Lasik in Medellin

Simon says on Nov 29, 2007, 21:10:

You have to stop wearing your contacts ten days before the prodecure. It usually costs about $750.

"Tu vas a ver, llegaras a mi edad y veras que Colombia seguira igual"-----Simon Sr.

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TonyMattei says on Nov 29, 2007, 23:38:

my sister had lasik done in las amercias in medellin and the experience was wonderful she told me....i had it done in bogota in clinca bibiana (babara) and likewise wonderful........i paid a million pesos for both eyes while my sister paid 450.000 pesos for her one eye.

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miamimike says on Nov 30, 2007, 00:55:

I don't like the Idea of flying only 5 days after an operation like this. The fact you experienced Complications is not surprising, I wouldn't recommend these Eye Docs to others based on what you write in your Post. Good Docs wouldn't recommend traveling so soon,,,

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TonyMattei says on Nov 30, 2007, 03:47:

my doctor told me i had to stay at least 5 days after lasik.....in case of complications for two follow up visits

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msaucey says on Nov 30, 2007, 08:22:

No contacts for at least 8 days before the exams..... Depending on the clinic, I went to Clinica Barrequer in Bogota and the doctor knew english quite well.... I think one of them just want to practice in English, since I speak Spanish fluently.... But, I'm like 100% sure that they wont let you inside the operating room.... It's a 10 minute procedure and the doctor only tells you to look at a light, just help your friend practice understanding what the doctor will say.... As for price, I think I'm the only one that has paid the most on this forum, but like I said, almost $3,000,000... But, worth every penny... The operation alone was 1,500,000, but with all the different exams and follow-ups it adds up.... Also, I had a surgeon with over 30 years of experience... No complications...

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Simon says on Nov 30, 2007, 14:25:

Does anyone know if you have to be put under anesthesia por this operation?

"Tu vas a ver, llegaras a mi edad y veras que Colombia seguira igual"-----Simon Sr.

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TonyMattei says on Nov 30, 2007, 15:40:

no... they give you eye drops to numb your eyes..... no real pain at all....more physcological pain..........damn dude 3.000.000 pesos.....i paid 1.250.000 for all my exams an eye drops..

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lampltr says on Nov 30, 2007, 18:17:

Hey guys, am curious, isn't Lasik only recommended after a certain age due to changes (Weakness) in the eye muscles over time. I had read where this procedure is best when one is in their mid 50's or so, is this correct? How long of a period is this effective for sight? I ask as I am 45 and now is a little difficult driving at night and reading. I will be in Colombia for 3 weeks here shortly, maybe best to complete but I do not know as of now....thanks in advance!

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miamimike says on Dec 1, 2007, 10:48:

I wouldn't beleive it would be recommended for a Young patient, say under 18 due to the fact their bodies are still undergoing changes but I know people 70 (stable) who have had the operation without complications. If the person has pre-existing conditions (i.e. diabetes) a Good Doc probably wouldn't recommend Lasik.Of course its done under Anesthesia but of the Local type where you don't go under.Eye drops to numb the eyes is considered a local anesthesia...

The "Less Than Ideal Patient"

LASIK Candidate Sometimes, factors exist that preclude a candidate from being ideal for LASIK surgery. In many cases, a surgeon may still be able to perform the procedure safely, given that the candidate and physician have adequately dis-cussed the benefits and risks, and set realistic expecta-tions for the results. Candidates in this category include those who:

• Have a history of dry eyes, as they may find that the con-dition worsens following surgery.

• Are being treated with medications such as steroids or immunosuppressants, which can prevent healing such as Diabetes or are suffering from diseases that slow healing, such as autoim-mune disorders.

• Have scarring of the cornea.

More often, factors exist that may keep an individual from being a candidate immediately, but do not preclude the individual from being a candidate entirely. Candidates in this category include those who:

• Are under age 18. • Have unstable vision, which usually occurs in young people. Doctors recommend that, prior to undergoing LASIK, candidates’ vision has stabilized with a consis-tent glasses or contact lens prescription for at least two years.

• Are pregnant or nursing.

• Have a history of ocular herpes within one year prior to having the surgery. Once a year has passed from initial diagnosis of the disease, surgery can be considered.

• Have refractive errors too severe for treatment with current technology. Although FDA-approved lasers are available to treat each of the three major types of refrac-tive error – myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism – cur-rent FDA-approved indications define appropriate candidates as those with myopia up to -12 D, astigma-tism up to 6 D and hyperopia up to +6 D. However, laser eye surgery technology is evolving rapidly, and doctors may be able to treat more severe errors in the future.

The Non-LASIK Candidate

Certain conditions and circumstances completely pre-clude individuals from being candidates for LASIK surgery. Non-candidates include individuals who:
• Have diseases such as cataracts, advanced glaucoma, corneal diseases, corneal thinning disorders (keratoconus or pellucid marginal degeneration), or certain other pre-existing eye diseases that affect or threaten vision.

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TonyMattei says on Dec 1, 2007, 12:15:

you need to be 25 and not pregnant....i recommend bogota dr armando laverde in clincia barbara

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miamimike says on Dec 2, 2007, 01:24:

In Bogota, the world Famous Clinca de Barraquer comes highly recommended also:

Many Ophthalmologists consider Colombia to be 'The Mecca' for eye surgery"*
*(Quotation from ABC affiliate KITV television news.)

Dr. Jose I. Barraquer is a Member of the Ophthalmology Hall of Fame.

Many international ophtalmologists admire world renowned Colombian Eye Surgeon Dr. Jose Barraquer, "The Father of Modern Refractive Surgery," and how his genius spawned the exodus out of the dark ages for corneal refractive surgery, which essentially did not exist prior to Barraquer. He is one of the true geniuses of modern ophthalmic surgery. Before Jose Barraquer, ophthalmologists' primary concerns were related to post surgical corneal clarity. Dr. Barraquer, though, was not happy with this for he realized the very important refractive properties of the cornea. He then went on to develop surgical procedures to correct the corneal refractive(optical) defect. He also had to design and build the instruments to perform these procedures because they simply did not exist! The disbelievers became believers, and he was no longer alone.

Did you know? Dr. Barraquer's volume-thickness techniques in keratomileusis (his own procedure) were the first in any surgical specialty to modify a normal structure to effect permanent improvement in function. Dr. Barraquer's procedure Keratomileusis is the origin of the K in LASIK.

Colombian Eye Surgeons have been performing modern corneal lamellar refractive procedures longer than surgeons in any other country in the world. Thanks to Dr. Barraquer!


You are cordially invited to enter the following sites and get to know more about Colombians Dr. José I. Barraquer, Dr. Luis Ruiz, and Dr. Cirgilio Galvis, who are considered the best in the world at refractive surgery, period!


http://www.lasik-eyes.com/cost.html#Barraquer_Friedman

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rhydewithdis says on Sep 25, 2008, 14:06:

So I stopped by Clinica San Diego in Medellin today to find out about LASIK (Cr. 43 No 30-28). I met with Dr. Harold Freydell (speaks great English btw) Tel: 381 4868, Consultorio 204. I made an appointment before I showed up, no wait when I got there to see him.

His assistant gave me a quick exam and then I met with Dr. Freydell. He gave me another exam, said that things look good preliminary speaking and that he would recommend I go get the advanced Wavescan Pentacam Biometria exams done. The additional exams took about 2.5 hrs and the cost was 150mil. The consultation with Dr. Freydell cost 90mil. I went back to him with my results, he looked at everything said that things looked well and I would be a good candidate. He did strongly suggest that I do not wear contacts for about a week prior to the surgery so my cornea can breathe and expand.

Questions for everyone that has knowledge about LASIK and costs in Medellin.
He has two tiers of surgery:
1) Estandar: Cost 1,250mil (approx $595)
2) Personalizada: Cost 2,680mil (approx ($1300).

The difference between these two, from my discussions with him is that Personalzada uses Wavefront technology, while Estandar does not and the same surgery is done to both eyes.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasik
"For best results, Dr. Steven Schallhorn, an ophthalmologist who oversaw the US Navy's refractive surgery program and whose research partly influenced the Navy's decision to allow its aviators to get Lasik, recommends patients seek out what's called "all-laser Lasik" combined with "wavefront-guided" software.[58][59]"

Any thoughts on the above? Are the costs in-line or inflated? Anyone recommend I should speak to additional doctors? It seems that Clinica San Diego is the best here in Medellin. There are at least 8-10 ophthalmologists there that would perform the same procedure. I just feel odd calling each one and trying to have a bidding war for a medical procedure.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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rhydewithdis says on Sep 25, 2008, 15:03:

Also forgot to mention that the Dr. indicated that enhancements for up to one year are covered under the price.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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rhydewithdis says on Oct 2, 2008, 17:45:

Today I stopped by Avance Oftamologica clinica in Laureles located at Calle 33A #76-29 (444 62 00). I made an appointment before hand, was asked to pay the 30mil for the exams and almost immediately I began a series of 3-4 exams with about a 5-8 minute wait in the Sala between each exam.

After all the exams were completed, I met with Dr. Mauricio Agudelo (speaks decent English). He was a nice gentleman, practicing four about four years post-fellowship (done in refractive surgery) which he said he studied in Bogota at the Barraquer clinica under Dr. Jose Barraquer (father of Lasik). He said he has performed over 2000 surgeries since he has joined this clinic. My primary reason for going to another doctor and getting the exams done over again was to get a second opinion.

Whereas Dr. Harold Freydell from San Diego recommended that I get Wavefront, Dr. Agudelo of Avance recommended I normal Lasik given my profile. The total cost at Avance is 1,050,000 pesos. Roughly about 220mil (~$110) cheaper than Dr. Freydell.

After reading up on wavefront and candidate profiles of who is best qualified for it (http://www.castervision.com/CasterPoster.pdf), it seems that it was more of an upsell by Dr. Freydell than me actually needing it.

Anyhow, that is my experience so far (which has cost me about 240mil taxi fares). More than likely I am going to choose Dr. Freydell given his experience and the relatively small difference in price between the two doctors.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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ujay says on Oct 2, 2008, 18:44:

i wanted it done ,cos i could not see too far,nice doctor ,took me out side told me to look up ,what you see ,the sun i said ,well how much farther you want to see.---

The former world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno had his eyes done here and went on win the title ,colombia has good name doing this kind of work....

http://www.jukelightning.com

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paisa29 says on Oct 3, 2008, 15:14:

No sabía que Medellín tenía buena fama por este tipo de procedimientos tambien.
Que interesante!

http://www.visualtecnologialaser.com/english/003_tecno.htm

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rhydewithdis says on Oct 3, 2008, 17:01:

So I set up an appointment to have my Lasik performed today by Dr. Harold Freydell from Clinica de Oftalmologia San Diego. Unfortunately there was a complication during the surgery of my first eye where the flap was cut too thin by the microkeratome, a complication known as a buttonhole flap. My right eye is bandaged up right now and I'm just hoping is no long-term damage. The doctors prognosis was that it was not severe and that I should heal up fully in two weeks -- but during those two weeks I would experience some blurry vision, artifacts, etc. while the eye healed.

From what I have learned by reading online, this happens in about 0.06% of the cases.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17523508

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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antiguru says on Oct 3, 2008, 18:08:

not sure if you all have been keeping up with Lasik controversy in the news in the US. check out http://www.lasikcomplications.com/ Alot more people have complications than lasik doctors will lead you to believe. i had lasik a couple of years ago. one eye is worse (ghost image) and the other is back to where is was before surgery. definitely not worth it in my case. i need glasses now.

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rhydewithdis says on Oct 4, 2008, 12:22:

Well, I met with Dr. Freydell this morning. He removed the bandaging around my right eye, all of the tape, etc then started an exam. My vision is pretty bad without corrective lenses (contacts or glasses) so even though I could see out of my right eye, I could not tell if there was any distortion beyond my normal poor vision.

During his exam, he removed the lens that was apparently placed in my eye during the surgery to I guess heal the buttonhole flap. He concluded that following my next appointment with him on Monday, I should start wearing contact lenses again which would assist in the healing process.

I'm back at my place now -- I put my glasses on and my vision out of my right eye is indeeed imparied at this point. Very blurry - I can see but details such as reading with my right eye would not be possible. I'm hoping all heals well over the next few days. My eye is also very, very irritable right now.

He did refund me the cost of the procedure -- but obviously that money is worthless next to having long term issues... I'll post another update to my situation (for those that are reading with interest) after I go for another follow up on Monday.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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Shovelbum says on Oct 7, 2008, 10:11:

Hey, I hope this complication gets worked out for you! Keep us updated of your progress!

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rhydewithdis says on Oct 7, 2008, 10:59:

Update...
It is day 4 post-op. Stopped in to the Doc's office yesterday afternoon for a check up. The discomfort stopped around the end of Day 2. Vision has been improving from very blurry to now slightly still blurry. I'm putting four types of drops into my eyes five times a day. Dr. Freyell seemed genuinely dismayed that this happened, especially given the technology he works with.

He says I'll make a full recovery. If my vision continues improving its current pace, I hope he will be proven right. I can't say one way or another if I would dissuade anyone from pursuing Lasik. I knew the risks and chances of complications going in. I was unfortunately very, very unlucky having encountered a type of complication that happens in about 0.59% of cases.

I think I did my due diligence as thoroughly as possible. Went to two separate clinics, both said I was a good candidate for the surgery. I chose the clinic that is considered the best in Medellin, and a doctor that several people recommended both on this board as well as other boards.

My next post-op exam will be this Friday, day 7 after the exam. I'll post another update then.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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ColombianoGringo says on Oct 7, 2008, 11:06:

Does anyone know which, if any, of the doctors in Medellin or Bogota are using the advanced all laser(femtosecond and wavefront-guided) procedure approved by NASA and the DOD for astronauts and fighter pilots?

I am thinking of finally getting this done. I am not an astronaut, but I have very high correction and want the absolute best procedure available, whether in the US or Colombia. Honestly, I am scared shitless of messing up my eyes. I really couldn't care less how much it costs, but if I can get the same procedure in Colombia, I'd just as soon do it there.

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rhydewithdis says on Oct 7, 2008, 11:46:

Clinica San Diego has the Wavefront machine.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

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ColombianoGringo says on Oct 7, 2008, 12:05:

Thanks for the info rhyde.

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pedro says on Oct 7, 2008, 12:27:

Rhyde, take care and I hope the recovery is complete. Keep us posted.

que nota!

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Cheers Terry says on Oct 7, 2008, 12:30:

Good info Rhyde, thanks for taking the time to post it.

Cheers,
Terry

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