I've not had it based on a good friend of mine's recommendation. He is an opthamologist. I've also seen what has happened to a number of other friends, most of whom end up needing some correction even after the surgery. Since I've got glasses and my vision is corrected by them, I figure I don't want offensive bright light problems at night and decided against the sx. However, I'm also a guy who would be against breast implants, facial reconstruction for the heck of it etc. ABOVE ALL, do no harm. (Hippocratic oath)

Talk to an opthamologist who does not do the surgery for the nay saying. Those guys are in it to make money. Make no mistake.

 

I had the surgery done a few years back and it worked wonders for my distance vision, however, it also caused me to need reading glasses when not in full sunlight. The more correction necessary to give you 20/20 vision the more it will degrade your up close vision. My eyes were 20/40 and 20/50 when I had it done, they are still 20/20 now. It will not prevent your eyes from getting worse with age so if that was going to happen to you in the future it will still happen. Would I do it again? Yes. I don't mind the reading glasses inside but I got fed up with distance vision glasses outside in the elements. To answer your question, I have xo ghost ring sights on my guide gun and they work great.

 

Thanks for the input.

I'll try contacts again, gave 'em up in the 80's.

TR

 

I've been thinking about getting this done as well. A few years ago my opthamologist said that my eyeballs were apparently the right shape to be successful candidates for the surgery. I'm 45, and she told me that I would have best results if I had it done before I got too much older.

I have one friend who had it done many years ago, and she ended up with some night vision issues, but another friend had it done just a year or so ago, by a clinic that does many hundreds of them a year. He has had no bad side effects from his operation at all.

I'm already getting to the point where my up close vision isn't as good as it used to be, but I would rather need reading glasses sometimes than have to wear contacts all the time.

 

I had it done 11yrs ago and all is well... no complaints

 

My lil Bro go this done in his 30s. Not that he is 50, his close up vision is going, and they said they cant do a thing about it.
When I went to see why I can see my sights on my leverguns. Doc told me I have the eyes of a teenager, except my focal point in out further than my 20 in barrels.
He told me he put up his levers a few years ago also. I sold mine.

 

I had it done before it was lasik and was still "radial keratonamy" or "RK". My vision went from real poor to 20-15 in both eyes. At the time, I was told that eventually I would need reading glasses just like any other person hitting middle age and in the last two years I've gotten to that point. I'm 45 now and the doctors say it's totally normal. Neither RK or Lasik are intended to cure far sightedness or astigmatism. Personally, I've been very happy with the results.

The odd thing to me is that as I've needed reading glasses, my far vision has slipped a little too. Last time I went to the range I took my reading glasses and found I shot a lot better with the open sights when wearing them. They don't effect my far vision much and certainly help with seeing the sights.

Bottom line, if you were in your 20's or 30's and had poor vision, I'd say go for it. At your age, most likely you are becoming farsighted and it doesn't help with that. At least it didn't back in '94 when I had it done. I've not kept up with it and things change all the time with medical procedures so it would be worth checking into but don't get your hopes up.

 

I was nearsighted since I was young. Got the lastik in my early 50's, best money I ever spent. Imprved my sight picture with handguns and peep rifle sights. Not so good with open rifle sights, but then reading glasses are now a fact of life. I would advise anyone in need of the surgery to do it. Just my take on it. piguy 8)

 

And to think I spent all that money on scopes!
FM

 

This is a really interesting thread. I am severly near sighted and have been wearing contacts for just over 20 years. In the last year I have been having comfort issues with my contacts. I have been thinking about investigating lasik but would hate to have it done and still have issues. Interesting to hear the different experiences on here!

 

This is a really interesting thread. I am severly near sighted and have been wearing contacts for just over 20 years. In the last year I have been having comfort issues with my contacts. I have been thinking about investigating lasik but would hate to have it done and still have issues. Interesting to hear the different experiences on here!

That is pretty much exactly where I'm at.

 

j25, the more near sighted you are, the more cuts are required to correct your vision to 20/20. This means more scar tissue which reduces flexibility of your eye and its ability to adjust/focus up close. In other words, the more correction needed to achieve 20/20 vision the more your ability to focus up close (reading) is degraded. One option they will suggest is to have only one eye corrected to 20/20 and retain the other for reading. The other option is i bit more expensive but solves the near and distance vision trade-off - lens replacement surgery. This is done by the same doctor on the the same machine as lasik.

 

j25, the more near sighted you are, the more cuts are required to correct your vision to 20/20. This means more scar tissue which reduces flexibility of your eye and its ability to adjust/focus up close. In other words, the more correction needed to achieve 20/20 vision the more your ability to focus up close (reading) is degraded. One option they will suggest is to have only one eye corrected to 20/20 and retain the other for reading. The other option is i bit more expensive but solves the near and distance vision trade-off - lens replacement surgery. This is done by the same doctor on the the same machine as lasik.

Lasik and RK are not the same. RK cuts slots on the eyes to help "flex" the existing lense back where it's supposed to be. Lasik cuts a flap on the eye, then reshapes the lense with a lazer. The flap then gets flipped back onto the eye to "glue" itself back into place. When I had Lasik done 10yrs ago, the procedure for both eyes took twenty minutes... I was riding my bicycle the next day. If anyone decides to get Lasik done, do yer homework and make sure you are going to a reputable specialist... even if it costs more $$$

 

I have not heard of any complaints from my friends and as time goes on the surgery is getting better with better corrections.

 

I've been very near sighted since I was a little kid. I got glasses in 4th grade, and I was something like 20/700 by my mid 20's. I'm 36. Last summer, I went to a lasik specialist. He had several different (price) levels of correction available. I went 'cadillac' on this one, as I figured my eyes were no where to skimp a buck.

The visit took less than an hour, including paperwork. While filling out the paperwork, they gave me valium, and did a last eye test on a fancy machine. Then they put me on a table, and 10-15 minutes later I was walking out. Without glasses or contacts. That evening, I let my tylenol lapse and it hurt a little, my fault there. We went out for supper, and things were blurry, but better than not having glasses. The next morning, I was reading road signs going down the road (wife was driving just in case). It was the first time I can remember reading road signs going down the highway without glasses or contacts!

I have little off effects at night. I had halos at first, but they've gone away, like the doc said. I've seen several deer this season that I know I wouldn't have seen with glasses or contacts. I don't know if I'm actually shooting any better, but I feel more confident, and that has to count for something. I didn't miss or lose a single deer this season.

I now see things I'm sure I'd have missed if I didn't have the surgery done. I found a fly fishing tackle box floating in the ocean. About the size of a vhs cassette, in fairly heavy waves. I sold it to a fly fisherman and bought a new scope with it to put on my 336 carbine. I'd never have seen that tackle box with dried out contacts, or glasses covered in sea spray.

I now spot flocks of ducks, stationary deer, crab pot buoys (road hazard for salt water fisherman, if you will) and lots of other things I used to couldn't see. My friends have even commented on this. I now see game -before- my friends and family do on occasion; this never happened before.

I do have a little more trouble with peep sights. Bright sunlight doesn't bother me, but I rarely go outside without sunglasses anyway.

I'd do it again in a heart beat. No regrets.

 

Makes patching bullet easier.