I got my eyes done in September. Here's my story: Went to Lasik MD located by Centennial Park, walked in and scheduled a free consultation.
Went in a week later, got examined by 2 optometrists, and 2 assistants, to ensure I was eliglble and qualified to do the surgery. I passed with flying colours, although the only thing I needed to care for before the surgery were my tears, they're more oil than water, easy fix with a 5 min warm cloth.
After about two hours of waiting and eye tests, one of the assistants asks me if I'd like to get my surgery done right away! He says there's a spot open for me and they'd fit me in if I wanted, so what the hell, I said yes! And like a car, you have options you can choose, you can opt for standard laser equipment, or the newer technology.
Took some eyedrops, waited, got called in, waited more, they had a TV setup in the inner waiting room so you could watch the surgeries being performed (which I should've recorded), got instructions then was called in.
OR was dark, machine was huge, big room, 1 male doctor, 2 female assistants, lied down, told NOT to move during the procedure, and to try to keep my eye still as much as I can.
He tapes one eye open and the other closed, uses a clamp to keep it open forcefully, then places a chemicals into the eye to make it go blind, places a diamond cutter on top, it cuts, slight pressure on the eye, removes cutter, eyesight returnes, flashing lights, burning smell, reattaches lens of eye, drops, fiddles on your eye with surgical tools, removes clamp, drops, removes tape, close eye, and repeat on the other eye.
After all is done, I shake hands, go to the waiting room sit for about 30 mins constantly taking drops, given a care kit, put on big sunglasses, and go home (get someone to drive you or take the TTC).
For about 1 month, eyes dry quickly so there is a lotta drops and liquids used, vision sometimes gets blurry but corrects itself, your brain may get dizzy/nauseous because of adjusting to perfect sights, and you gotta keep the sunglasses on as much as you can (even indoors), tape eye protectors on your head when you sleep, no computers/TV/reading/water/staring/rubbing/etc, go back for followup tests and exams, and that's it.
Some people experience halos at night, literally seeing circles around light sources, but I didn't, the only problem I had was focusing after waking up, and it's tough focusing closeup (like reading fine print).
Otherwise, I have absolutely no problems and I am glad I did it. It's friggin freedom, just like they say in commercials.
Price depends on where you go, Herzig WILL be expensive, and Lasik will be the cheapest, and it also depends on how bad your sight is (prescription). I had only a 1.50 prescript, so it wasn't too bad for me, it cost me just over $1500 total for the procedure.
Hope that helps, there's really no danger in getting it done, sure there's a chance something may go wrong, but it's not likely. And although long-term effects aren't really known, people who got it done when it first came out over a decade ago, still have no problems with it. But, with age, your eyesight will deteriorate as it's a natural thing, it just won't be as bad if you didn't get the laser surgery.
