Laser eye surgery

Hey everyone! I’ve been lurking on this forum for a while now and I really love the community here. Instead of just posting random stuff about my hobbies or personal life like some teenager would, I wanted to jump in and ask for some actual advice.

I'm looking for recommendations for a clinic—either private or a major hospital—here in the States that performs successful laser eye surgery. To give you some context, the patient has been wearing glasses for about two years now. They've been diagnosed with amblyopia in the left eye, and there's a significant difference in both the cylinder and diopter measurements. One eye is farsighted while the other is nearsighted. Honestly, I don't have a lot of faith in the medical system in Canada, which is why I'm reaching out to this group; I'm hoping to find some helpful insights from people who know better. The child is currently 8.5 years old.

Has anyone here dealt with something similar or had any experience with this kind of procedure? If you have, I would truly appreciate any guidance or tips you can share.

Thanks so much in advance!🙂 🙂 🙂

Go back and read the old threads, we’ve already been over this whole thing...
And honestly? An 8.5-year-old kid is way too young for that kind of stuff..

Yeah, I guess they probably shouldn't do it until their eye growth or prescription actually stabilizes. So, maybe nothing until they hit their 20s...

I haven't gone back to read through all the old threads, but I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around how an operation like this would be feasible for a kid that young. That said, I was really thrown for a loop by a letter I saw from a mom who actually went through with it at a private clinic in Switzerland for her five-year-old.

Anyway, thanks for the input, 🙂

Best, 👋

Hey there,

I was actually just about to start a thread on this exact topic, but I wanted to see if anyone had already covered it first—or if I could help answer your question directly.

If you look up laser eye surgery (like PRK or LASIK) online, you'll find endless resources explaining that age is one of the most critical factors when deciding if someone is even a candidate. Generally speaking, doctors don't recommend any kind of laser procedure for anyone under 20, mainly because a young person's body and vision are still actively developing at that stage.

Of course, medicine isn't black and white, and there are always exceptions. Whether that applies to your child is something you really need to discuss with a specialist. Personally, I wouldn't jump the gun on any recommendation; my advice would be to get second (or even third) opinions. Yeah, it costs more upfront to see multiple specialists, but you're paying for peace of mind. When it comes to something this important, you don't gamble with safety—believe me, I learned that the hard way.

Hey there,
I’ve noticed plenty of threads about getting laser eye surgery to fix nearsightedness, but I can't seem to find anything specifically for farsightedness. I was wondering if anyone here has gone through laser surgery for a positive prescription (+)? Did you have a good experience, or is this type of procedure even an option for farsighted people? Just for context, my prescription is around +9.5 in one eye and +10.50 in the other, plus I think I have an astigmatism of about 4.🙏

I’m actually wondering about the same thing... I have both farsightedness and astigmatism (cylinders) in both eyes.😲 It’s not extreme, though... I think my pluses are around +2.5 and +3.5, while my nearsightedness is just a slight -0.5.
Does anyone know what the typical cost for something like that looks like?

I'm looking into getting laser surgery for my eyes... I know there are options right here in Washington, D.C., but I've heard people talking about going over to Vienna because it’s way cheaper and apparently they have some great specialists who really know their stuff. Does anyone have a website link or has anyone actually made the trip and can give me the lowdown? Any info on doctors or prices in Washington, D.C. would be awesome too.

Thanks

A friend of mine went to St. Petersburg, Russia about two years ago through an agency based out of Chicago. I think the total cost, including his flight and visa, was around $1,600. His prescription was somewhere around +4, if I recall correctly. He’s still perfectly happy with the results today...

stormyhawk15 said:A friend of mine went to St. Petersburg, Russia about two years ago through an agency based out of Chicago. I think the total cost, including his flight and visa, was around $1,600. His prescription was somewhere around +4, if I recall correctly. He’s still perfectly happy with the results today...

Oh, seriously? Ask your friend for the specifics and shoot me a DM. I’ve heard it’s actually cheaper to fly to Russia, get your eyes fixed, and come back than it is to deal with the costs here in America. Plus, St. Petersburg is a great city.😁

For Chicago here is what you're looking at: about $225 per eye.

Check this out too.

stormyseal98 said:I'm looking into getting laser surgery for my eyes... I know there are options right here in Washington, D.C., but I've heard people talking about going over to Vienna because it’s way cheaper and apparently they have some great specialists who really know their stuff. Does anyone have a website link or has anyone actually made the trip and can give me the lowdown? Any info on doctors or prices in Washington, D.C. would be awesome too.

Thanks

So, I actually went through with my surgery with Dr. Smith (that's the SunLink Polyclinic mentioned above), so just hit me up if you need more details!

stormyhawk15 said:A friend of mine went to St. Petersburg, Russia about two years ago through an agency based out of Chicago. I think the total cost, including his flight and visa, was around $1,600. His prescription was somewhere around +4, if I recall correctly. He’s still perfectly happy with the results today...

Could you please find out which agency that was and let us know 😕? I have heard that those surgeons in Russia are quite skilled, and isn't there another type of procedure available besides laser surgery? Given that my prescription is -10 😲, I wouldn't even consider the laser option myself.🤣

I am considering laser eye surgery to correct a -6.00 prescription in my right eye. I am curious if anyone here has experience undergoing such a procedure in the US.

I have come across the websites for the following clinics:

http://sunlink.com/
http://www.drbaic.com/
http://www.bilicvision.com/

I find myself in need of some guidance. Has anyone utilized the services at Light? They were recently featured in a piece by the New York Post, whereas the others remain unfamiliar to me.

To be perfectly candid, I am somewhat apprehensive regarding potential complications. I have heard various accounts, both favorable and adverse. One must wonder if the endeavor is worthwhile—is it prudent to assume such a risk for the sake of a single eye, given that my vision in the other is flawless? Or would it be more sensible to simply rely on contact lenses?

just one eye, about 10 $0.00

It's like this:
My wife got home from her surgery at Light Polyclinic about two hours ago. I have to tell you all right now—BE CAREFUL.
Here’s the deal... the surgery was on both eyes to correct a -5 prescription... the first eye was handled by Dr. Smith and turned out fine, but they let some kid mess around with the second eye, and we've had actual PROBLEMS with that one... apparently, after the surgery, they put some kind of corrective lens in that eye?!?!?!
But of course, before the procedure, you sign a contract stating you're prepared for ANY possible issues... in other words... if you end up losing your sight because of some idiot who's basically just an intern... you can cry to the heavens for all it matters.
Then... forget about them telling you it's a "minor" surgery... and the discharge papers she got? They're legendary... basically, there isn't a single useful detail in there.
They told her verbally that they restored 60% of the vision in one eye... now... who's the crazy one here...? THIS SURGERY COSTS $2,000 $0.00 (for both eyes) and they're giving back 60%... unbelievable... honestly unheard of?!
When she asked the nurse working there if that meant 60% vision is fully restored and that's it... the nurse just said she'd have to ask Smith... because "how should I know," she doesn't know...
The discharge papers look like this:
ON JANUARY 12, 2008, AT LIGHT POLYCLINIC, THE FOLLOWING SURGICAL PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED:
OPERATION: LASIK OU.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PATIENT:
- UPON ARRIVAL HOME, TAKE A 2 MG OR 5 MG ASPIRIN TABLET
- SLEEP FOR A FEW HOURS
- IF YOU HAVE PAIN AFTER WAKING UP, TAKE A VOLTAREN RAPID TABLET.
(THE CLINIC DOESN'T PROVIDE THE TABLETS; YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY THEM YOURSELF AFTER THE SURGERY... BECAUSE IT'S APPARENTLY NOT WORTH IT TO INCLUDE THREE TABLETS IN THE $2,000 $0.00 FEE, SO PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO CUT CORNERS EVEN ON THAT. BUT WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL WITH DRIVING TO THE PHARMACY TO PICK THEM UP?? NOPE... APPARENTLY NOT... AND THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED SOME SUNGLASSES... WHICH YOU ALSO HAVE TO BUY YOURSELF TO SAVE MONEY... AND THE ones FROM $13 ARE FINE... BUT LIKE I SAID... $6.75 ISN'T ENOUGH TO cover that "extra equipment")
- EYE DROPS: USE TOBREX 5X DAILY (3 DAYS), EFFLUMIDEX 5X DAILY (10 TO 14 DAYS), AND SZSTANE 5-7X DAILY (30 DAYS)
- PATIENT REQUIRES MEDICAL LEAVE
Follow-up tomorrow
If needed, contact Dr. Smith at: xxxxxxxxxx

PLEASE, WHAT KIND OF ABSOLUTE GARBAGE DISCHARGE PAPER IS THIS?!?!?!

After the surgery... you aren't allowed to go near bright lights, you can't wash your hair, you can't go into dark rooms, etc., for at least 10 days; you can't lift anything heavier than a bag of groceries for 7 days, etc... in other words, anyone who thought this was a surgery where "now I'll just head home and watch TV" is DEAD WRONG... BUT OF COURSE, THEY WON'T TELL YOU THAT BEFORE THE OPERATION... JUST SO YOU DON'T BACK OUT AT THE LAST MINUTE...

So, THINK VERY HARD BEFORE DOING THIS... as for what happens next... I'll update you in 10 days.

Hi everyone. My spouse is dealing with some eye issues lately—their prescription is sitting at -4.00 and it just seems to be getting worse every single year. I’ve been browsing through some old threads on here, but I honestly can't find any clear info on what things actually cost these days... I think I saw somewhere that prices usually hover somewhere between $2,500 and $3,500
That kind of money adds up fast, so I’m looking for some honest recommendations. If you've had a good experience with a specific provider or method that isn't outrageously expensive compared to the big names, please let me know.

Thanks in advance to the whole community for the help.

copperheron72 said:Hi everyone. My spouse is dealing with some eye issues lately—their prescription is sitting at -4.00 and it just seems to be getting worse every single year. I’ve been browsing through some old threads on here, but I honestly can't find any clear info on what things actually cost these days... I think I saw somewhere that prices usually hover somewhere between $2,500 and $3,500
That kind of money adds up fast, so I’m looking for some honest recommendations. If you've had a good experience with a specific provider or method that isn't outrageously expensive compared to the big names, please let me know.

Thanks in advance to the whole community for the help.

Here’s a bit of firsthand info. I had my vision corrected at Light Polyclinic. The initial consultation before surgery costs $250. If you qualify for the procedure, it's $3333 per eye, regardless of how high your prescription is. I went through with it, and I’m still incredibly happy with the choice. I had the surgery two months ago, and honestly, it feels like a total rebirth.
Good luck making the decision.👍

So basically, that’s $6917 regarding the exam and getting rid of the prescription.....😲

Hmm.... I'm really hoping someone else chimes in with their own experience, maybe there's a more affordable option out there than this one....... My partner is also counting down the days until she can finally see the world clearly with healthy eyes. When she isn't wearing contacts, her vision is pretty terrible. It's a constant struggle with the lenses, and the headaches happen quite often too...... Honestly, seeing all this makes me realize how lucky I am to not deal with those issues myself.......

Hmm....... Well, I'm just waiting to hear a few more stories before we decide on the where and how, but we are definitely moving forward with the surgery sometime soon.

copperheron72 said:So basically, that’s $6917 regarding the exam and getting rid of the prescription.....😲

Hmm.... I'm really hoping someone else chimes in with their own experience, maybe there's a more affordable option out there than this one....... My partner is also counting down the days until she can finally see the world clearly with healthy eyes. When she isn't wearing contacts, her vision is pretty terrible. It's a constant struggle with the lenses, and the headaches happen quite often too...... Honestly, seeing all this makes me realize how lucky I am to not deal with those issues myself.......

Hmm....... Well, I'm just waiting to hear a few more stories before we decide on the where and how, but we are definitely moving forward with the surgery sometime soon.

Ask "Mikra" over in the systemic lupus thread—she actually just had her surgery a few days ago!!!