Make tons of money, ignore bad outcomes, gaslight the injured, and just keep pretending everything is fine while you continue selling dangerous products and services. Just another day in the medical biz. (No, not everyone in the biz, but often enough to use caution and to do your own research BEFORE you subject yourself to a procedure or pharmaceutical).
Even when bad outcomes ARE actually rare, it's worth remembering: Even rare outcomes happen to actual people, and when it happens to YOU, it happens 100%.
https://nypost.com/2025/05/22/health/doctors-former-patients-warn-of-lasik-eye-surgery-dangers/
The suicide of a 26-year-old Pennsylvania police officer over the after-effects of the popular eye surgery LASIK was not an isolated incident, with others saying it left them with agonizing and life changing symptoms, patients and doctors told The Post.
LASIK providers say the procedure is 95% to 99% safe, but one LASIK survivor said she had suicidal ideations for two years after her “disastrous” surgery in 2000.
She also claimed to know of at least 40 people to have taken their own lives because they couldn’t take constant pain and vision problems, developed after the procedure.
(more)
When the doctor performing the surgery to "free you from glasses", is WEARING FUCKING GLASSES, maybe it's time to re-evaluate some shit.
I’ve worn glasses since 3rd grade tough year, when LASIK came out I was right on, at 70 still wear glasses due to what I read
I have been blessed with good vision. When I did my first flight medical I read the bottom line of the chart, like the Doc said to. "Chart manufactured by....". Doc thought I cheated and was talking the piss. Kek. Made me leave the room, got a new chart I couldn't have seen, made me read it from the down the hall. Then he got out a calculator. Kek, He said my vision was about 20:7, better than 20:10.
He said when I got older I would probably need reading glasses. He was right.
Edit: He was a funny guy, asked if I could see his underwear thru his pants.
I'm 74 AND STILL WON'T GET THE SURGERY!!!!!!!! I'd rather wear glasses and keep my vision for the thangs I like too do...bicycling & target shooting (1000 yrs)!!!!!!!
Yes but can you hit a target at a thousand yards while riding a bicycle? Hmmm?
GREAT reply...I'll try to do it in a movng HumVee....Would that do??????
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
NOTE: It must be FRIDAY and the SMART-ASSES ARE OUT!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
As mentioned in the article, I remember the news story of the meteorologist that took her life because of post-LASIK complications. Everyone just scoffed it off like, "Oh, it's rare. It's okay." but even if it's rare, it's still scary how it could drive someone towards suicide if things go wrong.
Hopefully doctors like Boshnick in this article can offer relief before it's too late for others.
Yep I remember that story from years back and that's what prevented me from getting LASIK.
Like you said, even though it's rare, the consequences can be SO severe that I immediately dropped the idea of getting the surgery.
Yeah I always wanted to get lasik, just for the convenience. But when researching I found there is like a 1% chance after the procedure you might just feel like there is sand in your eyes... forever.. nonstop 24/7 even with your eyes closed. So I noped out of that one, not worth it no matter how annoying glasses or contacts can be.
The sand in the eyes lasted about 3 days for me. Maybe the Eyewear makers are scared of losing business. Since I had it done 20 years ago that would have put me in ten pairs of glasses. About what the lazik cost me. Worth every penny.
I had Lasik done on both eyes the same day - 25 years ago. I left the Dr Office, went to the DMV (my friend drove me there), and had my eyeglasses restriction removed from my driver license within 2 hours of my surgery. I was seeing 20/40 at that point (minimum required to remove the glasses restriction) and in 2 days I was at 20/10 - and still am today. I had zero pain (none of that sand thing), no night halos, and no other issues. The only annoying thing was wearing those plastic "blinders" over my eyes at night - taped to my face and forehead) so I didn't accidentally rub my eyes and rip my corneas off. I did need a couple extra days to heal because at the time I was a smoker and that could slow the healing process.
It also took me about a year before I stopped trying to push my non-existent glasses back up the bridge of my nose. I had been doing that for more than a decade and it became a subconscious habit.
That was (still to this date) the best money I ever spent. I also had paperwork the Dr gave me to read and sign that told me about the possible side-effects and the odds. It was similar to any other surgery, so nobody should be surprised. Any procedure can have complications - LASIK isn't any different.
Agree, best money ever spent. Both eyes done 22 years ago and loving every moment of seeing actual leaves on the trees.
I had a scratched cornea a few months ago and that sensation of sand in your eye was excruciating. My eye constantly watered and was sensitive to any kind of light. I can’t imagine living with that sensation for the rest of my life.
Today I learned that Lasik rhymes with chemo.
Wow.
I have wanted this, my hubs has wanted this- BUT, we both have the exact "luck" that makes us both the <5% with side effects :-(
Bummer
My husband had it years ago, well before we met, both eyes at once. No complications and he swears it was a great decision all these years later. Everyone is different; caveat emptor. I have noticed an increase in discussion of eye exercises and getting daylight helping improve vision naturally, fwiw.
I aged out of it.
I think I did too, but I aged into Cataracts, and got laser Cataract surgery. Not sure if that's the same as Lasik, but four years later my vision is 20/20 in one eye, and 20/30 in the other. My husband also had it done, though he still needs reading glasses. No complaints from me, before the surgery I couldn't even see those huge overhead signs in places like grocery stores and Home Depot. In Cataract surgery, they typically do only one eye at a time.
Just another day in the Great Awakening. Sigh.
There is an outspoken critic of the procedure and how the system turns a blind eye to those injured, if you'll pardon the expression. That person is Cynthia Mackay. If you want to go deeper she is a good resource to follow-up.
Website of Cynthia J Mackay
Her book. The Unsightly Truth of Laser Vision Correction: LASIK Surgery Makes Healthy Eyes Sick, Cynthia J. Mackay.
"Dr. Cynthia Johnson MacKay is a pioneering ophthalmologist, author, and advocate for patient safety. A Harvard graduate and former Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Columbia University, she spent decades in clinical practice, teaching, and research. In retirement, she has become a leading voice exposing the risks of LASIK surgery, co-authoring a critical book on the procedure and producing the upcoming documentary Broken Eyes. Her work highlights the importance of medical ethics, informed consent, and protecting patient wellbeing in a profit-driven system."
Cynthia Mackay interview with Doc Ahmed Malik
"In this powerful two-part conversation with Cynthia MacKay, we expose the uncomfortable truth behind LASIK eye surgery. Cynthia, a former clinical professor of ophthalmology and a rare voice of medical integrity, shares her deep concerns about the procedure, from the alarming 30% complication rate to the complete failure of the system to ensure proper informed consent."
I even regret wearing contact lenses for a while as they made my eyes drier and exposed some blood vessels in the whites. I'd never have elective surgery on the most important sensing organs just to get rid of glasses, the reward is clearly not worth the risk.
I tried contacts first, and when one of them got so stuck behind my eye that I had to go to the eye doctor to have it sucked out with an expensive-looking glorified baby snot-sucker I went back to glasses until I got my LASIK.
My corneas were too thin for Lasik so, I had PRK instead. That was nearly 25 years ago. I started needing reading glasses for fine print and tasks with small objects 5 years ago. Other than that, it's been great, after wearing glasses since grade one.
I do know a couple of people who had issues with the Lasik procedure. One guy where the flap wouldn't adhere back onto his eye and another guy who got over-corrected.
The interesting thing about the whole thing, for me, was the contract I had to sign. The Doctor was completely absolved of any responsibility if things diddn't go right. They could totally blind you and, by the contract, they weren't liable. I almost oulled out of the deal because of that.
I had it 20 years ago. I loved it and my eyes are still 20/20. They were corrected from 20/350. My eyeglasses were pretty thick. I'm thankful not sure what the bad results were from. I'm 63.
Biggest Scam theory, I believe is yet to be decided! These mfs lied us about everything!
I had Lasik in only one eye 25 years ago. I haven't needed glasses since then. It was the best several hundred dollars I ever spent.
First really happy to hear that. Second, aside from the threads original intent, lasik highlights how big of a scam insurance is. Since no insurance companies really picked up lasik they have dropped their prices massively since it was originally introduced. Something that never happens when something is covered by insurance
Uh….wut?
A roommate and I were getting a criminal justice degree in the 90’s. He wanted to be a state trooper since he was a kid. To be a state trooper you had to have 20/20 vision so as soon as Radial keratotomy was approved he went to have it done. I told him he was crazy, as the procedure was new, invasive and it’s your eyes! Three months after he was wearing four pairs of glasses throughout the day because his cornea was so weak his sight would change throughout the day. He dropped out of school, moved home and I never saw the man again. That was my first red pill about the medical establishment. I would love to live without glasses and have even considered having it done, but the Doctor I’ve consulted with is the best in the state and highly regarded. I still haven't pulled the trigger though.
I remember hearing about a news anchor many years ago (out of Detroit I believe) who committed suicide after horrific, chronic pain post-LASIK surgery.
I was seriously considering getting the surgery at that time and hearing that report caused me to go down the rabbit hole. I discovered exactly what's in this article. Problems are rare but can be very severe.
At that point, basic risk analysis pointed to just keeping my glasses :)