I had Lasik today- I can see!!
PLEASE REMEMBER I AM A TOTAL WIMP and everyone has different experiences- so don't be put off-and I feel fine now. I went to the centre this morning at 8.40, literally feeling sick and beside myself with nerves. I had spent the last month kind of not believing it would happen as they can turn you away on the day if you are not suitable or get a cold etc so I didn't want to get worked up. Consequently I woke up in a right state  all that nervous energy hit me. Poor Greg had to be extra strong for the both of us. I managed to keep my breakfast down and walking through the door was greeted by a young smiling nurse who immediately made me feel more at ease. Greg held my hand and cracked jokes while we sat in the waiting room, I laughed on the outside but still felt very worried on the inside!
The nice nurse went through the paperwork and talked things through so I had no questions and understood everything. Then one of the surgeons called me in for a last check-up. Back to the waiting room, 10 mins later another nice nurse took me into a side room to explain my eye drops and kindly offered to come in with me if I needed her  I must have looked so scared.
15 Mins later I was entering the operating room. A tall young man called Charlie was the assisting nurse. He took my glasses fro me (hooray, I waved goodbye to them in my head) and put a cap on my head to keep my hair out of the way. I lay on the bed and he cleaned my eyes with a very cold solution and talked to me to calm me down. Then he put anasthetic drops in my eyes. A shield was placed over my left eye and he explained I must look straight ahead, there was a white circle light I had to look towards. More solutions in my eye. The surgeon swung the bed to the side and they explained this was the first laser which cuts the circular flap on the eyeball. They taped my eyelids open. More solution. At this point they tell you you will lose the urge to blink, I have to be honest this didn't happen to me but the tape stopped me anyway. The machine is then placed on the eyeball and suction is applied. They warn of feeling pressure. This hurt and was uncomfortable for me. Then things go grey/black and the laser cut the flap. I heard someone else say 3..2..1.. and it stopped. Charlie explained everything as it was happening. The same procedure for the other eye. Then they swapped the eye shield again to work on my right eye again, the surgeon lifted the first flap which was the most uncomfortable sensation lol everything went blurry. I thought the anasthetic would stop me feeling anything but I could feel everything and although it wasn't painful, it was really uncomfortable. My whole body was tense from the neck down, my fists clenched. Just like being at the dentist!! Charlie told me that was the most uncomfortable part over with. The laser surgery started, I could hear some clicking noise. I had to stare at a flashing red light. This light was big and very bright- I expected a small red dot but no- it was so bright it hurt to look at! More solutions and fiddling about, the flap was washed and replaced, it was like he was painting my eyeball but with no colour. Same again for the left eye. The whole procedure took 10 minutes but felt like forever. There was an awful lot more fiddling about with my eyes and solutions than I expected. The pressure was alot more than I expected, the discomfort was alot more than expected too. I rested with Greg in a dark room for 20 mins and the anasthetic started to wear off. My eyes were stinging. They checked me again and the nurse who offered to come with me put more anasthetic drops in which immediately took all the pain away. Greg took me to get a milkshake nearby (the clinic is in a shopping center) and I felt fine. Just had a kind of mist, but otherwise could see enough to walk. After getting home it took about half an hour before the pain set in. I went straight to bed and took painkillers but OH MY! My eyes felt like they were on fire. It was so painful I couldn't keep still. I wanted to cry but my eyes were already streaming. I had the goggles on they give you to wear while sleeping which made me feel a bit better. I felt like I had rocks in my eyes. Greg read the information sheet to me (I couldnt open my eyes at all) and it said this would last for a few hours. They say to expect 'discomfort' and a gritty feeling... humph!! I thought for a second I would have to call them, but I remembered I am such a wimp. I got Greg to rub my back while I moaned with agony. I thought NO WAY am I having kids! This pain went on for about 90 mins. The pain went away suddenly and I immediately slept. I woke up a few hours later feeling ALOT better and got my appetite back. I thanked God the pain had stopped. A few hours & some more sleep later my eyes are now pain free although still a little gritty and swollen like I've been crying all day (well, I have). NOW I CAN SEEE!! The view from my window is beautiful. Still with a little fog, kind of like I have watery eyes. I have 3 different drops to take roughly every 4 hours. I know my eyesight will fluctuate over the next few weeks, and even months so time will tell. I hope it stays this good, I can see so well. Sorry for the long post but I really wanted to tell it like it is. SO... that is the whole truth of it. No sugar coating. Tomorrow morning I have my first check up.   |
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Well. all I can say is you are a very brave girl. I am such a wimp I cant even do contact lenses. Well done....  |
| WOW... while reading that my eyes were watering A LOT!!!
I am such a wimp when it comes to just the dentist and the eye doctor. I have been wearing glasses since I was in the 2nd grade and JUST LAST FALL decided to brave trying contacts. Talk about waiting a long time!!! I hope it continues to get better for you. Thanks for sharing! |
| Phew! Glad my eyes are too far gone for Lasik......that was a far different account that what others have told me. |
| Thank you for posting that! I can't wait to hear what you say in about a week. My husband wants to have that done (I'm too chicken) and I don't know anyone who has had it done, so this will be great for him to read. Congrats!!! Enjoy viewing the world! |
| ...suddenly my knees got very weak...
...and I'm SITTING! |
No thanks!!! I will just keep the glasses...  |
| I'd love to have it done, but it's still pretty expensive. Did you have to pay for it or is this covered under your socialized medicine plan? |
We must all react differently my son had it done and said there was nothing to it  |
| My hubby had it done, except they gave him Valium first. Boy, did that chill him out............ so that he didn't experience any of the discomfort during the procedure. However, he was miserable afterwards, just like bgirl.nemesis, with the streaming eyes, and the pain, grittiness, etc.
That being said, his vision is 20/15, and he would do it over again in a heartbeat. Laurie and Oscar |
| id rather have another mastectomy than someone messing with my eyes...im too chicken too!! |
| So glad you are enjoying your new eyes and the pain and
discomfort are gone. Please keep us updated on your progress, it is so kind of you to share your story and tell it like it is. It will be so helpful to others who are considering the procedure. Ron, please insert an icon of flowers here ---------> 
Hugs from Bogart and his family!  |
| I had mine done years ago... you will never reget it! |
| Over the past several years, Todd's sister, 3 of his brothers and a SIL have all had the surgery. Everyone of them says it is 100% worth it!
I too am gifted with very poor vision, but I have no desire to do it. I am fine with my glasses, and now I have bifocals. So I wouldn't be glasses free anyway.  |
| Thank you for giving us so much detail on the Lasik Procedure. The fear if more in the "not knowing what to expect". I had RK surgery done about 16 years ago and there was no pain with that surgery. I do need to have it "tweaked" and my eye doctor told me there are about three procedures that would work for me...so I'm excited. I have to wait until the nerve damage in my eye from the shingles finally stabilises, but I am looking forward to being able to see great again. (only dealing with reading glasses).
You will love seeing the world without glasses. The greatest thing is being able to see great not only forward but to the side as well. Congrats! |
| Reading that very vivd description made me want to throw up LOL
I hope you continue to be pleased with the results though.... |
| Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
I really appreciated your detailed description as I've toyed with getting it done over the past couple years. I've had two fellow staff members that had it done but never thought to ask for their experience. They did mention they could now see far but lost their ability to see close up..dunno if that's related or not? Perhaps you can let me know if a few weeks time. You are a brave woman!! Marianne |
Well, I had my check up yesterday and my eyesight is better than 20/20 
With my right eye I could read every line (the top line was 20/20) and I could read to the bottom, with my left I could read to almost the bottom line, I was able to kind of guess the letters. My left eye is slightly more bruised with tiny red patches and feels a little gritty. I have no discomfort at all in my right eye. I am totally pain free!! So far so good. I keep telling Greg what I can see, "See that plane way up there? It says Virgin on the side" Or "I can see that building on the hill!" Greg says "So can I" "Ahh but it has white victorian window frames"
If I had to go back in time, I would definately have the procedure again! I am struck by how beautiful the world is all over again  I'm quite emotional, wish I had it done years ago! |
| I am happy to hear everything is going so well. When I had the RK years ago, I could see that well immediatly...the world becomes a beautiful place. lol Wait until you go out and can get some cool sunglasses. |
| Sounds like my experience. Seeing clearly is wonderful. Most people take it for granted. Those of us who don't, know Lasik can be a miracle. Congratulations. |
| I've toyed with having this done; you are making me want to do more than toy with the idea! |
One week & a day already! I had my 2nd check-up today and my sight is still as excellent as last week. I have a small amount of glare at night so am avoiding driving in the dark for now, this should clear after a few weeks. So far so good!  |
| I was wondering how you where doing. What a great check up. Thank you for the update. |
Marianne wrote: They did mention they could now see far but lost their ability to see close up..dunno if that's related or not? Marianne
Mono-vision eliminates the need to choose far or near. I had mine done 15 months ago and life is good. No reading glasses. SOA |
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