Lasik Eye Surgery

Yesterday I had Lasik Eye Surgery. I have been wanting to get it done since it first came out, but I was way too young then. I started wearing glasses when I was 8 and then switched to contacts around when I turned 12 I think. I am now 26 and this is the first time in a very long time that I can see without glasses or contacts. It is amazing!

My appointment was for 11:20 yesterday. During the first 2 hours I was there they did a few tests on my eyes and then there was just a lot of waiting. I finally went in for the surgery around 2:00. The doctor put drops in my eyes to numb the cornea. Then I laid on a chair under a machine and he put something under my eyelids to keep my eyes open and taped my eyelashes to my face so that I couldn't blink.  Then I focused on a light and there was suction on my eye and a laser created the flap. I felt some pressure on my eyelids during this part and it was slightly painful, but it was short and not bad at all. After creating the flap for both eyes I moved under another machine and focused on another light while the laser reshaped my cornea. The light went dark for a few seconds during the procedure and then my vision came back and the doctor put several different kinds of drops in my eye. During this part I didn't feel anything, but there was a slight burning smell (totally normal). I really liked the doctor who did the surgery. He talked me through the whole thing telling me what he was going to do, what I would hear, feel, smell...He told me when my vision was about to go dark and when it was about to come back. He told me he would be using the laser on my right eye for 38 seconds and then he counted down for me every 5 seconds (same thing with 30 seconds on my left eye). It was comforting to know everything to expect before it happened. The whole procedure took around 5-10 minutes.  When it was done I put on some special sunglasses and went home to sleep.

They give you 2 tylenol pm to help you fall asleep because after the numbness in your cornea disappears it is supposed to feel like you've been sprayed in the face with pepper spray and be pretty painful and miserable for the next 6 hours (this is what the doctor said). I went home and got right in bed and closed my eyes. I have to wear special goggles when I sleep for the first week.  It took me quite a while to fall asleep, but I just laid there with my eyes closed because it hurt to open them.  They burned slightly while they were closed, but it wasn't bad at all. Luckily I finally fell asleep and slept until 6:50 p.m. I woke up and Chad helped me out to the couch because I didn't want to open my eyes until the 6 hours was up (at 8:15) because I knew it would make them hurt more.  I was very surprised that they didn't hurt much at all - even during that last 1 1/2 hours when I was awake - just burned slightly.

At 8:15 I opened my eyes and I could see pretty well.  Words are still blurry from far away, but there has definitely been a big improvement.  My eyes also felt totally fine by then. They didn't hurt at all, weren't dry or scratchy or anything. I even spent a few hours last night cleaning the house and doing dishes - pretty quick recovery for having surgery earlier that day.

For the next week I have to put 2 kinds of medicated eye drops in my eyes 4x/day and use artificial tears 4-8x/day for the next month. For the next week I can't: wear makeup, exercise, swim, wash my face with soap, or do anything that could get sweat or water in my eyes.

When I woke up this morning I didn't have the amazing "Wow, I can see so clearly!" experience you hear about some people having. It was similar to last night. I could see much better, but things far away were still a little blurry. I guess the clearer vision will come more gradually.

This morning I went back for my next day follow-up appointment. My vision is now 20/40 so things are still a little blurry, but it is much better. I was hoping it would be closer to 20/20 already, but it hasn't even been 24 hours so I just need to be patient. The doctor said some people are at 20/20 the next day, but for others it can take a few days or weeks. Since I had such a high prescription before surgery it will probably take my eyes a few days to get better.

Right now I can look at my computer without my face touching it (what i used to have to do without my contacts in), I can see who people are even from far away, I can see the tv (although not the small print yet), etc. Pretty much the only thing I can't see are signs and words from far away. The doctor said I am legal to drive, but barely.  Right now I don't feel comfortable driving. I could if I had to, but would prefer to wait until things clear up a bit. Hopefully by tomorrow I will notice even more improvement.

I am really glad I got the lasik surgery. The procedure was so quick and easy and pain free and even the recovery hasn't been bad at all - much less painful than I expected or had heard (knock on wood).