My LASIK Success!

Don't worry.

I did not perform LASIK on my eyes with an "In-Home" kit.

I just found this comic online and had to share it!

So, my LASIK procedure was a success!  I am truely amazed by this wonderful surgery.  It is incredible that something that takes only mere minutes can change my eyesight so dramatically.  I am still in awe of it and I count my blessings each and every day.  Like I said before, vision is SO important.  I am still wearing the dark glasses when I go outside and I have to wear protective lenses over my eyes when I sleep so I don't rub them.  If you rub them (pretty much at all) you could possibly re-open your flaps and that would NOT be good.  I actually had a dream last night that I rubbed my eyes and the flaps came open.  It scared the crap out of me.  Let me tell you a little more about what LASIK is because I never really knew what it all entailed until going through it.

When I first arrived for the surgery they asked if I was feeling nervous or anxious and I said "yes".  They asked if I wanted a valium to calm my nerves and I gladly accepted.  My leg was shaking like crazy.  I get a little on edge before getting my eyes cut open.  I'm weird like that.  They then took me back to the prepping area where I had to put on a hair net and feet-booties.  They put numbing drops into both my eyes and some weird goo stuff on my eyelashes so they didn't fall out into my eyes during the procedure (I still haven't been able to get that crap off).

First thing they have to do is make the corneal flap.  They took me into the surgery room and had me lay down on my back under a laser machine.  Dr. Hoopes took a soft suction ring and placed it, first, on my right eye.  The suction ring created a small amount of pressure on my eye but not to the extent that I felt a lot of discomfort.  However, it does make your vision go fuzzy or entirely black for about 15 seconds.  Mine went entirely black which I was happy about because I didn't want to see that laser sending all those pulses into my eye.  The flap is created by the laser sending microscopic cavitation bubbles underneath the surface of the cornea.  Once the bubbles settle and combine together the flap is made.  All the surgeon has to do now is open it up.  They had me sit in a huge massage chair to wait for the flaps to be made.  That was nice!  Once they were ready for me they took me back into the surgery room.  The staff explains everything that is happening to you while it's happening.  So, there were no surprises.  They laid me down underneath another laser machine and taped my eyelashes back out of the way.  Then they took these wire eyelid holders and put them on my eyes to hold them open.  More numbing drops were given (which I was happy for).  The more the better!

Then he lifted my corneal flap back on it's hinge.  He turned the laser on and I could smell a very distinct burning type of smell.  It stunk.  I tried hard to not think about that smell being produced off of one of my very own eyeballs.  Within less than 20 seconds the laser treatment was over and the flap was being replaced back over my eye.  Then he got to work on my other eye.  It all happened so fast!  It was amazing and totally worth it!  They said the best thing to do after the surgery was to go home and sleep off the valium which I did because it made me light-headed.  I got home and slept for a good 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  I kept my protective glasses on inside and outside because I have two crazy cats that like to jump on me and sometimes poke my eye with their paws so, better safe than sorry.  It was a good thing I did too because my littlest cat, Onyx, decided to try a new ninja move on me while I sat on the couch.  It seriously scared me!  He used my face as if it were a wall to try to make his way to the back of the couch.  Of all the days to try such a maneuver!  Crazy cat.  He's never done that before.  Good thing I had those glasses on is all I can say.

The only recovery I really have to do at this point is put drops in my eyes every hour.  I put artifical tears in every hour and prescription drops in every four hours.  I can't rub my eyes for two months.  I can't swim or sit in hot tubs for two months.  I can shower, but I can't let the water directly hit my eyelids.  It's too much pressure for them.

All worth it.  This surgery has changed my life.