You know, I was actually considering Lasik for my nearsightedness. It is unbelievable. I am now at the point where I trust NOTHING the medical industry advertises or tries to push down my throat. You can't even turn on the TV without Big Medical pushing pills for everything from erections to restless legs (the restless legs probably being a side effect of the erections).

I appreciate this being brought to my attention. If there is one thing you never want to mess with, it is your eyesight.

My eyesight is quite poor.  My glasses are so thick, that my glasses have concentric circles on the perimeter.  With that said, I still would never, ever, ever put a darned laser in my eye! 

I used to have a friend ,he has moved away now, who discovered the Dr. Bates method.  He convinced himself that it worked even though it did'nt.  He was an avid cyclist.  He threw away his glasses.  He cycled all over down- town Montreal and nearly got himself killed.  He was so short sighted he couldnt read the instructions on all his vitamin and mineral bottles even after doing the Dr. Bates method.  You could always hear where Bob was cycling by the screeching of car brakes. I don't know how he managed to avoid getting squashed.  He eventually moved away into the Laurentien Mountains where there is less traffic.  I hope he is still alive.

There are natural means of improving ones poor eyesight.  Go to drday.com.

While I agree with most of what the doc has to say, I must disagree on this issue.  He says, "Even when successful, the procedure leads to at least six months of impaired vision and significant discomfort."  That sounds like and exaggeration.  Who is he refering to?  Not me, nor many others I've known that are close to me that have had the procedure done.  My surgery was very successful.  I had superthick coke bottle glasses and I was able to see 20/20 in one eye and 20/10 in the other immediately.  My vision is still great after 8 years (not perfect, but I don't need glasses).  I never had any discomfort.  There was a few months I had dry eyes, but I used eye drops and after a few months, I didn't need them anymore.

Both my brother and a friend of mine had the surgery shortly after I did, and they both are doing well with it too.  So don't believe every horror story you hear.  There have been a lot of successful candidates, and I'm one of them.  I hated glasses all my life and always dreamed of the day I would possible never have to wear them again.  If I had to do it all over again, I'd have the surgery.  I recommend it to others as well.

For all those skeptical of natural vision programs. I started the Bates method in Feb of this year. I stopped wearing my -9.50 contacts. For those of you that don't know what a -9.50 prescription is - it's very strong. My wife would watch me trying to find my glasses on my bed side table, two feet away.  I started the natural vision, and am doing great with a -7.50 glasses at work and no glasses if I can do it at w/ends and evenings. My eyesight has improved amazingly and continues to improve. I get flashes of amazing clear vision. This isn't an easy fix - especially if your seriously blind like me. But seeing my eyes improve for the first time in my life naturally is seriously gratifying and once again make you wonder about the natural power of the body to heal once you remove the lenses that cause the eyestrain. I instinctively new that as a went to the optician and received yet another higher prescription, that it was the lenses themselves that were harmful. Throwing these instruments of torture away I've worn half my life is very satisying

Cosmetic my ass!  You try getting say an eye infection and being essentially blind for a week!  In 20 years you might using glasses again but odds are still better that you'll be able to function.

There is also that other options where they essentially insert a lens in there and you can change it.  For what it is worth I've never met anyone who had any complications due to this either.  Nor anyone who had 6 months of discomfort.  I have also yet to meet a single person who got ANYTHING out of these so called natural vision improvement methods.  I tried them for a while other than looking into the sun as I'm not an idiot.  Really useful...not.

I did have the PRK surgery in 1996.  I suffer from eye pain as a result.  I wouldn't take the chance now with what I know.  I would instead try EFT to improve my eyesight or some natural methods.

Maybe this can help to restore eyesight:

Tie a knot every 12” for 13 feet. Sit in a chair; tie the string to a door knob. Focus on the 1st knot, till it is as clear as you can get it, then the next knot all the way to the door knob and then do it coming back at you. Do this once a day. Carrot juice as well.

1. Many people comment here about personal Lasik faliures, but look at the time they did it, bazillion years ago. Today the technology is much more advanced and doctors have more knowledge and experience.

2. U.S and Israeli air force support Lasik and their pilots go through this operation if they need it and found suitable for it.

3. For those of you who whine about the surgical knife, there is a more advanced solution called: "super lasik"

A flawless computer does the cornea flap with sharp thin laser. And then goes through the usual 10 minute surgery.

4. .My personal experience is that many Lasik surgeouns are full of *** and will take the chance to put your vision at risk just to make a few more bucks.

Why?

Well, last month I went to a clinic that had all the kinds of eye correction surgeries, after the test the doctor told me that I apply for Lasek P.R.K becase I have wide cornea/pupils... (I wanted superlasik)

Anyway I decided to do another test at a respectable clinic that didn't had the Lasek procedure. After the test the doctor told me I am suitable for superlasik, and he even suggested to do it right now on the spot to avoid the hassle of coming back again (aggressive marketing I guess).

Now I was in a dilema, one doctor says I can do only Lasek the other says I can do Lasik (he doesn't have lasek in his clinic)

I decided to go to another clinic that looked like a Chinese mass production manufacturer, people come in and go every second, they had about 3 surgery rooms. I was sure the doctor would smile to me like a salesman because it seemed like they accept everyone and give dirt cheap prices. However, the doctor said that I don't apply and seriously adviced me not to do it, I took his word.

This is a lesson for you to visit several clinics before you go through an operation, and choose from respectable brand names or doctors. Amazes me how people made their lasik at unkown places where the doctor bought the equipment from the black market.

Very interesting comments...but, if just ONE person has had any problems with ANY procedure that is considered optional or cosmetic, WHY would anyone else want to spin the chamber? I agree with the Russian Roulette reference!

I plan to try Dr. Mercola's way. I figure any amount is worth no more hassle with contacts and glasses. To each his own, I suppose.

For whatever reason, shining a laser-beam into my eye's and head just seemed like a bad idea in the first place.  I was going to wait at least 20 years (when symptoms should arise with the initial guineau pigs) before doing a procedure like Lasik.  But like a boob-job, I was tempted.  My logical mind just couldn't let me proceed.

I nearly went through this procedure years ago.  After reading this great article I'm extatic that I didnt.  I even had the pre test done for free to see if I was a suitable candidate. I was suitable but thank God I didnt go through with it, also the previous comment makes a lot of sense about the compensation the eye has to do.

I guess it depends on who you go to.I had laser surgery done by an eye surgeon.After I had cataract surgery my eyes became so dry that I had to use eye drops continually which never worked.My eye surgeon told me it was scar tissue built up from the cataract surgery so she did the laser to clear it up.It worked great.For about 2 weeks I had some floaters in one eye and it cleared up.Now I don't need glasses or eye drops.My eye sight is perfect now.I had no pain after the procedure either after the freezing wore off.I had both eyes done at once too.This doctors waiting room is always full so this shows she must be good.With having diabetes for 45 years I have to visit her once a years to have my eyes checked with the pupils dilated.Last test on the eye chart I read the whole thing even the small words of the company at the bottom.Of course having it done by an eye surgeon probably worked.

A few years ago a pal of mine needed cataracts done. He harassed the doc into doing both eyes at once to save time. With this type of operation there is a one in five thousand chance that it can cause a particular type of infection that will lead to blindness. HE was that ONE. Therefor became blind in both eyes.
If anyone is considering any kind of eye, knee or hip surgery please only have one done. If something goes wrong then at least the damage is reduced.

I had lasik eye surgery on both eyes in 2000.  I have never, ever had any side effects or problems from day one.   My vision is 20/15 and 20/20.  I do use readers for close up reading, but other than that I can see miles.  Like many health issues requiring surgery, something can go wrong or a person may not tolerate the procedure.

I used a doctor from the University of Az. who was one of the pioneers for this procedure.  I had my annual eye exam in Nov. and my new eye doctor was totally impressed with my vision at age 61!

So here is another success story!

I would just like to say that I enjoy this site but I would have to remind everyone to use common sense. Not everything you read here is the Gospel. I have had laser eye surgery and my vision was 20/20 when I left the doctors office 30 min after the operation. Yes It can damage your eyes if there is a problem but I have no side effects afyer 7yrs and see as well as I did from day one. Having the surgery alowed me to get a better job and better my life as vision was essential for the job. I don't believe that lasik eye surgery is bad. If you check all those statistics that are offered here in this article I bet you will see those people went to cheaper less experienced people for there surgery. Like the old saying goes "you get what you pay for"

Hello all.  Has anyone considered Paragon CRT?  I have been doing it for almost 5 years now.  One of the best things that I have ever done.  Like anything, it is not for everyone, but definitely worth checking into.

What about cataract surgery? Is there anything I can do to dissolve or rid myself of cataracts? Would the Bates Method be helpful?

LASIK is one of the BEST decisions of my life.....For many years I wore glasses and those awful contact lenses - all of those worsened my vision...then I researched LASIK and found one of the pioneers who was not only one of the most experienced, but highly recommended.  I traveled to Canada (from N.Y.) to have it performed by this Dr.  He is awesome !!  Every year I get my eyes checked by a local opthamologist - and they say, 'Gosh, your lasik was done so perfectly, we can't even tell you had it done' - they can't see the visible signs of it with those high powered microscopes.  The key here is to find the best person you can to do the job, not looking for the bargain basement prices - because that's what you will get then - major problems.  I had no problems at all - and free of any more hassles with glasses or contacts and those awful chemical solutions.....SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LASIK with one of the best Dr.'s you can find.