I just made my appointment at the Joffe Medical Center to finally get Lasik eye surgery. I'm sick to death of juggling contacts and glasses, needing to wear glasses at work in front of a computer all day, and contacts whenever I have an audition or performance. Wondering if I left my contacts at my house or my boyfriend's. Not being able to see the clock when I wake up in the morning. Buying contact solution and cases and wondering if my glasses are crooked or smudged. Not being able to see my ankle in the shower when I'm trying to shave my legs.

So for my birthday this year, I'm giving myself the gift of sight. Joffe advertises that they charge a simple price of $995 per eye, with no upsales or hidden fees. That's about half of what I was quoted at MN Eye Care Consultants a year ago.

I've heard the few stories out there of people who end up with double vision, night blindness, halos, dry eye, etc. Frankly, I don't think any of those things could be worse than my current vision situation and the oppressive hold it has on my life. And everyone I've actually spoken with who has had the procedure swears by it and says it changed their lives.

August 8th, baby, these eyeballs are getting cut.

You are a brave woman, dorajar. I have also thought about getting Lasik done. I always have a bruise on the bridge of my nose from bumping my glasses. A close friend of mine could only afford to have one eye done-but she swears the other eye has self-corrected. Keep us posted on how it goes and happy birthday!

hazel wrote:

You are a brave woman, dorajar. I have also thought about getting Lasik done. I always have a bruise on the bridge of my nose from bumping my glasses. A close friend of mine could only afford to have one eye done-but she swears the other eye has self-corrected. Keep us posted on how it goes and happy birthday!

Thank you! And I will definitely keep you posted on the results.

Just went in for my preliminary exam. They did all the tests pretty quickly and efficiently, then plopped me into a big, leather massaging chair to watch a video on the process. Then the doctor did a couple more tests after my eyes were fully dilated, and told me I am indeed a candidate for Lasik and I'm all set to be zapped on the 8th. Another technician came in and went over all the pricing and details with me, and I'm good to go.

It's going to set me back about 2 grand, and I'm thinking I may try to write it off as a business expense. As an actor, it's important that I'm able to see on stage, at rehearsals and auditions, etc., without bulky spectacles on my face. Now that a sizable portion of my income comes from freelance writing and acting, I think I have a compelling argument to write it off as a business expense.

Thoughts?

Just got off the phone with Norm from the IRS.

I HAVE AN ANSWER!

The bottom line is: it's worth a shot.

A business expense is defined as being "ordinary and necessary" to your profession. It does not have to be indispensable in order to be considered necessary.

That is the exact language, which is pretty ambiguous and open to interpretation. I believe I can make the case that Lasik fits into that category for an actor. He said the worst case scenario is that I get audited or they send me a letter asking me to defend that position, or they deny it, or I can take it to tax court. But in the meantime, I am free to list what I consider to be business expenses and see what happens.

He said, "It's not a shoo-in, but it's not a knock out either" [translation: it's not a definite yes or no]. "I can't give you an exact answer and neither can anyone at the IRS."

So as far as I'm concerned, that leaves me room to make the case.

I'm doing it!

Have you normally been itemizing deductions, Dora? I believe the standard deduction for a single in 2007 was about $5300. So in your case, you'd need to write off the $2000 plus scare up another $3300 in deductions to break even, and work deductions are also reduced by a percentage of your gross taxable income.

On the bright side, with some creative accounting, you may have a lot of deductions you haven't thought of. Internet access charges. Mileage to gigs. Things like that. Guess the bottom line on business deductions is to run the numbers and make sure you will be better off than the standard deduction if you take them. Oh, and another thing- if you declare your non-primary income as a business, be prepared to pay social security taxes on the income too. Ouch.

The way I understand it, deductions are different than business expenses. Yes, I've been listing and claiming business expenses for a couple of years now. I keep a mileage log in my car, and I record all the miles to and from rehearsals, auditions, and performances. I keep receipts for meals I eat with cast members before and after shows, or for meals at restaurants that I review. Receipts for my headshots, costume pieces and makeup that I have to buy myself, even the pedicure I got for my last show, as I was in flip-flops on stage. I've been semi-creative with it all along, but I think always within the bounds of what's defensible.

Yes, you're right. Business expenses are included in your form that lists both your income and expenses from a personal business. Deductions for work expenses are listed on your "non reimbursed employee expenses" on the long form tax return, and those are the ones subject to the 2% of gross reduction.

thrice wrote:

Yes, you're right. Business expenses are included in your form that lists both your income and expenses from a personal business..

Yes. The IRS considers freelance writing/acting to be one category of personal business, which is handy for me, as I do both, and can pool all the expenses I incur in pursuit of both areas and deduct them from my gross income from my personal business. These days, that income is matching what I make at the day job, so it's not an insignificant amount!

I'm going in tomorrow morning at 9:20 for my surgery. Very excited! I'll post updates afterwards about my recovery and the results.

This is the place I'm having it done:

http://joffemedicenter.com/

Has anyone else had any experience with the Joffe MedCenter?

Well I couldn't be more pleased.

I went in yesterday morning at 9:20. They put me in a big leather massage chair while I did all my payment business and a nurse went over my eye drops with me, which one does what, and how and when to use them. Then I watched a 10-minute video on post-op care and what to expect and they gave me some valium. The doc came in to get me about 30 minutes later. He was very pleasant and offered to answer any questions I might have. When we were all set to go, I lay down on a swiveling platform under the laser. I had to focus on a flashing red light while they did their thing, and it was all over within 3 minutes. They sent me on my way. My dad was there to drive me home, and upon arriving home I went straight to bed. By that time the numbing drops had worn off and my eyes were burning and stinging pretty bad. But I fell asleep and when I woke up 3 hours later, all traces of discomfort were gone. Things were still a smidgeon blurry, but I got up and made some lunch, and then went back to sleep for another 2 hours. When I woke from that 2nd nap, things were much clearer, and I was feeling great. I went out to dinner with my dad and sister to celebrate my new eyes, then went home and watched the Olympics Opening Ceremony on TV. When I woke up this morning, my eyes were crystal clear and I've been in great spirits all day.

I went in for my day-after check up this morning, and my vision tested at 20-15--better than perfect!! I just need to put a few eyedrops in a few times a day for a week, and sleep in some goggles so I don't rub my eyes in my sleep, and I'm good to go. I went for a jog today, chopped onions...no irritation whatsoever.

I can't stop grinning like an idiot. I feel liberated! Lasik is amazing!!

I was a little leary when I noticed their shop here opened in 2007, but it looked like they've got centers all over and their main guy at this one has done over 40,000, so I figured you were probably in good hands. Any problems with night vision or halos?

40,000 X $2,000 is some serious money.

OdinofAzgard wrote:

I was a little leary when I noticed their shop here opened in 2007, but it looked like they've got centers all over and their main guy at this one has done over 40,000, so I figured you were probably in good hands. Any problems with night vision or halos?

40,000 X $2,000 is some serious money.

I do see some halos around lights at night, but that's normal and should go away within a couple of months. Even if it doesn't, it's really not too bothersome.

Right now the most annoying thing is having my eyelashes constantly clumpy and crusty from all the eyedrops. And I can't rub them too much for fear of messing with my eyeballs. But that will pass. Honestly, this is really amazing!

Here's my alarming-looking (but painless) eyeball with the burst blood vessel:



And the awesome goggles I get to sleep in for a week to keep me from rubbing my eyes in my sleep:

Those are amazing!