Are you considering LASIK? If you are, and you do not understand the FULL meaning of the stats below, then I am telling you now, you don't know a fraction of what you need to know in order to make an informed decision. Understanding what these stats mean is only step 1 of a multi step process of informed decision making. If you are a rational, logical, and smart individual you WILL decide against this surgery IF you really do al your homework, and don't believe the LASIK propaganda/hype.
__STATS__
Pre op
Right -3.50 - 4.25 x 178
Left -1.00 - 6.00 x 5

Post op today (9 months after surgery)
Right +0.25 - 0.50 x 060
Left -0.25 - 0.25 x 175
(post op numbers have been stable/unchanged since surgery, although my vision continues to fluctuate widely)

Per my LASIK center
5.5mm pupils
cornea thickness 561 um OD
cornea thickness 553 um OS
6mm ablation zone, blended out to 9.9mm on a B+L 217.
Brought me down to 250 um OU

__Later revealed by independent examination__
Topos revealed oval astigmatic ablation profiles with the long axis in the horizontal meridian, characterized by numerous irregularities/irregular astigmatism within the pupillary zone. Via slit lamp - numerous fine striae centrally OU. Siderosis was also observed centrally OU.

The numeric results look pretty good don't they? However I have

1) day time halos and ghosting from bright objects, white picket fences, my satellite dish, my white house, my bright orange extension cord...
2) Right eye blurry, (much more so than the left) not correctable with refractive lenses. DLK stage II noted at day 7, treated with 1% PF for 15 days.
3) Low light loss of contrast, also, left eye see darker than the right. (this has improved to a small degree over 9 months)
4) Under low light - every light source emits a halo (has improved somewhat over time but still mostly there)
5) Super sensitive to bright light at times
6) Night time star bursts (not too bad though, no where near debilitating, but there regardless)
7) Total acuity/sharpness of vision under most lighting conditions is very poor, I'm a blurry 20/25. Sharpens up slightly with corrective lenses in the left eye only.
8) Presbyopia much worse after surgery than before.
9) Increase in the quantity of floaters
10) The very worst part of this whole thing is the dry dry dry eyes, stinging and painful, using lots of non preserved drops, gels, and ointment still, 9 months later. Varies from day to day, hour to hour. Often have "eye ball pain/strain" as well.

Also, can you imagine my surprise when I learned my new 20/25 vision could be so blurry, not sharp, ghosted, halos etc etc. This is what most non LASIK people do not fully understand. 20/25 CAN still be dreadful quality. I want you to understand this, it is most important.

Since surgery , I have had to get special contact lenses (RGPs) to mask most of the above. RGPs improve my vision quality considerably. Unfortunately, my persistent dry eye condition (I have lower punctal plugs) more often than not does not allow wearing them.

The mental/emotional Trauma of my damaged vision cannot be understated. I could write a book on the stress, anxiety, and depression LASIK has brought to me.

Are you thinking all these bad things rarely happen? You are wrong. But even if you were right in your false assumption, if it happens to YOU, it is for the rest of your life.

pizzo@voyager.net