I had it in 2003 (right before I got prego with my first child). I had astigmatism too and my vision was so bad, I couldn't even make out the top letter on the chart w/o glasses or contacts. By that evening, I checked my email, watched tv and even went out to eat...seeing great the whole time.
I think you get what you pay for and would stay away from cheaper doctors. I used Dr. Henery Gelendar, who actually does cornea replacements. So, he doesn't just make money doing as many lasik surgeries as he can, he actually does surgery on the eye. PLus, he acutally corrects the botched jobs that "lasik in a box" (what I call it) places perform. So, I felt he knew what he was doing even more so that strictly lasik docs. He's in Dallas. ###-###-####.
I was really scared of the thing that held your eyelid open...more than anything else. But honestly, I didn't even notice it after the first eye was done, I was embarrassed that I can gotten so worked up and nervous over nothing!
Good luck,
C.