Laser eyer surgery and medical aid

Mine was covered.

In the long run it's cheaper than glasses/contacts.
 
Not covered on mine. You would think they would cos it's cheaper than contacts/glasses every second year. Amd wtf is it with it being regarded as cosmetic? :wtf:
 
How is the success rate?

I think I'd like to have it done, but last I checked they had an 85% success rate and that isn't enough to make me feel comfortable with it.
 
marine1 said:
I am desperate to have it done but to spend 35k ? :eek:
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That price seems about double the going rate. Mine was about 12-13k yonks ago, when I enquired last year for someone else I think it was about 17-18k.
 
I think they cover it if you're virtually blind - then its not considered cosmetic :p
 
Elite Override said:
How is the success rate?

I think I'd like to have it done, but last I checked they had an 85% success rate and that isn't enough to make me feel comfortable with it.
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Would also love to have it done. But the cost :(

But then again I am effing terrified of all things medical. Even hate opticians visits :o
 
had LASIK done for about 12k in 1997..eyes continue to degenerate with age so Im back to glasses and contacts although I had 12 great years without. At least now Im a -1.5 in each eye and not the -4 i was before surgery.
 
I had my LASIK done in 1995/1996 - there has been a few advances since then, even though small. My eyes deteriorated a little but I had it done at a very young age. It also depends on how bad your eyes are, who the doc is etc. Yes, there will be some degeneration but depending on how bad your eyes was when it was done 12 years ago and how good/bad it was done, you could go back for a touch up and enjoy another 12 years without
I would do it again in a heartbeat - but hey, thats just me
 
ponder said:
That price seems about double the going rate. Mine was about 12-13k yonks ago, when I enquired last year for someone else I think it was about 17-18k.
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I also checked last year was R18000 in umhlanga.Must be still the same
 
I am -5 and -6 and am seriously considering going for Lasik. I have worn glasses (and later contacts) since I was 6 or 7 years old. Contacts eventually became such an expensive business (not to mention tedious) that I pretty much only wear my glasses these days.

It's tedious and frustrating, every day I do the helmet-glasses shuffle 4 times a day, I put my glasses down somewhere and then I can't find them again, they're constantly hurting either my nose, my ears or my head, they're dirty, they bend out of shape or a lens pops out.. (fortunately I have not had a break in several years). If I want to go diving or have a fancy event that I want to wear make-up to I have to break out the contacts, and spend several uncomfortable hours adjusting to them again.

I'm gatvol.
I've been researching the Lasik eye surgery and the cost appears to be anywhere between 15 - 20k these days. The success rate is high but not perfect, roughly 85%, but you have to understand what they define as success. It's extremely rare for Lasik to be a complete failure (ie something goes wrong and damages your eyes further) because the flap cut and skim lasers are both computer controlled, very accurate, and the entire process takes only about 40 seconds per eye.

In the initial appointment your eyes are tested for suitability for the process. If your eyes are not suitable, you have to start looking at other options like a permanent contact corneal implant.
If your eyes are suitable (acceptable range of weakness, stable growth, stable strength, sufficient corneal thickness, minimal astigmatism) only then will you be considered for the procedure.
Once you undergo the procedure, you have to allow the eye time to recover and adjust. Everyone's eyes react differently. Most eyes adjust normally and the procedure is a success (no need to wear glasses/contacts anymore). Some eyes are not corrected perfectly, and you have between -0.25 to -2 instead of whatever worse eyesight you had before.

It is very rare for the procedure to be performed, and resulting vision is so bad that glasses are required permanently anyway afterwards.
The point of Lasik is to improve eyesight, not perfect it permanently. Some people are lucky and have perfected vision that remains for many many years. Others, like a friend I know, went from -10 to -1 (a major difference!) and only needed glasses on minimal occasions, but was warned in advance by the doc that it would degrade again and a second round might be needed. 10 years later she went for the procedure again, and should have near-perfect vision for the next 15-20 years.

In the end, I believe it's worth it if you have bad eyesight and glasses/contacts are becoming unpleasant and tedious.
 
Don't go through medical aid, you're usually able to get a R3-5k discount on the surgery if you pay cash. Will be around R13500
 
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