Diving after Laser Eye Surgery

[Mik Carr]

Does anyone have any hard info on whether it is/is not possible to dive following Laser corrective eye surgery (Lasik, Lasek and all variants)? Are any versions superior to any other vis-a-vis diving? Has any list member personal experience?

:cool: :confused:

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share!
Mik.

[Steve Pearson]

I had PRK about 5 yrs ago

Have done loads of dives since, down to a max of 70m

I've had no problems at all, they work that well I can even make out the mermaids when I'm down there :)

Steve

[tony J]

Does anyone have any hard info on whether it is/is not possible to dive following Laser corrective eye surgery (Lasik, Lasek and all variants)? Are any versions superior to any other vis-a-vis diving? Has any list member personal experience?

:cool: :confused:

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share!
Mik.
My surgeon, said no swimming for a month due to infection. Diving after 2 ok, but better to wait for 3 (general length of time to recover fully is 3 months )

However the surgery has left me with very blurred sight in one eye (damaged cornea) which can not be corrected with glasses. I have had one repair operation and and I am awaiting another operation in 3 months time. I may have to have my eyeball stitched. I believe the risk is lower with Lasek than lasik (I had lasik) . I would not wish this vision on anybody (the correction in the other eye was close, but not perfect -4.5 became +0.5)

Oh, and my night vision is terrible (glare and startbursts). A lot of grief for 3k

Tony

[garethwoodruff]

I had PRK done about 8 years ago and while it did a great job, I would only recommend it for career reasons.

With all surgery theres a risk and if its cosmetic, its just not worth taking.

Bad eyesight was preventing all my career choices, now its 20/20.

[Gary Sedgwick]

Hi Mike,

I went under the laser back in November. My reasons were "cosmetic" really, although I don't know if you could describe eye surgery as "cosmetic"... for me, my left eye had a small short-sighted prescription, and my right eye a very small (so small it still counted as 20/20 vision) prescription. My left eye meant I had to wear glasses for driving, cinema, etc, and things in the distance would be fuzzy without glasses. I've never worn contacts, and had no plans to - and I've never been very successful (read careful!) with glasses - hence I decided to fix the problem once and for all. And it has - I'm very pleased. My left eye (NB I only had surgery to this eye as my right is such a small prescription) is now my better eye! And my general vision is 20/20. I had the Wavefront guided treatment too - more expensive, but it has actually improved my night vision (which I didn't have a problem with before surgery - but I've noticed now it has got better!). I also have wide pupils, so Wavefront again made sense.

Generally, you'll probably be advised not to swim for at least a month, and not dive for around 2 months (preferably 3). I stayed out the club pool for a couple of months, and didn't dive until Easter (wasn't planning to dive before then anyway - one reason I went for November!).

One word of advice - do your research. Then research some more! I spent literally *weeks* researching the pros and cons, where to go, the different lasers, the different techniques, the different surgeons. It is, at the same time, a potentially risky (as you can see by others' posts) but potentially very rewarding operation. However, the risks these days (depending on prescription etc.) are generally low and have improved a lot in recent years (especially with Wavefront)... they'll always be there and only you can decide if they're worth taking, but that's a bit like diving isn't it? :)

I had Lasek. One thing might be worth considering - the healing process from Lasek is longer and less pleasant than Lasik, but the surgery itself is less intrusive. Lasik permanently weakens the structure of the cornea (as it involves cutting into it), whereas Lasek does not (it involves cutting and peeling back only the surface layer, the eipthelium). Diving was the big factor in my decision of Lasek vs. Lasik - diving involves pressures on the eyeballs, and whilst probably not an issue for Lasik, I decided I preferred not weakening anything in my eye and went for Lasek! Of course other factors can come into the decision - both types may not be an option, you'd have to speak to a surgeon.

Get all the information and facts you need before you commit to anything, and go to a number of surgeons for a consultation. If you're in the London area I had a difficult choice between 2 of the more respected clinics, and very much recommend the one I went with in the end (Advance Visioncare - the surgeon is Mr. Pillai) for a number of reasons (send me a private message if you like and I'll give you all the details of my experience - probably best done off-forum!).

Gary

[chris sykes]

Does anyone have any hard info on whether it is/is not possible to dive following Laser corrective eye surgery (Lasik, Lasek and all variants)? Are any versions superior to any other vis-a-vis diving? Has any list member personal experience?

:cool: :confused:

Thanks in advance for any info you may have to share!
Mik.
i had eyes corrected about 3 years ago at boots(my wife wanted the points)and have dived extensively since with no problems,things are much better as i don't need a special mask and can always see properly.treatment was lasik. chris sykes.

[W@LT]

Some people have different ideas as to when you should re-start the diving... The main fear is that fitting masks on may result in damage to the flap they cut when they do the procedure.

A great site for information on laser eye surgery is www.lasik-eyes.co.uk

It has some realy good advice on choosing a clinic / surgeon.

W@LT

[Craig Robertson]

I had laser treatment approx 4 years ago. At the time was suffering I was fed up with my glasses fogging up every time I went skiing and the need to to put my mask on before the rest of kit. Following the operation I was diving in the Red Sea 6 week later. The only problem I have is the loss of much of my night sight.

Good luck

[Hickdive]

I had Wavefront Lasik in June 07, I was back diving within a few weeks. I had no problems with dry eyes, starburst night vision or anything else. My wife had the procedure at the same time and is similiarly problem free and we both now have 20/20 vision.

[Christopher Bullion]

One thing to consider is how much correction your sight requires. Much Beloved went for a Consult for both Lasik and Lasek, and was discounted for both, as she was minus 9 in both eyes (explains how she ended up with me), and her cornea was 504 microns thick, a bit too close to the minimum 500 micron thickness for the Consultant's comfort.
She was strongly advised to has implanted contact lenses, which she had done in March 2006.
She was cleared for swimming at 4 weeks, and then Diving at 2 months, taking care to increase her depths gradually over the next few months.

Just wanted to make the point that there are times when Laser Surgery is not the best way forward, and an invasive procedure may be required, and this also will still allow you to dive afterwards, as we can't keep her out of the water these days! :D

Good Luck!

[craighallett]

Just seen this site and remembered your query. This site, the London Vision Clinic lists scuba diving as a Week 2 activity. Check it out. Might be worth giving them a call.

http://www.londonvisionclinic.com/questions-answers/index.php?topic=results

[stephenslave]

Probably best to double-check with a laser clinic as a 60m diving is obviously out-of-the-norm, but I'd guess that once the healing process has taken place that you wouldn't have a problem.

[simmo1]

Hi,
in order to help your decision, i see alot of useful information has been posted, could your clinic not recommend a timespan you would be able ot dive in? i found another laser eye care company that have a wealth of knowledge on all things eyes, maybe they can help

http://www.optegraeyecare.com/

[whitenoise]

I had Wavefront Lasik on both eyes back in 2004 at a Harley Street clinic and was advised not to go diving for 12 months. Technology has come on since then, as there was only one other place in the country at the time that could deal with my prescription, so the recommendations could be different now.

[Gary(A)]

Just been onto Optimax (Deal seems very good)
They are now recommending no diving for at least 6months.
Pity as I was looking forward to no specs.

[NVISIONCenters]

We typically tell people no swimming in pool water for 2 weeks and no ocean water for 4 weeks.

[Edited by mod team] Links removed from signature so as to avoid people thinking this is simply spam. Tristan [Edit/]

[ChristianG]

We typically tell people no swimming in pool water for 2 weeks and no ocean water for 4 weeks.
Hmmmmm. Is swimming the same as diving? If a diver doesn't equalise his mask as they go deeper they typically get increasing (negative) pressure on the eye which, I'm sure, can't be good for any eye that has healed relatively recently as a result of such a procedure. Doesn't happen in most cases (for example I typically exhale through the nose when descending specifically to avoid this) but you should always look at the worst case scenario in such instances. Of course, the opposite, on ascent, doesn't happen because increasing (positive) pressure will automatically escape via the mask seal.

I fear that any such clinic may not necessarily be the best answer since they are unlikely to know too much about hyperbarics.

[AndyOz]

In the last couple of years HM forces have changed their no eye surgery restriction. I was discussing this issue and diving with some serving friends they told me those who had corrective eye surgery more that six months before hand were being accepted and this included for roles as aircrew and ships diver etc.
There are several different method of corrective surgery available so that is likely to be variation. However I know the Forces "management" have always been very conservative about this sort of thing and would probably only change it with a lot of clinical data being available.

[AndyMacquire81]

The answer you have been given by your surgeon is correct regarding recovery after laser eye surgery. Naturally the Trans-epi procedure that leaves no flap is a 'safer' treatment by definition but normal LASIK is also very safe.

[scubasteve]

Hi

Had lasek surgery in Dec 2010 best thing i ever did, I had been wearing glasses for over 40 years with heavy astigmatism -5 approx in both eyes.
The difference underwater and above was amazing, I was told that I could only have Lasek procedure as my cornea was to thin but that although this was the more painful procedure (not that bad!) it was the safest and most sportsmen, military,police ect go for this.

[AndyMacquire81]

hope by now you have got answer to your question... if you are still confused .....wanted to let you know abt this eye clinic where my brother-in-law got laser eye surgery done.....you can get more information abt them on www.accuvision.co.uk ..... good luck :)