Laser Eye Surgery

[CosmicSpork]

Have any of you have laser eye surgery? If so, what are you experiences? I'm most interested in anyone who works with computers and/or spends most of their day in front of a screen.

If you know someone who has had laser eye surgery and you can relate their experience to me then I'd appreciate that also.

I'm rather short sighted and I'm considering getting it done one day (assuming I'm eligible), but I want to know what kind of impact it'll have on me, given the fact that I spend 70% of my day staring at a computer screen.

My reasons are mostly for vanity, but also to save money on glasses in the long run, and to simply be able to wake up in the morning and not stumble around trying to find my glasses... at the moment, I can barely see past 10 inches from my face.

I have tried contact lenses, but I suffer from allergies and tend to have problems with them, also, they can be quite expensive.

 

[Th1sWasATriumph]

I'm lucky enough to be able to wear contacts, but I'm incredibly short sighted. And vain. Not a good combination. My left eye in particular is just ridiculous.

Though not got lasered yet, so can't give you any feedback.

 

[Personal SinR]

As a participant of laser eye surgery I can tell you that I love my new laser eyes. By far the best investment I have ever made. BY FAR! I highly recommend this surgery. I was a graphic designer at the time following the surgery and spent many hours in front of the computer. I had no problems what-so-ever with that post surgery. You will want to rest your eyes after the first day of surgery so try not to do any computer work (or play) for that day.

Now for the story. My procedure used wavefront and intralase technology. They used a computer to map my cornea and used a laser to make the incision instead of a blade. I had it done about a year ago and I regret nothing. Being unleashed from glasses and contacts is great. I love having the ability to wake up on a friend's couch after a party and not have my contacts glued to my eyeballs or searching for a pair of glasses that only seems to gain more and more scratches as they age. After spending 18+ years in glasses, being able to see without them is an amazing feeling. I remember feeling like it was a trick. Almost too good to be true.

PRO TIP: DO NOT watch any videos on the surgery. DON'T DO IT! You will freak yourself out. The procedure is very quick and I'll go into detail below what it will be like. But heed my words.

The beginning was easy enough. I made the appointment to see if I could be a candidate for the surgery and sure enough I was. After picking my options and payment we scheduled the surgery. The days leading up to the surgery were a pain in the ass since I was used to contact lenses and felt weird about wearing my glasses out a lot. You are not allowed to wear contacts for 2 weeks because they actually impact the shape of your eye. Two weeks later your eye is in pristine state to get cut open.

Going into the surgery was generally easy. I had my ride wait for me in the waiting room and after the nurse told
me what to expect and how to take care of my eyes post surgery I was led into another room. There were other patients there all waiting for their turn to get their eyes cut open. We were all given a small dosage of zanax (I think it was zanax..?), which from what I gatherered from talking to the nurse, is not standard. This office found that helped calm the nerves of the patients. Of course, I went in for the surgery about 10 mins after taking it, which apparently is not enough time for it to kick in and I believe only a small placebo effect is what really calms the patients. Shortly before the surgery began they numbed my eyes with some topical anesthetic. Once that began to work, the party began.

Being led into the room I was confronted with a small padded table in between two robots that were itching to shoot my eyes with lasers. The two nurses gave me some stress balls to squeeze, which I thought was slightly amusing. I laid down and we began. They do one eye at a time and the whole thing seemed to go by very quickly. They inserted some plastic device around my eye lids so that I would not be able to close my eyes in the middle of the surgery.

First they slid the table/bed thing I was on under a machine to my left. It was dark and I couldn't see much of anything. They made the cut and I couldn't feel it. Then they moved me under the next machine to my right. Everything looked kind of blurry. The doctor then lifted the freshly created flap on my cornea up. I remember thinking, "Oh wow...how crazy is that...I just saw my eye get peeled open." I have to say that it was all painless and the only thing you really have to worry about is not psyching yourself out. Anyway, after he peeled the cornea back, I was staring into the eye of an angry robot bent on reshaping my lens. It turned on and my retina was filled with lightning. The laser light show that took place momentarily awed me. It was one of the coolest visuals you will ever have while having your eye cut open. Quite easily the most enjoyable part of the experience. Once that is done, you are reunited with your corneal flap and your eye is doused with what I can only imagine to be a saline solution.

Eye number 2 happened the exact same way. Afterwards, the duo of blurry nurses sat me up and one led me out of the room, away from the bloodthirsty robots who just had their way with me. The doctor sat me down in front of the familiar eye inspecting devices that eye doctors are so fond of and made sure everything was good. They hooked me up with a little care package and sent me on my way.

Now for the important part.

It was not until 20 minutes later did I learn a valuable lesson. Luckily for you, I'm hear to bestow my wisdom upon you. Here it goes: After the surgery, do NOT take your time and stop at Chick-fil-A for a much needed meal due to lack of breakfast. Go straight home. DO NOT STOP AT THE CHIK-FIL-A. Why you ask? Sure, the chicken is delicious. Sure, waffle fries are some of the cleverest potato forms known to man. But your topical anasthetic on your eye will not last forever. You are in a race against time and the clock is ticking. Once your eye nerves wake up from their drug induced slumber, they are going to be very angry with you. How angry? Oh, they will let you know. Unfortunately, my eyes ruined my appetite and I had my driver take me home asap.

What did that nurse say earlier? "You'll want to go home and sleep right after the surgery." Yea... You won't want to disregard that bit of advice. I remember preparing for this the night before, by staying up until all hours playing computer games so that I would be able to fall asleep once I got home post-surgery. However, my desire for a delicious chicken sandwich was my downfall.

I arrived home and after 6 hours of sleep, I awoke. My eyes did not hurt any longer but did feel scratchy. As if I had left an old pair of contacts in over night. This sensation goes away after a week and you learn to cope with it. You douse your eyes with eye drops pretty much whenever you feel dry. You will do this many man times. For me, my eyes were dry for a couple months. It really takes that long for your eyes to regain their natural wetness. You will become an eyedrop connesiure. No touching the eyes. NO TOUCHING! ..oh and you'll have to sleep in goggles for the first week, which gets increasingly annoying. Once you heal up, you have brand new eyes will astound and amaze you. Also, I made it a point to brag about them to my friends and siblings who are still slaves to contacts and glasses. I found that to be extremely satisfying.

Anyway that is my long story. Perhaps I wrote too much, but for the most part I think I got everything.

 

[nasher168]

. It was one of the coolest visuals you will ever have while having your eye cut open

Hopefully, it was the only visual you will ever have whilst having your eye cut open!

 

[CosmicSpork]

Personal SinR - that was extremely informative as well as an entertaining read, thank very much

 

[Otokogoroshi]

Later this month I'm actually getting eye surgery to correct a bunch of problems with my eyes. In essence I'm going to have contacts implanted into my eyes.





Yeah, my vision is pretty fucked up lol

 

[Deleted member 499]

I think I'm going to have to go for the "want to but too scared" option. It's not actually the surgery, although it would have to be intralase as there's no way I'm letting anyone or anything near my eyes with a blade. What bothers me is the aftermath, I don't think I can go for two weeks without rubbing my eyes.

Personal SinR: I know that they stop you from closing your eyes, but is there any requirement to not move your eyes (i.e stare straight ahead)?

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

By borthers girlfriend had a laser surgery and I personaly intent to have one as well.
The procedure itself is fast, you go in and out the sameday no worries.
You will have to layof bright lights for a few weeks during recovery period (so no more websurfing for you), you just need to be carefull on recovery period that is all. After that you can say goodbye to those glasses :geek: and you end up seeing better then any normal sighted person.

And Personal SinR sounded very familiar. His detailed experience is all the info you may need.

 

[Durakken]

I want too, but 2 things keep me from doing it...price and my eyes have continually gotten worse since I was around 12, 24 now and they are still getting worse. I'm pretty sure that if I had the surgery done it would be a waste as my eyes would go bad again as my situation is currently. Also I think I'm legally blind now...I'm at something above 20/200...verrrrry near sited.

 

[acerba]

"Oh wow...how crazy is that...I just saw my eye get peeled open."

*shudder*

That's disturbing.

 

[CupOfWater]

Nope, I am one of those lucky guys with perfectly fine eyesight, actually better than normal eyesight.

 

[Otokogoroshi]

Nope, I am one of those lucky guys with perfectly fine eyesight, actually better than normal eyesight.

*Jealous fist shake*


I've been wearing glasses since third grade. I still remember my first pair. They were glittery purple with little pink hearts.



I can't wait to get my eyes fixed. Sadly I have to get them done one at a time and a week apart so I'll be a pirate for about a week. That'll be fun!! I'm so getting an eyepatch and Arrrrrr-ing at people.

First though I have to see a retinal specialist since I have had several eye doctors say I have retinal tears... fun!!!!!

 

[Personal SinR]

Personal SinR - that was extremely informative as well as an entertaining read, thank very much

Thank you sir, I aim to please.

Personal SinR: I know that they stop you from closing your eyes, but is there any requirement to not move your eyes (i.e stare straight ahead)?

They told me that I should just look straight ahead. This worried be at first but then they reassured me that if my eye
were to move, the machine would stop what it was doing until I realigned with it. They have you focus on a light in the center of the machine you stare up into. All you have to do is stare at the light and you're golden.

edit: FAJA, the eye drops are more than enough to rid you of the irritation, although you will go through a lot of them. The payoff is worth it bit time.