It was time. I have been debating it for years, but 2011 was going to be theyear that I finally bit the bullet and got it done. Corrective Eye surgery. I've talked with friends andthey've all proclaimed it to be the best money every spent. I thought, the Dyson vacuum I bought 4.5 years ago was the best money I've ever spent!
When I went for my pre surgery consult, they deemed me eligible for PRK versus LASIK. Difference - not much, just the healing time. It depends on the shape of your eyeball and how much cornea you have. If it is a thin cornea, PRK is recommended. Instead of cutting a flap in your eye, doing the laser majic, then putting the flap back (LASIK), PRK removes your cornea and doing the laser treatment. They then put a contact on your eye to protect it while the cornea grows back to form the protective barrier on your eye. For PRK, only one eye at a time is recommended, so you don't have total loss of function if your eye bothers you after the procedure. So in about 3-6 weeks, I can go back and repeat the process on eye #2! (I am such and expert now!!)
I was so excited all week about it. 3pm on Friday I would be able to see clearly out of one eye. Then the nerves struck. Sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach. I've delivered a child for crying out loud, and couldn't get the epidurla until I was at 8cm because the anesthesiologist was on a coffee break or something! Why would I be so nervous about a 2 minute procedure?? Well, I was. But it was time to put my big girl panties on and get 'er dun. You go into a glass room and lay on the cushy table. Everybody else in the doctors office can watch you go through the procedure, but since you are nervous, you don't really care. Then they put numbing drops in your eyes. Next, they put this clip in your eyelids to keep them open. Yes, the first thing that runs through your mind is Clockwork Orange, but again, the nerves kick in and you forget it. The doctor then starts to scrape/remove the layer of your eyeball/cornea with a tiny brush. Its so weird to see this!! The eye starts to water during this process, as he is gently massaging the eye. Then the laser. It miakes a slight clicking sound, and it smells like a very sterile static, if that makes any sense. After the laser, a few more very cold eye drops, and you are done! Easy peasy. A protective contact goes on the eye for about 4-5 days while your cornea starts to grow back.
I have slightly blurred vision, and will probably continue to have this for about a month while the eye heals. But I can see. I can SEE!!! Stupid things like "6:21" on the dashboard of my car - I can see it! "Ryder" brand on the truck next to me on I-75 - I can see it!
Hubby took me to CVS afterwards to file the vicoden perscription, and to pick up some vitamin C, and then home.
Apparently I am in for some pain the next few days, so the doc said to lay low. Thank you Mom and Dad for watching Sally. No eye makeup for a week, so look out my fellow life forms. I don't mean to scare you out in public, but these are doctors orders!
Day 1, success! And I am starting to really think this might be a better purchse than the Dyson vacuum. Maybe :)
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