Summary of My Lasik Eye Surgery Experience
It was something I avoided for years. My optometrist always told me I was a candidate for Lasik eye surgery, but I was never quite sold on the idea.
What if I was that 1% statistic that lost my vision instead of having my eyes corrected? Why take the risk, right?
My Lasik Eye Surgery Experience
It wasn’t until my dad had his vision corrected last year that I started to think about doing Lasik myself.
He had to have his cataracts removed, so while he was at it, they told him they could fix his vision.
He was going in for laser surgery anyway, so what’s one more simple procedure? He can now see clearly without glasses. I was convinced.
The problem was, we were never home long enough to have a consultation. We travel a lot, and having Lasik eye surgery is a process that involves 3 months of your time.
However, after Dave fractured two vertebrae in his back last November, we found ourselves in Canada for several months while he recovered from his injuries.
In February, I Decided to Get Lasik Eye Surgery Done.
We went to TLC Lasik Centres in London, Ontario, where I met with the doctor to discuss my eyesight. They aren’t cheap, but I didn’t want to take any chances with my eyes.
I am willing to spend top dollar for the best, and apparently, this is the best! It cost $5000 to have laser surgery on both of my eyes.
My prescription was strong at -6.0 in each eye with a slight astigmatism. I was a good candidate, but since I am over the age of 40, I now have to worry about my reading vision.
With my glasses, I didn’t need bifocals or reading glasses yet, but in time I will need to wear them…everyone does!
They gave me the option to have one eye corrected for reading and one for distance. I opted for distance only.
Having clear vision at a distance suits my lifestyle better, and having one eye adjusted for distance and the other for closeness seemed too complicated to me.
I want to be able to go on a camping or kayaking trip for several days at a time without worrying about sticking my dirty fingers into my eyes each morning as I fumble in a tent putting contacts in.
Consequently, my glasses and contact lenses have been a burden, whether worrying about having them pop out while snorkeling or whitewater kayaking to dealing with them while camping or trekking for several days in the backcountry.
To be able to see without glasses while traveling was going to make my life much easier.
I Was Terrified
I don’t think anyone is comfortable when going into surgery, so admitting I was afraid is nothing surprising.
However, the doctors and nurses are so comfortable and kind; they put you at ease.
Every part of the procedure is explained to you, and the risks are quite minimal.
From what I understood, you can’t really go blind. The complications more often happen afterward from infection or rubbing of the eyes.
Initial Lasik Consultation
Once I made the decision to have Lasik done, they did a complete eye exam to find out my current prescription and to discuss any concerns or irritations.
I told them that I suffer from dry eyes, primarily due to wearing contacts for hours on end each day. They warned me that I will probably still suffer from dry eyes for a while, but eye drops would help immensely.
They then made a map of my eye.
This map indicated where the problems were in my eyes and how they were going to fix them. The laser would follow this map when it came time for surgery.
The computer is so precise that there is only a very small chance of anything going wrong. They know exactly where the cutting and shaving needs to be done.
They input the data into the chart, and you are set. When you are in surgery, the laser follows the movement of your eye. Should you panic and move your head or eyes suddenly, the laser automatically shuts off. That’s a relief.
After the appointment, they sent me home with a prescription of eye drops and wipes for a preparation routine that I would have to start following 2 weeks before my surgery.
Note: You cannot fly 1-2 weeks before your surgery, and you cannot do any activity for 1 week after your surgery. Additionally, it’s not recommended to fly for another week afterward.
The Day of Surgery
The morning of the surgery, I was quite nervous, but I was put at ease the moment the nurse came to get me.
There were quite a few patients in the waiting room, and we were all taken back one-by-one to the pre-op area filled with large lounge “Lazy Boy” type chairs.
We sat together talking about our procedures as the doctor’s assistant gave us a pill to relax our nerves and administered the recommended doses of eye drops.
I was first up. I was led into the operating room filled with bright lights. I laid down on the bed; they gave me two rubber balls to squeeze for stress, and I listened as they read off a list of numbers, which I deduced was the settings for the laser that was about to cut into my eye.
A suction was placed over my eyes to keep them open (they don’t take them anymore), and the procedure was over in 12 minutes.
They talked to me throughout the entire operation, informing me of what they were doing and checking how I was doing.
They did both eyes, and the minute they were done, I was led out of the room, and I could see!
I put on my dark sunglasses, and that was that. The entire experience took about an hour.
I met Dave at the reception, and we promptly donated my prescription glasses to their collection.
Doctors pick up glasses to be donated to needy people overseas and at home.
As soon as we left the building, my eyes began to sting. I couldn’t stand the light. Though I had dark glasses on, I had to put a coat over my head for the drive home.
Needless to say, you cannot drive yourself. It is required to have someone to be able to drive you home.
They told me the best thing I could do was to go home and sleep as much as possible. The pill helped with that a lot, and I promptly went to bed.
Dave woke me up hourly all day long to put eye drops in my eyes, and I could barely open them wide enough to apply them. However, by about 6 PM, I was out of bed, eating dinner, and feeling much better.
I still had to wear my sunglasses, and I couldn’t read or watch TV, but I could open my eyes without excruciating pain.
I went back to bed for the night, and by the next morning, the pain was gone.
It is required that you return to the doctors the next day for an eye exam to ensure that there are no problems with the lens.
You see, when you get Lasik eye surgery, they cut a flap in the lens of your eye, open it up, and then the laser reshapes your eye. It’s the shape of the eye that affects vision. Afterwards, they put the lens back, and you go home while it heals.
No Rubbing of Eyes Allowed!
For the next week, I had to wear dark glasses for two reasons: one, because I was sensitive to the light, and two, to protect my eyes from inadvertently rubbing or poking them with anything. Even if you feel alright with light, you should wear those glasses until your next eye appointment, which takes place 7 days later.
I also had to use prescription eye drops at different intervals. The first four days required a lot of drops with two different types that needed to go in my eyes every hour. After a few days, it was every hour for the moisture drops and then every couple of hours for the prescription until it eventually went down to once when I woke up and once before bed.
After 7 days, I went back to the optometrist for an exam. They told me my eyes were still swollen and very dry but looking good, which explained why my vision still wasn’t 20/20.
They mentioned that since my prescription was quite strong and because of my age, my eyes would take a bit of time to adjust.
I never needed reading glasses before, but my doctor advised me to buy a pair of light prescription reading glasses for computer work, which helped significantly. It did!
You need to be home for an extended length of time when getting Lasik surgery.
I had to go back for another consultation one month later. Sadly, my eyesight wasn’t 20/20 yet, but the doctor mentioned that it can take some people 3 to 6 months to gain stable vision.
My eyes were still having a bit of trouble focusing on the smaller letters on the chart. However, she wasn’t worried; the eyes looked good, and my prescription was improving.
My final appointment was last week before leaving for Spain. Although I was one month shy of the required 3-month meeting, I had to go in early because we’re in Europe for the summer.
They checked my eyes, and I am happy to say that my left eye is 20/20, while my right is still a work in progress but it’s close.
My eyes are still very dry, but I’ve been told by others that the dryness goes away in about 6 months to a year. I continue to use moisture drops (the individual tubes that don’t contain preservatives) and minimize my computer work.
My eyes get tired quickly, and I still need to occasionally wear reading glasses when working, but not as often, and I can see perfectly for distance.
I genuinely love the fact that I can get up in the middle of the night without needing to fumble for glasses. When I wore glasses, my biggest fear was always what would happen in an emergency.
If I had to act fast and couldn’t find my glasses, I would be useless; I couldn’t see a thing. Now I feel secure, knowing that I will be able to act fast if needed in the middle of the night.
Most importantly, I am comfortable traveling and engaging in adventure sports. I no longer have to carry extra contacts should something happen or worry about water knocking my contacts out or deciding between wearing prescription sunglasses or contacts.
It’s always been a burden carrying multiple glasses, switching from sunglasses to regular glasses when going indoors, and dealing with fogged glasses in cold weather.
Now I can truly enjoy our adventures.
