LASIK on Thursday!

[Cleopatra]

So, a few weeks ago, I asked about Lasik surgery - well, I''m getting it - this Thursday! Wow....I don''t think I''ve ever been so nervous!

I''ve taken all the measurements - done all of the testing - and it seems that I am a "perfect candidate" for the surgery - and the surgeon is very experienced - performed over 1,500 sucessful surgeries....none went badly....so, i guess that will calm my nerves....

I had a dream last night that I sneezed while I was under the laser!!! These thoughts aren''t leaving my head!! Gosh - someone please give me some words of comfort! I need someone to help me chill out!!

Has anyone who''s had the surgery had these thoughts pre-surgery? Any way to calm myself down? Any words of advice or reassurance???????

 

[Steel]

It is natural to be scared, don''t fight it.

Try to take your mind off the surgery if you can, occupy yourself. Do you kitchen cupboards need cleaning out or sorting? How about those little odd jobs around the home? How does your garden look this time of year

?

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I would really love to get this surgery done but I do not trust our surgeons here (Ireland) as it has only recently become available where I am. I am jealous of you and wish you the best outcome possible.

Here is to being able to see the ceiling/alarm clock without glasses in the morning.

(Re sneezing, you can stop yourself sneezing if you really want to. Just ask the nurse/doctor when you go if sneezing is an issue I am sure they have a procedure you follow.)

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If you are REALLY worried why not get one eye done at a time?

 

[kimberlina13]

I second what Steel says, if you''re that nervous, do one eye at a time. I had mine done in January, and seriously, the best money I have ever spent! It''s so surreal, you don''t even realize that it''s happening! But definitely ask the questions you want to ask, even if you feel silly asking them. HTH

 

[labbielove]

Yay for LASIK!!
I am going to an informational seminar next week, and then a consultation appointment to see if I''m a candidate for LASIK or anothe corrective surgery.
Hoping I can find out before Mid December so I can sock the money away in the company''s flexible spending account.

good luck, take the valium they offer you

 

[Sabine]

Good luck! I hope your results are perfect! I''d love to have this done, but unfortunately my perscription still changes once a year or so!

 

[Cleopatra]

Thanks everyone! Apparently, I''ll be so doped up, I won''t know the difference between the laser and my foot. lol...As for one eye at a time, my surgeon didn''t recommend it. The recovery time is estimated at 6 weeks after the surgery - you need to keep putting drops in for that long and then your home free that the incision won''t tear and become infected....so, he recommends doing both eyes at once to keep the recovery time at a minimum....plus, you can''t wear contacts for weeks before surgery, so i would have to wear a contact to see out of one eye, but take it off three weeks before the surgery and not have glasses - not an option! lol

Thanks everyone! I really am super excited! Years of blindness, contatcs, and glasses will soon be a distant memory. Hopefully by this weekend, I can recommend it to anyone and everyone who asks!!!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Cleo: I had lasik done about 4 years ago. IT WAS THE BEST THING I''VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!! No regrets.

I originally had very bad eyesight and am now better than 20/20.

The procedure itself wasn''t a piece of cake, but it was over in like 5 minutes. I requested that my Dr. give me a play by play while it was going on so that I knew what to expect. Oh yeah... I was given valium which helped.

You''ll be fine.

GOOD LUCK, and please report back afterwards!

 

[clammer]

I got my eyes done about two years ago. The best money I have ever spend. I didn''t use to be able to see my alarm clock, but now I have better than 20/20.

I didn''t need any valium in fact I wasn''t in any pain at all. During the procedure you will feel pressure on your eye. Enough that it will block your vision. It will also smell like something is burning. This will last less than 5 minutes then you will be done. I''m not trying to scare you, but wanted you to know what to expect.

After the procedure your eyes will be VERY sensitive to the sunlight and will water terribly the day of. Go home and plan on sleeping most of the day. The next day you can only take a cold shower, but besides that you will be good to go only with perfect vision. I was back to my everyday routine the next day with no problems.

The only side effect that I had was I worked in an office and my eyes got horribly dry from staring at the computer screen for the first six months afterwards. This was to be expected. I just used a lot of eye drops.

 

[Cleopatra]

Thanks for the info everyone!! And getting the doc to give me a play by play is a good idea - I''ll definitely do that. I guess I''m just a little nervous because this is the first procedure I''ve ever had my entire life - no tonsils removed, no wisdom teeth taken out - I''ve had nothing my whole life, so this is kind of nerve-racking for me. Especially when it''s dealing with something like my eyes - I mean, I wear contacts and can see out of them - so why mess up a good thing - so many things can go wrong....but i''m willling to take my chances (they are good chances at that)...

I am so excited about the prospect of seeing! I''m one of those who can''t see a wall in front of me - so this could potentially be life changing.

The nerves are a combination of excitement and terror. I can''t wait to report back about my perfect vision on Friday! I think it may potentially be the most exciting day of my life!

 

[Steel]

Date: 11/5/2007 10:50:44 AM
Author:Cleopatra
So, a few weeks ago, I asked about Lasik surgery - well, I''m getting it - this Thursday! Wow....I don''t think I''ve ever been so nervous!

Good luck!

" Fairy Dust "

 

[Cleopatra]

Well - thanks for al of the good wishes! The surgery is done! and..................I CAN SEE!

It truly is unbelivable....truly. I still can''t wrap my head around how wonderful this procedure was. The surgery itself was quite uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Post-surgery was quite painful, but they give you sleeping pills to sleep it off (and goggles...lol).....but waking up this morning to the alarm clock (a sight I cannot remember ever seeing), taking off the goggles, and simply just looking around my bedroom (in all it''s messy glory) was one of the most peaceful experiences of my life thus far...

I went to the doc this morning, everything looks perfect, now I have to be extra cautious with my eyes - no rubbing. Lots of eyedrops and lots of tender care from FI - I''m seeing better than I ever have before......

There - my post-surgery recommendation! If you are considering LASIK....do it! It truly is a miracle!

 

[lyra]

That''s great news! I so wish I could do that sort of thing, but I''m diabetic and would have to wait a long time before I would be recommended. Good for you though!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Cleo you won''t be able to close your eyes if you tried. Don''t worry! You''ll do fine. I had PRK 7 years ago but my sister and dad had lasiks. My dad was back to work the next day. Just know your eyes will be very light sensitive for awhile. Remember to wear those fly, eye shield things. Good luck!!!

 

[Allisonfaye]

That''s great that it went so well. I am debating doing mine but I have to make the decision by November to put the money aside for the following year in my spending account. Plus, DH is against it. He thinks it is still to new to know the long term side effects. I will probably do it in 2009. Also, how did you find a good surgeon?

 

[Cleopatra]

Hey Allison! I have actually been considering LASIK for several years. I have a trusted eye doctor who I''ve seen for years and he was always very truthful with me. He has always told me - "do not get LASIK yet - the technology is too new and long term affects aren''t known" - Recently, he finally told me that he finally would recommend it. He said the advancements in the procedure have come so far in the years that LASIK was first introduced - and the long term affects are generally well-known with the advancements in the type of research that has been going on by the Lasik community of surgeons and specialists.

I had IntraLase Lasik, which is entirely done by lasers, not the conventional blade cut - this type of Lasik is significantly more expensive, but the surgery is more than 100% more accurate than conventional Lasik (blade).

The way I found my doctor was pretty simple. We have a fantastic hospital where I''m from. It''s top of the line in medical care in our State and Region. I met with the Lasik Surgery group inside the hospital and immediately felt like this place was exceptional in quality and care. My surgeon was head Cataract Surgeon (and rated one of the top 50 Lasik surgeons in the country), had sucessfully performed thoussands of Lasik operations (He said he never had a single thing go wrong in the surgery room). My measurements were taken very thoroughly the week before surgery, and I was very confident that I was getting the best care possible.

I would suggest doing some research online. I wouldn''t try to find a "deal" - your vision is not worth finding the "right price" - go with the best of the best in your area. Complications are fairly rare, especially with IntraLase.

I''m in the "it''s the best thing I''ve ever done" camp! Seeing better than 20/20 the DAY AFTER surgery - not a single thing wrong! (I was -750 before)

Going for another post-op consultation on Friday!