Lasik / flying?

Anybody had lasik surgery?

My vision is stable, correctable to 20/20, but things like pollen or the
neighbor mowing his yard can bother my contact lenses. Glasses suck and
contacts aren't good for your eyes over time, so my wife is encouraging
lasik. The #1 facility in the region is half a block away from my workplace
and they have a deal with our company which is why I know so many people
who've had it, but I'm still undecided.

Everybody I've known personally who has had it done raves about it, no bad
experiences at all...but none of them fly.

Thoughts?
-c

I had lasik 3 1/2 years ago.
I passed my physical for student pilot license last June and had no
problems with any item, including night vision.
I do, however, have some "starburst" effect in one eye, but I was able
to pass the vision test.
My vision used to be -7.0 and -6.75, which is a pretty good correction
amount.
I recently had a vision exam, and am 20/40 in one eye, 20/30 in the
other.
I have a prescription in case I want them for distance seeing,
and I would use if advanantageous during flying.
However, I am not required to do so.

My personal opinion is that it is remarkable - even though my vision has
slipped (explained by aging process and not unusual) - and I would
not hesitate to do it again myself.

There can be problems, and you should be comfortable.
Interestingly enough, I've been asked directly by at least 50 people
whom I know, and about 10 of them have had the surgery, and all are
very happy with the results.

Good luck!

Gary


"gatt" wrote in
:


Anybody had lasik surgery?

My vision is stable, correctable to 20/20, but things like pollen or
the neighbor mowing his yard can bother my contact lenses. Glasses
suck and contacts aren't good for your eyes over time, so my wife is
encouraging lasik. The #1 facility in the region is half a block away
from my workplace and they have a deal with our company which is why I
know so many people who've had it, but I'm still undecided.

Everybody I've known personally who has had it done raves about it, no
bad experiences at all...but none of them fly.

Thoughts?
-c

Or???
http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/las...-icl-p-iol.htm

I've looked into some of these options, but not seriously enough to spend a
lot of time on it. My hesitation mostly concerns the healing time and
checkup appointments. It's my understanding that the FAA rules say that
your vision must be stabilized after the procedures, which, makes me nervous
about the time period that I may not be able or authorized to fly.

Let us know what you learn.

Jim

"gatt" wrote in message
...

Anybody had lasik surgery?

My vision is stable, correctable to 20/20, but things like pollen or the
neighbor mowing his yard can bother my contact lenses. Glasses suck and
contacts aren't good for your eyes over time, so my wife is encouraging
lasik. The #1 facility in the region is half a block away from my
workplace
and they have a deal with our company which is why I know so many people
who've had it, but I'm still undecided.

Everybody I've known personally who has had it done raves about it, no bad
experiences at all...but none of them fly.

Thoughts?
-c

I had Lasik and it is wonderful. There was no "healing time". BAM two hours
later, perfect vision from two feet to infinity.

Karl


"Jim Burns" wrote in message
...
Or???
http://www.usaeyes.org/lasik/faq/las...-icl-p-iol.htm

I've looked into some of these options, but not seriously enough to spend
a
lot of time on it. My hesitation mostly concerns the healing time and
checkup appointments. It's my understanding that the FAA rules say that
your vision must be stabilized after the procedures, which, makes me
nervous
about the time period that I may not be able or authorized to fly.

Let us know what you learn.

Jim

"gatt" wrote in message
...

Anybody had lasik surgery?

My vision is stable, correctable to 20/20, but things like pollen or the
neighbor mowing his yard can bother my contact lenses. Glasses suck and
contacts aren't good for your eyes over time, so my wife is encouraging
lasik. The #1 facility in the region is half a block away from my
workplace
and they have a deal with our company which is why I know so many people
who've had it, but I'm still undecided.

Everybody I've known personally who has had it done raves about it, no
bad
experiences at all...but none of them fly.

Thoughts?
-c

gatt wrote:
Anybody had lasik surgery?

My vision is stable, correctable to 20/20, but things like pollen or the
neighbor mowing his yard can bother my contact lenses. Glasses suck and
contacts aren't good for your eyes over time, so my wife is encouraging
lasik. The #1 facility in the region is half a block away from my workplace
and they have a deal with our company which is why I know so many people
who've had it, but I'm still undecided.

Everybody I've known personally who has had it done raves about it, no bad
experiences at all...but none of them fly.

Thoughts?
-c

I had PRK (the pre-cursor to LASIK) 10 years ago, and I still have
20/15 vision and almost no astygmatism. It was well worth the money.
I have been flying since 1991.

Dean

wrote:
?
-c

I had PRK (the pre-cursor to LASIK) 10 years ago, and I still have
20/15 vision and almost no astygmatism. It was well worth the money.
I have been flying since 1991.

I also had PRK. The recovery time is longer, but the complication rate
is virtually zero. The complication rate on LASIK is low, but PRK is
lower.

Very happy I had it.

I had Lasik last September.

It took ten minutes.

There was no recovery time after the anesthetic wore off in about two hours.
There was no pain ever and there were no complications. I LOVE seeing 20/20.
I do have to wear close up readers, but I had to do that anyway.

Karl
"curator"



"Richard Riley" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
?
-c

I had PRK (the pre-cursor to LASIK) 10 years ago, and I still have
20/15 vision and almost no astygmatism. It was well worth the money.
I have been flying since 1991.

I also had PRK. The recovery time is longer, but the complication rate
is virtually zero. The complication rate on LASIK is low, but PRK is
lower.

Very happy I had it.

"Richard Riley" wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
?
-c

I had PRK (the pre-cursor to LASIK) 10 years ago, and I still have
20/15 vision and almost no astygmatism. It was well worth the money.
I have been flying since 1991.

I also had PRK. The recovery time is longer, but the complication rate
is virtually zero. The complication rate on LASIK is low, but PRK is
lower.


Do you have a cite for that?

Matt Barrow wrote:


Do you have a cite for that?

Was told to me by Dr. James Freeman, an opthamologist and pilot
(Cirrus, RV-8 and Air-Cam) from Memphis. He was one of the first to do
LASIK and does a lot of them, but my correction was fairly small so he
recommended PRK. He posts to the rec.av groups on occasion.

Basically, with PRK you're waiting for the epithilium to re-grow, and
that takes a while. With LASIK you aren't waiting for it, but there's
a possibility of the flap getting a wrinkle when it's replaced, being
mis-positioned, that kind of thing.

"Richard Riley" wrote in message
oups.com...

Matt Barrow wrote:


Do you have a cite for that?

Was told to me by Dr. James Freeman, an opthamologist and pilot
(Cirrus, RV-8 and Air-Cam) from Memphis. He was one of the first to do
LASIK and does a lot of them, but my correction was fairly small so he
recommended PRK. He posts to the rec.av groups on occasion.

Okay.


Basically, with PRK you're waiting for the epithilium to re-grow, and
that takes a while. With LASIK you aren't waiting for it, but there's
a possibility of the flap getting a wrinkle when it's replaced, being
mis-positioned, that kind of thing.

IIRC, the slip-ups with PRK could be even more devastating.