"John Ford" wrote in message
...
A few years ago (1999 or 2000) there was an extensive thread on this
subject
within SAA that you might still be able to find with a topic search. Most
notably, one or two eye care professionals who were also astronomers
posted
some research data on optical performance of the eye before and after
laser
surgery. As I recall, the post read as an optical test report and the
results were quite scary. Other than the various surgical scars and
after-effects that result in ghost reflections, floater-like symptoms, and
generally-worsened night vision, the degradation in strict optical
performance of the eye was such that for someone who still had
eye-glasses-correctable vision, there was much to lose and little to be
gained.
I was considering the procedure at the time, and I finally concluded that
if
one was "legally blind", or afflicted in some way that was not correctable
by lenses or contacts, then the procedure is justified. Otherwise, I
decided
that getting this procedure done for cosmetic or convenience reasons was
asking for trouble.
Your milage may vary.

John

I'm wondering, in all fairness and objectivity, if the studies were done at
least 6 months after the operation, in which time, reportedly, many of those
symptoms lessen greatly or even go away altogether. 3 people at my
workplace have had it done; 2 of them are estastic about their decision,
and after a year or more, remain so. The 3rd guy was something of a horror
story, but listening to him at length, I couldn't help but wonder if he
really did any research about who he decided to have the procedure done by.
None of them, however, are amateur astronomers. They're mostly computer
professionals.