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Old July 20th 03, 06:23 AM
Cyberchondriac
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Default Lasik - pros and cons ?

Hi all,

I didn't see any threads already discussing this subject, so I ask:
Does anyone know of any absolute pros or cons regarding Lasik vision
correction where stargazing is concerned ?
I am never happy when wearing my glasses, the eye relief just doesn't quite
cut it, even in eyepieces with good eye relief, partly because you still
don't have the benefit of the eyeguard cupping your socket and blocking
stray peripheral light.
Contacts don't work well for me either, because my eyes tend to be very dry,
even with the newer contacts and solutions designed to address that. I seem
okay at distant viewing with the contacts in (I'm nearsighted, diopter is
approx -3.25 L and -3.75 R), but if I try and read something or view
something up close, it blurs out, I can't focus. If I pop a contact out, of
course, I can read fine print and small things easily.. but distance viewing
is shot.
There are, of course, other reasons to wish for normal good eyesight, such
as being able to wake up in the middle of the night and focus without having
to feel around for eyeglasses, or being able to jump in a pool or lake and
go swimming without removing glasses, worrying about them getting wet (mine
smear really bad if wet and I try to clean them without soap - I have an
oily complexion), or, having to remove contacts .. basically, to swim
*confidently*, you wind up having to go without vision correction.. which
makes it impossible to swim confidently.
So, that brings me to Lasik, which as far as I know, is still the most
advanced and best method of surgical vision correction.
I do remember seeing something in this ng about a year ago however, that
stated that due to the corneal flap cut , or maybe the laser itself, it's a
baaad thing to do if you're an amateur astronomer.
Could somebody please expound on that, because I'm really thinking about
taking the plunge, and even though for me astronomy's only a part time
hobby, I'd hate to end it.

Thanks
CC