Lasik Surgery in Houston (Bellaire, Katy: insurance, home, price)

[AlexTx]

I know there have been some posts on this subject before. However, I'm curious if anyone has any experience with one of these places:

Eye Center of Texas (Bellaire)
Advanced Laser Vision & Surgical Institute (Houston)
Berkeley Eye Center Weslayan (Houston)
Eye Laser Specialists Inc (Houston)
Berkeley Eye Center Katy (Katy)


My insurance offers a reduced cost for lasik if I use one of these places. Anyone know how I can find out their track records?

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I used Baylor Eye Clinic when I had mine done about five, or six years ago now at a cost of 3K. But even then, most of the ones you noted were known to me. I received a consultation from the top two that I picked (Berkeley Eye Center on Westlayan was the other) and I decided to go with Baylor, and was glad I did.

They all do so many of these, it's not funny. They all use the latest technology, so some machines have more bell and whistles, they basically do the same thing, in my opinion. I'd suggest that you visit with two, or three and see how they run their operation.

I know I may be biased now, but when I was searching I was not... and I did not like the 'factory' method that Berkeley Eye Center used. You were just hurded into one room, called out, procedure done, and sent out. I felt the one on one at Baylor was much better and was very happy with them.

Good luck... one of the best decisions I ever made was to get LASIK!

[TFW46]

I agree with Hook. The technology is the same and the expertise is pretty much the same...the difference is in the personal attention. You should get the same level of competence at any of those places. The question is whether you're willing to trade personal attention for a lower price.

I went to Mann Eye Clinic for my lasik in 2005. The cost was $4,000 for both eyes. I met with four different specialists there (for measuring and testing and I-cant-remember-what-else) and was very unimpressed with everyone except Dr Mann himself. The routine the day of surgery was very uneventful ... sign in, get a Valium, lie down on the table for 10 minutes, get up, go home, come back the next day for a checkup. Of course, "uneventful" is a good thing when dealing with surgery on the eyes.

Mann and Berkley used to be in business together and, although Mann would disagree vehemently, I think their practices are pretty much the same. Good luck!

[migee]

I apologize for sort of taking this off topic (though the OP may also be interested in this info).

But, what actually happens during the surgery?

After the valium...Do you get put to sleep?...Do you see what is going on? (That may sound silly, but they are working on your eyes)

For years I've thought of this surgery - But, when I read how it's done, I think to myself "Will I be aware of all this while it's going on?"

[TFW46]

For me, the valium was all I got. I didnt really even need it and I think you may have the right to refuse it.

I was totally awake and aware of what was going on. The doctor asked me to look right, left, into the red light, etc and I had to be able to follow his instructions. I felt nothing at all...no discomfort, no sensation of cutting, nothing. It took just 2-3 minutes for each eye. Then I went into a kind of recovery room to have my eyes checked, after which I was free to leave. Because of the valium (and maybe because of the surgery itself) I was not allowed to drive myself home. I went back the next day for a checkup.

I had perfect vision instantly after the surgery. The next day, however, my eyesight became a little blurry..due, as I recall, to inflammation, which was a natural result of the surgical process. The blurriness wasnt bad and it took about a week to disappear. I think they told me to avoid doing intense computer work or anything that would strain my eyes for a few days.

Due to my age, I elected to have mono-vision, where one eye is corrected for long-distance vision and the other eye is corrected for close-up vision. I didnt want it but Dr Mann convinced me to try it, advising that, if I didnt like it, I could have the close-up vision eye adjusted later. I wasnt prepared for how hard it would be to adjust to mono-vision. For about six months I had terrible headaches as my eyes fought the adjustment. I actually regretted having the mono-vision and almost called him for the followup surgery. I stuck it out, however, and am very glad that I did. Most other people my age have to wear reading glasses; I wear them only for reading very small print in dim light.

Having someone perform surgery of any kind on your eyes is very frightening. I had been so ready to have the surgery done but, the instant before Dr Mann started working on me, I had to force myself not to say that I wanted to think things over. But lasik surgery was the best thing I've ever done for myself. After wearing thick glasses all my life (I was wearing bi-focals at the age of 7), I still marvel every day at being able to see so clearly when I first open my eyes in the morning.

[TFW46]

P.S migee, you can google something like "what happens during lasik eye surgery?" and find out exactly what goes on. (I'm sure that there have been great advances and changes since I had mine 4.5 years ago.)

You can also read some real horror stories about people whose eyesight was made worse or who ended up with unbearably dry eyes from the surgery. I made the mistake of googling and reading about every possible mishap and thinking about them all in the moments right before my surgery.

I'm not saying that you shouldnt be aware of the risks...only that you should take into consideration that, given the number of lasik surgeries done in the USA every year, it's likely that there are going to be people who regret having had it done. Most people dont post online when they're happy with the results, but they do post when they're not.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by migee

I apologize for sort of taking this off topic (though the OP may also be interested in this info).

But, what actually happens during the surgery?

After the valium...Do you get put to sleep?...Do you see what is going on? (That may sound silly, but they are working on your eyes)

For years I've thought of this surgery - But, when I read how it's done, I think to myself "Will I be aware of all this while it's going on?"

I had the valium as well, not a strong dose. You need to relax your eye somewhat, but you are still awake, and can see what is going on, even when the laser bursts your eye. In fact, you must be alert and follow the doctor's orders.

Of course, there are no nerve endings on the lense, so you don't feel any pain at all, only a tickle feeling. A mechanical peice is put around your eye lids to keep the eye open, feels funny, but no pain. You are then told to concentrate on a dot, and then the pulses hit, and it is done within so many seconds. I think it took less than two minutes to do both eyes, but to setup each eye and get the laser pulse took about 10 minutes. I was in, and out within 15 minutes. BTW, you don't get blinded by the laser, it is so minute, you may not even notice it.

The feeling afterwards is like not getting enough sleep, then having a bright light in your eye, but that is also attributed to drops the doctor will put into your eyes.

You go home with these bug eye protectors on your eyes, but nothing else. You will need someone to drive you of course. Even the same day, I could see clearly through the 'bug' covers. The next day, you take them off, and life is great (you must sleep with them the first night). You cannot rub your eyes obviously, but all else is normal after that. You are to refrain from physical activity for a about 10 days, but unless you are playing contact sports, no need to change your activites.

Good luck. As I mentioned, it was one of the best things I ever did. Things may have changed since about five, or six years ago, but that is the basic set of events.

[ShelbyGirl1]

I've been through the procedure twice...the initial surgery and then the "tweaking" years later. For me...just the valium...there is no pain, you may feel pressure and of course the noise. It really is no big deal...the unkown is the worst!

[macymaid]

Originally Posted by migee

I apologize for sort of taking this off topic (though the OP may also be interested in this info).

But, what actually happens during the surgery?

After the valium...Do you get put to sleep?...Do you see what is going on? (That may sound silly, but they are working on your eyes)

For years I've thought of this surgery - But, when I read how it's done, I think to myself "Will I be aware of all this while it's going on?"

I had the best female anesthesiolgist for my surgery. I felt nothing and was aware of them talking during surgery. Here I was worried about the anesthesiologist not performing well. It was the opposite way around. She was absolutely wonderful.

[Chickrae]

Lasik surgery is the best thing I ever did. I did the mono-vision, so one eye sees close and one sees far, but they both work together. I had wore mono contacts for about 3 years prior to the surgery, so it was easy to adjust after the surgery, as I was used to seeing that way. I know there are many reputable places in Houston, as my son was checking out some. I would give you a reference, but I didn't get mine done in Texas. I think as someone mentioned the most nerve racking part of the surgery is the anticipation of what it will be like. I had to mentally prepare myself for it for days. I didn't sleep the night before worrying about it. Once I got to the eye clinic, had the exam and then the valium, I was fine. They do one eye at a time and it takes all of about 3 minutes an eye. I thought they should do one eye, make sure I could see, then do the other, but that isn't how they did it.

The miracle about this whole thing is 2 minutes after the process I could see perfectly, because I looked at my phone and read a text message. You have to wear goggles or these clear glasses at night when you sleep, so as not to scratch your eyes when you sleep. Don't rub them either. They will give you all these instructions when you go. For the first while after your eyes are very dry, but afer a couple weeks they are fine. They give you drops for this.

I am glad I didn't know what exactly they were doing in the surgery until after, as if I knew I would of maybe talked myself out of it.

It was the best money I ever spent and that was 2 year ago. I am sure the price is much lower now.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes