A crystal clear start to 2010 Friday 29th January 2010, 4:46 PM
I've Been rather fortunate in my life that I havnt had to have much surgery in my life. I had root canal at on point in my life but otherwise I've been lucky. My dad got laser surgery a couple of years ago and my cousin had it done about a decade ago, when it was much newer to the Market, and also a lot more expensive. Following my minor incident on my bike due to limited visbilty, I thought if. Want to exceed my skills in biking, my eyesight is the first to be sorted.
I made initial enquiries in december since I saw an advert for a free consultation, and thought I may as well see if I'm eligible at least. I found out three options that where available to me, the cheapest option is based on your prescription and is a generic treatment according to that but the success rate was 90% which put me off. The second option, they mechanically create the flap on the eye (a slightly older method) and the laser surgery is according to your eyes 'fingerprint'. The third and most expensive treatment is how they create the flap which is a more modern, but the laser treatment inside the eye is the same.
I held my breath and went for the middle treatment, within a week I was on the operating table for about 20 minutes with the closest surgery I had ever seen, on my eye! You can see everything they do, but it wasn't painful at all, I just was very nervous, clenched fists and everything.
You have the anesthetic drops put in your eyes, then left for a couple of minutes while he prepared, this was the worst part for me, I hate suspence! At this point you can't feel anything he does. They place a glass 'o' in your eye, very similar to a glass eyewash glass but without the bottom. A couple of metal objets are placed over your eye, then it goes rather blurry, some people day you can see him lift the flap, but for me it wasn't noticable. You then stare at an orange light for a second, the laser (blue by the way) pulsates in a circular motion around the eye. You can smell a light burning smell, but this is normal. He puts the flap back making your eyesight clear again, and smooths the delicate layer over your eye, very similar to smoothing a wall over with a trail, puts various drops in your eyes and your done. He repeats the process with the other eye and your on your way to a quick recovery. I went home and slept for the most of the day and was at work the next day, I just had to be delicate with my face, and my eyes I couldnt touch, otherwise it's all good. I'm in the center for my last consultation now, ready to be given the all clear!