Lasik eye sugery and obtaining a sight picture

[CombatRex]

I am curious if anybody in here has had Lasik eye surgery and how it effects them obtaining a sight picture on your handgun. I currently wear bifocals and have recently found that I cannot get a clear crisp view of my front sight. (unless I push up or move around my glasses) I have been thinking about Lasik for quite awhile, and would like to hear for others about their experience with it. Thanks all.

 

[cedartop]

How old are you? It may or may not help depending on why you are not able to see your front sight. If it is age related chances are it may not help much. That being said, having the surgery about 14 years ago was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. My distance vision is still great. Now that I am approaching 50 though my up close is starting to suffer.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I had Lasik in '03. It helped me quite a bit.

 

[nra4ever]

I had it done in 2008. They give you a choice if you want one eye long and one eye short. That seemed odd so I went both eyes the same. I have noticed that your close up vision does require readers as you get older. Best money I have spent. I was nearsighted. No more contacts for me every morning.

 

[Spyco]

I had Lasik done a couple years ago. I am much younger than you though. There is a big difference in clarity of objects, including sights. You will still have trouble with guns that use the blade front sight and a nic on a bar for a rear sight like on K98s. Over all, If you are using traditional 3 dot or a fiber optic, it is worth it. You may have mixed results with ramp and trench sights on a revolver however.


I like Lasik because I can now wear a normal set of sunglasses and tinted eye pro at the range.

 

[Yote7mmSlayer]

B IL just had it done 4 weeks ago .he shot OK before and now he misses everything ! He said he can see better but shoots faster than he can aim lol

 

[CombatRex]

Thanks...makes me lean more toward having it done.

 

[SSGSAD]

How old are you? It may or may not help depending on why you are not able to see your front sight. If it is ave related chances are it may not help much. That being said, having the surgery about 14 years ago was one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. My distance vision is still great. Now that I am approaching 50 though my up close is starting to suffer.

I am 59, and my up close, reading small print, is BAD .....

Distance, not so much ..... I am wanting to get this done, in the next couple of years.....

Will it help, or be worth it ?????

 

[Win52C]

Had it in 2001. Best thing I Ever did ......

 

[printcraft]

Did it years ago and would do it all over again given the chance.
No regrets. It is a little disconcerting at first being able to see so far.
I know that sounds weird but even to this day I find myself looking at crisp
telephone poles 20 places up while driving. It hard to describe, it's almost like fast forward vision.

 

[Mgderf]

What was your average costs, and recovery times?

 

[Osprey]

I am 59, and my up close, reading small print, is BAD .....

Distance, not so much ..... I am wanting to get this done, in the next couple of years.....

Will it help, or be worth it ?????

Unless someone chimes in and says otherwise, I seriously doubt it will help but it all depends on your eyesight prescription. I had it way back when they were part LASIK and Radial Keratonomy (laser and using a blade). Back then, it was VERY expensive and insurance did not cover it. I think today it is relatively cheap and may be covered (check your health insurance - perhaps via HSA or FSA). The average person's prescription for this is usually a -5 or -7 (it's been awhile since I had a similar discussion). To give you an idea of how bad my eyes were, my prescription I think was -18! I believe -23 is the worse (that dash is a "minus").

Anyway, I was told by my doctors, when you reach 40+, no matter if you got LASIK or how healthy you are, your eye will start to weaken and you will end up needing glasses, either reading or prescription. It can't be helped and is the way our bodies our built (of course, you can take that for what it's worth).

I had LASIK twice and I now get migraines and super light sensitive (cloudy days are my favorite days). YMMV. Good luck!

 

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

Had LASIK at the End of June. I was nearsighted, pretty bad, now have 20/15 vision. Within the day after the surgery I was going about my day as usual, I never had any issues, except for having to wear the eye protectors when I slept. The first hour after it burns for a bit and you just need to sleep it off and when you wake you'll never regret it.

Im 31, am completely happy with the choice, had mine at The laser eye center in Indy.

 

[Hardscrable]

One of my sons had it done in the early 2000's. He was about 30 at the time. Results were great. The last few years his eye sight is deteriorating again and now requires the use of reading glasses. I wear tri-focals ( 20/15 corrected ) with close up vision ( front sight ) being my worst. After my son' s success years ago with the surgery I ask my eye doctor if it would be advisable for me. His response was that it would not and sighted my age and it's related issues being the major reason.

 

[John317]

Had it completed earlier this year and think it's one of the best things I've done. I had pretty bad eyesight and now it's better than 20/20. You might end up need cheaters down the road but that is normal and part of getting older.

I went to The Lasik Center in Indy and have no complaints- don't have anything to compare it too other than if you have the $$ it its an easy process and not much to it. I would say expect to pay anywhere between $4-5k for it if you have the standard procedure. Cost may vary depending on where you go but I would be hesitant of any place that is much cheaper than the others as the newer technology really makes the recovery time quick and increases chances of getting it right the first try.

 

[dudley0]

When I had mine done I instantly went from needing glasses for distance to needing readers. Doc told me that would happen with my age and all.

Only way I can get a crisp front sight is with readers, and I refuse to train like that. If I was in competitive shooting I might wear them to shoot.

I am still trying to learn how to get a good sight picture while not focusing on front sight.

All that said though and I would do it again... sooner if I could have. Not needing prescription glasses or wearing contacts sure is nice.

 

[Leo]

Look into all the data, and know your risk. About 80% have no problems, about 1/2 that have problems can be touched up, the other 1/2 never recover, some end up blind.

I had worn glasses all my life and I though it might be nice to not need glasses. I was shooting High Master level scores both at NMC courses (200-300-600 yards), and at Long range/Palma (800-900-1000 yards) with an iron sighted rifle using nothing but normal prescription glasses.

I went to the most expensive guy in Lafayette, the one with the commercials in 2004. I not only did I end up worse, I was unable to pass the Indiana Drivers exam or my work physical with even the best glasses they could make. When they took the bandages off, not only was I not better, I could not tell if it was a man or a woman in front of me. I saw 5 of everything. Unable to read, watch TV, Drive, Work, etc. I was legally blind. He did not know how to fix it. The guy actually said that I was not qualified to assess my own vision, as If I didn't own these eyeballs for 40 plus years. ( I guess being able to hit a mans head from 5/8ths of a mile away with iron sights and work on electronic circuit boards is not a test of vision) He told me that no one ever had trouble before, then I meet my apprentices' girl friend who had exactly the same problem from the same Dr.

I had to go to Dr. Francis Price in Indianapolis for several proceedures over the next year. I had to pay out of my pocket multiple 1000's of dollars. It was a few years before I could pass the drivers eye exam for an Indiana license.

The best result is that I can now see 20/40 with the best corrective glasses that can be made. I have constant eye problems. I also do not know anyone who had lasik 10 or more years ago who does not require glasses now, at least part of the time.

Do your research, there are lots of internet articles. It is a gamble. I hope it works out for anyone who throws the dice. Just do not enter the arena without understanding the risk. No matter what the guy selling the proceedure says, THERE IS RISK!

 

[Leo]

.

 

[cedartop]

Look into all the data, and know your risk. About 80% have no problems, about 1/2 that have problems can be touched up, the other 1/2 never recover, some end up blind.

I had worn glasses all my life and I though it might be nice to not need glasses. I was shooting High Master level scores both at NMC courses (200-300-600 yards), and at Long range/Palma (800-900-1000 yards) with an iron sighted rifle using nothing but normal prescription glasses.

I went to the most expensive guy in Lafayette, the one with the commercials in 2004. I not only did I end up worse, I was unable to pass the Indiana Drivers exam or my work physical with even the best glasses they could make. When they took the bandages off, not only was I not better, I could not tell if it was a man or a woman in front of me. I saw 5 of everything. Unable to read, watch TV, Drive, Work, etc. I was legally blind. He did not know how to fix it. The guy actually said that I was not qualified to assess my own vision, as If I didn't own these eyeballs for 40 plus years. ( I guess being able to hit a mans head from 5/8ths of a mile away with iron sights and work on electronic circuit boards is not a test of vision) He told me that no one ever had trouble before, then I meet my apprentices' girl friend who had exactly the same problem from the same Dr.

I had to go to Dr. Francis Price in Indianapolis for several proceedures over the next year. I had to pay out of my pocket multiple 1000's of dollars. It was a few years before I could pass the drivers eye exam for an Indiana license.

The best result is that I can now see 20/40 with the best corrective glasses that can be made. I have constant eye problems. I also do not know anyone who had lasik 10 or more years ago who does not require glasses now, at least part of the time.

Do your research, there are lots of internet articles. It is a gamble. I hope it works out for anyone who throws the dice. Just do not enter the arena without understanding the risk. No matter what the guy selling the proceedure says, THERE IS RISK!

If I had heard a story like that before I had mine done, I probably wouldn't have done it. Fortunately it turned out great for me. Really sorry to hear what you had to go through.

 

[TLHelmer]

Look into all the data, and know your risk. About 80% have no problems, about 1/2 that have problems can be touched up, the other 1/2 never recover, some end up blind.

I had worn glasses all my life and I though it might be nice to not need glasses. I was shooting High Master level scores both at NMC courses (200-300-600 yards), and at Long range/Palma (800-900-1000 yards) with an iron sighted rifle using nothing but normal prescription glasses.

I went to the most expensive guy in Lafayette, the one with the commercials in 2004. I not only did I end up worse, I was unable to pass the Indiana Drivers exam or my work physical with even the best glasses they could make. When they took the bandages off, not only was I not better, I could not tell if it was a man or a woman in front of me. I saw 5 of everything. Unable to read, watch TV, Drive, Work, etc. I was legally blind. He did not know how to fix it. The guy actually said that I was not qualified to assess my own vision, as If I didn't own these eyeballs for 40 plus years. ( I guess being able to hit a mans head from 5/8ths of a mile away with iron sights and work on electronic circuit boards is not a test of vision) He told me that no one ever had trouble before, then I meet my apprentices' girl friend who had exactly the same problem from the same Dr.

I had to go to Dr. Francis Price in Indianapolis for several proceedures over the next year. I had to pay out of my pocket multiple 1000's of dollars. It was a few years before I could pass the drivers eye exam for an Indiana license.

The best result is that I can now see 20/40 with the best corrective glasses that can be made. I have constant eye problems. I also do not know anyone who had lasik 10 or more years ago who does not require glasses now, at least part of the time.

Do your research, there are lots of internet articles. It is a gamble. I hope it works out for anyone who throws the dice. Just do not enter the arena without understanding the risk. No matter what the guy selling the proceedure says, THERE IS RISK!

Holy smokes! Sorry for all of the complications you faced. That is scary!!!!