candidate. I have a few friends who are both nearsighted and farsighted with astigmatisms that had it done. It didn't correct it 100% but did so that they rarely have to wear glasses. I think he has to wear reading glasses for very small print etc.

All my friends who have had it done though are very happy with having made the decision.

*DARN!!!*

See Lixy. It’s just like I’ve been saying all along. You are just getting better all the time. :lust:

The procedure has been around long enough to prove itself now. I’ve not heard too many horror stories about the laser surgery. But I DO want you to check it out verrrrry carefully though. It wouldn’t be like getting the wrong lens prescription. I understand the eyeball donors list is kinda short.








See Lilith. I got my puter back and she STILL did it.

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i've also heard mostly good things about it but i did have one friend that had a really awful experience. it was about 6 or 7 years ago, though, so i'm sure there've been improvements in the science. anyway...he experienced an ache in his eyes for a long time, icky puss and watering, his vision got worse. they were later able to correct it but for a while there he was in hell.

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Zephreck...Money is not an issue, nor is any other "icky" thing that might scare a person off. My sight (sans lenses) is so bad that I could use a guide dog! OK...that's a bad thing to say for the peeps who are diagnosed as "legally blind". I know...I know...I am a way from that, but without my lenses I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo scared that I may as well be "clinically blind"! I count stairs in case I ever do lose my sight...(matter of fact...I count steps from "here to there" so I can remain independent if that should ever happen). OK...I am a bit O.C.D. and I know it! But it's scary and that's one of my worst fears! Anyway...you gave me great info and I TY!!!! (((Zeph)))!!!!!!!

PF...I love you baby! I WILL be careful!!!!! Starting my research now....won't stop or do anything till I am extremely informed! I have a nephew who had a BADDDDDDDDD experience...but with an inferior source as opposed to the best of the best...and he is in a bad way now, and he is gonna sue the doc ( I hate this...cause he purposely picked the lesser of ALL peeps to do the job and I think we don't take enough responsibility for our actions today...another sunject?)

wyndhy...TY sweety...mom-in-law had that ache too. She's almost 78...had surgery with a lens insertion (not exactly what we are talking about)...her sight improved for a while but ached and burned and wateredand had to have drops thrice daily. But then she had to get corrective glasses anyway. She feels safer with glasses now...but you gotta love her cause she tried!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

Know this is an old thread but I was looking at some of your pics and decided to read a bit too. I'm older than you and my eyes were not quite as bad but pretty close. I'd worn glasses or contacts since the 4th grade and finally got fed up with them. I was at a point where I needed bifocals or something else. I had Lasik about 20 months ago and the results were great. I visited a couple of different surgeons and decided I was comfortable with one of them. There was extensive testing to help decide whether I was a good candidate or not. There are a lot of options - even more today than a couple of years ago - for different types of procedures that would work best for you. There is an option for folks our age called mono-vision. They do one eye for distance and one eye for reading. Maybe because my eyes were bad or maybe just because I'm picky, I didn't like the slight fuzziness when they gave me a pair of glasses that simulated that solution. I opted for both eyes being done for distance even if I needed reading glasses.

Anyway, the procedure was completely painless. Right after the surgery it was like opening your eyes uder water. By the end of the day my sight was beginning to normalize and by the next day I had 20/30 vision in both eyes. And sure enough, I had trouble reading. The doc told me that the eyes would continue to adjust over time. Within a couple of weeks vision in both eyes was 20/15. Over the next 6 months one eye stayed really good and the other regressed to about 20/30 or so. That might sound like a bad thing but for some reason it brought print back into focus for me. Unless the print is very fine or the light is good I still don't need glasses to read.

As everyone else said, check the docs out and find someone you're comfortable with. I know several other people who have had this done and all have had good experiences.

BTW, love the pics.

Hows the research going Lixy?

I'd so love to have this done....but new boobs were required more at present *LOL*

I've been wearing classes since grade 5...and now have coke bottle glasses...or would have if i hadnt paid shitloads extra moolah to get a special lens....i have contacts and love em....dont wear em that often though cause it gives me the pip having to take em out and clean em *LOL*

I can totally understand the going blind fear....that absolutely terrifies me....my eyesight is worse than yours....and my last check up it improved too...sorta had me and the optomitrist stumped *L*....must say i did walk out with a bit more bounce in me step *L*

Anyway best of luck....and let us know the details of how it went if ya decide to go ahead....this one is one me to do list

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I almost forgot about this thread...lol!

Thanks for the report VaBeast...oh, and for the compliment *blushing*

I think I've settled for the next best thing to what VaBeast had done Alassë. I went for a check up because my eyes suddenly had a reaction to my saline solution. Turned out that I was allergic to the high content of the preservative in the generic brand I was using. Anyway, the doc suggested mono vision contact lenses. My right eye has a low script bifocal to take over when I need to see far and my left eye has the high bifocal to take over when I read or sew. It took a day or so to get used to driving like that so I didn't do any night driving till I was sure.

I think I'll stick with this correction for a while. I don't mind putting in and taking out the lenses. I'm used to doing it because I've been wearing lenses since I've was 17. But I must admit it would be nice to never have to do that again.

I know what you mean as to thinner lenses. I paid through the nose for my glasses for them too! I wear glasses at night when I take my lenses out.

And speaking of a bounce in your step? The moment I put in the new lenses at the optomitrist's I felt somehow younger. I didn't need my half glasses for reading anymore and it felt good to not have to have them dangle from my shirt/blouse when not in use. Out of habit, I still reach for them sometime. Then I smile, knowing I don't need them.

I still may, someday, get lasik...but for now I am happy with the results of the lenses!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

I guess I am just plain wierd - but I love a lady that wears glasses, of course they have to "fit" her.

I have given some consideration to lasic but the thought of someone pointing a laser into my eye scares the crap out of me (much the same reason I haven't gotten a vasectomy - the boys have this fear of someone with a knife that close to them)

A couple of years back I had to get tri-focals. Now that is a sign of age! I had never heard of such a thing!