Laser eye surgery

socuban

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Nov 24, 2002
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Originally posted looking for opinions and recomendations on laser eye surgery under TM's dentist thread. Thought would be better to start a new thread.

Anyone have experiences or stories regarding laser eye surgery in the capital? I'll be in SD for the summer and thought it would be a good time to have it done and give the eyeballs a chance to rest (I can hear the jokes about the "luz" going out in the middle of the procedure).
 

Jon S.

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Jan 25, 2003
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Eye surgery......

SC, my mother had her surgery performed about 2 years ago by a doctor, can't recall his name. Their clinic is located on Independencia Avenue. They are very good, the entire family is in the business and they all have their degrees from Harvard in ophtalmology and whatever else they specialize in. I have the name on the tip of my tongue :confused: , I don't know if you've been to the Multicentros (any one of them) but they're the ones that let you get your eyes checked right there and also purchase your glasses right on the spot. Man if I can remember I would tell you but my mind is on work at the moment.....find out thru the other people on this board that live in Santo Domingo. Hope I could be of help, if any...

Jon
(hoping to get outta the office and get a Presidente one of these days)
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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My wife's opthamologist has talked with her about the possibility of doing some laser surgery. His name is Dr. Carlino Gonzalez, he is in Unidad Oftalomologica on Av. Bolivar in Santo Domingo. Tel 687-5857, Fax 687-5936.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Dr. Jose Asilis at the Clinica Bonilla does lasar surgery. He is one of the best. You might want to check with him to set up an appointment. I know he operates every week in Santo Domingo.

And if you have any missionary friends, you can get it done nearly for free. They have these guys that come down and do this surgery several times a year. Just ask around at the local Baptist churches....

HB
 

socuban

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thank you all

for taking the time to respond with your suggestions. Looking forward to dumping the glasses! :cool:
 
Dec 9, 2002
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I have worn specs since I was 5 years old. I have tried contacts but they don't give me such clear vision as specs do. I would love to be able to ditch my glasses but I would never go for laser surgery. There's been lots of bad press over here in England recently, suggesting that it hasn't been around for long enough to determine the true long term effects. From what I understand about it there is no guarantee that it will improve your sight anyway. Also, I don't know what it costs in DR, but here in UK I have seen prices ranging from ?350 to ?900 for one eye! How in the hell can prices vary so much? I have also seen two for one offers!
 

Ken

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Good point, Dominican Babe. We spent about a year in Venezuela, late 1999-early 2000. Many, many people were going there at the time for laser eye surgery, some of whom we met. Before the surgery was performed, the people were tested to determine whether there was a good chance the surgery would benefit them. Not everyone was considered a good candidate. Of those who had the surgery, not all were glad they had. One friend, for example, got rid of one vision problem through the surgery but ended up with another. In other cases, the results did not measure up to expectations. And in other cases, we have since learned, the success first experienced did not prove to be permanent.

If I were considering it, I would want to do a very thorough study of the pluses and minuses before making a decision.
 
Dec 9, 2002
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I would want a cast iron guarantee that my sight would improve permanently before I let anyone start burning bits of eyes out. I've read some real horror stories about people whose sight was worse after the operation than before, and once it's done, there's no turning back is there? I think it's a really dangerous operation which shouldn't be considered if it's just because you're too vain for glasses. In any case, specs are trendy these days, they can be a fashion accessory, I know of people who wear them with plain lenses just because they look good.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Absolutely Dominican Babe. I would take any surgery very seriously. My case study, a very beautiful lady with two of the mos beautiful blues eyes I have ever seen, was blind as a bat. She had the surgery done in Santo Domingo by these missionary doctors, via her church. Her husband was a pastor here. She was thrilled to get rid of the coke-bottle glasses she had to wear. I have not hear from her or Scott in a while so I just cannot talk about any long term effects.

Please be wise, consult, consult and consult. Use WebMD as a data base. They have an absolutely astounding amount of information about anything medical.

HB
 

funbiz99

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Dec 26, 2002
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socuban
now after reading these posts I to might be affraid of getting the surgery. Maybe its the level of technology and or quality of doctor in the dr.

In the US the results are nothing but amazing. 99% or better get 20/30 or more. Yes there is a possibility of having a problem but only you can decide if you want to take the risk.

You should investigate the doctor but in my opinion that is not the most important thing. You should investigate the type of laser and the nurse. The nurse usually does all the testing. They should test your eyes at least 3-4 times. If they dont know your exact problem then they can not do the proper correction. Different lasers can do different corrections. Some can do nearsighted some do far some astigmatism. They even have a no touch laser where they dont have to cut a flap for the surgery.

They have been doing lasik at least 10 years in the US and longer in canada. I had it done 3 years ago. I wore contacts 20+ years now i see perfect. The doctor did say as you get older 40+ you may need reading glasses. I personally know 4 other people that had it done they where all very happy.

Do a lot of research. In the US it cost nothing to get evaluated. I went to three different places before i decided on one. The price usually depends on the laser. I have seen it as low as 299.00 an eye to as much as 1500.00. I paid 699.00 per eye for farsighted with astigmatism. If i had to do it again I would gladly pay double knowing the results.

Good luck
 

socuban

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Nov 24, 2002
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informative stuff

please keep it coming....I'm looking for documented origins of vision corrective surgery. I remember reading something about keratonomy in '30s Russia done with a rusty blade.... :cross-eye
 

funbiz99

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Dec 26, 2002
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Robert

Your close it was +3.50 I dont remember the astigmatisim but it was not a lot. My type of correction is not the norm. The majority of people are corrected for nersightedness. 5 years ago they didnt even have the laser and or software to do my correction.
 

m65swede

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Mar 18, 2002
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Re: informative stuff

socuban said:
please keep it coming....I'm looking for documented origins of vision corrective surgery. I remember reading something about keratonomy in '30s Russia done with a rusty blade....

I found the passage below via Google:


Radial Keratotomy

In the 1970s Dr. Feyderov in Moscow discovered that by making a series of radial surgical incisions in the cornea a predictable flattening would result and this would eliminate nearsightedness. This became known as Radial Keratotomy or RK surgery. This was introduced in the United States in the early 1980s after a number of American ophthalmologists visited Russia to learn this unique procedure. Many patients have benefited from this elegant procedure and it is still performed in the US.


The story I heard was that a young Russian boy with very poor eyesight and very thick glasses was involved in an accident in which one of the glass lenses shattered and entered his eye. The Doc picked out the glass fragments, noting the numerous scratches and cuts on the eye's surface. He patched the eye and hoped for the best.

Upon removing the bandage, the boy immediately remarked that he could see better from that eye than from the uninjured one! Doctors deciphered the mystery and the rest is history. Don't know if the story is true, but it is entertaining.

The laser makes the procedure infinitely more precise and efficient.

Swede
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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There are some things that are really "cheap" in the DR that are worth coming for!!!

But when it comes to your eyesight,I think I would stay the hell out of here! "Cheap is Cheap"!:cross-eye :knockedou :glasses: :smoke: :cool:
 

socuban

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Re: There are some things that are really "cheap" in the DR that are worth coming for

Criss Colon said:
But when it comes to your eyesight,I think I would stay the hell out of here! "Cheap is Cheap"!:cross-eye :knockedou :glasses: :smoke: :cool:

Criss, no faith in your doctors? Or is it the luz thingy? lol. And I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for!

I was hoping to read that yes, the DR is up on the latest in laser surgery. Spot scanning ladarvision, etc. Specific Doctors w/ x amount of operating time under their belt and x amount of satisfied customers! :glasses:
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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socuban, you should look into Caracas, Venezuela. Doctors there have been specializing in this for a long time. Many Americans and other nationalities have it done there because of the experience of the doctors and the price charged.
 

funbiz99

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Dec 26, 2002
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the latest lasers

these are the lates fda approved lasers. I would make sure they have the most current software. I believe that all lasers are owned by the mfg not the doctor. With this in mind they should be up to date.

Bausch & Lomb Surgical
- Technolas 217a
Myopia less than -11D with or without astigmatism less than -3.0D

VISX
- Star S2 & S3
Mixed astigmatism up to 6.0D; cylinder is greater than sphere and of opposite sign
Hyperopia between +0.5 and +5.0D with or without astigmatism up to +3.0D

Now this might not be typical of the dr. When I was there in jan I went to a hospital. I am not exactly sure of the city but it was just past Boca Chica. Although they where very nice and gave me a note for medicine no charge :cool: . If i needed surgery or something there is no way it would be there :ermm: Now this is only one example. I would think there are probably a lot of good hospitals. I just haven't seen them

I hope the laser centers are operated in a cleaner more organized enviorment
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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I said it before and I'll say it again: Check it out!

Anytime anyone is going to invade your body, be it with steel, lasar or "the bone", for God's Sake, check it out first? It is only logical, rational and safer.

Above is a good list of the latest equipment. See if anyone in Santo Domingo or Santiago has it, or the generation previous to this one.

Here is an experience as related to me by a friend i know.

"From a 20/15 eyesight to a 20/300 eyesight. Lasix surgery fixed the eyesight to 20/25 and the only problen is nigtime driving since bright signs have a 'halo' around them."

Good Luck

HB