Warby Parker

[schrist]

Dan, if astigmatism has prevented you from laser surgery I can recommend a surgeon. He’s one of the few in OK who do Zyoptix, which is an advanced Bausch and Lomb machine. It uses a much smaller laser than most, and instead of burning off corneal tissue in a grid pattern it uses a dancing, randomized pattern. This makes for a much smoother blend zone (the transition between excised tissue and untouched tissue), and eliminates the night vision glare/starburst/halo problem, which is more pronounced for astigmatism correction owing to the shape of the astigmatism-afflicted eye.

When he did my surgery I had a -5.75 cylinder in one eye and a -6.0 in the other. A really bad astigmatism is around -3.0. I had the worst astigmatism Dr. Weir had ever attempted. Ninety seconds of burn on each eye vs ten in the average patient. The goal was simply to get me to the point where I could wear soft contacts, which I had never been able to do, and it was a complete success. I have a very minimal vision correction now, and in fact if I’d bothered to go back for an enhancement he likely could have gotten me to 20/20 or better and eliminated corrective lenses altogether. However, just being able to wear contacts (and maybe more importantly regular sunglasses) changed my life.

Thank you so much for this info! I have struggled with poor vision my whole life and laser surgery was not an option. I am in the process of having lens replacement surgery on both eyes by Dr. Weir (one is done, other this coming Wed.) and I can already see remarkably better! It has been wonderful so far! Thank you!

[schrist]

I am in the process of having the total lens replacement by Dr. Weir (one eye is done other is next Wed) and I am so happy with the results so far! I have never in my life been able to see this well. It is expensive - but so worth it!

[Thomas Vu]

If you're referring to ICL, I have had it done too. Expensive, but not a lot of choice for people with astigmatism. Hopefully it's gone down in price by now. I paid 3k/eye?

[Motley]

Is ICL surgery much like cataract surgery in that the whole lens is replaced? Does cataract surgery typically correct one's vision and astigmatism as well as removing the cataracts?

[Jeepnokc]

I am in the process of having the total lens replacement by Dr. Weir (one eye is done other is next Wed) and I am so happy with the results so far! I have never in my life been able to see this well. It is expensive - but so worth it!

I am going to have both eyes done this summer also when I get a break in my trial schedule. Curious as to which lens to use or is there one that is clearly better than the rest. I need bifocal lenses now and Dr is saying won't need contacts or glasses afterwards unless just really tired

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

I was also told I would need lens replacement, that laser for my eyes wasn't an option, and it would run$15K, that's just out of range for me. I used to wear contacts all the time, but the past 10 years I have a difficult time, so it's glasses for me. Bifocals actually. I can't seem to adjust to the monovision in my contacts

[bluedogok]

Is ICL surgery much like cataract surgery in that the whole lens is replaced? Does cataract surgery typically correct one's vision and astigmatism as well as removing the cataracts?

My father had cataract surgery done after wearing glasses most of his life (nearsightedness). After the surgery his distance vision is perfect but he requires reading glasses now. My eyes haven't been as bad as my sister's or my father's but at 54 I am getting to the point of needing bifocals. I still work on the computer or tablet without readers but the small print on many screens is getting more difficult.

[Urbanized]

High astigmatism can be corrected by the Zyoptix laser by Bausch and Lomb. I had it done in 2005. I had a -5.75 cylinder in one eye and a -6.0 in the other. At the time Zyoptix was only performed at the Dean A McGee Eye institute and by my surgeon, Dr Kurt Weir. I'm guessing some others perform it now, but most laser centers still use technology that is about 25 years old.

The eye is an oblong shape in patients with high astigmatism, so a large amount of corneal tissues is removed. With traditional laser, the laser is usually about 6mm and it burns off the tissue in a grid pattern. This can leave a very pronounced/abrupt edge in the transition area or "blend zone;" the point where the surgery begins/ends. If you have large pupils and they dilate past this blend zone it will cause a halo effect and night blindness.

Zyoptix is a 2mm laser, and instead of a rigid grid, the laser dances around in a randomized pattern and creates a very smooth blend zone. This creates the best possible result in patients with high astigmatism.

A cylinder measurement of -2.0 to -3.0 is considered severe. Like I said, mine was -5.75/-6.0. I was by far the worst astigmatism Dr. Weir had ever attempted to date. In fact at the time the Zyoptix machine was only FDA approved to treat up to -3.0 and everything over that was theoretical. However there had been others done nationally and when he plugged in the numbers the machine took them, so we both decided to proceed, eyes wide open as it were. He said he believed he could get me to better than 20/40 on the first pass (which he did). The only hitch was that while most people's corneas are burned off for about 10 seconds, mine required 90 seconds per eye. It was a gut check. But I was incredibly happy with the results.

He got me to the point where I could wear extended wear soft contacts, which I could never do before, and also I was able to wear non-prescription sunglasses for the first time in my life, at nearly 40. He also was willing to try an enhancement (standard to all patients) to try to get me to 20/20 or better if I had enough corneal tissue left. I intended to do that, but was so happy simply being out of glasses for the first time since 2nd grade (needed them before that but my parents didn't know) that I just rolled with contacts the past 13 years.

Anyway, the past year or two my optometrist has been telling me that I was developing cataracts fairly early, and suggested going to see Dr. Weir to discuss total lens replacement. I qualify, and it would not be super expensive. I am probably going to wait it out a few years, but the beauty of total lens replacement is that you never have to wear glasses or contacts (other than maybe readers) for the rest of your life. Sign me up.

[ctchandler]

Well, I have to speak up since I had my first cataract surgery when I was 49 and my second when I was 50, about six months apart and my understanding is that the lens which is replaced is not the reason for the need for glasses. After my surgeries I still needed reading glasses but my eyes were fine at 20/20 in the left and 20/25 in the right before and after surgery. I don't understand how the replacement of the lens can improve your eyesight since the plastic they put in your eye has no correction, it is simply a piece of plastic. Speaking of "correction" maybe something has changed and a real expert on this subject will "correct" me. And I hope that's the case but when I had mine done at DMEI I was told before the surgery that they were only improving my eyesight by replacing my dirty (cataracts) lens. My ophthalmologist did say that other factors caused by the surgery could require me to wear glasses but it wasn't normal and in my case he was right. By the way, my mother wore the same glasses (not the physical glasses, but the same correction) that she had worn for fifty years after her cataract surgery.
C. T.

[ctchandler]

I did a little research and some things apparently have changed since I had my surgery (1983-1985). See below as well as the highlighted which is probably the difference between the mid 80's to now.
C. T.

9. During cataract surgery, your surgeon can also correct other eye conditions, like astigmatism.
Actually, that's true.
During cataract surgery, the natural lens in your eye is replaced with an artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL). For some people, an advanced-technology lens could also correct their astigmatism and reduce their dependence on glasses for distance vision

[Motley]

I am fortunate not to need correction for distance, but I cannot see anything up close or small without cheaters. Seems like lens replacement fixes cataracts for sure, and can correct for distance, but most people still need cheaters. I don't mind wearing them but am the type that misplaces or breaks them constantly.

[Thomas Vu]

Is ICL surgery much like cataract surgery in that the whole lens is replaced? Does cataract surgery typically correct one's vision and astigmatism as well as removing the cataracts?

The procedure is pretty much the same.

[Urbanized]

I did a little research and some things apparently have changed since I had my surgery (1983-1985). See below as well as the highlighted which is probably the difference between the mid 80's to now.
C. T.

9. During cataract surgery, your surgeon can also correct other eye conditions, like astigmatism.
Actually, that's true.
During cataract surgery, the natural lens in your eye is replaced with an artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL). For some people, an advanced-technology lens could also correct their astigmatism and reduce their dependence on glasses for distance vision

Yep, that's the one! It gives you essentially brand new 20/20 (or better) eyes without cataracts. It can also potentially reduce presbyopia (that thing that happens over age 40 where your arms start getting too short to be able to read well), but some people still require reading glasses. Fine with me. Most of my age-related close reading issues seem to have more to do with lighting than magnification anyway.

[ctchandler]

Most of my age-related close reading issues seem to have more to do with lighting than magnification anyway.

Lighting or very small print are/were my main reasons for grabbing my bifocals. Now, I have macular degeneration and my problems are a lot more serious. The hazards of living too long.
C. T.

[schrist]

I did a little research and some things apparently have changed since I had my surgery (1983-1985). See below as well as the highlighted which is probably the difference between the mid 80's to now.
C. T.

9. During cataract surgery, your surgeon can also correct other eye conditions, like astigmatism.
Actually, that's true.
During cataract surgery, the natural lens in your eye is replaced with an artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL). For some people, an advanced-technology lens could also correct their astigmatism and reduce their dependence on glasses for distance vision

This is what I have had done. I had nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. I have not been able to see anything without glasses and I was unable to wear contacts. I now can see pretty much everything! It was expensive (without insurance about $10,000), but so worth it to see things i could not see even with glasses.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

My pair I bought a couple years ago was $95 with prescription. I just have a -1.00 prescription, I know it goes up if you need something a little more complicated.

I went this week, picked out a pair and since I have progressives, upgraded to a thinner lens for my right side (yeah, it's coke bottle thick normally) and the price was $370, I didn't think that was bad. Takes about a week for them to come in

[Bellaboo]

nm