Lasik Eye Surgery

[Deemaxx1]

I'm seriously thinking of having lasik eye surgery. I have been wearing contacts/glasses for about 25 yrs. I do not have optic neuritis it any problems w my eyes except terrible vision. Has anyone w MS had it done? I'm concerned about flare ups. I have RRMS and have had no new symptoms since being dx in 2006.

[MSer102]

What does your eye doctor say about it?

[Thankful2B]

I had laser vision correction. I actually opted for the older type of procedure, PRK, rather than Lasik. Same laser procedure to reshape the cornea, however rather than creating a flap in the epithelial layer of the cornea, the epithelial layer is removed in PRK. It grows back naturally. It's a personal decision, obviously.

My laser sugery was prior to my being diagnosed. I was having symptoms back then (about 6 years ago), however. I don't recall any increased symptoms. I didn't even have pain in my eyes. For me, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. To this day I am still thankful that I wake up everyday and can see with 20/20 vision without correction, unless I'm having a flare of Optic Neuritis of course.

My eyesight was terrible. I began wearing glasses at age 2, and had worn contacts for 20 years prior to my surgery. My eyes were so tired and irritated by the long term use of contacts. I wouldn't wear glasses in public because they looked like coke bottles.

Hope everything works out for you!

[MSLorrie]

I had it done, when I had MS but did not know it

And I was fine, no problems. I've since had bouts of ON that have permanently harmed my vision though.

[pummers]

I have had MS since 1998 and had ON 3 times. I had lasik and it only lasted for 7 years...it was a good 7 years though.

[Tawanda]

I have had MS since 1998 and had ON 3 times. I had lasik and it only lasted for 7 years...it was a good 7 years though.

Crud! Why didn't it last? Is this common?

I have always been interested in the surgery...any thing to make it easier to get up and going (can not leave my bed without glasses), but this is a bummer.

Maybe do just one eye at first? Anyone do that?

[MSer102]

Crud! Why didn't it last? Is this common?

Yes it seems to be. When I asked my eye doctor about Lasik he said its like getting new glasses again. New glasses work for a while but then eyes change and you need new glasses. He said that Lasik doesn't stop eyes from changing.

It looks like Lasik is great for people whose eyes don't change very often. But if your eyes change you need new glasses and the Lasik doesn't match your eyes anymore the same way old glasses don't match your eyes anymore. So even if you do just one eye at a time it can still change and it won't match that eye anymore. The other eye will be done later but it can still change too. At some point you may still have two eyes that don't match the Lasik correction anymore.

That seems like a really expensive substitute for new glasses that don't last very long. So I never did it and I'm glad.

[KatieAgain]

I'm seriously thinking of having lasik eye surgery. I have been wearing contacts/glasses for about 25 yrs. I do not have optic neuritis it any problems w my eyes except terrible vision. Has anyone w MS had it done? I'm concerned about flare ups. I have RRMS and have had no new symptoms since being dx in 2006.

I hear you. I really regret not having LASIK. I really do. And it was free...a relative was going to do it. I had an opportunity and was too scared. I now have had two bouts of ON, so I doubt this is an option for me anymore.

I was told that tune ups are required every 5 years or so. With that said, it is indeed an expensive pair of glasses, so there is a down side.

I know my relative would no longer do it. He would insist that I talk to a Neuro-Opthalmologist first. So, that would be the best advice I could give you.

BTW...there are better options now to Coke Bottle Glasses! And, IMO, even though I wear contacts, I feel smarter in my glasses. And as a gal with MS, I think feeling smarter makes me feel better.

Katie
"Yep, I have MS, and it Does Have ME"

[mt1111]

I started Copaxone in Spring 2001 after a major exacerbation affecting my right leg and foot. In June 2001, to cheer me up i guess, my parents treated me to Lasik after 35 years of glasses and contacts - felt like a miracle! In October 2001 I got ON in my left eye, even after a couple of steroid infusions it took about a year to clear up. Now 12 years later the lasik has about totally worn off and I'm back to wearing glasses. I think that's usually the case even without the MS!

[lubafoltz703]

I suppose the most intriguing thing for me is that my optometrist said Lasik would be unable to be finished. At that point I headed off to Evergreen Eye Center, evergreeneye.com. They did the assessment and were equipped to perform the surgery and it was highly auspicious. My vision is better above 20-20 and it has been since the day following the surgery. Likely the most impactful profit seems to be on a green seeing that drive that you just hit land.

[0inone]

I had lasik, a year ago yesterday

I had my lasik last May. (before MS diag) My prescription was -6.5, terrible. I started having trouble with the contacts, dry eye, infections. I hate glasses so i checked it out ans finally did it. The first day was unbelievable! Immediately after i could read the clock on the wall. Over the next few weeks my distance vision declined, i had to get glasses for driving. I startded getting pain in my eye, i got drop foot, kept tripping, and losing balance. The dr. Thinks my relapse began in May, i was diagnosed in Dec. . Well, i can see better than i have in 20 years! I need to wear distance glasses or only one contact to golf and drive. I can go back and have the lasik redone, but there are no guarantees and I go to enough drs. And have enough tests. I jut dont want to. Not sure if the MS had anything to do with the results. If I wasnt dealing with MS now, i would have the surgery again.

[Remy9111]

I had the old surgery, PRK instead of LASIK because I didn't want someone cutting my cornea. PRK takes longer to heal but less possible complications without cutting a flap.

I had it done before I was diagnosed with MS. It only lasted 5 truly wonderful years. I has 20/20 vision after being 5.50 and 6. I am back to wearing glasses (contacts irritate my eyes which is why I did it to begin with)

I went back to see if I could get a touch up. But they said the cornea was now too thin in one eye to do that.

I see it having no bearing on Optic neuritis which involves the nerve. This involves the cornea.

[saturngirl]

What do I do?

I just scheduled my LASIK surgery for July 2nd. Received a pre-op packet in the mail today and it says "LASIK cannot be performed on someone with an autoimmune disease." Does this mean MS? Is it just my doctor? I know I put on my paperwork that I have MS.
Clearly several of you have had the surgery. I have HORRIBLE vision. -7.5 with astigmatism and -6.75. No ON issues ever. No MS flares since diagnosed 2/2011. I'm only 35 so should last a while.
Really was excited but now Im nervous!
Thoughts please...

[MSer102]

No it isn't just your doctor who says no LASIK for autoimmune diseases. If you google LASIK you'll read that it generally isn't recommended for AI conditions. BUT that generally refers to AI diseases that affects skin and connective tissue. It doesn't mean a disease of the central nervous system because the front of the eye isn't part of the central nervous system. There's no blood involved and the chance for infection is pretty low. The best thing is to ask you ophthalmologist about it.

At 35 your distance vision should hold for awhile but within 10 years you'll probably have to use glasses again at least part time. Around age 40 or 45 the eyes start having trouble seeing up close. Its normal and happens to everybody. Except that a lot of people with MS don't know its coming and start assuming that MS caused it. Age causes it.

After you have LASIK you'll eventually have to start putting reading glasses on to see small things that you can see easily right now. And its possible that your distance vision will change a little and you might need glasses to see perfectly for driving at night.

My ophthalmologist said its best to never assume that you'll never need glasses again because everybody eventually does unless they have only one eye fixed for far away. And if ON makes one eye blurry then you'll definitely have to wear glasses the help the other eye. That's why I never had it done.

[KateA2]

I had LASIK in 1999 pre diagnosis, and it's one of the best decisions I ever made. No issues except for a permanent slight haloing-effect around lights at nighttime, and my eyes were rather dry for about 3 months (just used single-use artificial tears during that time a few times a day).

14 years later, I still don't need glasses but my vision is not quite as crisp as it was...still, it's remarkable. I was nearsighted with moderate astigmatism in both eyes.