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From: Martha Withers <mwithers@ma*.hi*.co*>
To: "'cave list'" <cavers@cavers.com>, "'Nanci LeVake'" <nlevake@pi*.co*>
Subject: RE: Laser Eye Poll
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 22:31:15 -0400
Wow! That's a lot of replies - and no one responded to the list.  Too bad, 
I would have liked to read them, being somewhat interested (but wary) in 
the procedure myself.

I know 3 divers who have had it, but 2 are the warm water wimpy types, and 
the 3rd not much better.  All are extremely happy (read WERE extremely 
blind - coke bottle types), but one did have a scary procedure - apparently 
not enough anesthesia on one eye.  Does not give a warm fuzzy feeling.  The 
others - one went to Canada some 3-4 years ago cause it wasn't available 
here then, the others were just in the last couple months, so not fully 
healed.  I'm told that the eye still changes a bit for several months after 
before finally settling into its corrected state.

Good luck, and I hope you'll post your results, as well as any insightful 
responses you received already.

Martha

----------
From: 	Nanci LeVake[SMTP:nlevake@pi*.co*]
Sent: 	Wednesday, June 23, 1999 5:14 PM
To: 	freeattic@co*.ci*.uf*.ed*; cavers@cavers.com
Subject: 	Laser Eye Poll

Hi,

Here is what I learned  about divers' experiences with laser eye surgery.
The surgery I was specifically asking about is a procedure called LASIK,
where a small flap is cut form the cornea, the eye is lasered into the
right shape to see 20/20, and the flap is returned to cover the site, thus
protecting it and causing the patient less discomfort.  No one reported any
dive-related  or deco-related problems.  Two people warned me about the doc
from Texas who climbed Everest and went blind, but I don't _think_ I have
to worry about that.... (Didn't he have RK, anyway?  I tried to find it in
the book, but couldn't...)

I did meet one person who was extremely unhappy with the results, who would
give anything not to have done it, who directed me to a website concerning
problems after the surgery.

 http://www.surgicaleyes.com

I feel anyone contemplating the surgery should take a look at this.  These
complications were either not mentioned or severely down-played when I went
to the informational meeting and during my pre-surgical counseling.  I very
much doubt, after reading  about these people's experiences, that I will be
comfortable having the surgery, even though so many have told me of their
wonderful results.....

Had LASIK or PRK, happy with result:  4

Dive Buddy/friend/wife had, happy:  7

Had RK, happy:  1

Physician, had LASIK:  1

Physician, won't have LASIK:  1

Had LASIK, ok results with a couple small problems:  1

Friend had LASIK, questionable results:  2

Had LASIK, horrible results:  1

Don't know, be careful:  5

Like contacts:  2

Interested, send info:  4

So that's what I know.  I curious as to why the Surgical Eyes site didn't
come up when I was doing a web search on the subject.  All I could find
were glowing reviews from the different surgical centers around the 
country.

Thanks to everyone who told me about their/their friends' experiences.

Nanci


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
http://www.pipeline.com/~nlevake/




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