Neat Laser Eye Surgery

I Want Laser Eye Surgery!?

First of all, Iam going to be 16 years old in 1 month, Iam wondering if it is legal to have laser eye surgery for my age since my eys are realy bad and without glasses i cant see within a meter clearly? So what is the legal age to have a laser eye surgery in Canada, Ontario, Toronto? Whats the Risk's? Can i go blind if something goes wrong in the operation? Whats the cost in Ontario, Toronto? Is it painfull afterwards or uncomfortable? will i need drops?? also i heard if i get a laser eye surgery, i have to get one every year is the true or false? ps- Iam learning to be a pilot and with glasses i cant fulfill my dreams.. I also play sports, and been boxing since i was 12 thats another reason why i wanted to get an eye surgery so badly, do i still quilify?

Public Comments

1. it's not painful but someone's obviously going to have to drive you home after the surgery. not everyone qualifies for it though, my mom wanted it badly and she even got a discount for it because she works at the hospital where she was going to have it done, but her eye measurements or some crap werent good enough for the procedure to be successful. :( (she's old and asian lol)
2. If you're tired of glasses and contact lenses, you may be considering laser eye surgery. If so, you're not alone – one company alone, LASIK MD, claims to have over 300,000 laser vision correction procedures across Canada, and its popularity continues to grow. Here are some facts about laser eye surgery to consider. What is laser eye surgery? Laser eye surgery refers to two procedures performed within Canada. Each reshapes the cornea, the curved front surface of the eye. In both cases a "cold" laser is used, which prevents damage to the surrounding eye tissue. And in each case the eye then heals itself. During the first kind of procedure, PRK, the surgeon uses a laser beam to reshape the surface of the cornea just enough to correct vision. During the second kind of procedure, LASIK, the surgeon cuts a flap in the cornea, lifts it, and then uses a laser to remove calculated amounts of tissue from inside the cornea, and then closes the flap. Laser eye surgery is generally not covered under provincial health care plans, so plan to pay out of pocket – usually several thousand dollars. Who should consider it? Laser eye surgery corrects three vision problems: near-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism (distortion) – meaning most people who wear glasses have a condition that can be corrected in this way. In most cases the results are satisfactory to excellent. You may not be a good candidate for laser surgery if you have a history of eye disease, have a condition or take drugs that affect your ability to heal, or play sports where you are likely to be injured in the eye area. What are the risks? Studies in the late 1990s, when the procedure was still new, showed an overall complication rate (some minor) of about 5 per cent, but doctors are now reporting a complication rate closer to 1 per cent. Complication rates do vary from doctor to doctor. It's a good idea to ask about complication rates before you begin. Possible complications include: • loss of vision – this is very rare, but it is a risk • visual symptoms: glare, halos, and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime vision. • under- or over-treatment. Only a certain percent of patients achieve 20/20 vision, so you may still need glasses after surgery. Patients over 40, in particular, may still require reading glasses. • severe dry eye syndrome • results may diminish with age as the eye continues to grow, so you could end up back in glasses • as with any surgery there is a risk of infection Be sure to read very carefully the "informed consent" form that you will be asked to sign as it will detail the risks thoroughly. In order to help avoid complications, you will also need to follow the after-surgery care instructions exactly. Choosing a professional The best way to choose a professional for your laser eye surgery is to receive a referral from your eye care specialist. Interview the individual seriously. USAeyes.org has a list of 50 tough questions to ask available at http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/lasik-tough-questions.htm; you may want to use this list to come up with your own questions. And a final downside to consider: as one person who had the procedure reports, "Here is a thought about whether you want LASIK. For years I was blissfully unaware of how dirty my shower could get. Everything was pleasantly fuzzy. Now I can see very clearly how disgusting it becomes. Ignorance may have been preferable."
3. First of all - it is usually up to your eye doctor as whether or not he will recommend you as a candidate -if your eyes change alot they will not let get it because they will continue to change then they would not recommend you get it Your age could be a factor as your eyes may not be stable enough and may continue to change for awhile- if you have dry eyes your eye doctor may not recommend - I have extremely dry eyes and they won't let me get it done as it will naturally dry out your eyes even more than they are now. I have heard it is not painful or uncomfrotable. You may need drops afterward but not necessarily forever - You do not get it done every year if they thought your eyes would continue to change they won't let you do it ( a good optometrist anyway!) The cost in the US is about 3000.00 although I do know there is a place in Denver CO that does it for about 1/2 of that - anyway only your eye doctor can tell you if your too young, or a candidate for lasik - I kind of think they might make you wait but don't know for sure! Go Find out! They usually have free evaluations and consultations.
4. I'd wait if I were you.. There are always risks.. and if you really want to fulfill your dreams why not try contacts?..
5. Legal Age is probably 18 without parental permission, but if your parents sign the papers you can get it. Risks: You can most definitely go blind if something goes wrong. Other side effects could be: Halos around lights, blurred vision, glare, etc. Cost: It would vary, do some research on the internet. Painful: YES. Basically what they do is partially cut off some of the lens on your eye, and shine lights on it. Since eyes are important to your body, it will tell you something is up. But don't worry, you will get pain killers pre and post - op. Drops: Yes, antibiotic drops and rewetting drops for a while, until you are healed. Laser Surgery Every Year: Yes, and know. IT depends on how old you are. Since you're sixteen, your vision is still changing, and you may need another surgery (if possible) or just deal with it. If you really want to do this, I would wait until i'm 21, when your vision is done changing. So, this would be something I would think about long and hard. Is it really worth the risk? Would you risk going blind so you don't have to wear glasses or contacts? If you go into this, I'd do alot of research and find a reputable surgeon. GOOD LUCK!
6. Since you are only 16 years old and still considered a minor, I would ask a parent/ guardian to make a consultation appointment with at least two Laser Eye Surgeons and ask about the legal and appropriate age to have laser eye surgery and any questions/ concerns you may have. I do believe that 16 may be too young since your eyes and vision may not have stabilized enough to be a good candidate for the laser eye surgery. This is why it is a good idea to consult with more than one eye surgeon. Before going to a consultation, write down a list of things you want to know or ask such as the Risks involved. Rarely is the risk severe enough to cause blindness since technology is very advanced now. Costs in Ontario, Toronto will vary: Consult with at least 2 eye surgeons. Is it painful/ uncomfortable? No, I didn't think so. I had the LASIK eye surgery in the evening. Afterwards, I went home to sleep (which is what eye surgeons will recommend). When I woke up in the morning, I could not believe that I could see without fumbling for and putting my glasses first. Eye Drops: Depends on the doctor. My doctor was excellent both before and after the eye surgery. Before the surgery, I used antibiotic drops which I continued using even after the surgery; this helps to prevent eye infection. After the surgery, I used an anti-inflammatory drop and preservative-free tear drops until the doctor said it was ok to stop. It is very important to go to your follow-up visits so the doctor can see how your eyes are healing and prescribe any needed medication. Also, follow the doctor's advice completely and do everything the doctors says so that your eyes can heal quickly and have little or no side effects. No, you do not need to get laser eye surgery every year. This is not true at all, completely false! The cost does vary quite a lot depending on a number of factors such as: ~ LASIK procedure [i.e. Conductive Keratoplasty (CK), CRT, Epi-Lasik, Intacs, LASEK, LASIK, Micro-LASIK®, LRI, or lens implantation] ~ Doctor's experience ~ Vision prescription ~ Office location (city, state, country) I actually just had LASIK done mid-January 2008. I had done a lot of research on LASIK for the past year. I was very near-sighted and had mild to moderate astigmatism. Before my LASIK procedure, I had spent LOTS of money on glasses and contacts. Since my prescription was strong (about -6.00 with about 1.25 astigmatism), I had to upgrade my lenses to Transitions "Hi-Index" meaning my glasses were thinner compared to polycarbonate lenses and changed to a gray/ black depending on the amount of sun outside and would become clear when I went inside a building. My one pair of glasses cost me about $350 with insurance coverage. Aside from the glasses, I also had toric lenses (for astigmatism) which cost ranged from $75/ box containing 6 monthly disposable lenses. I had to buy 2 boxes since my eyes had different prescriptions for each. Being practical, I finally made the decision to get LASIK. As I mentioned above, I did my research and selected my office and doctor, Dr. Robert Lin at IQ Medical Center. The main office is in the City of Industry (Dr. Lin does the surgeries himself at this location). The other locations are satellite offices are available for consultations and post-op care. The best advice to anyone considering LASIK is to do research about the experience of the doctor. Get a consultation, get second and even third opinions if needed. When you are asking about the cost, be sure to find out if the price given is for one eye or both eyes. This is misleading for us as prospective patients. ***Don't base your decision solely on the cost alone.*** After my year-long research, I was lucky that a friend had referred me to Dr. Lin. He is experienced and TEACHES LASIK to other opthamologists at UCLA. Not only that but he is the INVENTOR of Micro-LASIK and has a great professional staff to answer any questions from the consultation through post-op follow-up care. LASIK is life-changing; don't let it change your life because of an inexperienced surgeon. I have listed the websites for Dr. Lin's office and an informational site that lists his professional achievements. Let me know if you need more information on this, I will be more than happy to help. I can't tell you how happy I am with the results. Today is exactly 3 months since I had the LASIK eye surgery; I am very excited to I am seeing 20/20 for the first time in over 20 years!
7. You cannot get lasik until you are 18 for conventional and 21 for CustomVue (those are the ages approved by the FDA). Doesn't matter if you have your parents permission. The reason why is because peoples eyes keep growing until around 18-21, which means a fluctuation in prescription. You're prescription must be stable for at least a year. If you don't like glasses, get contacts until you are a candidate :).
8. For girls, the appropriate age is about 20. For boys it's higher because their eyes finish developing later.. the lazer doctors say about age 22 for men. If you have it done earlier, your eyes are more likely to change and you'll have to go back in for adjustments. My sister had to do that because she got her's done too early and now she has to pay to have them done a second time. get a lifetime warrenty!! In the States, AmeriPlan USA does give 50% off Laser Surgery in the larger cities. You can check out providers at www.everyonebenefits.com/40575488
9. There are risks involved with laser eye surgery, as there are with any surgery. But picking a reputable surgeon with a low complication rate can minimize your chances. The chances of going blind are slim. There is a level of discomfort, which passes and makes way for great eyesight ;-) Get all the aanswers you need here: http://www.londonvisionclinic.com/questions-answers/