LASIK surgery here in Maine (Portland, Bangor: appointed, health insurance, safe)

[UpTheCreek]

I searched our Maine forum and came up with zilch. I’m considering saving up to have LASIK surgery in the next couple of years. After my research, I deem it pretty safe nowadays. I had great vision into my 40’s but like many, have lost my reading vision. Now 54, I’m really noticing my distance vision is getting much worse. My sister and a few acquaintances have had LASIK performed with impressive results so it got me to thinking. None of these folks are in Maine, therefore unable to recommend a good surgeon. Closest to me is Augusta and Waterville. I see there is a surgeon in Waterville with the latest and greatest equipment but it’s difficult to find decent reviews. I suppose it doesn’t matter where I’d need to travel, given the importance.

Anybody here have this procedure done? What was your experience and would you recommend or not recommend a particular place? Thanks!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

There is a good place in Bangor on Stillwater Ave. about 1/2 mile east of Hogan Road. A lot of soldiers going to the "sand box" have this done. Pilots who don't want to be grounded have it done. There are many testimonials on the walls from satisfied patients. My wife had cataract surgery there. It went well.

https://www.visioncareofmaine.com/locations/bangor/

[Vance Mack]

I had mine done at Maine Eye Care in Portland about 25 years ago. My Dr. was great but retired now.
My vision is still very close to 20/20. I am almost 58 and do not need reading glasses but I do wear corrective lenses to drive at night.
LASIK is not perfect, but for me it’s 1000 times better than before LASIK. For me one of the side effects is that I do not see as well in the dark as I do I daylight. Also, for a couple years after the surgery I had haloes around lights at night. They very slowly got smaller and smaller until they finally went away.
I would highly recommend you start off with a consultation. That will answer all your questions and determine if you are a good candidate.


I copied the paragraph below from the Maine Eye Care website:

It is likely you would NOT be a good candidate for refractive surgery if most of the following statements are true for you:

I am comfortable with my glasses. I like wearing them, and I feel they look good on me.
Contact lenses give me excellent vision for all my activities, and I have no problem wearing contact lenses.
I prefer to have my corrective lenses updated frequently so that I have excellent vision.
Little visual irregularities bother or would bother me.
I pay close attention to fine details in my work and hobbies. Any loss of fine detailed vision would be very upsetting to me.
If I have refractive surgery and still needed corrective lenses on occasion, I would be unhappy that I had the surgery.
If I had refractive surgery and my vision was not “perfect”, I would be extremely disappointed and consider the surgery a failure.
I would not want to have refractive surgery if my health insurance would not cover the cost.

I think the important take away from that is that there are no guarantees with LASIK. For instance I know four other people that got LASIK about the same I did. One of them got very little correction at all and had to go right back to glasses. Only two of us don’t need cheaters to read now.

Hope that helps some.

[UpTheCreek]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

There is a good place in Bangor on Stillwater Ave. about 1/2 mile east of Hogan Road. A lot of soldiers going to the "sand box" have this done. Pilots who don't want to be grounded have it done. There are many testimonials on the walls from satisfied patients. My wife had cataract surgery there. It went well.

https://www.visioncareofmaine.com/locations/bangor/

Thanks NMLM, very helpful info.

[UpTheCreek]

Originally Posted by Vance Mack

I had mine done at Maine Eye Care in Portland about 25 years ago. My Dr. was great but retired now.
My vision is still very close to 20/20. I am almost 58 and do not need reading glasses but I do wear corrective lenses to drive at night.
LASIK is not perfect, but for me it’s 1000 times better than before LASIK. For me one of the side effects is that I do not see as well in the dark as I do I daylight. Also, for a couple years after the surgery I had haloes around lights at night. They very slowly got smaller and smaller until they finally went away.
I would highly recommend you start off with a consultation. That will answer all your questions and determine if you are a good candidate.


I copied the paragraph below from the Maine Eye Care website:

It is likely you would NOT be a good candidate for refractive surgery if most of the following statements are true for you:

I am comfortable with my glasses. I like wearing them, and I feel they look good on me.
Contact lenses give me excellent vision for all my activities, and I have no problem wearing contact lenses.
I prefer to have my corrective lenses updated frequently so that I have excellent vision.
Little visual irregularities bother or would bother me.
I pay close attention to fine details in my work and hobbies. Any loss of fine detailed vision would be very upsetting to me.
If I have refractive surgery and still needed corrective lenses on occasion, I would be unhappy that I had the surgery.
If I had refractive surgery and my vision was not “perfect”, I would be extremely disappointed and consider the surgery a failure.
I would not want to have refractive surgery if my health insurance would not cover the cost.

I think the important take away from that is that there are no guarantees with LASIK. For instance I know four other people that got LASIK about the same I did. One of them got very little correction at all and had to go right back to glasses. Only two of us don’t need cheaters to read now.

Hope that helps some.

Your experience with night vision is quite common, according to my research. From what I've read, the latest method is 100% "blade-free". Apparently the newer methods cut down on the night vision problems but like you state, no guarantees.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I think I'd be a good candidate, according to your quote from Maine Eye Care. I know it's not perfect and no guarantees. Sure sounds like most people would do it again though.

Very helpful, thank you!

[slyfox2]

My older friends all went to Boston.

[OutdoorLover]

To some extent, night vision declines with age for everyone, LASIK or no. As we age our pupils get smaller and let in less light, the muscles controlling them get weaker and they don't adjust as quickly, the retina becomes less sensitive as we lose "rod cells" in them, and for many, cataracts cloud the lens too. Getting old bites.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

Getting old bites.

Consider first.... THE ALTERNATIVE.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Consider first.... THE ALTERNATIVE.

*LOL* - you have a point there!