Saturday, March 25, 2006

Lasik

Well, I had the procedure and it went awesome. Just 20 hours after the procedure I was already seeing 20/25 and my vision should continue to improve over the next week as my eyes continue to heal.

I got to the doctor's office and they immediately took me back and ran me through some more tests. I have been very impressed by the promptness and thoroughness of this doctor. I have never waited more than 5 minutes to be seen once I have arrived at their office and if you know me, I am always early, so they are usually getting to me before my scheduled appointment. Also, on the day of the surgery, some of the tests they did on me were being done for the third or fourth time this week.

After the test, I went to the surgery area where I was prepped. I got to wear a nice little hat, and some nice little booties and they cleaned my eyelids with some iodine. I was in a room with four others, all waiting to get the procedure done. I waited about 10 minutes and then was called back for the first of two parts to the procedure. This was the part where the make the flap and this is when I started getting nervous. I laid down in the chair and they put a thing to hold my eye open and then the machine came down and felt like it was pushing me through the chair. I think it puts so much pressure on you to keep you from moving. Well, I started feeling a little claustrophobic plus knowing what was happening really made me nervous. I didn't feel any pain or discomfort but it was very stressful. The left eye wasn't any better. After this step was done it was like I was looking through a coke bottle. I then when back to the room and waited about another 15 minutes and then I was led back to actually have the procedure.

Again, this is when I got really nervous and a little creeped out. I sat in the chair and they taped my eye open, put numbing drops in and then the doctor proceeded to peel back the flap. I want to go back to the numbing drops because I kept thinking, what if it is a bad batch and it doesn't work, how will they know? Well, anyway, the drops worked and again I didn't have any pain but seeing them peel the flap back and then knowing what the laser was doing and then at the end, folding the flap back down, kind of freaked me out.

But, I got up and could see almost immediately. It wasn't great but a lot better than before when I didn't have my glasses on. I then went home and started my regimen of drops. Now about an hour after the surgery was probably the worst part. I started feeling a lot of irritation in my right eye and I was very uncomfortable. It was also difficult because I couldn't rub it and that was exactly what I wanted to do. But, I took a shot of Nyquil (my wonder drug), it knocked me out for 3 hours and when I woke up the irritation was gone and my vision was a lot better.

Overall, it has been a great experience up to now and would recommend it to anyone considering it. And if you are looking for a doctor then I would recommend Clearview Laser Vision Center, they have been great.

1 comment:

Jeff Dowdle said...

Tammara
It was $3500 for both eyes but the price depends on how bad your vision is. I was at the top of the scale. I compared to other doctors over IntraLasik (blade free) and this was competitive.

I quit wearing my glasses Monday night and my surgery was Friday. They would have like it if I had quit a week before. If you wear hard contacts, I think it is a longer requirement though.

I really recommend it..