Improved marksmanship with lazer vision surgery?

[HBK]

I have always had bad eyesight. Eyesight so bad that when I won a turkeyshoot when I was 12, my Dad said something to the effect of "I can't believe he could even see the target." I would bet that out of all the members of this board, my vision is the worst. When I go to the range, when I put the target out at 25 feet, I really can't see the point on the target I want to hit. I was going to get my vision corrected a few years ago and the doctor told me to wait a few years. Has anyone here had any experience with lazer eye surgery and if so, did it improve your marksmanship?

 

[Atticus]

I've had the surgery, and overall, I'd say it has improved my shooting (as poor as that still may be). My vision was so bad before the surgery that I was not capable of shooting without glasses...period. I have great distance vision now, but my near vision stinks, and the sights are usually blurry, even on some long guns. Overall though, I'd say it has been an improvement. The biggest bonus is not having to deal with glasses in the rain and cold.

 

[MessedUpMike]

I had PRK surgery done 5 years ago and it was the best thing I ever had done. My "before" vision was around 20/800 my after vision is still between 20/20 and 20/25 dependinf on how hard I try to read the eye chart. It certainly has improved my shooting, not to mention turning me into an eye protection nazi (5 grand on the ole' peepers will do that to you). Before the surgery without glasses I wouldn't have even benn able to see the front sight.
Go to a known surgeon. preferable one who has an eye-care business not just one of those surgery mills that seem to be popping up all over the place. Get references if possible, make sure the Dr. is willing to discuss all of the options and the risks. If he won't take his time talking to you don't think he'll waste his time trying to get your surgery right.

Good Luck

 

[22x9]

I had L.A.S.I.K. about 6 years ago. My vision was so bad that I could not identify anything past the end of my nose. I had 20/800 in my left and 20/780 in my right, both with a slight astigmatisum(spelling?). Now? 20/20 in both. So does L.A.S.I.K. work? For me it did. I could not imagine shooting before. My scuba diving experiences definitely improved.

I'm glad I did it and would recommend it anyone who wants to do it. Find a good reputable doctor and you have a good experience.

 

[JJohnston015]

It certainly has improved my shooting, not to mention turning me into an eye protection nazi (5 grand on the ole' peepers will do that to you).

That's one of my hangups. You go from being a slave to prescription glasses to being a slave to safety glasses (or sunglasses in the case of a guy I know who ended up really light-sensitive).

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

The one kicker is that aging results in less flexibility in the lens, therefore less ability to adjust to a range of distances. The laser surgery basically sets you up for good vision at one particular distance, but if the lenses have become inflexible then you are stuck with that focal length unless you wear glasses to adjust for other distances.

sd

 

[roscoe]

My vision radically improved, from 20/240 to 20/20, but I still need glasses at .50 diopters to see distant targets clearly with iron sights. So, for most shooting it is sufficient, but for distant targets I still need glasses, albeit weak ones. I had a little trouble with wrinkling (striae) on the corneal flap of one eye, so be careful. Also, I get a little bit of the night-time light flaring that some people get, but you get used to that.

 

[MessedUpMike]

I don't really consider myself a "slave" to safety glasses, I just consider it protecting my investment. I usually wear sunglasses outside to, once again as one should, so it wasn't a big add on for me. As bad as my vision was it was far worse to wear glasses all of the time than the relativly minor inconvienences associatted with the surgery. Five years later and now I can wear sunglasses as an option, and I can still see like a "normal person". My perspective might be off though as I wouldn't have gotten my FD job If I hadn't gotten the surgery.

 

[wingnutx]

I had LASIK about a year ago. My shooting has improved dramatically.

Makes life much easier when I wear a gasmask, paintball mask, headgear, anything like that.

 

[44Brent]

I two PRKs in my right eye, three PRKs in my left eye, and one LASIK in my left eye. The surgeries damaged both eyes. The doctor(s) that did the work denied damaging my vision.

I later went to another doctor that repaired the damaged in my left eye with a cornea transplant. I have still not had the damage repaired in my right eye.

www.lasikdisaster.com
www.surgicaleyes.org