Weighing Pros and Cons of Laser Surgery for Myopia

[WiFO215]

I've been mulling over whether or not to undergo laser surgery to correct my vision. Myopia set in when I was 12 and has gradually become worse (~ -3.75, 4 now). Being rather active, I find glasses to be a big pain because they get in the way often, sometimes even leading to injury. I was wearing contact lenses for some time and found it to be a very pleasant experience. They were very comfortable and offered a much larger field of vision than specs. I thought going in for laser treatment would avoid this pain of glasses altogether and would also be cheaper Here in India, contact lenses for 6 months cost about $120 and LASIK costs about $480. Although everyone tells me it's safe, I'm hearing mixed reviews about people going back for surgery and would like to know what you have to say about undergoing laser treatment. I'll be heading to meet my optometrist soon.

 

[Borek]

Everyone with problems about the recovery will tell their story to everyone around, and we - humans - have tendency to report bad stories (think media coverage - apparently the only things happening in the world is disasters and accidents). So I would not base my decision on the stories I heard, but on a hard statistics.

 

[Monique]

It entirely depends on the clinic you will be visiting, get information from the doctor on the success rate and risks. If they say it is completely safe, then don't go there: they're hiding information. Nothing is completely safe and you should be informed of the risks.

 

[WiFO215]

Thanks guys. I think I will be getting surgery soon. Will let you know how it went.