Eye surgery

[stever]

I've got 60 year old eyes.  I can focus at +3 diopter, but then can't read the menu.
If i wear glasses, i can't see the information in the viewfinder.

Laser left eye for far, right for near?    

Real problem for underwater photography, can't find the little critters to begin with, then can't focus and see what the settings are.

[nemophoto]

I'm 52, have been a professional photographer for 30-years, and had lasik about a year ago. Best thing I ever did. I actually see almost 20/10 in my left (dominant) eye. My vision is sharp enough to see the errors in auto-focus and my work is some of the sharpest in years. The downside? I now use reading glasses to read the top of the camera and view the LCD (though my near focusing has improved since first surgury). I'd recommend the procedure, but, as my doctor said, old eyes are old eyes. It's a factor of nature and age that we lose our ability to focus close. I do NOT recommend having uneven eyesight. I tried that with contacts. Lasted exactly one day. I love my "new eyes". It's a bit of a pain wearing reading glasses, but rather that and have the ability to see sharply through the viewfinder. My 2-cents, FWIW.

Nemo

I've got 60 year old eyes.  I can focus at +3 diopter, but then can't read the menu.
If i wear glasses, i can't see the information in the viewfinder.

Laser left eye for far, right for near?    

Real problem for underwater photography, can't find the little critters to begin with, then can't focus and see what the settings are.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83473\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[Kenneth Sky]

Please don't do this. As a doctor (ear surgeon) I recommend you get professional advice from an ophthomologist. Every one's eyes are slightly different and anecdotal advice is worth just what you are paying for it. Your eyes are too precious to make an important decision like this over the internet.

[stever]

of course i'm going to get a professional opinion, but professionals have their own agendas, and may or may not have experienced the surgery, and are probably not photogaraphers -- i want all the information i can get and will then make a judgement

and i'd follow the same procedure with my ears

Please don't do this. As a doctor (ear surgeon) I recommend you get professional advice from an ophthomologist. Every one's eyes are slightly different and anecdotal advice is worth just what you are paying for it. Your eyes are too precious to make an important decision like this over the internet.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83759\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[howiesmith]

Laser left eye for far, right for near?    

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83473\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I would not take medical advice from a forum.

I used a contact in my left eye to solve the near/far problem.  Worked fine until I lost the contact and went blind (unrelated) in my left eye.

[David R. Gurtcheff]

I would not take medical advice from a forum.

I used a contact in my left eye to solve the near/far problem.  Worked fine until I lost the contact and went blind (unrelated) in my left eye.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=83797\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm 69 and had Lasik. I LOVE my new vision! I was EXTREMLY near sited---glasses like coke bottles. I am now about 20/20, but like the above poster, now use reading glasses. Anyone over 40 usually needs reading glasses (prsbyopia, litterally "old eye") if they have 20/20 far vision. When I wore contacts, I needed reading glasses over the contacts. Of course you would never take anyone's health advice over the internet, but I think it is a good idea to see how it worked out for others. Weigh the pros and cons, then seek an experienced surgeon to see if you are a candidate (everone is not a good candidate BTW). My oldest son had Lasik, but he had the split vision procedure, (one eye correcteed for near, one for far). He is 48 and does not need reading glasses. Most docs see if you are a canditate for split correction by fitting you with split contacts to see if you can tolerate it. Some can, some can't.
Good luck
Dave

[KenRexach]

Coincidently yesterday I went to get evaluated for laser surgery. The doctor did a bunch of tests and created several "maps" of my eyes structure. My advice is to go to a doctor that has solid experience and has good referals. He will determine which procedure is best for you scientifically by testing your eyes. Todays technology is trully amazing. The new machines create a "topographical" map of the surface and inner portions of the cornea and generate printable graphics that the doctor then interprets.