Do you have a place that does ICL? My eye doctor told me about it. My prescription is still changing so I haven't looked into anything too much but it's good for people with a high prescription.
Post by litebright on Sept 3, 2021 19:46:24 GMT -5
Yep. I was told the same thing. The only option for me is the surgery they do to correct cataracts -- I think they replace your whole lens or something? It's definitely surgical and I was quoted like $10K an eye. So unless I actually get cataracts and insurance covers, that isn't happening.
I could do the ICL and I got the info on it but it’s like $7,000 an eye so that’s a big nope. It’s just so disappointing. Not that I could do anything about it, I guess thin corneas is just the way I was born but all my life I’ve had terrible vision and always though maybe some day I could do something permanent about it.
I was not a candidate for LASIK or PRK due to my similarly high prescription, but had the ICL done just over 2 years ago. My hospital charged about $3k per eye full-price, but also had the option to allow a fellow to do one eye (under the supervision of the main surgeon, of course) and that was a $1k discount on that eye. I scheduled my surgery for the very end of the fellowship year, so my doctor was just a week away from being fully credentialed.
The surgery was life-changing; I would do it a million times over! Happy to discuss details if you have any questions.
Post by mcppalmbeach on Sept 4, 2021 0:40:24 GMT -5
That’s really disappointing. I would love lasik, but I’m also nervous I wouldn’t qualify too. Is it just the high rx or the high rx/cornea combo? I did read one story about dry eyes after lasik that scared me. I’m a high rx too, -8.5 in both eyes.
I was not a candidate for LASIK or PRK due to my similarly high prescription, but had the ICL done just over 2 years ago. My hospital charged about $3k per eye full-price, but also had the option to allow a fellow to do one eye (under the supervision of the main surgeon, of course) and that was a $1k discount on that eye. I scheduled my surgery for the very end of the fellowship year, so my doctor was just a week away from being fully credentialed.
The surgery was life-changing; I would do it a million times over! Happy to discuss details if you have any questions.
My mother just had cataract surgery and her vision is fixed in the one eye. She was also not a candidate for lasik but now at 67 she will see for the first time since she was 5, without glasses! I would seriously consider this but I would be self pay. How long ago did you have this done? What was the recovery like?
Post by mountaingirl on Sept 4, 2021 2:11:06 GMT -5
I’m -10 in both eyes. My corneas are average thickness yet too thin for the amount of correction needed for surgery. I cried for just a moment when the Dr told me and he basically rolled his eyes at me. It felt that way at least. I have more thoughts on this but it’s 3am and bedtime.
My sister had the ICL done because she wasn’t a candidate for lasik because of the shape of her cornea. She is so happy to have had it done and is always encouraging me to look into eye surgery. The only thing that bothers her is more glare so sunglasses are a must sometimes even when it’s overcast and the year after the surgery she had more dry eye so she had to do eye drops a lot. Now the dry eye has improved over time.
It increased her quality of life a lot. I think she had her eyes done a few months apart and I know she used some type of discount on the surgery since it costs more than LASIK. The doctor worked with her on costs.
Yep. I was told the same thing. The only option for me is the surgery they do to correct cataracts -- I think they replace your whole lens or something? It's definitely surgical and I was quoted like $10K an eye. So unless I actually get cataracts and insurance covers, that isn't happening.
It stinks to not have that option.
I know two people who were covered at 100% for what is basically lasik due to a cataract in the eye. They couldn't do the other eye because it didn't have a cataract so they would need to come back.
Not sure if it makes a difference, but they both have medicare.
I was not a candidate for LASIK or PRK due to my similarly high prescription, but had the ICL done just over 2 years ago. My hospital charged about $3k per eye full-price, but also had the option to allow a fellow to do one eye (under the supervision of the main surgeon, of course) and that was a $1k discount on that eye. I scheduled my surgery for the very end of the fellowship year, so my doctor was just a week away from being fully credentialed.
The surgery was life-changing; I would do it a million times over! Happy to discuss details if you have any questions.
My mother just had cataract surgery and her vision is fixed in the one eye. She was also not a candidate for lasik but now at 67 she will see for the first time since she was 5, without glasses! I would seriously consider this but I would be self pay. How long ago did you have this done? What was the recovery like?
I had it done in May 2019. Recovery was not awful, the worst part was the extreme light sensitivity. The first day I pretty much just slept and listened to audiobooks with my eyes closed. I had it done on Thursday, and was back at work the following Monday (with some modification) - I had to keep the lights off in my office and turn the brightness on my monitors all the way down, but I want to say I could tolerate the normal lights within a week. I do still have sensitivity to the point that I wear sunglasses nearly all the time outside, even when it’s overcast.
I was given little plastic eye shields that I had to tape over my eyes to sleep for the first 2 weeks to keep myself from rubbing my eyes while they healed. I did have a gritty feeling for the first few days, but it was not unbearable and only lasted about 2 days I think. My sister had PRK done a few months before I had ICL, and her recovery was much much more difficult than mine.
The only other lasting side effect I have is that I have significant halos around lights in the dark. My surgeon said this is not uncommon with people who have extremely high prescriptions and has to do with the pupil dilating beyond the corrective part of the lens. She prescribed brimonidine tartrate, which is usually used to treat glaucoma, to use as needed before driving at night or doing other activities where the halos are a problem (apparently one of the side effects of the drops are that they slightly restrict pupil dilation). It works perfectly for me.
I was not a candidate for LASIK or PRK due to my similarly high prescription, but had the ICL done just over 2 years ago. My hospital charged about $3k per eye full-price, but also had the option to allow a fellow to do one eye (under the supervision of the main surgeon, of course) and that was a $1k discount on that eye. I scheduled my surgery for the very end of the fellowship year, so my doctor was just a week away from being fully credentialed.
The surgery was life-changing; I would do it a million times over! Happy to discuss details if you have any questions.
Quoting myself to correct my memory on the cost - it was $4900/eye full price with a discount to $3000 for the fellow to do the surgery. My total out of pocket cost was about $5600 but it was broken up over 4 separate payments. I had the surgery done in Pittsburgh, PA.
Post by mountaingirl on Sept 4, 2021 10:22:45 GMT -5
linus The only other lasting side effect I have is that I have significant halos around lights in the dark. My surgeon said this is not uncommon with people who have extremely high prescriptions and has to do with the pupil dilating beyond the corrective part of the lens. I have this now with contacts in dim light or darkness. I know exactly what you mean. I need to watch movies with s light on to help.
Post by cattledogkisses on Sept 4, 2021 11:09:43 GMT -5
I’m also not a candidate for it because my correction is too high. At this point though I’ve worn contacts for 24 years, so it’s just one of those normal life things that I don’t even think about tbh.
Post by ellipses84 on Sept 4, 2021 12:02:14 GMT -5
I haven’t been examined for it. My regular eye doc rec’d against it due to my age because I’ll probably just end up in glasses/ contacts in a couple years, with eyesight worsening as you age. She thought the short term benefit was not worth the cost. I’ve still considered looking into it. I have one eye far worse than the other and astigmatism in the stronger eye.