Laser Eye Surgery

Today’s the day. Appointment’s this afternoon. Cut my hair cut a bit shorter last night to No1 all over instead of No 2 because I can’t wash it for a week which I am not looking forward to; being a bit shorter it will be easier to rub over with a soapy flannel. Can’t say I am looking forward to the surgery and should not have looked at the You Tube films but having gone and done it it’s a bit late now. Just want to get it over with. Hopefully see you all later, see what I did there. When I am doing my blue brother's dark glasses impression.

 

Look forward to hear how you found it.

I also made the mistake of watching the Youtube vids, not wise.

 

All went well on Friday; surgeon was very good and put me at ease although he did say that with all surgical procedures there was a small risk. Less than 1% not being successful and less than 3% needing a retreatment to produce the optimum result. Procedure was over in about twenty minute’s tops. All the time the surgeon talking about what he was doing and why he was doing it. The fear of the procedure being far worse than the actual procedure, can’t really say it hurt more uncomfortable than anything. I was then offered a drink whilst I waiting for the consultant to come and check my eyes, which was done and all looking ok. I was given three different eye drops to be applied every two hours over the weekend then every four hours thereafter then sent on my way and told to go home and try and sleep for a few hours. Vision was very fussy and L drove me home whilst I did my blues brother’s impression in my old faithful Oakley’s that I have not been able to wear for years.

After we got home the anaesthetic started to wear off and I realised I am not the hard man I thought I was, Jesus it hurt big time. Tried to sleep but no chance, it was agony and felt like someone had poured gravel in my eyes and then decided to rub it in hard with their thumbs. Whole evening was spent in blur of pain on the sofa with eyes closed trying to sleep and Ling pouring in what felt like acid every couple of hours. Not what I expected or was told would happen; slight discomfort was the sales patter.

Woke on Saturday morning, vision was much better, not brilliant but not bad at all. No pain just an irritating gritty feeling. Later I wandered outside for a ciggy and the penny dropped that I didn’t have my glasses on and could see !. Right eye was crystal clear, left not quite so clear. L drove me back to clinic for a check over, all good and driving standard vision already and appointment made for next Friday. Saturday evening we attended a very grand black tie Chinese 80th birthday party in central London and all was well and good other then the spot lights in the room were much to bright for me and my eyes got very tired as the evening wore on. When we left to wander back to our hotel about midnight car headlights and traffic lights etc had a huge and I mean huge halo scattered light effect which would make driving at night impossible, hopefully that will recede as my eyes heal.

I woke this morning, no pain and no gravel feeling, nothing other then a bit gloppy from all the drops. They were that good we even decided to go to the BMF bike show at Peterborough this afternoon. More about that on another thread later. Looking at the lap top screen typing this is a bit hard on the eyes which feel tired but as long as I keep looking away is bearable so roll on tomorrow and only have to apply the drops every four hours.

So far I have to say it has been worth while and on reflection I should have done it years ago and once the night time halo effect goes it will be brilliant. If anyone is thinking about, don’t, just do it.

 

Glad to hear it went well. I'm surprised about the amount of pain/discomfort you had on the first day, though. I remember when I had mine done, straight after the op I was amazed that I could see perfectly and couldn't feel a thing (all thanks to the anaesthetic, obviously!) but about 20 minutes later while waiting for the surgeon to take a look, my eyes just started streaming and streaming. That continued for most of the day so think it was just my body's way of dealing with the stinging/discomfort.

Once given the all-clear by the surgeon, I went home and once the adrenalin had worn off I felt really tired so managed to get some sleep for a few hours. I woke up and the streaming had subsided a bit but didn't have any pain thankfully.

re: the GASH you're experiencing (stop sniggering at the back - it stands for “Glare, Arcing, Starbursts and Halos”!), that will subside over a few weeks. There will be some evidence of that once it's died down but nothing too bad, although a few patients do continue to be affected by it which are part of the 3% you mentioned about needing a further op to correct that.

 

Thank you Moily
Your comments about the GASH, yep I sniggered, but according to the info sheet I can’t have any for four or five days anyway. I did suggest last night that BJ’s are good for eye sight but was told “that’s a shame then your going to need glasses your again, ” are much appreciated as last night the glare was really bad, as was the pain on Friday night. Shit man it was awful. I don’t remember any streaming and just asked Ling, she didn’t notice any either. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

I think you did well to go to the do on Sat night. I just wrote off the weekend and recuperated. A mate of mine who I'd recommended it to had it done on the Fri lunchtime and then went to his local a couple of hours later!! And that was pre-smoking ban. There's no way I'd have gone anywhere near a smoky pub after that op!

 

Family is a big thing in the Chinese culture and it’s been on the calendar for nearly a year so it was a given, even if L had to go on her own. Decided to go and if it was too much I would just make my goodbyes and bugger off to our hotel, in the end it was not so bad and great to see so many great people that had made the effort to travel from China, USA, Singapore, Penang Malaysia (where Ling was born) to attend the Mama’s 80th. I have never seen a birthday party like it. Traditional Chinese food that went on forever, Entertainment for the kids, grown ups laser show (not that I enjoyed that) stage acts, live band, and above all, a free bar and a room full of fit asian women, a real sight for sore eyes !

 

Heh! Sounded like a good night out and just the tonic to make you forget the tribulations of the previous day.

You'll have a few more days of waking up and realising you can see without needing to put your glasses on/lenses in to look forward to as well..!

 

Pleased all went well for you. Can't say I experienced any pain but horses for courses. The vision will just keep on getting better. Same as you it was the thought of the operation that was more of a worry than the actual surgery.

 

Thanks guys for your support. I have our "pre menstrual" monthly management meeting tomorrow which goes on and on and on till late in the evening sometimes and so could be a problem driving home in the dark and so L and I have flipped a coin. It was tails so I am going to work at home. Bollocks to the meeting and my eye health is taking preference. They want to talk to me; I am on the end of a phone. I rarely work less than then 50 or 60 hrs a week so for once they can swing for it.

 

Thank you Ken for that kind offer, however, the five days are up, said pumping hands Willie Carson style.............LING, GET UP THEM BACK STAIRS.....