LASIK and training

**PhoenixEyePunch** · Posted On: 5/25/2010 7:53am

I'm in the Air Force and had PRk a little over a year ago. The AF just started letting pilots get LASIK rather than PRK, so I guess they feel pretty confident that the flap won't come loose under some pressure. I wanted to be 100% sure, so I went the PRK route. Like others have said, vision is pretty bad for a week or two then slowly stabilizes over the course of a month of two.

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/25/2010 10:37am

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

I have participated in a couple of the "Crappy Eyesight" threads in the PT forum before as I have....crappy eyesight! I have seen a few threads about laser-surgery, but the last was dated in 2006, so jnp forgive me.

After thinking about it for a few years, fucking around with contacts and glasses and researching it out, I have decided to look into LASIK. Part of the reason I am looking into LASIK is I am fucking sick and tired of my damn glasses. I have tried daily wear, disposable, long term wear and sleep-in contacts but after a short time, the contacts stick to my eyelids and float up into my eye.

I had an appointment yesterday with a group of doctors in Las Vegas that specialize in LASIK and PRK, during which my eyes were tortured with several kinds of drops and tests and ended being dilated to the size of half-dollars.

During the examination and questioning, I was asked about physical activities and exercising it came out that I lift and train. I was told essentially:

~before the actual procedure, I can't lift for a few days before and a couple of weeks after.....which isn't a problem

~after the procedure, if I play soccer, no headshots....which isn't a problem

~no getting struck in the head or face.....so essentially, I will be left to my devices at LARPing

During my research, to be honest, I never really noticed anything about "don't get hit in the head"...even though NOW it is pretty rational advice. However during my research I am conducting now, it is pretty obvious: don't box or kickbox or get thrown on your head after LASIK.

Are there any posters who have undergone LASIK or a similar laser eye surgery and if so, what are your experiences?

Didn't read all the replies to your post, but I'll give my two cents.

I had lasik a few years ago. I almost didn't because beforehand they warn you of all the potential side effects. Like seeing halos and having a constant burning in your eyes. It sounded like it could potentially be very bad. Of course, those things are rare. So I had it done.

I could see better immediately (my eyes were watery and blurry, but I could immediately see things better at a distance). I took it very easy on my eyes for a few weeks. My eyes were very dry for a while after the procedure. The dryness tapered off over the next year or so until everything was pretty much normal. I still use eye drops once in the morning a few years later. I think it's probably a habit more than anything. I don't have any problems. I don't regret doing the procedure. I fucking hated contacts.

I don't remember what the doctor said about training, etc. But I do know I've done a bunch of training since then. Both striking and grappling. Never had any problems. Just my experience, but I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. I'd get the surgery, give it some time to fully recover then go back to training as usual.

**Muerteds** · Posted On: 5/25/2010 4:56pm

I just had PRK surgery done in February by a nice Air Force surgeon who told me, "You're going to smell a smell like your eyeball burning. That's ok. It is."

Aside from a rather Addams family outlook on things (enjoyable, really), the whole process was extremely forthright and expedited. They told me precisely what to expect from PRK surgery vs. LASIK. When they asked if I did anything strenuous, the answer of "Judo, rugby, and SCUBA diving" made the tech nod immediately and mark me down for PRK. Say judo. People know that means dumping you on your head. Martial arts might mean Yellow Bamboo.

PRK was a bitch in terms of comfort. It took iron resolve to ever want to touch my eye to put in contacts. Iron resolve and sheer stubbornness. When they went to debriding the surface of my cornea with what looked like and electric toothbrush, I couldn't help but make oogy noises. They stopped and asked immediately if I felt pain. I said, "No. But I cannot stand people touching my eyes." Obviously, I had to let them, and I did. But I did not like it. Nor did it help knowing they were going to do it on my other eye.

Three days later, I showed up to work with a bag of frozen peas to put on my eyes, looking like death warmed over. The XO asked why I was there. I told her, "Because you scheduled me to be here." She realized that her LASIK was way easier to recover from than my PRK and sent me home. I took some of the lovely drugs they gave me, and by day 5, was feeling much better. I just went to my 3 month follow-up and am seeing at 20/15 from 20/250 in my right eye and 20/175 in my left.

I haven't had many issues with glare or ghosting during night driving. The only issues I've had have been increased tenderness when I rub my eyes the wrong way, and some dry eye issues. They told me both those things would occur, and would lessen over time. They have.

I recommend PRK for your martial arts needs simply based on my own experience. Either way, best of luck seeing clearly on your own. It is, literally, a dream of mine come true. For those of you with bad vision- do you see 20/20 in your dreams, or cloudy like in the waking world? I always saw 20/20 in my dreams.

**DroidFanatic** · Posted On: 9/09/2011 6:22pm

If you are to get LASIK instead of PRK I highly recommend with going with either Intralase or Ziemer Crystal Line Laser. These two lasers give your eye a much more custom fit for your eye than the blade.

This will reduce the ability for your flap to come dislodged from fighting. Actually the Ziemer is so precise that for getting knocked around, I wouldn't go with anything less.

**kcvmac** · Posted On: 9/17/2011 11:57am

Tell me if I'm linking wrong:

http://www.lasiksurgerynews.com/news...atectomy.shtml

Short article on PRK vs LASIK -

[PRK (or photorefractive keratectomy) is the second most popular laser eye surgery in the United States, behind LASIK. The question of PRK Vs LASIK is common for consumers interested in laser vision correction.
Like LASIK, PRK uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. But in PRK, no corneal flap is created with a microkeratome or femtosecond laser prior to the corneal reshaping.
Instead, the central portion of the thin outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium) is removed from the eye, usually after being loosened with a dilute alcohol solution. The excimer laser treatment is then applied to the underlying corneal tissue (the stroma) to reshape the eye.
After the laser treatment, the cornea is covered with a bandage contact lens. Within days, new epithelial cells grow back and the bandage contact is removed...]

Well, mostly on PRK.