LASIK, one year later
It just dawned on me that tomorrow marks my one year anniversary of getting LASIK. This time last year I was feeling a wee bit nervous.
And, since it was the last thing I put on my credit card (after maxing out my medical savings plan), I'm technically still paying for it. Bah!
posted by SMB @ 6:44 PM
9 Comments:
Weird - I am thinking about gettig Lasik this year! Where did you get yours done? Can you tell us how much it cost? I am thinking of getting it this year since I have a fresh balance in my FSA.
Any info would be helpful!
I got it done at Cornea Consultants/Laser Eye Consultants of Boston (http://www.lecb.com/home.shtml), at their Waltham office, with Dr. Talamo.
The cost last year was $2900/eye, but I got a 10% discount. (They used to be affiliated with my vision plan, but weren't any longer, but he gave me the discount since I had thought they were.) There are cheaper places out there, but I felt VERY comfortable with Dr. Talamo and his level of experience, and I was willing to pay for that.
The initial consultation, where they determined whether I'd be a good candidate, was free. Once that was established I went in for some more in-depth tests, and I paid $250 (payable towards the surgery--it wasn't extra, in other words). I was able to pay $3000 using my FSA, but the rest, as I mentioned, went on my credit card. I was a little pained when I found they were raising the limit to $5000 for this year, but what a great opportunity for anyone else considering LASIK!
The surgery itself was really easy, as far as surgeries go. I'd be happy to give any details about that, too, if you'd like.
Thanks SMB!
How many days were you out of work for this? Did you do one eye and then come back later to do the other? Did the doctor offer a payment plan or did you have to pay all at once?
Bored, you might be able to give Jane some answers, too! I have one for you as well: Do you now have recurring dreams wherein your vision goes back to the way it was? I have one about once a month. They're pretty bizarre. :)
Jane, it does look like they have financing options:
http://www.corneaconsultantsboston.com/about/financing.shtml
Strange, I don't remember any when I got it done, and it's odd to think I wouldn't have looked. Maybe I thought I'd get that 0% APR credit card paid off during the year...
I elected to take Friday off for my surgery, but I was back at work on Monday, so technically I missed one day. But the next day I was puttering around pretty much doing normal stuff, and I even drove myself to the post-op check-up. My eyes got irritated in the evenings for about a week; they were fairly dry for about 2 months, and dry upon waking for about another 4. After that all was back to normal.
You can elect to do one eye at a time, but once I made my mind up to do it I just wanted to get it over with. :)
Oh, Bored reminded me--studies have shown that better results are achieved in the winter months, when there is less humidity in the air (which translates into less moisture sitting on one's eyeballs through which the laser has to operate). Supposidely doctors can "adjust the machines," but that was one less thing for me to worry about, getting it done in January.
Yep, like Bored, I'm really happy with the results. 20/15 in both eyes (though my right eye is a tad weaker--always has been), no complications, and the best thing of all--no more glasses and contacts!
Darn, that link didn't paste correctly, but the Financing info is easy to find from the homepage:
http://www.corneaconsultantsboston.com
Yes, I want to add that they'll say you'll feel "a little pressure" as they apply suction to your eyeball to get it in position for the laser. Well, to me it felt like a LOT of pressure--this was my eyeball, after all!--and as a result I squirmed a little on the first eye, so it was a fairly bloodshot after the surgery (it fades in a few days). My second eye looked much better because I didn't squirm, since I knew what to expect.
Oh, and the smell--no one wants to talk about the smell! When the laser is reshaping your cornea, you'll smell something a little like burning hair, only not quite as stinky. I don't want to gross anyone out, and I guess no one else does either, so that's why it's never mentioned. :)
Thanks for all the info SMB and Bored. I am really hoping to do this soon. I had put it off because I was saving for a house. Then I put it off because I was recovering financially after buying a house. Now I am putting it off because I have some big home improvement expenses coming up... But I really do want to get it done since it seems like such a big quality of life improvement.
With all this great new info I am really going to plan on doing this in 2006.
Thanks!
This is inspiring. I'm one of those people who looks like a naked mole rate without my glasses because I wear them all the time. I've thought about laser surgery for years but have been sort of waiting to see whether your vision stays good, etc. I figure I better do it soon so I have some years without glasses before I get older and get farsighted.
Great info here, I'm always wondering about eye surgery but my own eye doctor doesn't do it, so she doesn't recommend it. And she told me my nearsightedness might improve "soon" when my old-age farsightedness started setting in. I was a little miffed, thinking "soon??? geez, I"m not that old!"
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