4 ms·

My wife is an ophthalmologist and would never get LASIK. The benefit of potentially not having to put contacts in every morning just does not outweigh the poss

My wife is an ophthalmologist and would never get LASIK. The benefit of potentially not having to put contacts in every morning just does not outweigh the possible complications.

JohnFen 7y ago
Yes, this is why I was never willing to get the procedure done. The risk/reward ratio is too unfavorable. Even if the percentage of people who have problems is very low, those problems are permanent. To take the risk of permanent injury just to avoid the inconvenience of wearing glasses never made sense to me.
- stanski 7y ago
  I can see it making sense if you're nearly blind without your glasses. I'd feel very vulnerable if I'm so reliant on glasses. If it's just a slight convenience then yeah... keep that stuff away from me.
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    True, I can imagine circumstances where it would be preferable. I was just commenting about my own situation. (BTW, I am nearly blind without my glasses, but that's never really bothered me. I just wear the glasses.)
- AdamN 7y ago
  Glasses are the least risky. If you're using contacts however, you're taking more of a risk with your eyes than surgery.
  - brokensegue 7y ago
    citation?
    - dation 7y ago
      https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/418674 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullartic... They calculated in 1/2000 lifetime chance of vision loss from contacts vs a 1/10000 chance for refractive surgery.
      - JohnFen 7y ago
        I can't read the full article, so this might be incorrect. The summary seems to indicate that they're only considering vision loss, but most of the reports that I've heard of about lasik problems aren't vision loss as such, but the introduction of artifacts.
keldaris 7y ago
What does she think about phakic intraocular lens implantation as an alternative to LASIK/PRK?
- brandonmenc 7y ago
  When I was being fitted for contact lenses for the first time a few years ago, I asked my ophthalmologist about implants and he basically acted like I was insane for wanting that procedure versus laser. After experiencing truly dry eyes for the first time - from contact lenses - I will probably never get laser correction. Even a 1% chance of having permanent dry eyes at that level of discomfort sounds horrific. Also, the slight chance of losing near vision in exchange for far vision is not worth it imo. I'd like to put off needing glasses to read in bed for a few more decades.
ggreer 7y ago
Isn't the cumulative risk of complications from contacts similar to the risks of LASIK? Contacts increase the rate of eye infections and corneal ulcers. In some cases these issues lead to permanent damage, even blindness.
buboard 7y ago
Sounds like she s overly cautious. I hated all kinds of glasses and contacts, and even some dryness sometimes and some glare at night is incomparably better than having to rely on those. Then again, i m lucky that i only had to do it in one eye, so i can compare vision with the intact one. Still, would recommend 100%.

My wife is an ophthalmologist and would never get LASIK. The benefit of potentially not having to put contacts in every morning just does not outweigh the possible complications.

JohnFen 7y ago

Yes, this is why I was never willing to get the procedure done. The risk/reward ratio is too unfavorable. Even if the percentage of people who have problems is very low, those problems are permanent. To take the risk of permanent injury just to avoid the inconvenience of wearing glasses never made sense to me.

stanski 7y ago
I can see it making sense if you're nearly blind without your glasses. I'd feel very vulnerable if I'm so reliant on glasses. If it's just a slight convenience then yeah... keep that stuff away from me.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  True, I can imagine circumstances where it would be preferable. I was just commenting about my own situation. (BTW, I am nearly blind without my glasses, but that's never really bothered me. I just wear the glasses.)
AdamN 7y ago
Glasses are the least risky. If you're using contacts however, you're taking more of a risk with your eyes than surgery.
- brokensegue 7y ago
  citation?
  - dation 7y ago
    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/418674 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullartic... They calculated in 1/2000 lifetime chance of vision loss from contacts vs a 1/10000 chance for refractive surgery.
    - JohnFen 7y ago
      I can't read the full article, so this might be incorrect. The summary seems to indicate that they're only considering vision loss, but most of the reports that I've heard of about lasik problems aren't vision loss as such, but the introduction of artifacts.

keldaris 7y ago

What does she think about phakic intraocular lens implantation as an alternative to LASIK/PRK?

brandonmenc 7y ago
When I was being fitted for contact lenses for the first time a few years ago, I asked my ophthalmologist about implants and he basically acted like I was insane for wanting that procedure versus laser. After experiencing truly dry eyes for the first time - from contact lenses - I will probably never get laser correction. Even a 1% chance of having permanent dry eyes at that level of discomfort sounds horrific. Also, the slight chance of losing near vision in exchange for far vision is not worth it imo. I'd like to put off needing glasses to read in bed for a few more decades.

ggreer 7y ago

Isn't the cumulative risk of complications from contacts similar to the risks of LASIK? Contacts increase the rate of eye infections and corneal ulcers. In some cases these issues lead to permanent damage, even blindness.

buboard 7y ago

Sounds like she s overly cautious. I hated all kinds of glasses and contacts, and even some dryness sometimes and some glare at night is incomparably better than having to rely on those. Then again, i m lucky that i only had to do it in one eye, so i can compare vision with the intact one. Still, would recommend 100%.