I can see clearly now!

Really I can! And without my glasses!

I'm still a little stunned that this time last week I needed my glasses to see normal every day stuff and now I don't! LASIK is kinda like magic I have decided!

So how does it all work? What happens? Does it hurt? These are questions I have answered many times in the last few days!

Last Wednesday I had an appointment at the Fendalton Eye Clinic to have my eyes mapped for laser surgery. All up I spent close to 2 hours having my eyes tested etc which involved lots of looking into machines and watching the light or picture. The one thing I will miss about not wearing glasses is the eye tests, I quite like going to the optician, way more fun than the dentist eh! They take a map of your eye which basically reads like a topographical map that you use when orienteering etc, my map reading skills paid off at this point and it was really easy to understand what they were explaining to me about my eye and what had caused me to be short sighted and have astigmatisms. All pretty fascinating and exciting at the same time, I think that afternoon I spent time with about 3 different staff including the surgeon and they were all really patient about answering all my questions of which I had many as you do. Given that they must get asked these questions almost daily they make you feel like you are the only one who has asked that which is cool.

Thursday was the big day, honestly I was a little bit too excited to be really effective at work that day so its probably lucky that I finished just before 3 so I could get to my appointment which was at 3.20. Geoff's mum drove me over to the clinic which was lovely, once there I had a quick chat and had my eyes looked over again, more paperwork to read and sign. Everything such as side-effects and what to expect was really well covered in all the literature and paperwork which was great as I felt really well informed about what I was getting myself into. I was feeling a bit chicken, I have never ever had any kind of surgery at all and this was my eyes! Scary to think what life would be like without sight! Then off to be gowned up etc and wait awhile, honestly this was the worst part, sitting in this lovely room with nice comfy arm chairs and heaps of glossy magazines to read all gowned up etc ready for surgery. I felt like I was in there for forever! I skim read pretty much a whole magazine before they came to get me. They do offer you a mild sedative to help you relax but I decided that I was brave enough to not need one! I felt like I had pre-race nerves so I was going with the theory that once it started it would all be ok just like it is on race day. It was nice to get a good luck text from Richard while I was waiting, it seems he coaches everything! There were 3 people in the theatre, all of whom I had met the day before so that was good knowing who was talking to you esp as you couldn't see them once everything was underway. There was a brief moment when I was lying there waiting for everything to start that I panicked and thought 'what the hell am I doing!' and I briefly considered pulling out but I reminded myself that it would all be ok and managed to relax. It was pretty easy really, I just had to lie there and look at the red dot while everyone else did everything anyway. First up they put anaesthetic eye drops into your eye so you can't feel anything then they use the laser to create the corneal flap. This takes about 20 seconds for each eye and they talk you through what is happening including a countdown, eg 10 seconds gone, 5 seconds left to go, all done which was nice. Then onto the next stage which was the weird part where they lift up the corneal flap they have just created, so you are looking at the red light and they warn you that this may move, well it sure does cos they are moving your cornea which you are looking through! Now that was weird! By this stage there is a surgical eye drape kinda attached to your eye lashes and an eye speculum holding your eyelids open so that you can't blink. Then the part that actually corrects your eye, this takes a little longer as it happens in phases. This is the part where all the eye-mapping comes into play as the machine recognises your eye from the mapping and then does its thing to correct your vision, again you are talked through what is happening, eg phase 1 of 5 complete etc. I think one eye had 4 phases while the other one had 5. Yep I had quite different vision in each eye if you are wondering why they were different. After each eye was done the corneal flap was placed back into place and your eye was washed and left to sit for 2 minutes while the cornea settled back into place then on to the next eye. All up surgey itself only takes about 20min. Once both eyes were done it was off to another waiting room, no magazines this time tho! I could see immediately, everything was just a little foggy, a little bit like when the bathroom is all steamy after a hot shower. Again you get well looked after, a couple of panadol, a cup of tea and some afternoon tea while you relax and take on board what has just happened! Then off to get everything checked over before becoming the proud owner of a pair of see through plastic eye covers which get taped to your face! Not the most attractive things but hey its a small price to pay! You are also sent home with a care pack containing some more panadol and a sleeping pill should you need it. I did actually use it as I went to bed earlyish cos I was feeling pretty tired but then I was just lying there and by this time my eyes were feeling a little gritty and uncomfortable so I figured it best that I get a good sleep and that wasn't going to happen on its own! By the time I had my covers on Geoff was there to pick me up and take me home. The next morning I was allowed to take the covers off and yes I could see really well at this point! One eye was a little blurry and seemed to shift in and out of vision a little which is all pretty normal but I felt absolutely fine! Had a careful shower and avoided washing my hair in case I got shampoo in my eye, then Geoff's mum picked me up to take me in for my post-op check up where I was cleared to drive (this is less than 24 hours after the surgery! Impressive eh!) and they gave my eyes a thorough check up and gave me the all clear! All done! I had to put in anti-bac/anti-flam eye drops for the next few days just to make sure my eyes stayed nice and healthy. Dry eyes are a normal side effect so also have some eye drops for that which is great, mine have been a little dry but they are getting better day by day so thats really good.

Went for my first run without glasses on Saturday and it was awesome! I was running in sunglasses for the first time ever, a tinted world is a very different world, I didn't miss the glare thats for sure!

So to answer your questions...

Did it hurt? - not at all! You just felt a bit of pressure on your eyes

Were there needles etc? - nope, just eye drops and lasers really

How soon could I see? - the next day, although I was watching a little bit of tv that night thru my eye covers

Would I do it again? - hell yes, in a heartbeat!

Was it expensive? - not when you compare it to how much you would spend on glasses/contacts over the next 20-30years

Have I had any side-effects? - Just the normal things I was told would happen such as occasional blurry vision which corrects when I re-focus my eyes, halos around lights when driving at night and slightly bloodshot eyes, all of which will resolve themselves over the next few weeks

Anything I couldn't do? - no swimming for a week, small price to pay really!

I was really impressed with the level of service at the Fendalton Eye Clinic, everyone was extremely knowledgeable and professional. Exactly what you need when you are doing something like this! They were really approachable and explained things in non-technical terms so you know exactly what was what and what would happen. I would highly recommend getting your eyes done if you have ever thought about it! Geoff was telling someone at his work and his wife was thinking of getting it done so she rang me the other night and asked me heaps of questions about the procedure, apparently I gave her the info she needed and she is now all booked in to have hers done! I've talked to a few other people about the process and I won't be at all surprised to hear of a few others getting it done soon!