Zzzap!! I can see!! (LASIK Treatments)

I had LASIK laser eye surgery 2 months ago. This view is a bit about what LASIK is and how it works, but mostly about my experience in this regard.

What is LASIK?

LASIK stands for laser in situ keratomileusis. It sounds a bit complicated does not it! This is a method of correction laser short or long view.

The basic method is that a flap is cut into the thin protective layer (called the epithelium) in fromt of your eye to reveal the cornea, which is re-used as a laser, thus correcting his vision.

There are other methods that are not surgical – ie not cut a flap in the eye, but others use “non-surgical” methods to remove part of the epithelium.

In any event, sufficient technical and talk with the details …..

Where, Who, when, how, etc.?

I decided earlier this year that I was seriously interested in having laser eye surgery. I’ve worn glasses and contact lenses for about 7 years. I became unable to carry contact lenses as much as I wanted because of having problems with dry eye to them uncomfortable. I also hated to wear glasses.

I started my research on the Internet, looking at websites that offer companies treatment, and filling in forms to obtain information packets sent.

I will not give much information on individual firms, and what I thought of them as it is a big decision to make, and what I thought was good or bad about the different companies may not be what you think. I decided to go with a company called Ultralase.

I telephoned and book an appointment at my nearest clinic (Guildford) for a free consultation. I had to wait about 4 weeks, and was not allowed to use contact lenses for 2 weeks before the consultation, so that they can get accurate readings of my eyes.

The consultation day

I took the train to Guildford, and then take a taxi to the clinic. If I had left a little more time might have come in another train to another station in Guildford (London Road station) from which is 5 minutes walk to the clinic.

I was greeted by friendly staff and requested the eyes of my recipe details. They state that their prescription must have been stable (so the eyes are not receiving what is worse) before they will perform the surgery, so you want to check your recipe. They took copies of prescriptions a year ago, and last year.

Then I had to fill in a very long consent form with my data. This form lists the risks, and the diverse and optinas and asked for details such as previous problems with his eyes.

I sat in the waiting room roon in a nice comfortable chair filling drinking a cup of tea. I always find complementary drinks a premium, and they were in good cups and dishes, not some horrible paper cup.

Then began the eye exam in great detail. First up was a test for glaucoma. You sit in front of a maching af blows and gusts of air in your eye and measures of something or other! Very strange, and made me jump each of the 3 times they did so in each eye. Then another machine that you look at a picture of a hot air baloon and goes in and out of focus. I have no idea what these machines do, but I am sure that was important.

After a short break and another cup of tea (never lose a cup of tea) before the next round of machines (sound like something out of the Matrix!).

These are 2 machines to measure the shape of your cornea (the little that was reshaped by the laser), so that the laser know what to do. There are few machines. You have to look at a light without moving the eye and several lights flash and builds up a picture of your eye, and prints various information, including a ‘map’ of your eye. Like a survey Ordanance map with different colors indicating the various parties.

Then for a thorough eye examination from an optician. This includes all tests of normal eye, and a few others. It is, among others, eye drops to dilate my pupils, which means everything was really really bright for a while.

After the eye exam and some other evidence, told me that I was suitable for treatment, specifically the wavefront LASIK. Front wave is a technology that makes the laser much more specific and precise. Use Iris recognition so you can continue your eye if you move even slightly during the lasering.

Then I saw one of the advisers of the patient to go through the details, sign the consent and arrange a date that you have done. We went through the consent form, and all risks that are associated with treatment. In a nutshell, some of the risks that could have been complications with the flap cut, the treatment can not be 100% successful etc. There are also other, but I do not think it is necessary to list them in this op. Ultralase made me fully aware of the risks, so I knew what I was leaving myself. I booked my appointment, and then waited for the day to come.

The laser day!

The day I had been waiting for finally arrived. Upon arrival at the clinic I sat with a cup of tea and read through a new consent form detailing the procedure and risks. They told me not sign the form at the moment, but wait until I had gone through with the way the surgeon that I was seeking.

I then chose a pair of glasses that have a choice. After treatment you may want to use a pair of glasses with clear lenses for 2 weeks to help protect their eyes and rubbing them to slow down the healing process. You also have to use plastic eye shields at night for 2 weeks, once again you stop rubbing your eyes.

And I saw one of the nurses who run across the attention back to me, which is a load drops for the first week, and future appointments. Moreover, a list of things that I could not do after treatment for a certain amount of time. Things like not being allowed to go swimming for 4 weeks. She gave me a bag containing information and aftercare to eye drops and shields.

Then I saw my surgeon, and ran through the procedure with me, and went through the consent form and risks, both signed.

Then he ran across an eye exam again to check my eyes, and again made fun program for the laser machines to check and verify that the readings were correct.

Here are the treatment time!

The nurse cleaned around my eyes with what I think was the anesthetic iodine and then put eye drops in my eyes, so I could not peel what they were doing. Then in the laser room. It was like something out of a science fiction film. There was the “Danger lasers’ warning on the door and a sign saying ‘No Pacemakers’!

I sat in bed kind of thing, and was taken under the laser unit. The whole procedure takes only a few minutes per eye, with the actual lasering taking no more than 15-20 seconds. My left eye was covered and began thr procedure in my right eye. They told me to look at the red light flashes above me, and not to move my eye. First, the surgeon anchored my eyelids open using any device. Then my eye cleaned. That was quite strange, as I have seen and that the surgeon was rubbing just over my eye, but could not feel it. Then put a device in the eye that puts pressure on it. This makes his vision go black, and cut the lid using some small machines boiling. When taken outside, you can see the light again. Then the flap is lifted and everything will be blurry, although still can be done to light. Then he cleaned out of the exposed cornea and dried. Every time I say exactly what was done to put me at ease. So the time has come to the lasering. It was done in three bursts of about 4-5 seconds each. They told me that to see the light, which was down and told me what was happening. When there was indeed a smell of burning. They told me they expect that, and I have been informed that the laser is burning dust in the air, and not really my eye that I could smell! Then the eye throughout the cleaning process once again, the flap was delayed, as well as coverage brought my other eye. Then I got off the bed thing and sat in a chair for a few minutes while the laser was re-scheduled for my left eye.

Then repeat the procedure. This time it seems worse, and I was more nervous the first time. They said that most people are well because in the first eye that really do not know what will happen next, and the second you do, so I think it will be worse. Sometimes I really do not understand my brain, as I thought that the second eye would be less nerve wracking!

When both eyes has been done and I sat in a dark room for 45 minutes, and had a good cup of tea (never lose a cup of tea!) My mother joined me, as she had been waiting in the lounge room. She was too apprehensive to see you have to do! After 45 minutes I saw the surgeon again. We checked my eyes, and asked me to see a picture on the wall, which I could read! Everything was blurry, but at the same time that could make things out clearly that I would not have been able to see before.

However, everything was really brilliant, so that the journey home in the car I had to sit with his head under a coat, because the light was unbearable. I could not resist out, but looking and reading the plates of cars and even traffic signals. Whee get home I put drops in my eyes, put shields in the eyes and slept for a couple of hours.

The next day I could see clearly for the first time, but remains very sensitive to light for wearing sunglasses all day. i had to return to the clinic for a checkup, and was told he was looking so good. I could have ido back to work a few days later, but decided it was probably best to rest my eyes and take a whole week off!

I had a checkup after a week, and another after a month. After a month, my vision was better than 20/20, so I achieved the result we wanted, and I am completely free of glasses and contact lenses, and my vision is better and clearer than it was with glasses.

The difference is striking. Being able to wake up and see the clock on my wall on the other side of my room without finding and putting on my glasses. Looking through the window and see things clearly in the distance, no more problems with the cleaning of contact lenses or eyeglasses lose, the list goes on.

Now, I bet you are wondering how much it all costs. I paid a £ 2500 have done. This may seem a lot, but I want to spend a lot of glasses and contact lenses and eye tests in about 9 years. And as laser surgery lasts for a lifetime, is a very good investment. And yes, there are places that do it for much less, but the money is not the main decisive factor. I wanted the best possible service as I value my eyes. What was the main point of deciding to have done with it.

My advice if you want that have made laser surgery is full investigation. Do not take anyones word on anything. If you have questions, talk to the clinics. If you do not feel 100% confident in a clinic or another, then go somewhere else. You only have 1 set of eyes and therefore not worth the risks increase.