Should You Get SMILE, LASIK, or PRK Eye Surgery?

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

🔴QOTD: Do you have other questions about these procedures?

[@abishprasanth]

How lasik cause mgd?

[@sanjayvyas5458]

After these refrective surgeries could you please suggest a good sunglass like Polaroid sunglasses or uv sunglasses...few words on contoura vision would be helpful ...

[@seanwillan5369]

Are you able to move the eye mid procedure, is the eye numbed that much

[@neolithic3]

I recently learned that with Lasik, if you move during the procedure, it's okay in that nothing bad will happen to your eye (although it's obviously preferable to stay very still). Does SMILE allow for moving if needed, such as a sneeze or if you had a muscle spasm or something, without damaging your eye during the procedure?

[@classyclassical7407]

Hi Dr Allen really appreciate this vid, I had previously asked you in another of your videos about having a small brown/reddish spot removed from the white part of my right eye. It's been there for years and hasn't caused any problems, I'm just a little self conscious about it at times and have been advised over the years that it could be removed, I have worn contact lenses for the last 43 years without problems. I would hate to think that having surgery for a purely cosmetic reason could create problems :( I guess if I do decide to have surgery I would really need to ask all the pros and cons of having it removed. Many thanks for your valuable knowledge.

[@wenku8471]

Pro-tip: If you have this done, KEEP YOUR RECORDS! Years later when you need CATARACT SURGERY, this information will be CRUCIAL to you not having a refractive surprise. LASIK scars, especially the ones made by laser, can be very hard to see, and if you do not tell your cataract surgeon your history, your refractive outcome will be WAY OFF and the blame will be with YOU.

[@keriddunk1520]

Thanks man

[@odst431]

Thank you man

[@HeszaR]

How is this possible, I know that surgeons can see scar tissues with microscope, also isnt cataract removing the lens? so why would scar tissue show problems?

[@Yenecol]

@@jaym9880 Pretty sure that's for emphasis.

[@Yenecol]

@@HeszaR The flap lays back down and it is easy to miss on routine exam. The issue isn't any scarring. The issue is the corneal thinning caused by LASIK can throw off the calculations done for cataract surgery. If you do not tell your cataract surgeon you had LASIK and they do not make any adjustments to their formula, the end result will be hyperopia.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

This was a requested video! Please let me know if you have a video idea or a topic you want covered as I take them seriously! Thank you and I appreciate you!

[@rahulsylvester7012]

Would like to hear from you about Convergence Insufficiency. I have it and currently consulting a functional optometrist. I am also considering a refractive surgeryi in a year.. I'm 26 and my power is Sph -0.75/-1.25 and cylindrical 3.25. Do you think it is a safe bet to go for a refractive surgery?

[@sanjayvyas5458]

Please do one video on contoura vision..TIA

[@didamnesia3575]

How about a video on custom lenses (sunglasses) with flash mirror options with some examples of what some look like in person. Such as the zeiss photofusion with flash gradient lenses. Btw, ever since I got my contact lenses I've gone a bit nuts buying sunglasses. I love them. The Randolph Cobalt lens is nice, but I also am enjoying Maui Jim, and other Luxottica brands which are decent but lack style in their off rhe shelf options. Doctor ordered me to wear sunglasses... didn't tell me to buy ugly ones though! Lol

[@abadialsharif8537]

Optic neuritis and how to avoid it.

[@madeyemoody8060]

Could you do a video on how to manage unique prescriptions please? I have high myopia, moderate astigmatism in one eye, and mild hyperopia, extreme astigmatism in the other. Also the long sighted eye is amblyopic, and I have a constant alternating exotropic strabismus. Worn glasses for 35 years, and now my optician has recommended switching to contacts, in order to reduce the aniseikonia (as well as to deal with the problem that prescription sunglasses with a high minus lens are difficult to find suitable frames for). Lots of trial and error so far, and not got a satisfactory solution yet. But the aniseikonia has now switched, with the short sighted eye seeing everything bigger when wearing lenses, and I can't easily switch from lenses to glasses without getting dizzy and nauseous. Is this normal?

[@zzzetazt]

I had the Smile done and it went really well,no dryness at all but the first weeks I’d definitely get tired vision at night, however now I’m really happy with my 20/20 vision, truly life changing after dealing with astigmatism and myopia.

[@imagelaunchpad262]

Hi! could you please help me know after how many months you could see clearly? I'm getting halos and blurry vision for both near and far objects. It's frustrating to work on the laptop or drive. Please help me, it's been 3 weeks

[@zzzetazt]

@@imagelaunchpad262 Hi! for me after a month and half I truly felt like I could see clearly! But you should discuss it with your doctor anyways, it’s been around 4 months since I had it done and sometimes I still get tired vision with screens, however my surgeon told me to expect a full “normal vision” without irregularities around 6 months after surgery!

[@imagelaunchpad262]

@@zzzetazt thank you sooo much 😊

[@berelimatematik]

@@imagelaunchpad262how do you feel now ? How about Your eyes health now?

[@marksy99]

​@@imagelaunchpad262 did it get better?

[@damarisakhigbe3186]

As a young optometrist, I have greatly gained from your wealth of knowledge right from Optomety School till now. Thank you so much for all you do!

[@carmelpereira6003]

Keep up the great attitude. I wish more optometrists in my country have your mindset to learn. Most just want to sell you expensive eyewear and laugh off any questions you may have.

[@damarisakhigbe3186]

@@carmelpereira6003 😆oh wow Thank you Carmel. I practice in Nigeria and it's always great to learn cutting edge procedures from the likes of Dr Allen🙌

[@humayra88]

Hi from a Malaysian optometrist! Yes. I learnt a lot here too! And it's a great place to direct patients to. 🙂

[@SushmaBasnet-d1d]

Just had a smile surgery yesterday, and I must say that this is the best decision I have made for my eyes. After 23years of wearing glasses and contact lenses, finally I got the courage to do the surgery. My vision has changed within few hours of surgery. First few hours were uncomfortable because of teary eyes and the drops to be put in the eyes but trust me it gets better. I feel like a whole different world today.

[@ystconnection]

How much did it cost?

[@blackshade79]

I feel so happy for you. May god keep blessings your life with such happy moments

[@Barb766]

Which procedure did u get ?

[@tunyo911]

Same, i got the visumax reflex smile procedure done 12 days ago and it's awesome, little bit of dry eyes but i don't much care about that. My sight is outstanding and that's what matters. I was wearing glasses and contacts for about 25 years(i'm 33 now) so i can totally understand your perspective on the "whole new world" thing :)

[@blackshade79]

@@tunyo911 must feel so good right 😭i hope god keeps giving you good times

[@charlieflyte]

I had LASIK now 14 years ago and still have 20/20 vision. My prescription prior to this was -5.50.

[@Peehoo123]

Any side effects?

[@sabrinanina7747]

Dry eyes?

[@satyarani_saladi]

Lasik 14 years ago??

[@daboydudus3912]

@@satyarani_saladimy brother also had it done 10 ywars ago😊

[@905JimRaynor]

@@satyarani_saladi i used the Bates Method. i went from -6 to perfect 20/20 vision in 3 weeks.

[@orrinwheeler8917]

I’m scheduled for SMILE tomorrow and I’ve been pretty anxious today. Thank you for laying out the pros and cons, your confidence in positive outcomes is very calming.

[@ashraf8341]

Any update?

[@arthursatria6440]

how is it going?

[@Neonagi]

So how ya feelin?

[@marlynlargado9762]

Hi how's it going now?

[@georgelampropoulos1704]

Did you go blind?

[@EarthSurfer]

Strongly agree with seeing a well respected eye surgeon who has the time to understand your needs and family medical history! I was advised against having any refractive corneal surgery in my mid-30s due to my thin corneas and relatively high myopia with astigmatism. The doc was concerned about the substantial possibility of halos and loss of contrast in low light which would have negatively impacted my profession. It’s now 20+ years later, and I’ am thankful for his advice. I suspect there were also concerns about long term post surgical dry eye issues which appears to be a common problem in Colorado’s dry environment.

[@-1-2-1-]

Unfortunately most surgeons are not that ethical. Most just want you to go ahead and play down any risks. I was told by my surgeon that dryness always go back to normal. This is totally incorrect and he knew it. 2 years on and my eyes still are non functional due to no tear film and chronic diseases.

[@John_Hudson_922]

most doctors are not like yours. they can't turn down the $$

[@EarthSurfer]

​@@John_Hudson_922 While I didn't mention my cataract lens replacement surgery in 2021 in my original post, following Dr J's advice from 1996 proved to be wise by removing a level of complexity in my cataract surgery. I had another great surgeon who took time to understand my needs and recommend an older tech lens that was better optimized for my needs. At 58, I was finally living most of my life free of glasses with amazingly clear night vision. I think a major reason for my success is I knew what I wanted. The "I don't want to wear glasses" patient has a different priority than the "I need clear vision in low light to make a paycheck" patient.

[@ojamaliapriscillagodwins5049]

Did you have any surgery at all?

[@EarthSurfer]

@@ojamaliapriscillagodwins5049 I had lens replacement surgery at age 58 later to address vision loss due to cataracts. I have some moderate dry eye issues as a result of the surgery which is very common. (Dry eye issues are common in Colorado in general.) I was very careful about the selection of the replacement lens, and I chose to prioritize clear distance vision in low light which requires me to wear reading glasses in some cases.

[@rafyraffee]

I had LASIK done a while ago. I saw halos for the first week, then they kinda faded. I see 20/20 and I had - 4.25 with astigmatism on both eyes. Post op was awful, but the next morning was fine with no pain. I'd do it again if I could, it's changed my life. Little to no dry eye.

[@amorales015]

I had this done on 1/25/24. I still can’t see far I see blurry and it’s worse at night when I’m driving. I too see halos. When will my vision get better? 😫

[@rafyraffee]

@@amorales015 Ive pretty much stopped seeing halos and my night vision is great. I can't say for your case, but my experience has been really good

[@thirupurasundari1166]

@@amorales015 how do you feel now? is it better?

[@amorales015]

@@thirupurasundari1166no. It’s worse I see even more blurry at night. Def dnt feel safe driving. And I have really dry eyes 😢

[@Barb766]

@@amorales015from where did u get it ?? And what was ur eyes power

[@tjfromreno]

I got LASIK 3 days ago. Best decision I ever made. I’m farsighted 42 years old. I. Can see closer than ever in my life. Dr said I might need reading Glasses I don’t think I will for years to come. Healing was so easy. Just knock yourself out after surgery for like 12 hours. I had no post op eye pain. I use artificial tears like every 10mins to ensure my flap heals perfect. But today is definitely the most clear I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to see what it’s like in 6 months.

[@zaygobrazy5246]

How's it going

[@tjfromreno]

@@zaygobrazy5246 perfect!! No problems

[@yihaw149]

@@tjfromreno i've been reading a lot of horror stories and comments on how the side effects such as halos, blurriness, double visions etc. affect ppl's lives and how they regret the operation. not sure how yours went.

[@anonxmous3258]

Update?

[@tjfromreno]

@@anonxmous3258 I don’t regret doing it. But it’s not 💯 perfect. Eyes gets blurry close up sometimes if I watch tv. But overall I’m happy.

[@laurencecasa819]

Talking about eyes.. I can’t stop looking at your beautiful eyes!

[@jamslam5641]

I had LASIK over 20 years ago and it was the best money I ever spent! I was nearly blind without my coke bottle glasses and when it flew off while riding a roller coaster I was determined to get it. I've had 20/20 vision since and no dry eyes or halos. Plus it only cost $1000 for both eyes, saved myself $15,000 on glasses and contacts!

[@KentPetersonmoney]

Pretty cool it last 20 years.

[@vrushalisingar7223]

What was your specs numbers?

[@guillandanthony711]

Great explanation! A lot of people are not informed properly about this topic and they are scared and the scare others. Now it‘s clear to me. ❤

[@gitruih]

Had Lasik about a year ago. Best decision I've made so far :)

[@victoria_hernandez]

How old are you and was your vision really bad before?

[@michaelmaximos8182]

do u have dryness

[@Shirokov_Anton]

Literally, yesterday did smile! No dry eye, no discomfort at all, no pain, basically no nothing. If someone hesitates smile of LASIK (if you have an option ofc). Pick smile

[@stijnvisser7306]

Did you normally have situations in which you have dry eyes

[@Shirokov_Anton]

@@stijnvisser7306 sometimes when I wore my contact lenses

[@KAGReacts]

As someone who was researching the different eye procedures, and have friends that had lasik done. I would highly suggest PRK. My friends eventually needed to go back to wearing glasses. I had my surgery about 2 years ago and my vision is perfect. I’ve had no issues, and the healing was not painful at all just follow the steps

[@BloopPoop]

This is amazing. I just had my consultation today and then you uploaded this video. I'm thinking of going with smile due to dry eyes and the smaller incision! Thanks for breaking it all down so cleanly.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Hey that’s great! Did your doctor have any concerns regarding dry eye?

[@deletedaccount7543]

@@DoctorEyeHealth not at all she said pay me I'll fix it with no side effect given verbally

[@-1-2-1-]

I had smile over 3 years ago and it has ruined both my eyes. It will cause the same level of irreversible dryness as lasik. I have seen around 20opthalmologists in London and in America to help fix the smile damage. I can talk to you and give you published research to help you decide.

[@PrismaticPixie]

@FireWizard tell that to the THOUSANDS of people who are suffering.

[@ArmchairAthlete]

I know someone who got SMILE. Sees double now due to a slightly decentered procedure, quit working because of that. It's even worse than LASIK.

[@PrismaticPixie]

I had LASIK 21 months ago and it was the worst decision of my life. It left me with severe dry eyes to the point I use eye drops EVERY 15 minutes all day. I can’t leave a room without worrying about if I grabbed my eye drop pouch. I appreciate you going over the side effects, but I know your in one of my dry eye groups and you first hand read about all the suffering these procedures have caused. And I don’t believe your video (or anyone else’s) really makes it known the SEVERITY of the issues these procedures cost. Do I have great vision now? Yes, was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY not! I’ve seen 2 dry eye specialists since and spent THOUSANDS dollars on treatments. That $5,000 surgery from that reputable doctor has cost me at LEAST another $5,000 in treatments and will continue to cost me thousands upon thousands more over my lifetime. I’m 32 years old.

[@randomdude1053]

Same here, fuck LASIK it's a scam. Im 21 years old.

[@Crystaldawn23838]

Thank you May, I think we’re in similar FB groups related to this . 100% agree

[@m2ukass]

I really don't mean to come off as unsolicitated health advice, but have you tried Ikervis eye drops? They are prescription medication drops, somewhat new on the market. I have dry eyes caused by other medical issues and these drops really helped me with my symptoms. I don't have to use other eye drops throughout the day most days.

[@PrismaticPixie]

@@m2ukass you must be outside the US :) it’s Restasis here. I have. I’ve tried Restasis and Xiidra. I’m now on Cequa at 4x/day (instead of twice a day as normal) and have been placed on an aggressive regime of steroids, antibiotics etc. due to my horrific corneal and conjunctival staining.

[@m2ukass]

@@PrismaticPixie Are you feeling fine at least? I remember how awful dry eyes get, it's not fun.

[@luci4087]

to those people who are interested but are not candidates for these surgeries, they might want to look into intraocular lens/iol. i had it done around 2015. recovery time was only a couple of days. the only negative thing for me was that i had bad halos at night and around certain types of lighting. they were bad for a couple of years and affected my night driving. not so bad now. make sure to get a good surgeon.

[@imran4968]

Perfect time to release this video as I'm planning on getting Lasik this Friday after wearing glasses from age 7 to 23. And thanks doc for the pre-op tips.

[@nezar-frosty]

Hey Imran, could you reply back to us after you get your surgery?

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Wow! I wish you the best!!!

[@charlieflyte]

I had LASIK 14 years ago and achieved 20/20 vision. Did have dry eyes for about 3 years then it just settled. My dry eyes were not severe. I prefer this over contact lenses any day. Hope it all goes well for you.

[@dipper5835]

@@PrismaticPixieI feel like the people that join these type of group all had bad experiences so the only answers you will get are all cons

[@Zakkary]

@@dipper5835 Nailed it, btw nice pfp.

[@rafyangel]

PRK all the way. Less complications, less dry eye symptoms and better optics. Safer option in the long term.

[@SumithKapoor]

Not really. Dry eyes will be there in all refractive surgeries, if you even cut a small incision on cornea. to same level in all procedures, its how nerve react if you cut even a small portion of it. PRK, is the increase in a corneal haze with the treatment of higher refractive errors. It is because the epithelium cells can never be removed completely, by either alcohol or laser and these tend to grow more haphazardly. There is also an increased risk of infectious keratitis or corneal ulcer with surface ablation compared to LASIK due to the longer epithelial healing period since the protective epithelium has been removed. Remember, everytime you get a corneal ulcer, you are going to get another scar. And the next scar might be in the central cornea, if you are unlucky enough, and that would permanently affect vision. The eye is a pretty fragile thing, and some things, once they happen, may not be reversible. The most important thing is to prevent such things from ever happening again.

[@jessami.]

I had ICL in my early 20s and it has been such a miracle! The fantastic doc I saw in Orlando thought it was my best option to have the implants because my vision was 20/200 with astigmatism, my cornea was too thin for the laser correction. My prescription was about -7.5 last I remember. It’s been 10 years and I went in for a check up and still have 20/20 vision. My only side effects have been sensitivity to light (I didn’t always “need” sunglasses before and now I can’t be without them and I have to dim the brightness on my phone and other devices) and I do have more trouble driving at night but it isn’t too bad. I just have to focus more. But I once was blind and now I see!! And in the end saved a lot more money on glasses, contacts, and regular exams.

[@rashasarandah1695]

Can I ask who your doc was? I live in Orlando and am trying to figure out the best doc to go to

[@Red-fy5yt]

How much did it cost?

[@thysonsacclaim]

Who was your doctor? I live in Orlando as well.

[@sangsang7448]

My left eye is already blinded and my right eye is the only one I have now. I wear very thick glasses and I'm contemplating if I will have this ICL next year.

[@humayra88]

Hey Dr Allen! Thank you for your great refractive surgery reviews! As an optometrist, I was encouraging people to look at your videos as additional explanation to their issues.. or even on how to use eyedrops, etc. Please do review on transPRK if you have time, as well. . I'm actually currently doing a research on post lasik dry eye at my center. So... we'll see how the analysis will turn up. . Thanks for all the educational contents!

[@maxolsson592]

Any results yet?

[@bastienchilloux]

Any update?

[@jackofroz]

After some research, I chose PRK/Lasek over LASIK before I had my surgery back on 2013. Best decision in my life ! The fact that it is less invasive than LASIK means fewer side effect on the long run

[@rashasarandah1695]

Any bad side effects now? Dry eyes or trouble driving at night?

[@jackofroz]

@@rashasarandah1695 No side effect now

[@UO12345]

What was your eye prescription before PRK/Lasek?

[@jackofroz]

@@UO12345 left eye -5 & right eye -4

[@Ajinkya2908]

​@@jackofrozand at what age did you do it? And how long was your prescription stable?

[@giovannimori7988]

As an ID specialist who’s about to get relex smile, i just wanna congratulate to you. Amazing clear, simple but complete explanations !

[@Muzicboy3]

How’s the smile?

[@giovannimori7988]

@@Muzicboy3 i did it 5 months ago. I see 14/10 now and have some dry eyes issue (very little). Just some hours of pain and 3 days of blurring gradually improoving. Totally recommended

[@Muzicboy3]

@@giovannimori7988 14/10? Not sure what you mean. Are you from another country other than UNITED STATES. US measures with 20 as the first number, do you know what your measurements would convert to in terms of US? Also, is slight dry eye your only issue now?

[@tomcekeu]

@@giovannimori7988can you give update ?

[@dylancarr4983]

I'm leaning towards PRK because of the increased chance of dry eyes for LASIK. My one concern with PRK is the removal of the Bowmans membrane because of it's inability to regenerate. I've read where the Bowmans membrane helps absorb UV light, and without it, you will need to be more observant of wearing sunglasses outside, especially when you are in an environment with high UV. What are your thoughts on the Bowmans membrane being removed in PRK?

[@SalubriousVideos]

There are some studies that suggest bowman's may also contribute to healing. I did the math on the UV and the removal of it (and replacement, bowmans-like epithelium) means there's about 10% less UV absorption. Most of it is absorbed by the epithelium and whilst bowman's absorbs a higher density of it, the remainder tends to be dealt with by the lens anyway. So, it's not great, but also, it's not a huge difference either. May at most mean higher risk of getting cataracts a few years earlier than usual. The nerves regrow in PRK to nearly pre op density after 2 years and with LASIK it's more like 5. The mechanical stability of the eye is better in PRK than in LASIK because there's no flap, and with LASIK that flap never fully heals. LASIK also kills off more nerves and it's done deeper into the eye. That's why it takes longer and part of why people tend to have dry eye more with LASIK.

[@-1-2-1-]

Correct. PRK often results in recurrent epithelial erosions and disease. There are many many reasons to avoid any laser eyes surgery. Read up on DR Morris Waxler.

[@hectorrivera4347]

@@SalubriousVideos i have lasik 1 year and 5 month plus alcon vivity IQ UV TORIC my vision are very good but my eye are sensitive to heavy light sun ,I used the sunglases after tried a lot Maui Jim grey Peahi frame cover the side , mid light blue lens are the best crisp color HLC bronze for rain dark day

[@SumithKapoor]

@@SalubriousVideos I totally disagree with you, I am from medical field. If you say Lasik cut more nerves and causes dry eyes than in SMILE it cuts a small incision but according to research SMILE equal dry eyes. PRK/LASIK/SMILE all dryness is same. The other problem associated with the PRK, is the increase in a corneal haze with the treatment of higher refractive errors. It is because the epithelium cells can never be removed completely, by either alcohol or laser and these tend to grow more haphazardly. There is also an increased risk of infectious keratitis or corneal ulcer with surface ablation compared to LASIK due to the longer epithelial healing period since the protective epithelium has been removed. Remember, everytime you get a corneal ulcer, you are going to get another scar. And the next scar might be in the central cornea, if you are unlucky enough, and that would permanently affect vision. The eye is a pretty fragile thing, and some things, once they happen, may not be reversible.

[@leelunk8235]

DYLANCARR+ WEAR GLASSES DUDE, I WEAR GLASSES FOR DRIVING, ALL DAY I DON'T WEAR IT UNLESS I HAVE TO SEE FROM FAR AWAY, WHO CARES, AT LEAST YOUR EYES STAY HEALTHY, NOT WITH LASIK OR PRK WHICH IS THE SAME SHIT

[@darkojehu]

For me lasik left me very sensitive to light (it's been three years now). So now I have to wear shades at work (indoor). I no longer use eye drops, but I do blink every four seconds. I can still read, but have to pull further the reading material. I prefer all this over contact lenses. If I knew about smile, would have gone that route.

[@MG-ks1qg]

There was a news lady that offed herself after SMILE because of the pain she had after.

[@darkojehu]

@@MG-ks1qg Sounds like fake news.

[@MG-ks1qg]

@darkojehu PRK is the best route. It takes the longest to heal, but is the least invasive.

[@blade3232]

​@@MG-ks1qgsource

[@townley1017]

@@darkojehuisn’t fake news though, google it.

[@sadiviziotv7095]

99% of complications of LASIK are due to the "FLAP," so get SMILE surgery over LASIK every time if you have an option. SMILE is the safest surgery out there.

[@SumithKapoor]

I totally disagree with you, I am from medical field. If you say Lasik cut more nerves and causes dry eyes than in SMILE it cuts a small incision but according to research SMILE causes more dry eyes and later blurriness. PRK/LASIK/SMILE all dryness is same.

[@SumithKapoor]

in Lasik epithalium layer is not touch and so much safe than others. SMILE epithelium cells can never be removed completely, by either alcohol or laser and these tend to grow more haphazardly causing various problems. Corneal wound healing is a very complex process. where as in Lasik there is almost 0.1% for flap dislodge. ( if occurred also can be easily placed on eye with eye drops but its again its very very rare). With corneal regeneration many inflammation and complications can occur through the life but with flap dislodge its extremely rare less complication.

[@AyanAli-py7ci]

​@@SumithKapoorcan you play sports with lasik?

[@RossGoddardTV]

I had SMILE done in the UK 7 days ago and I couldn’t believe how good the recovery has been. The worst sensation I got was stingy eyes in the first few hours after the surgery, and light sensitivity. NO DRY EYES AT ALL. My eyes felt pretty normal as I went to sleep that night and I was able to do my regular activities the day after. Vision correction was also instant, as soon as It was done I could see clearly. Only bad thing that’s occurred, but doesn’t really effect me is the halo’s at night and when I’m looking at screen for too long the text gets a bit blurry.

[@marvihemmer]

Hey, I got my five days ago and I would say that my I said it’s pretty good but I have halos/starburst and feed it’s like that my side is a little bit milky. Have you experienced the same and how are your eyes now?

[@RossGoddardTV]

@@marvihemmer The Halos/starbursts has started to level off now, I can notice a decrease in those every day. In the mornings my computer screen does get blurry, but I can see it - it’s just the bright artificial light that does it. Strangely in the afternoons it’s not an issue. Other than that my eyes/sight have been perfect, no dry eyes, no pain or discomfort. Really pleased with how the recovery has been.

[@akshittripathi5403]

This is a great video, covers everything you need to know going into LASIK. I got the femtosecond lasik almost exactly a year back. Unfortunately, I've had very severe dry eyes since then, and my vision is -0.5D on both eyes (still a massive improvement from -7.5/ -8 earlier).

[@identifiesas65.wheresmyche95]

Yeah they really should do a better job of explaining that dry eyes is extremely common. Dont do the procedure if you're not willing to deal with it, and I think a lot of people dont realize/arent told just how common and just how dry your eyes not only can, but likely will, be. Also perfect vision is not the typical outcome even though they like to pretend that it is and leave that factoid to the waiver fine print, you did see very good improvement though!

[@muhammadjunaith8132]

Regression of -0. 5 when it occured after surgery, after how long?

[@FranzzInLove]

I had lasik surgery in 2015 and that's the biggest regret of my life. First of all, I had 12/10 vision after the lasik, so my ophthalmologist classified the outcome as great despite me explaining that I had issues. But 12/10 doesn't tell the whole story, and it's annoying that visual acuity seems to be the main point of focus among ophthalmologists, articles, and I guess studies as well... The problem with refractive surgery is that you can end up with many vision defects that are IMPOSSIBLE to correct with glasses. Halos, starbursts, ghosting, double vision, ... Whereas, visual acuity is simply measured by making you read black letters on a white background, often in a well lit environment. I also have dry eyes issues, and it's also extremely annoying, because when my eyes are dry it's even harder to read. And I also know that there are people that have it much worse than me. The ophthalmologist I went to see had a good reputation, but reputation don't mean much because it's not based on actual skill, as you can't really judge something you know nothing about and average people are not ophthalmologists. I think that reputation is mostly based on how nice the doctor is, or how long he has been doing it (hence how many people have had positive outcome with him). If an ophthalmologist has a success rate of 8/10, that's 8 out of 10 people that will recommend him, whereas it's not even sure the 2 out of 10 failed will recommend against. I've known many people who had successful lasik and shout it out loud because they felt it was amazing, and it changed their lives, but I don't, even though it has changed my life as well. I think happy people speak louder than disappointed people. Even if lasik has 99% satisfaction rate (don't know the exact number, but it's not higher than that), this is insanely low. If I had 1% of a chance to win the lottery, and become a multimillionaire, I would definetely play. 1% of chance to get poor vision with no possibility of fixing it with glasses... That was not a good idea. Also remember that we only have two eyes, and that is one of the rare organs that cannot be replaced. And when you do the excimer laser ablation, it can only be done so many times depending on your cornea thickness, it doesn't grow back. Refractive surgery is also an outrageously huge business. Something like half the population needs glasses at some point. So the potential market size is 4 billion times $3000 (that's an approximation, of course, 8 billion people are of all ages, and they are not all going to get lasik next year). I think it's telling that the newest procedure is called "SMILE", I don't think the acronym was chosen at random. It's a marketing move, which is disgusting for something with serious health risks.

[@randomdude1053]

I had it in 2021 brother aged 20, quite a regret. Ruined my career, not sure if future surgery will fix it or make it worse. All BS.

[@nsevv]

Happy diwali! kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6eaeaamabN5f7M

[@FranzzInLove]

@@randomdude1053 Sorry for you, 20 is quite young for lasik IMO, even without all the other issues, it is likely that the vision will keep progressing. I did it at 23 and only because my vision was stable for more than a year, and my myopia still came back a little. For your issues, I don't know what you are experiencing, but please don't lose hope, the main reason I did not do a new surgery to try and fix it: - Almost all ophthalmologists I saw considered my outcome good, considering I had 12/10 visual acuity - It is hard to have trust once you have been failed Now that I have some myopia back, I am thinking of redoing a surgery, but I want first to understand better what I am getting into, and also make sure that I can manage my dry eyes, and that a second surgery won't make it even worse. Depending on your personal issues, if you have "high order aberrations" (ghosting, starbursts, double vision, halos, ... things that can't be fixed with glasses), I would suggest - if you attempt to fix it through second surgery (which I am not sure if it's the right thing to do or not) - that you look for wavefront assisted lasik, because from my understanding, it's supposed to help for high order aberration. But I would be cautious still. If it's because your pupils are too large compared to the flap diameter, then I don't think a new operation will change anything. But hopefully then the problem is mostly at night. Some ophthalmologist can prescribe drops that reduce the pupil diameter, but I am not sure if it's a good idea either, as this also has some risk, and is not even applicable for everyone. Another thing that can help is Scleral Lenses, this is what I am personally trying right now. It is better at correcting some higher order aberration defects that can't be fixed with glasses. For me, it reduces them but does not remove them completely. I've seen some that also use wavefront analyzer to better customize the lenses and better fix high order aberrations, but I have not found easy access to it where I live, and it's likely more expensive (way more expensive than lasik). For reference, my scleral lenses cost more than 3000€ for both, but I only paid 850€ because I live in Europe, and they were partly reimbursed because I had irregular astigmatism. It can also be helpful for dry eyes because your eye is constantly in a saline solution. In my personal experience however (only had them for about 2 months), it's not super comfortable to wear. But that's highly dependent on the person, and maybe my fitting is not great, again hard to know. In my case, my dry eyes issues might also be due to allergies, partly at least, so this is something I am working on as well, using antihistamine drops, and pills. Again, if anyone has issues and is reading it, please don't lose hope, there are solutions to explore, and technology is also advancing. Dry eyes drop are improving, I believe refractive surgery knowledge regarding those issues is still improving as well (but many ophthalmologists aren't aware of all the advancement, so please don't trust blindly any ophthalmologist, go see several, and do your own research). Other things that may help in one way or another, that I haven't mentioned: - Autologous serum (expensive, for severe dry eyes, different concentrations possible) - Warm wet compresses, as mentioned by this channel and others (but I think it's better if they don't push too hard on your eyes) - Omega 3s (fish oils) if you have a lack of them, apparently it can affect dry eyes as well - I just read in the comments of this video about something called contoura vision which seems to be an improvement over wavefront assisted lasik, I know nothing about it, but maybe it's a solution to investigate as well.

[@santiagoblandon3022]

guys with problems or wanting to have refractive surgery, wait for LIRIC: laser induced refractive index change. it's non ablative, no tissue removal, no cutting, so no cutting of the nerves, not even antibiotics are needed cause they don't cut at all. let's hope it works.. they've done trials for presbyopia with success and stability for 2+ years after the procedure. look it up if you're interested

[@deletedaccount7543]

What do you want to say exactly you couldn't treat your dryness or double vision or bluy sight?

[@LenHealsU]

I'm so impressed Dr. Allen with all your informative videos, so professionally done, and with so much knowledge and expertise. You are amazing! Thank you so much for all that you do and share with us!

[@ousskham]

DON'T DO LASIK PLEASE. I've done it 10 years ago, and i'm still suffering from dry eyes, red eyes, sharp pain, sensitivity to light.... My surgeon hid the side effects when I first met him and told me there was no risk. I wish I knew before and I would have kept my glasses. My one regret in life: LASIK 😔

[@thechillmaster5836]

That doesn't make any sense. There is something you are leaving out

[@SumithKapoor]

Did you do dry eyes test before opting for LASIK?

[@ousskham]

@@thechillmaster5836 i'm not hiding anything. Except maybe the fact that I work in a computer all day long, and that increases the dryness too. But Lasik should be avoided at all cost. Probably SMILE procedure has less side effects.

[@ousskham]

@@SumithKapoor yes, i did. And if I check now tear break up time, it appears as normal. So, the most probable is that I have Corneal Neuralgia, which is due to the nerve sectioning. The corneal nerves DO NOT regenerate fully after the surgery. Again, with the new SMILE procedure, the dry eye sensation is probably way less. I would still advise to keep the glasses if possible.

[@SumithKapoor]

@@ousskham I see. Around when the pain started like after immediately the surgery or after few years?

[@dannieros3]

Honestly I don’t necessarily want to get rid of glasses forever, I just want the option to not have to be so dependent on them lol I know I’ll definitely still be wearing some blue light glasses when I’ll be working. And I don’t mind because I’ve had glasses since I was 6 so it’s natural for me to wear them

[@aggibson74]

Great video. I had PRK because of thin corneas. Healing wasn't too bad, but there was one night about two days after the procedure where it was very uncomfortable for about 4 hours.

[@fire_fux]

When you say "uncomfortable" can you give a pain scale from 1-10 (1 being none at all, 10 being excruciating pain/needing to go to the hospital)

[@aggibson74]

@@fire_fux maybe mid scale. The best way to describe it is that it felt like someone through a hand full of sand in both my eyes. Couldn't find relief from it if my eyes were open or closed. It was in the middle of the night and I paced around the house until I could get back to sleep. It woudn't stop me from getting the procedure again if I needed to.

[@fire_fux]

@@aggibson74 thank you for the response!

[@rashasarandah1695]

Any issues with really bad dry eyes?

[@aggibson74]

@@rashasarandah1695 never had an issue with really dry eyes from the procedure. Did have some really dry eyes about 3 years prior to the procedure. but they were resolved 2.5 years before the procedure.

[@phoenix007ism]

I got PRK surgery done for high myopia last year in India. The first one month was hell with excessive irritation, watering, redness and dryness. And for some odd reason, the irritation usually only occurred in one eye at a time. At the time, I felt as though my eyes were conspiring against me since every time my one irritating eye stopped causing trouble, the other would start doing the same. I was already told by the doctor that the first week would be tough but when the problems persisted for 2-3 weeks post surgery, I got really worried. But thankfully, after trying every possible eye drop and even temporary lenses, my eyes recovered after about a month or so. It has been a year since and my vision is better than 20/20. So for anyone wanting to go for refractive surgery, I would advise to also look at PRK despite my initially difficult experience. PRK is less invasive and produces quality results but without the high risks associated with LASIK. The only downside is that the recovery period is longer.

[@lorenzoic]

Thank you for your feedback. Are you experiencing dry eye or any other long term side effect from the PRK surgery?

[@phoenix007ism]

@@lorenzoic Nope. None since then.

[@lorenzoic]

@@phoenix007ism Great the hear! Thanks for your feedback.

[@phoenix007ism]

@@lorenzoic No problem! I guess it varies from person to person. I have rarely heard or seen anyone with long term complications post PRK. However, this does not mean that the procedure is risk-free. It's just that the probability with this one is lower compared to LASIK, most probably because the latter is more invasive.

[@lorenzoic]

@@phoenix007ism Yes, PRK is superior. Many cases are giving me confirmation of this

[@ryonnl]

I'm glad SMILE in Europe got approved sooner. Here there are a lot of well experienced surgeons for it and they even are using the laser that does it in 8 seconds instead of 25, so even less invasive

[@TravelTechie415]

I did SMILE, pricy, but no dry eyes, no issues at night, no halos, quick recovery, but 'white text on black screens' looks a little blurry at times. I see about 20/20, stigmatism gone. Contoura gets you better slightly better vision but you'll risk dry eyes, and that flap is like a sticker that gets put back

[@dr.m.a.jhakhar]

Thanks for your efforts.. i m an ophthalmologist from Pakistan and watch your videos. Love and affection for you buddy...

[@thechillmaster5836]

gotten SMILE two weeks ago. so far, so great!

[@leelunk8235]

A REPORTER COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER GETTING SMILE

[@fortunecookie999]

@@leelunk8235what??

[@fortunecookie999]

How’s your vision now? Any trouble with night vision? Halos/glare?

[@Aaron067]

That was lasik​@@leelunk8235

[@kristinagavriljuk598]

Heyy how are you eyes doing now? Thank you

[@patrickgruis2228]

I enjoy the content on your channel. I had Smile procedure(05-2021), i am very happy about the results!

[@samia3078]

may I ask when the dryness went away?

[@patrickgruis2228]

I would say 75% normal after 3 months. After that I sometimes experienced dry eyes when looking at my screen for longer periods of time. After 6 months this was almost completely gone (90%). After 12 months I cannot recall any dryness symptoms (100%).

[@tajbirsingh942]

I also had smile 6 days ago my one is still not have clear vision and i cant see close up things clearly. I want to ask if this is normal or just me

[@fortunecookie999]

⁠@@tajbirsingh942how are you doing now ? Did your vision improve?

[@marvihemmer]

@@tajbirsingh942 hey I got smile 5 days ago and have the same problems you describe. Is it better now?

[@user-xs8vr5yr4z]

I had my SMILE surgery in Helsinki, Finland 10 years ago. My eyes still perfect. No complains, no any issue with them.

[@All-d4n]

May I ask i you have dry eye before the surgery?

[@user-xs8vr5yr4z]

@@All-d4n no, I did not.

[@graintocask1615]

It's essential to BETTER emphasize the potential RISKS associated with LASIK procedures and to discuss the accountability of surgeons when complications arise. According to an FDA report, out of the 9 million people who underwent LASIK, 95% reported positive outcomes. However, this means that 450,000 individuals had adverse experiences. The repercussions of these complications can be severe, given the importance of our eyes. Some patients report issues such as halo effects, ghosting (which includes double or triple vision), trailing images, extreme dry eyes, and heightened sensitivity to bright lights like computer screens. In some rare cases, there's complete corneal nerve damage, which can lead to persistent pain in the eye and face. It's heartbreaking to note that there have been instances where individuals have taken their lives due to the distress caused by failed LASIK procedures. One prominent case is that of TV presenter FOX 2 Jessica Starr, who underwent SMILE. Many who have experienced complications express deep regret and wish they could reverse their decisions. It's crucial for potential patients to do thorough research and choose experienced and reputable surgeons, avoiding those who might not have the best intentions or adequate skills.

[@identifiesas65.wheresmyche95]

Like and a comment, this is important. In general too many people forget to actually contemplate the effects on themselves in the relatively unlikely event that the procedure fails and just banks on success. Do one eye at the time, realize that complications up to (and including) complete blindness is a possibility, realize you will need glasses eventually anyway and decide if the money and risk is worth the gain in good/better vision for a longer time which you MAY achieve at the cost of some other drawbacks (dry eyes, sensitivity to trauma, reopening of the flap in case of lasik etc). Most people do not achieve perfect vision anyway, but most get close.

[@deivampmohanraj]

I think SMILE is best choice 🥰

[@tobereed]

I surf big waves so my doctor recommended PRK. It took two months to completely heal. I had to use eye drops for a year. But it worked great. Best money I've ever spent

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Woah thats pretty cool! Glad it worked out well for you. I have never surfed but I think I would like it. Where would you suggest I take beginner classes?

[@EB.page_22]

I will have my prk this 13 of June 2024. Bit scared but I am excited for sure.

[@AliHaider-ke1lq]

What's you're feeling right now please share your experience ​@@EB.page_22

[@fabiancappetta266]

DO NOT GET LASIK. Biggest regret of my life. I now have severe dry eye, halos, starbursts, struggle to drive at night, struggle to go outdoors with sun and wind, constant pain and irritation. Have spent more on doctors and treatments post lasik than the actually lasik.

[@ousskham]

Me too. At least we can still see ❤❤❤

[@leelunk8235]

I AGREE 100%, I NEVER GOT LASIK AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO HAVE AN EYE DOCTOR DAMAGE MY EYE IN ORDER TO POSSIBLY GIVE ME BETTER EYESIGHT WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RISK AND DANGER, NO THANKS, SORRY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU, EYES ARE THE MOST SENSITIVE PART OF THE HUMAN BODY, PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE THEM ALONE

[@GaryPritchard-bb2pm]

How much does it cost? Nobody ever says

[@marianadominguez8262]

It’s been 1 year I think since your lasik procedure how are you ? Your eyes are healed? How’s your vision ? I ask because I got a few weeks ago am waiting patiently for the final results I need assistance while driving 🥹

[@staymelon]

@@GaryPritchard-bb2pmcall a hospital and ask

[@lorenzobrogi6359]

This video popped up in my recommended, and after my results I feel compelled to get people to reconsider any type of eye laser surgery. While I have 10/10 now I suffer from glare, halo and starburst, despite being treated with the appropriate optical zone. I'm close to one year after surgery and I'm still dealing with dry eyes too. And now corneal ectasia in now constantly in the back of my mind. Please, please, please never consider this type of surgery.

[@mannyw_]

Which one did you get? Are you still experiencing the negatives?

[@lorenzobrogi6359]

@@mannyw_ I've gotten femtolasik. The flap was created with the intralase laser and the ablation was performed with the Schwind amaris 1050 RS. More than one year later after surgery yes, I still have these side affects. I still regularly buy eye drops for dry eyes by the way.

[@ousskham]

@@lorenzobrogi6359me too bro. I've been in pain for 10 years. Be strong and be happy that you can still see at least ❤

[@TheValiantZero]

Warning: This video fails to mention re-treatment. When your eyes inevitably change, if you have LASIK, you can have them re-corrected. But if you have SMILE, it's very difficult, and your eyes are never the same.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

You are right, i should do a video on retreatment and regression - would be some good info for people.

[@l0vejadee]

@@DoctorEyeHealth Will this video be coming out anytime soon? Considering getting SMILE or LASIK within the next 1-2 months and would love to hear from you about this! Please let me know if you have a post elsewhere such as IG about this topic already, I'd love to read :)

[@thenilusss4911]

@@l0vejadee When you love to see displays with best possible vision don't do any laser eye surgery. All that surgeries are made for vision correction in situations with good natural lightning conditions. I would recommend you to wait until there is any laser eye surgery technique that can fix your vision without any of that thousand side effects. Lasik and Smile cause a slight double vision, especially when you work on PC, this can cause serious problems to read something and can lead to a big depression. PRK in general has no problems with doublevision, but your cornea nerves could be damaged serious. A retreatment to improve a smile surgery currently don't exist. One possible solution is to fill the pocket with stemcells and do a PRK. Smile is the safest method, but has the worst visual outcome. Lasik is 50% - 50% and PRK has the best visual outcome, but you could lose your vision, because an infection.

[@thechillmaster5836]

what are u talking about? no its not. SMILE patients will just get retreated with PRK, if need be

[@artem_na_ty]

after SMILE you can have CIRCLE, PRK isn't good

[@dann5480]

I think I will go with PRK since I'm a serial killer and sometimes my victims fight back.

[@ilyaprokator718]

It is best option of you are ok with pain and failing to see for like 5 days. I don't it and have no regrets

[@SpoopDaWoop]

It’s so great to hear a serial killer talking about their eye problems! It’s not talked about enough😔

[@gautamborthakur2283]

Highly Recommended just had it done 5 days back. I must say I am now demoted to a blurry shooter instead of a sharp one but hand to hand combat is spot on.

[@Asiansxsymbol]

I had Lasik about 20 years ago and have been having dry eyes since. My vision is now at -3.5 and the doctors recommended PRK this time around.

[@LarennPBel]

What do u mean ur vision is at 3.5?

[@FranzzInLove]

I wonder how it goes when doing PRK on top of a lasik, because I think it means they are ablating the flap, therefore thinning it, and I wonder if this can have consequences. The only ophthalmologist that was OK to try to help me after I had problems following the procedure also recommended PRK but it sounded weird to me because of that. In my opinion, it sounds risky to reduce the size of something that is already only about 150 µm thick, but it's also very likely that I just don't understand how it works, maybe the bind of the flap to the rest of the cornea is sufficiently strong that it's not an issue.

[@diamondminer81]

@@LarennPBel They need a -3.5 diopter lens to correct their vision (a concave, 1m/3.5=0.29m focal length, 0.58m radius, lens). I'm doing this unit in AP Physics rn so idk.

[@kevincockburn7805]

@@LarennPBel they have a shortsighted prescription of negative 3.5 diopters. Which means they need glasses for most things they do.

[@updatedotexe]

@@FranzzInLove wow, a true layman speaking about something

[@pinkkfloydd]

I just got SMILE done two days ago and damn am I glad I got it. It's like 90-95% of the way to 20/20 already. The only side effect I have is that there is an ever-so-slight halo-glare around white light (like white lettering on a computer screen). It doesn't obscure being able to read whatsoever. My eyes don't feel dry and only need the anti-biotic and anti-flammatory drops that you're required to take. Overall, I'm so glad I got it done!

[@nanwu2186]

Love how you are doing educating the public!! 👏 Before going for Smile or Lasik surgery, what can we do to prepare our eyes? Taking omega oil for example?

[@saadbenbenabslam5176]

Thanks Doc for the invaluable content. At the end you said a portion of post op dry eyes system already have sign or predispositiones so dry eyes , that means that most that do suffer from dry eyes post op DO NOT have this predisposition

[@rupenjshah]

Great video as always. Would be good if you could add a comparison of ICL into the mix.

[@Neonagi]

Most people don't mention that LASIK has the highest rate of complications and higher order aberrations. It basically goes LASIK>SMILE>PRK from most to least possible aberrations and complications, with varying issues that are more likely or non-existent for each (e.g. flap-related complications).

[@KentPetersonmoney]

I thought about getting laski but don't want to deal with getting my eye cut.If I'm going to go through all that I don't want to ever need glasses again even for reading.

[@Neonagi]

@@KentPetersonmoney Well that's the thing, we will all need glasses for reading one day in old age. Less likely if you already have uncorrected myopia though.

[@ryanwest7405]

Getting PRK was the best decision I ever made. Got it at 18 understanding I may need it retouched in my early 20's. Now I'm 21 still with 20/15 vision. Highly recommend Dr Stahl in Beavercreek Ohio for anyone in the area.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Glad it went well for you, Ryan!

[@anieee96]

How was the recovery? Painful?

[@rashasarandah1695]

Any bad side effects now? Dry eyes or trouble driving at night?

[@katopikaa]

Great video! I was waiting on a video on your opinion about Relex Smile! 😊

[@SogDough]

I just got Smile 6 hours ago. My eyes are still burning as I’m writing this. If you want me to update just reply to my comment

[@Its.ur_doraemon]

How is your vision now..?

[@SogDough]

@@Its.ur_doraemon yeah its not fully zero but Im seeing pretty well. My eyes got really dry after the surgery so Im using eye drops everyday now.

[@Its.ur_doraemon]

@@SogDough okay thanks and take care..

[@lorenzoic]

​@@SogDough Hey how are your eyes now? Do you still need to use eyedrops?

[@SogDough]

@@lorenzoic Yes. My sight got a bit blurrier these days idk why.

[@missa1959]

I had prk done about a year ago. In the long run it was the best decision I have made, I’m so happy with the end result. However I did have complications my right eye gained more visibility than my left eye. It took three months for my left eye to catch up. Every two weeks I would go back for follow up appointments. I would have to wear a contact to help me see but each appointment if prescription would get less and less each time. Besides the three month recovery…. I would totally recommend prk

[@tussharagrawal111]

I have done prk. 4 days ago and still now vision is very blurry and double visions. I think it is healing but still alot of blurry ness is there. Even mobile I cant see properly. Plzz confirm if it's normal and will cure up soon

[@dan-ix1tq]

@@tussharagrawal111Yes, it’s normal. I had PRK done over 10 years ago so my memory of the healing process is a bit hazy (no pun intended). It will get better after 1 - 2 weeks and you should be able to function normally for the most part thereafter. If you work with computers then you should be able to go back to work at about week 2, but you will notice that your eyes will get tired close to end of day for a month or two.

[@bruhder5854]

What about if you've dry eyes already? Does it get worse? Does it fix it? Or does it have an unexpected effect?

[@SonsOfDeForest]

Laser surgery always cause some degree of dry eye. the degree and duration vary greatly, and these variations cannot be predicted, except to say that having dry eyes in the first place makes it worse in every way

[@disenya]

I just tried smile procedure just 2 weeks ago and so far so good . The best is not using my eye glasses anymore.

[@0345F-s9h]

Hey Disenya, could I ask you some questions about SMILE?

[@ab_man7708]

Make a video on Contoura Vision surgey. It claims to be better than LASIK and SMILE and the latest and safest one of all giving 6/6(20/20) vision. Need a video on that

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Yes!!! The technology is so incredibly good. Theoretically. It basically can make your eyes better than where they are naturally. I work with some amazing surgeons and perhaps we can collab on a video about it.

[@felixb.pfister7172]

Did Smile pro 4 Weeks ago. Im pretty happy with the result. Still have minor halo effects but can drive at night.

[@fortunecookie999]

How are you doing now? Still trouble driving at night? That’s my biggest concern and hesitation for getting smile

[@felixb.pfister7172]

@@fortunecookie999 Hey, im absolutly fine now. The only issue i have is a dry feeling after working more than 10 hours on a screen. But other than that im super happy! I dont think you will regret it.

[@fortunecookie999]

@@felixb.pfister7172 congrats! I wish smile pro was available in the US. Getting Relex Smile tomorrow. So scared 😱

[@Barb766]

@@felixb.pfister7172sir where do u live and from where did u get it

[@brick247]

Thanks for information, well explained I've heard some people complaining about glare especially at night when driving, which procedure produces less glare side effects driving at night?

[@achatsappro6759]

May be polarised glasses

[@fionaponsonby165]

Thanks

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Wow thank you! Really appreciate the super thanks!

[@RobertKirkpatrick84]

Thank you for the video, I told my eye doctor about you and she thought it was awesome how you inform patients so they can ask questions! An idea I have for a video, is what's in the pipeline for vision correction over the next few years, like new types of contacts, glasses, refractive surgeries, etc. Always interested to hear about possibilities for the future. Or how about treatments that are approved in the us but not the rest of the world and vice versa?

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Wow thank you! And yes, both of those videos ideas are fantastic. I know a lot is in the works for both new implant technology as well as AR glasses and contacts.

[@SM-ey9uk]

Also knowing what's in the future can help me decide to wait a couple years as I'm researching thoroughly now or go ahead

[@fati_mo]

@@DoctorEyeHealth Thanks for the helpful information. Could you also speak about Contoura eye surgery? Can't seem to find much information on it

[@shumdoreen6736]

@@DoctorEyeHealth Doctor, can you also do a video about the future eyesight correction methods other than surgery? I know many people out there are looking for final solutions for eyesight correction. Like a super comfy contact lens (dailies or monthlies), a super light eyeglasses or AR glasses that no need to go through any surgery we can enjoy normal vision.

[@sohsaraaa]

Most useful comparison and really needed advice, thank you so much!! watched the whole thing and thumbs uped!

[@kasiawisniewska3084]

Had femto-lasik 2 weeks ago, results are amazing. I even see slightly better than with glasses. I don’t have dry eyes just a little Halo effect which is decreasing. Dr. Victor Derharturian was operating me, very reccomended :)

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

That's great to hear, Kasia! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@kasiawisniewska3084]

@@DoctorEyeHealth sure :)

[@KnRa-ts5tj]

could you tell me, ur myopia size before get lasik? and after FemtoLasik , how about your night vision?

[@sabrinanina7747]

Is it OK for you ? Dry eyes ?

[@alexwitua5841]

Ooo ktoś z Polski 😂 cieszę się, że dobrze poszło, ten doktor ma chyba same pozytywne opinie. Też bym chciała zrobić sobie korekcję, ale strasznie się cykam 😅

[@anastassia5210]

Had LASIK done five years ago..... I have secondary ectasia and severe dry eye. And I haven’t many options because they made my flap too thick and left little roma underneath. And yes, for the first 4 years I thought it was the best decision of my life.

[@livi_bridge]

I wanted to avoid the places that have coupons and stuff but honestly it seems like (in my area at least) that’s all there is. Places that offer this procedure at a discounted price or half off the other eye type of stuff

[@yu-fujoe837]

Great and Detailed Video of eye refrective procedure.Thank Dr.Allen.

[@jfrickerii]

Great comparison! Thanks for making this. I do have one question though. Why didn't you include ICL? I know you made a separate video about it, but I'm just curious why you didn't include it here since you were putting several procedures side-by-side.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

The honest answer? KZbin SEO lol 😂

[@jfrickerii]

@@DoctorEyeHealth Fair enough! 😆

[@viajer2011]

I would love doctors to talk more about corneal neuralgia after the surgery... So scary

[@leelunk8235]

I AGREE 100%, I NEVER GOT LASIK AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO HAVE AN EYE DOCTOR DAMAGE MY EYE IN ORDER TO POSSIBLY GIVE ME BETTER EYESIGHT WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RISK AND DANGER, NO THANKS, SORRY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU, EYES ARE THE MOST SENSITIVE PART OF THE HUMAN BODY, PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE THEM ALONE

[@HadrysL]

I had Femto lasik. Since I had a very high prescription before, some dioptrías were left. Would you recommend to use contacts ? I'm curious now to know why my doctor didn't suggest prk if i had all those things that you mentioned to be recommended for...anyhow.

[@shoxruzaaxmedova4500]

How high was your prescription?

[@ramonacharles9540]

I would only trust you to do my eyes. You have so much knowledge..

[@Flippity4]

I had PRK in one eye, and LASIK in the other - I highly regret the LASIK, can barely see out of my left eye and am in discomfort all the time!

[@thinkingagain5966]

Why would you do only one eye at a time

[@Flippity4]

They did them both at the same time@@thinkingagain5966

[@konservburq]

he did LASIK in one and another method PRK in the other. @@thinkingagain5966

[@leelunk8235]

I AGREE 100%, I NEVER GOT LASIK AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO HAVE AN EYE DOCTOR DAMAGE MY EYE IN ORDER TO POSSIBLY GIVE ME BETTER EYESIGHT WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RISK AND DANGER, NO THANKS, SORRY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU, EYES ARE THE MOST SENSITIVE PART OF THE HUMAN BODY, PEOPLE NEED TO LEAVE THEM ALONE

[@bryandfirst8861]

Thanks for this. Will surely get SMILE

[@Steve30x]

9:52 almost all my life I didn't see glare from lights and then about five or six years ago over 48 hours I went from not seeing any glare even with glasses with no anti glare coating to glare similar to that on this part of the video. First in my right eye I saw no glare one night and the next night I saw extreme glare like that around every light with no glare in my left eye. Then the following night I saw glare from all lights. Over the past few years the glare around lights has very slowly reduced and it's not quarter as bad as that. The day I saw the glare first I was after going for a nap and woke up seeing coloured snow on the wall across the room and my tinnitus went extremely loud. On that evening I called the doctor and he s my me to a night doctor. The night doctor looked into my eyes but sent me to an ophthalmologist immediately and told me it could be a detached retina. When I went to hospital they done a thorough exam and they couldn't see what was causing my visual problem. Two nights later I got my eyes tested again and they still couldn't see any problems with both my eyes. In fact they said my eyes were very healthy.

[@shadowthrunight5911]

I heard that glare could come from your brain even. Sometimes it doesnt even have to do with your eye.

[@Steve30x]

@@shadowthrunight5911 it can. I also got some visual snow at night at the same time. And since then I sometimes see glades that look like a starburst for the first few times I blink and then it goes away for the rest of the day. Since the glare came on I've had problems outdoors at night and when it's a dull day it affects my vision in a way that my distance vision is a bit weird and I feel slightly disorientated when walking outside on dull days. The weirdest thing that happened since I got glare was I went to my sister's house and he had something with a blue led in it across the room. When I looked at it it filled my whole vision and I went temporarily completely blind for about two seconds.

[@shadowthrunight5911]

@@Steve30x you have to keep in mind that glare sometimes is absolutely normal. It gets worse if your eyes are tired. A cause of glare basically could also be a deformed lens, which is sadly genetic. Ive read an article on it, so not 100% sure if true. Do you have a history with psychedelics? A friend of mine did these drugs on weekends and he got similar symptomes to yours.

[@WuInTheWild]

That was well written like a horror story. I have had an onset of some eye floaters in one eye which is common, but not sure how glare could suddenly appear

[@Steve30x]

@@shadowthrunight5911 Thats the thing though , For 44 years I saw absolutely no glare, not even a tiny bit of glare even when my eyes were tired then suddenly over a few hours I was seeing severe glare in one eye then the same in the other eye two nights later. No I dnever done psychadelics either.

[@sebastiang7394]

I had small Halos at night after surgery. But they went away after a couple of months. However I feel I could have lived with them had they not gone away without too much of an issue. It would have been a very small price for having perfect vision without glasses. Dry eyes was much more of an issue. Luckily that went away after a few months as well.

[@ozwizard6809]

Nice and informative video. Is someone at the age of 45 a good candidate with myopia of -5? Even though they will need readers soon.. Also is it safe to go for such surgeries if you have floaters? Your reply will be appreciated. Thanks.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Hey thanks for asking! I appreciate the question! 45 can still be a great candidate, as long as they know and understand what life will be like after the procedure. Most often still requiring the need for reading spectacles. At a power of -5. Most people can still have any of these procedures but it does depend on a few factors that your eye doctor will review and discuss with you. Floaters Usually have no impact on the surgery but being at -5, a person with that high of power may be at increased risk of retinal tears and detachment, which again your doctor should review with you.

[@ozwizard6809]

@@DoctorEyeHealth Thank you so much for replying and your input. The eyes are healthy overall after having a discussion with an eye doctor, but that is the fear as you mentioned for retinal tear or detachment since there are already floaters. The Eye doctor said the same thing that there is no guarantee for developing more floaters even though refrective surgery has no impact on them. Every surgery comes with risks and complications. That is what stopping a lot of people with high power to go through such surgeries. Your channel is great source of information. Thank you for that.

[@JT-nf9tk]

Thanks for a very informative video Dt. Allen. I am satisfied with my vision without refractive surgery.

[@waqqasabdul5094]

My 8 years old LASIK left me with annoying Glare/Halos problem that glasses can’t fix

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Sucks to hear that. Did you have femto second lasik by chance?

[@ArmchairAthlete]

@@DoctorEyeHealth femtosecond laser flap creation over microkeratome doesn't prevent these issues and you know it. It's the same small optical zone being lasered into your corneas because human corneas are too thin to safely create a larger OZ, not that it's even safe to create that small ~6.5mm planned LASIK OZ vs the 8-10mm OZ of contacts.

[@jewelleryaddict]

After living 30 years with bad knee surgery (from well respected surgeon) I walk with limp but can walk, was elective and worst decision of life. Have only two eyes and hate damm glasses since grade 8 but I can see and nothing else wrong xcept differ glasses with old age for loss of close vision but I can still see with out any extra problems. So will stay away from a eye surgery. To afraid of another bad unforseen problem.

[@Jeanology]

Does age play a part in any of these surgeries? Can you get this done if you're almost 50?

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Fantastic question! We do have to take a few things into consideration. The biggest I would say would be expectations. Once presbyopia sets in, if both eyes are set for distance, then the patient will need to rely on reading glasses or other technique to see up close. If someone is happy with that, it is usually pretty easy. Some people can do one eye set for distance while the other eye is set for near (we call this monovision). The other thing we need to consider is if someone already has the beginning signs of cataract development. Some people can get cataract earlier and if they have the beginnings of it, they may be a better candidate for either cataract surgery or a refractive lens exchange (which is just the fancy way to say of having cataract surgery before a true cataract has developed).

[@lovemym16]

I had smile, i could see and opperate normally as soon as the anesthetic wore off. Never had any dry eye either.

[@shreyaswapnil9976]

What was your power ?

[@townley1017]

^ same question as above. How are you now ?

[@mta1567]

I had LASIK at Lasik+. I’m in like $3.5k in debt with insurance but it was worth every penny. Anyone have any questions about the experience?

[@victoria_hernandez]

At what age did you have it and what was your prescription glasses?

[@mta1567]

@@victoria_hernandez a 23 and (Right) Sphere: -5.25 Cylinder: -2.5 Axis: x170 (Left) Sphere: -4.25 Cylinder: -2.25 Axis: x180

[@KnRa-ts5tj]

what kind Lasik you get ? how ur vision now ?

[@mta1567]

@@KnRa-ts5tj the regular kind nowadays, where they use lasers to cut the flap. Vision was like from -5.0 sphere with -1.25 cylinder (astigmatism) to 20/20. Im just happy to see the blackboard in college. Whilst sitting in the back

[@KnRa-ts5tj]

@@mta1567 im so glad to hear that. how about your night vision, especially when ur riding ,

[@Finbar_Monroe]

now that's what I call a doctor!!!!

[@emanueleguerrazzi9012]

Thanks for your work! Would you suggest ICL instead of SMILE/LASIK/PRK in case of moderate dry eye? I'm under treatment for my dry eye symptoms and I would like to get rid of glasses (at least not being completely dependent on) without losing my progress in managing dry eye. Thank you!

[@agsechogd6406]

You can wear contact lenses which I wear and it transforms how I look and provide extremely clear vision! Also makes my eyes a bit darker too

[@Rerollful]

@@agsechogd6406 I think the point is he doesn’t want to wear contacts on his eyes… that why he wants icl….

[@shadowthrunight5911]

@@agsechogd6406 I want to get contacts. My vision is about -1,5 diopters on both. Can wear normal contacts, do you feel them and can you wear them for 8 hours? I see people wearing them a lot. Also is it dangerous to wear them, if youre sticking to instructions?

[@agsechogd6406]

@@shadowthrunight5911 hey, as a 13 year old wearer with -4.50 here is what you need to know :) -At first it's difficult to put on and take off but you get the hang of it after a week or two -They are very comfortable and they don't have any pain or discomfort, the ones I use are from cooper vision. When they are on you see with a lot of clarity like with glasses, when I first got them on at the clinic I couldn't believe how clear it was and yet it felt like nothing was on my eye. When you blink it feels smooth, you know it's there but very comfortable. -You can wear them for the whole day and reuse the same pair for up to 30 days (assuming you want to get the monthly ones) after this period, you can still wear them but I really don't recommend it as it starts getting uncomfortable, I would say dispose of them after 35 days as they degrade over time and gradually get more uncomfortable. -They are not dangerous to wear but you have to stick to the precautions which are to never sleep with them or shower with them as micro organisms can get under the lens and although rare, can cause eye infections. And never go swimming with them for the same reason. -Always wash your hands before putting them on and look for any dust on your fingers and make sure your hands are clean. If you are wondering, you need to get the liquid to disinfect them from anything after you finished wearing them but don't worry about it as your optician will tell you about that stuff. -The price can be 30-40 for a 3 month supply of monthly contacts which can be pricey, but it is fully worth it in my opinion. If you aren't comfortable with that, you can get hard contacts which last much much longer and a pair can last you a year providing you take care of them properly. This took long to write haha, let me know if you have any more questions.

[@agsechogd6406]

@@Rerollful He wants to not wear glasses tho

[@islandmonusvi]

Thx for this informative thoughtful synopsis of these procedures

[@janetmcbee5641]

I had lasik in 2008. Worst decision I ever made. I now suffer from dry eye, see “stars”, and I still have to wear glasses. Best my vision got was 40/20 but got worse over time.

[@DoctorEyeHealth]

Thanks for sharing that Janet!! It always breaks my heart when people report their bad experiences, especially related to dry eye or disabling glare. That is why I like to promote extensive dry eye evaluations. What has been helping you the most with your dry eyes? (perhaps I should do a specific video about dry eye post lasik)

[@janetmcbee5641]

My dry eye is worse in the winter. I use Systane ultra eye drops. They help in the immediate moment, but it’s not a cure. My eyes are driest in the morning. My eyes feel glued shut. I apply heat daily for 10 minutes and that feels wonderful.

[@updatedotexe]

probably went to some shit doctor

[@rashasarandah1695]

@@DoctorEyeHealth is there a fix for this or do people just have to live with it for the rest of their lives? I can’t get Lasik due to thin corneas and at the consult, the doc says I can get ASA which I believe is PRK. I also have astigmatism. But all the stories of debilitating dry eyes or discomfort driving at night scare me. I’m already pretty uncomfortable with contacts but at least I can relieve that when I remove them at night.

[@SumithKapoor]

@@rashasarandah1695 I will suggest not to do PRK.

[@RayanRayan-ms7oq]

You're simply the best in explanation. you helped me a lot

[@OP-xd6wt]

Hi doctor, I had femto-lasic on my eyes 5 months ago. Before that both my eyes had astigmatism and after surgery one of them still is 1 diopter astigmatic. I've been having double and blurry vision since the first day after surgery but that improved after applying artificial tears and Liposic gel for the last two months. Now I have no vision problem when I wake up until around lunch but my vision gets worse after a couple of hours of working with the computer. I can not focus on reading texts, especially on dark backgrounds. I am so depressed that I quit my job because of that and not being able to programming and coding for more than around two hours. Could it be dry eyes or because of femto-lasic surgery? Thanks

[@malihafatima836]

How is your eyes now

[@OP-xd6wt]

@@malihafatima836 I have blurry and double vision after a couple hours working and it gets worse as time passes.

[@malihafatima836]

@@OP-xd6wt what's the solution now how is your doing job do you thinks its worth it

[@OP-xd6wt]

@@malihafatima836 I visited my surgeon and he diagnosed its because dry eyes. He prescribed Autologous Serum Eyedrops (ASE).

[@malihafatima836]

@@OP-xd6wt do you think it's worth to go for lasik or stay with glasses and contact

[@BhavyaSriram-pd8oy]

Loved this video! So informative. It would be great if you could do a video on Lasik or smiel with monovision / blended vision!

[@daveren5]

Hey Dr. Allen - fantastic video! My sister is considering getting LASIK and SMILE. She has thin corneas and heavy myopia (-8 in one eye and -10 in the other). Which would you recommend for her? One concern I've heard about SMILE is that it's harder to do future surgery compared to LASIK. There's also some conflicting literature with respect to SMILE or LASIK being better for thin corneas (have heard SMILE requires more corneal tissue to be removed for the same degree of correction). Any help would be great. Thank you!

[@-1-2-1-]

Please do not ruin your eyes with SMILE. I had this done in 2019 in london. My life is ruined.

[@UO12345]

@@-1-2-1- Hi, what happened after Smile?

[@ousskham]

@@UO12345probably dry eyes.

[@fa3elkhir]

Neither prk , Tell her to keep her glasses

[@WaqasRasheed]

I am myopic with -6.0 ish on each eye. I’m told that is usually the threshold at which the doctors recommend doing PRK rather than LASIK. It seems from the video that this number may be bogus, and may depend on each individual person’s case, in particular their tendency to get a dry eye rather than the extent of myopia.

[@Deamon383]

I had smile surgery about 2 years ago. Very happy with the results but the recovery was a lot worse than the surgeon explained. I was told back to work in 3 days but it look a good 2 weeks before I wasn’t using eye drops 24/7. Something think about especially if you have a computer based job

[@rawshtzaher8069]

Now you don't benefit from it or your eyes are down. You can explain and I won't do it in a bad way

[@mxvrdahegaouwu7577]

Thanks For your help

[@peacegratitude2501]

Hi Could you please tell me when the dry eyes go after lasik

[@samia3078]

hello when did the dryness go away

[@fauziasulaiman]

Thanks doctor this video is also very informative and result of your hard work for we people.So nice of you Jazakallah 🌹🌹.

[@updatedotexe]

*Insert X was the WORST decision of my life" comment here

[@Diego-wm4fj]

Really great video! Would you be able to make a video talking about LASIK touch-up options? I've been reading that there is some debate whether to re-lift the flap or perform PRK if an enhancement is needed after LASIK. I'd love to hear your thoughts or pros and cons about these options. Thank you!