Laser eye surgery

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Today, was the day for me. I went throught a eye laser surgery. I was totally confident in the surgeon, but I was under stress.



1) some weeks ago, I go to the opthalmologist and he did nearly all the ophtalmologic test possible minus : Echogrophia of the eye, of the cornea, examination of the retina, Skiascopia, laser topographia of the cornea, oculary tension ...



2) today, I arrived in the laser room. I was cool at the beginning. They instillate in mye eye lid some drops of eye wash in order to make a local anesthesia of my cornea.

Then I take off my shoes, get some special clothers, a ridiculous grandmother hat on my head and I enter in the special room. Withou my glasses, I just see that 4 people where waiting me : the ophtalmic surgeon, two nurses, and a technician in charge of the Excimer laser.

I seat under a special chair, and they fixed my head.

Then I have some other drops of eye wash, and they put me under the laser. I fixed a red pattern. At this time everything was cool.

After this, the serious things started. They put me an eye retractor, and fixed my eye with a device that I can't discribe, then they cut my eye with a special vibrating saw (yes it's scary), and unlike my wife, I did see the saw moving ...

They push outside the corne shutter, and the laser beam digged my cornea ...

after having washed my cornea they replace the shutter in place. 20 minutes later it was fixed without any helps (needless to say that I must be extremely carefull with my eyes)



My courage sletp away, when it was the turn of the second eye. Luckily there wasn't any technical incident.



Now I am nearly blind with my left eyer, and I can only see a little wiht my right eye. Normally I will see well tomorrow.

I am happy that it's finish
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    timotimo Posts: 353member
    My wife did this procedure four years ago -- she's still happy w/it.
  • Reply 2 of 39
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member




    Tell us more about the second eye!
  • Reply 3 of 39
    Don't watch A Clockwork Orange or listen to Ludwig van for a while.
  • Reply 4 of 39
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Yikes! Sounds horrible and much more complicated than my buddy's. He said he was effectively done in 5 minutes after a few pulses of the laser (or something like that).



    How much did it run you? My friend says it was about (for both eyes) $5K (cdn$)
  • Reply 5 of 39
    Bloody hell, you sprung that one on us.



    Don't suppose there's the chance of a pic of you in the ridiculous grandmother hat.....No, I guess not.



    Hope you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed again soon Powerdoc.
  • Reply 6 of 39
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Powerdoc I am interested to hear more!!!! I have 20/40 or some such, pretty bad. I'd like to grab that LASIK and get 20/10 or something awesome.



    I am VERY paranoid about my eyes. I can't touch them. I can't put contacts in (I tried once and I couldn't.)



    Can you do this LASIK while you are unconscious, so you don't have to suffer through it? Besides what if you blink do they burn a hole in your eyelid? I assume they hook you up to something that holds your eyes open, but still, I'd probably FREAK.
  • Reply 7 of 39
    The surgery itself is quite painless and the procedure is quite short - you spend more time in prep than in actual surgery. The most uncomfortable part is having them widen the calipers so they can attach the microkeritone (sp? and having an almost river like application of eye cleaner/anesthetics dropped onto your eye.



    I thought that a new procedure was being introduced/trialled where a lense is inserted into the eye. Has anyone heard anything about this???



    And powerdoc, were you meant to have both done on the same day and decided not too after the first? I find the pain for me was almost gone after a 6 hour sleep after the surgery and then went out a bought a nice bottle of red to drink to help my recovery!



  • Reply 8 of 39
    shawnjshawnj Posts: 6,656member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jwri004

    The most uncomfortable part is having them widen the calipers so they can attach the microkeritone (sp? and having an almost river like application of eye cleaner/anesthetics dropped onto your eye.





    *SQUIRMS*
  • Reply 9 of 39
    if hes nearly blind & has just undergone prk or lasik

    how the hell is he posting ?
  • Reply 10 of 39
    The surgery when you explain it sounds gruesome. The actual cutting of the "flap" I would equate to someone running a fingernail lightly across your palm. As for the laser part I did not feel it at all, just a smell similar to hair burning.



    The dose of antibiotics and eye-drops afterwards is a bit tedious, but this is only for a few months.
  • Reply 11 of 39
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    You have to use eye drops for months?



    And yes jwri I read about that lens thing in the Bicycle magazine. Apparently it's about as effective but much more expensive. You have to wear them every night for a week. I don't know if that would be easier or harder to do for me.



    I duno..I wish it could be a one-time thing with you being unconscious during it. But I guess eye drops afterward aren't so bad.
  • Reply 12 of 39
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Thanks for all your input.



    My right eye is in advance compared to the left one. I was able to tape yesterday, because of the not so bad vision of the right eye, and the fact that I have learn to type many years ago, with amiga tap (I don't have to look my keyboard).



    the whole procedure cost 2200 ? for both eyes. I have the chance to live in a small town : it's less expansive than big ones.



    The procedure I went through was lasic. It's a more scary procedure, but less painfull than the other one (direct laser digging of the cornea). With the other procedure, you are nearly blind for 3 days, are obliged to live in a dark room, and suffer a lot of pain. Nothing like this with the Lasic.

    My vision is not perfect today, especially with highlights which appears blurry.

    I will do a check up with my ophtamologist today.



    I was a little effraid of starting the second eye ( a bit more stressed), but I was decided to do the procedure. Add that I know everybody working there, so no question to show any sign of weekness. The procedure was fast, but in this cases : 30 secondes represant a lot of time. In fact, I used to think that the procedure was cool, but when I wen't back to home, I feel the urgent need to sleep. It was the sign that I was under stress.

    One nurse said that she was not mentally ready to do the procedure.



    You have to be conscious to do the procedure, otherwise forgot it. You have to focus on a small light (not so small after the microkeratome procedure), something impossible while asleep. If you can't touch your eye. If you want to do this procedure, you have to improve in this aera, but it's possible. Before the age of 18, the idea of touching my eyes was horrible, then I wear contact lenses, and this phobia went away.
  • Reply 13 of 39
    I am anxious, too. The Navy is doing my eyes next month down at Portsmouth Hospital. I can't wait, but I am nervous about stuff near my eyes. But, I already bought a nice pair of shades, so I am ready.
  • Reply 14 of 39
    I had mine done about three 3 years ago and I think it was the best money I have spent in a long time (barring my apple of course ).



    The procedure itself is well established and as long as you get a good opthamologist there should be no dramas. Though you should not consider it before you are 25, to allow your eyes to "settle".



    Personally I was never someone who could wear contacts and spent about an hour trying to put them in (and often failing) so in the end I gave up. Combined with the cost of buying new specs every few years I thought screw it, time for surgery.



    Is it for everyone, most likely not. Surgery on your eyes is an important decision and not one to be taken lightly. That is why you go through many tests and eye examinations before the procedure is performed.



    Aquatic: from memory you do a couple days of steroid eye drops to help recovery, combined with a cleaning agent for about a week, and over also normal eye drops for about a month so your eyes do not dry out. It is only the first week that is really annoying making sure you carry all your drops everywhere (or in my case remember to use them), and after that the normal eye drops are more for comfort. I personally found little need for the normal eye drops as my eyes felt comfortable. As in all surgery YMMV.
  • Reply 15 of 39
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    I a m just coming back from my first eye shake up this morning . The result is excellent with my right eye : 12/10 , but not impressive with my left eye 5/10



    I moved a little while the laser was digging my left eye, The surgeon stopped it, but during may be one little second it digged at the wrong place. The result is an under correction of 0,25 dioptrae. I don't think that this eye, will reach the level of the right eye, but I expect (and the ophtalmologist) say that it will improve in the coming weeks.



    I am very angry with me : why did I not suceed to fix that damned (red spot) ?

    The ophtalmologist said that I probabily closed the other eye, creating a reflex movement (Charles Bell's movement), where my eye looked at the top.

    Right now, my vision is uncomfortable : blur with the left eye, razor sharp with the right.

    I hope it will improve soon. (it was the case for my wife).
  • Reply 16 of 39
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    I am very angry with me : why did I not suceed to fix that damned (red spot) ?

    The ophtalmologist said that I probabily closed the other eye, creating a reflex movement (Charles Bell's movement), where my eye looked at the top.





    It's not the most natural position is it!!! Hold still be calm.....and here's the laser!!



    Even with only one eye done you will find that your vision will still be better than what is was, as it tends to "correct" itself with the good eye becoming dominant.



  • Reply 17 of 39
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jwri004

    It's not the most natural position is it!!! Hold still be calm.....and here's the laser!!



    Even with only one eye done you will find that your vision will still be better than what is was, as it tends to "correct" itself with the good eye becoming dominant.







    Thanks.



    Normally the left eye will improve. I have just to wait a month, and my brain has to learn to correct this new vision.
  • Reply 18 of 39
    xoolxool Posts: 2,460member
    Thanks for sharing your experiences with this. It is something I'd consider in about 10 years and hearing about it is food for thought.



    My eyes are pretty bad and I've always envied those who can look over and see the clock from bed. I wear contacts religiously.
  • Reply 19 of 39
    scottscott Posts: 7,431member
    I'm sure my wife will get this done "soon".
  • Reply 20 of 39
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    tonton that is strange what do you do, wear a monocle? Those are cool! <-tonton with a monocle!
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