PRE SURGERY 

Since I was born, I had nearsighted vision and astigmatism which meant that any objects which were far appeared blurry to me. My vision worsened through the years and by the age of 23 it was in the region of minus 6. I tried both glasses and contact lenses to assist my bad vision. 

When I first heard about laser eye surgery, I carried out a lot of research. I was afraid to go through with it because of all the horror stories I read online. I was concerned if as a result I would be left with permanently dry eyes or would go blind. However, despite my fears I decided to go through with it. 

I found a clinic online and attended a pre surgery consultation. All the tests were carried out and my questions and concerns addressed. I used Optical Express, where I then scheduled an iDesign Lasik laser eye surgery. 

DURING SURGERY 

On the day of the surgery, I was very nervous and nearly pulled out of going ahead with it. Some further eyesight tests were carried out at the clinic and off I went to the treatment room. To anyone who is considering this produce, I did NOT feel any pain at all. 

I sat in a chair and the surgeon numbed my eyes with eye drops, then a machine clamped first eyeball to keep it in place. An incision was made around the eye’s cornea and the resulting flap was lifted. At that point I had no vision in my eye and a laser beam was directed at the eye. It smelt of burning but only took few seconds to complete. Then, the corneal flap was placed back and my vision was restored. After, the same procedure was carried out on my second eye. In total this process took no longer than about 20 minutes. 

Post surgery I had to sit for around 30 minutes in a dark room so that my eyes could adjust. When leaving the clinic, I put on dark sunglasses and was driven back home. If you are considering this procedure, you must have someone accompany you on the day with a private vehicle or a taxi so that you could be taken home. 

When I arrived home my eyes started to tingle a little, because I did not take a painkiller shortly after my surgery. It is best to take a painkiller soon after the surgery, as when the numbing drops start to wear off the eyes will start to sting a little. I then slept for few hours to relax after surgery and rest my eyes. 

POST SURGERY 

At this point, I had perfect 20/20 vision! For the first 24/48 hours I was advised against carrying out any activities or looking at any screens. So, I did not watch any TV, use my computer or look at my mobile phone. I only started to introduce them slowly after few days and not for longer than 30 to 60 minutes a day. I wanted to give my eyes the best chance of recovery. As a result I took a very long leave of absence at work, although this is not mandatory. 

Some of the post surgery care included not exposing eyes to water or steam. Strenuous physical activity was also prohibited for a couple of months. I did not lift any heavy objects, cook, wear make up, wash my hair or face for a while. I took all precautions over and above what I was advised to adhere to post surgery. Also when outdoors, wearing sunglasses to protect eyes from dust and light was a must. I also avoided driving for a while, as I did not want to strain my eyes. 

My recovery was painless and good. I listened to many audio books and had everyone around me cater to my needs. You will be given details of all aftercare instructions you must follow. 

WHY WAS IT THE BEST DECISION EVER?

When I returned to my day to day life post surgery, my eyesight was perfect. I was so happy with the result! Constant obsession post surgery to protect my eyes from people around me in case they hit my eyes and displace the corneal flap, was worth it in the end. 

My quality of life improved significantly because I no longer had to spend time on frequent eyesight tests. I no longer had to spend money on glasses and contact lenses. I no longer had to ensure that my contact lenses were not in for more than 8 hours a day. I no longer had to think that I must not forget to take my contact lenses when going on holiday.

Although now my vision is not as good as when I first got the surgery, that is expected as with age vision can change. Clinics normally offer a top up corrective surgery at a much reduced price, if required to correct any vision which has decreased following surgery. I did not elect to have this and 6 years later my vision is still very good for me to go about my day to day life! I would say this is the best decision I have ever made, because when I wake up, first thing I do is see what I never would have been able to see before.

Disclaimer: This post is only intended to set out my personal experience and is in no way intended for medical purposes.