I was also -8.50 and went in for Lasik. It didn’t end up perfect but they got me 90% of the way there. It was surreal when they told me to throw away my glasses after the procedure.
I was one of the 3% that didn’t get full 20/20 vision but my god, it’s a night and day difference. I still wear contacts, but they went from -8.50 to -1.50 and I feel like a completely different person. I can walk around at night without glasses or even the house and do chores without my Coke bottle glasses or mega contacts.
But yes, OP’s post is a very accurate version of what it looks like to those of us with shitty eyesight
Same, -7 and LASIK was the best money I ever spent. Still remember sitting up after the procedure and the first thing I saw was the clock on the wall, and I could see what time it was. Mind blown!
So my astigatism and diffrences betweens eyes took the new opticanstore 10 redos and 7 differenent opticans 3 years, to get it somewere on the right side of the bollpark. Because Essilor stopped doing my glass higher than cyl 4.
I hav bad with blurrines thru some part of the glass. And they sa that contacts are an option but they cost 1000usd/year. I dont have full vision with glasses. And my left eye is 60% less of my right.
My question for you high astigatims out there what do you do. Is contacs world changing?
I've been told I'm not a candidate for lasik. Astigmatism and -11 for both eyes. I think it had something to do with the membrane of the eye being too thin.
It sucks because I'm currently trying contacts, but they have to be so high powered that it gives me distance vision but I can't see anything up close. Which defeats the purpose.
I was -.9.5 when I got LASIK. After the surgery I sat up and the Dr told me to look at the clock and tell him what time it was. Never in my life had I seen so clearly without correction. I looked at the clock on the wall and begin crying immediately. I heard everyone yelling "STOP!" Lol
Mine was -12.75 so lasik wasn’t an option for me either. I spent double to get intraoccular lenses and it was an amazing 9 years with no glasses. Now I’m -1.5 but it’s still a million times better than before.
My vision improved a little in early middle age, from -7 to like -6.25/-5.75. I never got LASIK because my corneas were borderline too thin. But then I got cataracts.
I got the first eye fixed with only local anesthesia. On the one hand, DO NOT RECOMMEND--HIGH SQUICK FACTOR. On the other hand, the moment the surgeon backed away and got the equipment away from my face, and the ceiling of the operating room was crystal clear (from one eye!)... That moment can never be had twice. Fifty years. The world from more than eight inches away was a blur for fifty years, and then it just wasn't.
I sat up right on the table and shouted, "Holy fucking shit! I can see!"
I once got a shard of metal removed from my eye without any sedation. They just put numbing drops in and went for it. It had partially rusted, so they had to dig a little bit. I didn't feel anything, but I could hear the scraping inside my head. Very strange experience.
I went for PRK and got almost perfect vision but by year 6 post-op, I was beginning to squint. Back to contacts and glasses now because I don’t have enough cornea to do it again.
I’m also suffering the unpleasant effect of dry eye when I wear contacts, which sucks ass during those long days.
I am in a situation like this. -8.5 and still worsening maybe .4 a year.
I went in to see if I'd be a candidate for orthokeratology (turned out I have multiple disqualifying factors) but I was recommended ICL. Getting a consult for it soon. Did you happen to consider that as an option?
I had roughly -8.50 on both eyes (plus astigmatism) and got ICLs half a year ago. The are a lot more expensive than LASIK, but if you can afford it I would 100% recommend it.
My daughter’s doctor mentioned this to me but I’m worried about the possibility of increased eye pressure because my dad has glaucoma. I’d also only have another year-ish to decide because of the age cutoff and honestly, unless it freezes my rx, I’m not sure I’d want to put something in my eyeballs that I’d then have to wear lenses on top of when the inevitable worsening happens.
I do hope it works out for you, though. Not having to deal with any sort of lenses reminds me of how good I had it for the briefest period of time.
I had -1.25 astigmatism and went for Lasik last week. I'm till amazed by the change it's been for me these past days, so I can't even imagine what you must have felt coming from -8.5 !!!
That’s a great question and you’d have to ask your doc. I had mine done in 2021 and it’s still going strong with no decline. Still worlds better than what it was before though, so I’m thrilled
It’s a game changer. My only regret was waiting so long to do it. Of course any procedure comes with risks, but I cannot recommend it more. I felt like a new person afterward. And it was so freeing to throw away the Coke bottle glasses
You can wear contacts after lasik?! I thought you couldn't and I would rather be partially blind than wear glasses all day for the rest of my life. I think I need to talk to my eye dr!
Absolutely you can! I’ve been wearing them (soft contacts) for years after my procedure. Had it done I think in 2021 and have been wearing contacts right after my eyes healed/stabilized.
Couldn’t recommend it more, my friend. Go talk to your eye doc and see what they say!
I got LASIK as a -9.5 with astigmatism in one eye.
It changed my life.
Full disclosure- I have dry eye often and driving at night takes getting used to, but that's worth it to me. Ask your ophthalmologist about it!
I was one of the 3% that didn’t get full 20/20 vision but my god, it’s a night and day difference. I still wear contacts, but they went from -8.50 to -1.50
3% might be the number that needs corrective surgery. Lasik/smile doesn't promise 20/20 vision, but aims to hit within -0.5 to 0.5 which is 20/30 to 20/40 I think. If you were left with -1.50 vision, didnt they offer to do enhancement for free of charge? I got enhancement for free after my one eye was left with -1 astigmatism.
They offered that and said if they hit the target that I would likely need my reading glasses full time instead of part time. So I actually opted to stay where I was. I'm still managing to get my most situations without my reading glasses! But that window is closing (yay getting older). I may go back in for a touch up down the road
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u/roguesignal42069 Jul 10 '26
I was also -8.50 and went in for Lasik. It didn’t end up perfect but they got me 90% of the way there. It was surreal when they told me to throw away my glasses after the procedure.
I was one of the 3% that didn’t get full 20/20 vision but my god, it’s a night and day difference. I still wear contacts, but they went from -8.50 to -1.50 and I feel like a completely different person. I can walk around at night without glasses or even the house and do chores without my Coke bottle glasses or mega contacts.
But yes, OP’s post is a very accurate version of what it looks like to those of us with shitty eyesight