did ReLEx® SMILE lasik at LSC@ paragon level 16 in 2016 (was 29yrs old) after 19 years of glasses + 4 years of contact lenses(yup same like you they were not doing it for me anymore because i couldn't go more than 6hours with them on) , i had degree 1050 and 950 on left and right, astig was more than 4). recovery was fantastic since this was a new way of lasik, i did it in the morning, cried because i could actually see without glasses on the way home, skipped the pain killers and slept for 11 hours, was back at work the next day LOL
its now 2020 and i'm back to wearing glasses because the astig is back
granted, eyesight now isn't even bad as it was back then (degree's now 50 and 75 on left and right, astig's 1.50 and 0.75 ), but am here to help manage your expectations and say that IF you're looking for a miracle (like if you think you won't be wearing glasses anymore until the day you die), you won't find one. i mean sure, you'll be able to wake up and see straight away for sure, you'll be able to swim without degree goggles and be able to find the shower rooms after your swim, but if your astig and eyesight was anywhere as bad as mine before lasik, the lasik will only correct most of it and the rest will return with a vengeance haha
you could argue that i could have gone back to paragon to correct it, but i was scared shitless that an accident might happen and i would end up with permanently blurred vision even though the first time was a success, so i didn't even bother going back lol
side story: have a friend who had 1500 on the left and 1600 on the right, and the lasik could only correct it down to 500-ish, she refuses to wear glasses now because she ai mei so when i meet her for dinner, she legit can't see me until i'm a metre away from her lmao
dry eyes after the surgery lasted about 4 months for me, after that it went away and i had super sharp eyesight for a good 2 years before i started noticing my vision (street lights from a distance, car plate numbers were not as sharp as before, bus numbers were fine though) distance-wise, was getting just a slight bleary at night. now i only wear glasses when using the com, watching tv or at work (am a designer), the rest of the time i get by fine without glasses.
i guess compared to 23 years of being almost blind as a bat and seeing only big blur shapes, i can't complain. i dont regret going for the surgery at all because at least i still can see without glasses, and the surgery went smoothly so i guess i can't complain. but yeah don't expect to have super sharp vision for the rest of your life. its different for everyone, i am also surrounded by a handful of friends who did it 9-10 years ago with old tech and still have 20/20 vision, so i can only say:
you can't buy extra eyeballs at 7-11 so do it at a reputable place where you feel fully comfortable with your surgeon, DO NOT be cheap about it and try to choose a "cheaper" clinic or compare prices, and after you're done, let the chips fall where they may with no regrets. even if you do get great eyesight after lasik for decades, once you hit your golden years you're gonna be blessed with whatever **** old people gotta go through
