Did LASIK surgery work for you and your optic?

[pingdork]

I'm planning on getting laser eye surgery next month, just wondering if you see your optic's reticle clearer or not. I've been reading up on the procedure from non shooter perspectives, many will complain that streetlights bloom at night, but overall that it's not bad. After reading the night driving complaints I'm a little worried that it may make my RDS worse. Although if they are fixng my astigmatism, shouldn't the RDS starburst be corrected?
How about other rets? I'm planning on a 1-4x for Xmas.

Looking for perspectives from shooters who've had this procedure done.

I live with a small amount of starburst now. No big deal for cqb defense. Just annoying when punching paper.






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[jmoore]

I do not have a specific answer to your question. Some observations from over the years (I am a college professor who teaches pathophysiology and forensic science.)

- MANY of my students have had this procedure and are very happy.
- A very small number are VERY unhappy and regret doing so.
- A doctor doesn't do the surgery - a computer does.
- Look at webpage pics of the doctors guiding these surgeries. Most still wear glasses!!!!

As a trained scientist - I have to say there is a lot to consider before undergoing this procedure
john

[elkknuckle]

I had LASIK in march of this year, corrected my vision to 20/15 in each eye, and my astigmatism as well. Went from seeing a grape cluster to a single red dot through my R-1. Did nothing for my horrible color perception, though haha. Jmoore, from what my doctor told me, your eyes will still deteriorate with age, by 40 most people LASIK our not will probably at least need reading glasses.

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[Jippo]

I did my eyes nearly twenty years ago and I've had to redo one of them as it was still changing. It hurt like hell those days, but they've developed less painfull methods since that. Second time was not half as bad. I have been very happy without my glasses, I can tell you that much.

I feel like my eyesight might be somewhat worse in low light than some other guys have, but that is hard to say for sure, might be just my imagination. No problems with Aimpoints, or any other sights or optronics if that is important to you.

[pingdork]

I do not have a specific answer to your question. Some observations from over the years (I am a college professor who teaches pathophysiology and forensic science.)

- MANY of my students have had this procedure and are very happy.
- A very small number are VERY unhappy and regret doing so.
- A doctor doesn't do the surgery - a computer does.
- Look at webpage pics of the doctors guiding these surgeries. Most still wear glasses!!!!

As a trained scientist - I have to say there is a lot to consider before undergoing this procedure
john

Thanks. I have had my reservations as well for years. Actually my main reasons for undergoing this procedure have little to do with shooting and more for my outdoor lifestyle in which my poor eyesight is a PITA.

From a shooting perspective if my astigmatism is fixed and I can more accurately shoot my RDS at distance, that's a bonus. From a defensive standpoint, with my current eyesight, I've always worried getting my glasses knocked off in a fight and being totally ineffective. Again, not such a big deal as I am not in a high risk job. Would be nice to not have to worry about my vision should a defensive situation ever occur however. Ex. get hit over head, glasses knocked off, pull my EDC to defend myself, and now I'm a liability to myself and those I wish to defend.
Again, a bonus.



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[ptmccain]

I had LASIK several years ago and am extremely happy with the results. 20/10 in distant vision eye, 20/20 in reading eye.

My dominant eye is my distance eye so I can get the front post in handguns pretty sharp but rear not as much in rifles I like to run my red dot pretty far down and dot us sharp as a tack Eotechs are always blurry anyway and I gave never used them

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[pingdork]

I had LASIK in march of this year, corrected my vision to 20/15 in each eye, and my astigmatism as well. Went from seeing a grape cluster to a single red dot through my R-1. Did nothing for my horrible color perception, though haha. Jmoore, from what my doctor told me, your eyes will still deteriorate with age, by 40 most people LASIK our not will probably at least need reading glasses.

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That's great that it fixed the grape cluster for you. That's what I was hoping but was unsure because of reports of poor night vision and blooming streetlights.


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[EB-SF]

Had mine done 13 years ago and would do it again! My poor vision was due mostly to astigmatism. The doctor that did mine also told me that once you reach 40 you will need reading glasses. I'm almost 46 and still function without glasses and my shooting has not be affected. The only side effect I had after LASIK was a sensitivity to sunlight. I can't go outside without sunglasses, even on an overcast day.

[montanadave]

I have been severely nearsighted since grade school. Had LASIK at 37 (mid-fifties now) with good results, though I did have some of the "starburst" effect at night. Still able to get a decent sight picture with EOTechs and Aimpoints. As I neared fifty, I began having age-related presbyopia and started using readers. A few years later, I developed cataracts and had to have lens implants. I was a tad gun shy of the multifocal lens implants so I went with the tried and true, thus my near vision was gone for good.

Had an instructor turn me on to his "old man sights" which consisted of a Big Dot front sight with a modified U-notch Novak rear sight. Works pretty well although I'm never gonna be a dead-eye dick. Two weeks ago, I noticed a shadow in my right eye which worsened over the next 24 hours. Quick trip to my eye doctor and 12 hours later they're operating on me for a detached retina, putting a silicone band around my eye, sucking out all the juice, spot-welding my retina with a laser, and putting a gas bubble in to act like an internal compression bandage (which required lying on my face for a week). I won't know what kind of vision I'm going to have in that eye for several months.

All of this is a very long-winded way of saying think long and hard about screwing around with your eyes. You only get one set and when they're damaged or start going to shit, it's not much fun.

[mkmckinley]

I got PRK to correct an astigmatism and 20/40 nearsightedness from the Army and it worked great. I still have 20/15 seven years later. The way it was explained to me is that PRK is a little more painful up front with a better success rate while LASIK is less painful but has a higher complication rate. The main complication is/was supposedly clouding of the lense. I have no idea if that has changed in the last seven years but given that the PRK wasn't all that painful I'd opt for PRK again in a heartbeat. My only real complaints were some moderate photophobia the first year which only affected me in very bright conditions. I just wore sunglasses. I don't remember noticing a big difference in starburst.

edit: I forgot to add that FWIW the military will disqualify you for a bunch of stuff if you've had LASIK but not PRK.