I know 4 different people who have had surgical vision correction. I am not sure exactly which procedures were used. All 4 are in health care (pharmacists) and pretty well connected to the most updated procedures. One guy had the procedure done about 15 years ago and has been happy with it; he said it was the "second" best operation he ever had (he also had a vasectomy!). I have lost touch with him, but I am sure he has presbyopia as he is around 50 by now. The next guy was around 35 when he had his procedure done; that was about 10 years ago now. He was never happy with it. He got good correction in one eye, but the other was always blurry. He even had a second procedure done in that eye and it was no better than before. He still wears glasses most of the time. One of my colleagues at my current job had her vision corrected several years ago and still has 20/20 in both eyes; she is in her early 40's now and will need reading glasses soon, but she still feels it was very much worth it. Another friend/colleague had her eyes done about 4 years ago. She had perfect vision in one eye for the first year and OK vision in the other. Both eyes have deteriorated over the past couple of years, so she now wears glasses if she is out and about or driving. Her vision is OK uncorrected, if using the computer or reading. She will be 46 in April and has begun developing presbyopia and will probably be in bifocals next year. She does not like to admit it, but I think she regrets having it done.
I have worn glasses since I was about 16. I have slight myopia and severe astigmatism. I now wear contact lenses most of the time. I tried hard lenses years ago because they didn't make soft lenses for people with significant astigmatism; thank goodness for development toric lenses. I hated the hard lenses! I still wear glasses sometimes for the fashion statement; I have at least 5 or 6 pairs in current rotation. Personally, I would never consider any surgical vision correction unless it was part of needed cataract surgery. I am 47 and just had an eye exam 2 weeks ago; my optometrist says my eyes are highly resistant to presbyopia. I still don't need even the weakest correction for reading. I have been told that can change almost overnight. Suddenly I am going to have all these glasses that will need new lenses! It will still be cheaper than LASIK.
