Clear Vision for Six Months

Things have never been so clear.

It’s been about six months since I underwent LASIK surgery, and the results show: my eyeglasses have been filed away and a year’s supply of unopened contact lenses has been returned to Costco.

Although there are small problems, like seeing starbursts and occasional dry eye (the latter is common for the first few months), simple things like being able to see the numbers on my alarm clock and watching TV from my bed make the surgery worth the price.  My doctor also said the benefits of the surgery in its current form will last until my 40s, when most people need reading glasses.  The price of a year’s supply of contact lenses and solutions for the same amount of time would be similar in cost to LASIK.

LASIK is a vision correcting procedure that uses a laser to change the eye’s focusing power by reshaping the cornea. Some believe the procedure is dangerous, or not worth the cost or inconvenience. However, as long as you have the money, and you and your surgeon are qualified for the procedure, the benefits far outweigh the potential drawbacks.

The most frightening thing for potential LASIK patients is the creation of the corneal flap, as doctors call it.  Before the surgery, patients are given a few drops to numb each eye.

Preparing for surgery...

There are two ways to create the flap.  The first is with a device like a carpenter plane that actually slices a thin layer or the cornea. The safer, second option, called bladeless LASIK, uses the laser to make a stitch like pattern on the eye to create the flap. I went with number two.  Although the creation of the flap doesn’t hurt, the suction before it is created does.

If you are able to stomach this part of the procedure, which is a small price to pay for a grand benefit, then the next step is to undergo a few hours worth of tests.

Not every person is right for LASIK surgery. If you have thin corneal tissue, dry eyes or any other condition, it can be dangerous to go under the laser.

Contact lens wearers, as I was, are instructed not to wear contacts for at least five days before the examination. Contact lenses actually warp the shape of the cornea, which could lead to inaccurate test results.

After the initial set of tests at Huntington’s Precision Eye Care, my doctor, Richard Davis, delivered good news. “You’re a perfect candidate,” he said.

There were still more tests however, and this time my eyes had to be dilated for better measurements. The drops took a half hour to kick in. Because of the dilation, patients are instructed to have someone drive them home.

There are risks to LASIK surgery, Dr. Davis told me. One in 10,000 patients suffer eye infections, which can cause corneal scarring, which could, in some extreme cases, lead to blindness.

“You can get hit by a car,” Dr. Davis said, “but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cross the street.”

Another risk is flap complications. Sometimes after the procedure, the flap, which is supposed to set after two minutes, doesn’t sit right, might have wrinkles or gets debris under it. When this happens, the surgeon has to reposition it, which Dr. Davis said he has done only once.

A few days before the surgery, patients have to go for a pre-op, which involves another vision test and an orb scan, which photographs the eyes.  The latter test was frustrating. In order to get a good picture, the eyes must stay focused and there can no blinking, which I had trouble with.

LASIK patients are told not to wear deodorant, perfume or makeup a day before their surgery, as it can interfere with the laser.

My date with the laser finally came (to give you a hint, a governor announced his resignation that day). After some time in the waiting room, I put on a shower cap and lay down on the surgical table. Dr. Davis gave me two stress balls; I wasn’t sure why.

The doctor applied the numbing drops, but it did not help with the next part. To make the flap, suction must be applied to the eye socket. I finally figured out what the stress balls were for. The pain the suction causes can be compared to someone pressing a knee down on your eye socket. Thankfully, this lasts for less than a minute.

After the laser created the flap, Dr. Davis used a tiny rod to fold it over. I blurrily stared into a light, and the laser started working what Dr. Davis calls “Disney Magic.” As the laser hit my eye, I smelled something like singed skin. The flap was folded back over, and I lay still for two minutes. Then, the whole process repeated for the second eye.

The entire procedure took about 15 minutes. Dr. Davis gave me two sets of eye drops and put plastic shields over my eyes to protect them from the world and myself.

Wearing plastic shields.

Patients should be driven home after the surgery.

For the next seven hours after the surgery, I took a nap. I felt discomfort in my eyes, like I put my contact lenses in backward. For those who don’t wear contacts, imagine any foreign object beneath your eyelids. After my nap, the discomfort was gone.

During the next few days, my vision drastically improved. At my one-month appointment, the “Disney Magic” really proved true. My vision improved in both eyes, Dr. Davis said.

Before the surgery, 20 feet away looked like 200. Now it looks like 20.

I had a great realization when driving from the Long Island Expressway to the Cross Island Parkway.  There’s a great view of a block of houses in between two layers of trees.  Before the surgery, this view never really stuck out.  Now every time I look out and see how clear it is, I realize how great it was to get LASIK.