Lasik + Kiting

Baygullbites · Since 15 Aug 2016 18 Posts Hood river

Hello all,

Any experience with lasik eye surgery and the recovery considering kiting?

Basically, do I need to worried about ripping my cornea off smashing face in the water next summer?

Any feedback is much appreciated, thank you thank you!

macgruber · Since 06 Dec 2011 490 Posts SE PDX volcano Obsessed

Had it 17 years ago and some of the best money I’ve ever spent. I windsurfed a month after and have probably saved over $8000 in glasses and contacts. I do still wear fairly close fitting sunglasses to protect from spray mostly

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1855 Posts XTreme Poster

Had it 6 years ago. Amazing. Do know that if you are in your 40's your near vision will suffer though. Your distance vision? Eagle eye! Love it. I'm close to 55.

CTkiter · Since 27 May 2011 87 Posts

I'm getting mine done in December, but doing PRK (lasek), which does not have a flap, but the downside is that the full recovery time is a lot longer than lasik. I am doing monovision correction, where your dominant eye is corrected for distance vision and your non-dominant eye is corrected for near vision, eliminating the need for reading glasses for near vision. About 85% of those who get PRK or lasik monovision correction tolerate it just fine and are happy with the results, the other 15% experience issues with dept perception, dizziness, headaches, and other issues, just hoping that I am not one of the 15%, but if you are, with PRK you can easily get the near vision eye re-corrected for distance to resolve the issues which the 15% of monovision patient's experience. You can also do a trial/demo of monovision via contact lenses before hand to see if you can tolerate monovision correction, before getting monovision correction done, I am looking to do that myself before my PRK surgery. Either way the majority of people that I have met that have gotten Lasik or PRK done are very happy with it, and many have even said they wish that they did it even earlier on. Take care and good luck with whichever procedure you choose!

Clyde S. Dale · Since 23 Jul 2016 55 Posts

Most I know are fairly happy with the results.Very fast recovery.I'm bummed that I'm not a candidate for lasik,contacts for me unfortunately. There is for some I know a degradation of vision with time. Couple of weeks of keeping river/ocean water out of eyes seems to be the call.

wylieflyote · Tue Oct 31, 17 6:33 am

Related: I opted for an inter-occular lens over the Lasik because of my age and the prospects of cataract issues later in life. This surgery requires an incision into the eye. It was kite season and I only took maybe 2 weeks off, and then wore dark glasses for a season (sort of). Now I completely forget I ever had the surgery, with zero pain or issues.
I am so glad I got the visual correction for near-sighted as I can clearly see my kite lines and any twists, as well as recognize friends on the water. Prior to this it was all a mystery.

Baygullbites · Since 15 Aug 2016 18 Posts Hood river

Great to hear everyone's stories! Really appreciate the responses

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1855 Posts XTreme Poster

Something to consider with the bi-focal Lasik, is that we all lose the ability to focus up close as we age--cornea becomes less pliable and muscles can't put the proper curve into it. So, the eye that gets adjusted for close up will over time lose that ability along with the far vision eye, and have to either be redone, or you end up with reading glasses regardless, but those will need to be RX, because you have two very different focal length eyes.

That said, if you need reading glasses now, or are close to needing them, getting Lasik for distance torches your up-close vision and reading glasses become a must. I buy a zillion of them at the Dollar Store and put them everywhere. The difference between $1 reading glasses and $20 reading glasses is $19.

Eric

wylieflyote · Wed Nov 01, 17 5:31 am

Slappysan · Since 13 Jun 2012 309 Posts Obsessed

If you get the flap version you're supposed to refrain from water sports for 2 years because the force of the water in the eye can rip open the flap.

PRK would be the safe option for a kiter but it's more invasive.

shane s · Since 19 Jun 2013 11 Posts Hood

I got modern wavefront Lasik a couple years ago. I researched as much as I could and specifically asked the surgeon about hard water crashes and kiting. Basically, I was told the bladeless flap is so clean it heals back almost indistinguishable from your cornea, it would take a direct hit from a hard object like a fist or car crash to dislodge the flap. And that is in the first year or so, after it is would be even harder. So based on the doc and the internet, I think with the new technology, you don't need PRK to handle living a rough and tumble life.

I kited within a couple months of getting Lasik. Kited all summer. Crashed lots. Haven't had any issues.

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

I just wore snowboarding goggles after my lasik surgery and kited very carefully. You should be fine.

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

I just wore snowboarding goggles after my lasik surgery and kited very carefully. You should be fine.

user124 · Since 02 Aug 2012 391 Posts Portland Obsessed

So you get lasik so you don't have to wear contact lenses or glasses when you kite. But then maybe you need to wear snowboard goggles on the water for 2 years, and you might need a revision? Plus if you are 40 + your near vision suffers so you need reading glasses or different correction in each eye? I think I'll hold off and wait for IOL implants. Wylie, do you need to have cataracts for the lens replacements or are they doing them for vision correction alone these days?

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1855 Posts XTreme Poster

Not sure about the two year information, but I had mine done in mid October, and was kiting in Baja 6 weeks later with sunglasses. There is no procedure that I know of that will negate the aging effects of corneal hardening, so reading glasses are in your future regardless of what you do, or don't do. I think the $2000 question is, do you want to stop using corrective lenses for distance now?

Having worn contacts for distance for 30 years just fine kayaking, water polo, windsurfing, kiting, surfing, I would say they work great--mostly. We have all had the "put the slipping contact in your mouth" while you get back to shore moment. Or, the contact rolled to the back of the eyeball get it back to the front blinkathon, or the "I should clean these more often" gritty rub, or...

I was on the edge of needing reading glasses when I had Lasik. Afterwords, I had to have them. Had I not had Lasik it would have been a two year glide path to readers.

I few years ago I heard about an experimental technique in Canada to tighten the muscles that flex the cornea with the hopes of getting folks off of readers. Never found out where that went, so I suspect not well.

toddjb · Since 16 Oct 2007 271 Posts MD Obsessed

The issue with the flap is that if you have a bad face wreck where water is forced at your eye, it can lift up the flap years after surgery, insert some bacteria, and then set your flap back down to seal in any debris. You will likely notice blurry vision and go to the doctor. You can also get an infection and lose vision in that eye.

So, yeah, most people, even kiters, are not going to have a wreck like that. However, kiters and wakeboarders are certainly at a much higher risk for that type of wreck than your average soccer mom. (no offense to kiting soccer mom's reading this.)

A good friend had Lasik several years ago (10?) and was recently scratched in the eye by a cat. It lifted up her flap and the docs were concerned about bacteria from the cats claw getting under the flap. They put her on heavy antibiotics and said she might have to get eye surgery to correct. However, all turned out okay.

I'm not a doc, and don't have the surgery. I've just read a lot of the kite threads over the years about it. There is an eye doctor who used to post about this on KF in the past if you want to search there. You'll probably be fine, just know that's the risk.