Lasik

Did it last year. They suggest you to be careful with surfing for at least 2 months. If you don't think you'll be in a big wipeout it's going to be okay. The water isn't dangerous i's the impact of the water that can open the scar.
As for surfing itself, best move ever, surfing with bad eyes take 30% of the fun. You're going to love it!
Cheers

 

I've considered getting this done myself but never taken the leap. I'm suppose to wear glasses but i never do and I know it hurts my surfing to some degree not having 100% of my vision. Reading waves and seeing the details more clearly is what i'm missing out on and i'm sure that could improve my surfing to some degree if I got that fixed. I need to get it done, but not sure it's worth the risk or not. Lots of people have had success and others not so much, just depends I guess.

 

There's nothing worse than losing a contact in the water and ending your session early. Good luck and let us know how it goes. I want to get it done too.

 

I was just thinking about this the other day... and I keep thinking how long would it keep me from being able to surf after getting the proceedure done.... meanwhile I have never had a problem with my disposable contacts while surfing... granted you have to keep your eyes closed and be careful to not let any water hit them... which always seems to happen within 5 seconds of getting in the water. lol.

 

Had LASIK in 1999 and it was the best thing I ever did for surfing. The doctor told me that the flap would be completely healed back to the eye surface within a few weeks. I had the surgery in mid January and went on a surf trip to Eleuthera in mid February with no issues.

By the way, 14 years later, my eyesight is still excellent, and i had no issues in recovery.

 

LASIK is the best thing a surfer could do. I try to block out how many times a contact would fall out (or both) while surfing which would end my session early and result in a pretty hairy car ride home until I learned to leave the spare glasses in the glove compartment.

My last straw with contacts/glasses was when I went on a surf trip to Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica and the airline lost my luggage (boardbag included). I left my glasses and spare contacts in my luggage and was left stressing over losing my contacts surfing and not being able to see/surf in paradise (thankfully the hotel owners gave me and my buddy some boards and trunks). And luckily I didn't lose a contact and got my bags back in 3 days.

I got LASIK in Jan 2012 and hit the water first in Late March/Early April that year. My doctor was pretty sure I would be okay after 2 months, but I waited an extra bc of other doctor's opinions on the internet and knowing the impacts you can take (I had popped both ear drums in separate incidents earlier that year). I actually fell and thought I tweaked one of my eyes in my first session and saw a doctor who said everything was okay, but I just aggravated it (I thought I lifted the flap).

Moral of the story is... LASIK is the best thing you can do to increase your quality life as a surfer, but be smart about getting back in. Seems like no one has a horror story about LASIK and lifting their eye flap surfing though.

 

I had the Epi Lasik where there is no flap cut in the cornea. Recovery is longer but it is suggested that this is good for people that do sports etc. - I was out of the water for maybe 2-3 weeks. Great decision no matter what procedure you go with.

 

Had it done 3 years ago and best decision ever! Highly recommend it. 2 weeks recovery before going in for me and no problems. Only reget not having done it years ago.

Good luck!

 

My friend is an ophthalmologist and he doesn't think LASIK is a good idea for anyone. You have to decide which risks are acceptable for you personally.

 

My wife is an ophthalmologist and she also has reservations about LASIK. I wear soft contacts myself and can count on one hand in the last 10+ years I've lost a contact in the water...

 

It's uncomfortable at the beginning of a session without my glasses. I wear them all the time. That wasn't always the case, but age takes its toll. I adapt for the most part. I see the Wounded Warriors missing a leg or an arm trying to surf at the VA Bch Oceanfront and realize that I've got nothing to complain about. It's toughest toward dusk when the light diminishes. With less light, my eyesight deteriorates rapidly. When I can't really see or judge the swells, it's time to get out. I have a hard time clearly seeing other surfer's faces when we're talking out in the line-up, so I may not recognize them the next time I see them. Maybe I could have bolts implanted on both sides of my head to attach prescription goggles.

 

I've thought about getting it...I wear contacts and i can't stand taking them out every night, which led me to having two eye infections earlier this year...it does suck losing one while out in the water, but it's such a rare occurrence that it's not really a big deal. Surfing without one or both blows, that's why i always keep a spare pair in the Jeep.

My dad had it done by his eye doctor, it wasn't categorized as LASIK, so if i was going to get it done I'd probably go through my eye doctor. I watched the surgery. Saw them cut the flap and all, looked pretty nasty...but he loves it.

 

care to elaborate? that's a very bold statement, considering that (purely anecdotally) this is the first negative i've heard about lasik. i surf in soft contacts, have since i was 14, & can count on 2 hands the # of lenses i've lost in the ocean, so it's not *really* a big deal, but still a PITA when it happens (once a year, tops). i long ago learned to keep spares in the glove box. i'm genuinely curious about why eye dr's. think it's a bad idea when i've only heard good things from patients who've had it done.

 

I had epi LASIK four years ago and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. That's not even mentioning how much it has improved my time in the water. The recovery from epi is slow (months to full acuity) and it hurts like hell for a few days but I'd do it again. My surgeon offers both procedures and said if he was having it done for himself, all oher things bring equsl, he'd definitely go epi despite the long recovery. Do a bit of research before you decide on flap surgery.

 

I had it done about 3 years ago and I had them use the scalpel on the flap and I was told that was the way to go because the laser serated the corneal flap where the blade made a clean cut. Best money Ive ever spent, surfing for the first time afterwards was really bizarre because i had to get used to a completely new depth perception but its amazing in the difference when you can see better down the line. Good Luck

 

I say go ahead and go for it, keep us posted too! Having bad eyesight myself and wearing soft contacts out in the surf all the time I call BS on the people saying it's rarely a problem losing a contact. If you ever plan on trying to make a barrel or even surf in big waves, dealing with contacts BLOWS. During a good 3-4 hour barrel session I've gone through several in each eye. I look forward to having LASIK done myself in another year or two when my vision settles.

 

used to lose contacts all the time, then had this in 2005, best 4K i ever spent

 

thanks for the update. I wear contacts when I surf... it has never been an issue other than people sometimes are waiting for me to get them in to head to the beach. lol. I don't like wearing glasses so between the two surfing and regular life I wouldnt mind getting rid of the glasses. Keep us posted on your experience until you think you are fully healed andback in the water.