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05/24/2004 Entry: "Wow."

Amazing. Truly amazing.

For the first time in 18 years, I can see clearly without the aid of specs or contact lenses. Every hour my vision becomes a little clearer - it's like someone's waved a magic wand over me.

Regular readers will know I'm taking about laser eye surgery. Full details (and I mean, *full* - this ain't for the squeamish) can be found in the extended entry...

Cheers,

Ross
aka Bright Eyes

Dateline: Friday, 21st May 2004
Time: 12 noon
Place: Ultralase, Chelmsford.
- -
I'm here. It's the big day - I'll hopefully be going under the laser in about 45 mins. I sit & have a coffee. Probably not a wise choice as I'm getting ever more twitchy.

I'm called through & the surgeon runs some last minute tests to ensure that their records are correct & accurate. I suppose I should feel somewhat relieved at this but I'm starting to feel a bit nervous. What if I can't be treated? Thankfully, all's fine and I sign the consent form.

I'm then ushered through to the pre-treatment room where one of the nurses runs through another ID check & the aftercare procedure. Tepid (boiled) water, cotton buds, three types of eye drops & plastic eye shields feature quite prominently but I'm still a bit too nervous to take it all in. My eyelids get wiped down with antiseptic, anaesthetic drops are administered & I'm ready to go...

Disaster! The files for my left eye won't load - the diskette is corrupted. It'll be another 10 minutes before the laser will be configured & calibrated. I'm offered (yet) another coffee. I graciously decline again & opt for a glass of water. Some valium would probably be a good idea, too.

Time:1:00pm
- -
The files are loaded. I can hear the laser running through it's last minute checks; crackling and sizzling like one of those anti-insect devices in a bakery.

I lay down on the bed & get comfortable. My left eye is covered and my right shrouded. As asked, I look down, then up. I can't blink anymore - there's something holding my eye open. I'm asked to focus on the blinking red light. I see the surgeon probe my eye with something, then the laser locks on and performs an iris scan. The pressure ring is lowered into position and I can feel the surface of my eye being pulled upwards; my vision's fading, darker, darker, until blackness. Theres a buzzing noise and I'm aware of the blade cutting the flap in my outer membrane.

The ring's gone, my eye's back in place and I can see the surgeon waving a scalpel around my eye. The red light's still there and I see something move. Everything's gone really blurred - the flap has been lifted.

I stare intently at the red light as the laser is fired in eight short bursts. There's a faint smell of burning hair. My eye is irrigated with saline solution and the flap replaced.

That's it for the one eye. I sit up & wait for the laser to be re-calibrated for my left eye.

I take my place on the bed and start to repeat the process. This time, I can feel the pressure ring more than before. It's removed, and more anaesthetic drops are applied. Back again through the buzzing, blackness, blurriness & saline.

All done. Less than 30 minutes after first taking my place, it's over. I'm still shaking with nerves, my vision's milky & hazy - all due to the saline, apparently.

As I make my way towards the door, I'm aware of some gas cylinders on the other side of the room. I can make out the letters "LHR" on the label. Amazing.

Now it's back to the recovery room to sit & relax... 90 minutes later (it would have been 45 but there was someone else straight after me) I'm cleared to go home.

Dateline: Saturday, 22nd May 2004
Time:9:00am
Place:Ultralase, Chelmsford
- -
I'm back again. Another optometrist checks to make sure that everything's OK. Another sight test and whaddya know? I can see the chart, unaided! In fact, I can read the third line down!! What does this mean? Well, less that 24 hours after surgery, my eyesight's back at UK driving standard. It will be about another month before everything is as good as it gets.

And that's that. It's really wierd being able to see the alarm clock in the morning, weirder still being able to shave without my glasses steaming up. Sure, it's a hassle to wear (plain-lens) specs or sunnies all day for the next two weeks. Sure, you need to be disciplined with the drops. Sure, the night-time eye guards make you look like a reject from "The Fly". Is it worth it?

Do you really need to ask? :-)

Posted by Paul Simpson @ 05/27/2004 08:05 PM GMT

I need this. Yay you!

Posted by rfb @ 05/26/2004 02:30 PM GMT

double YAY!

Posted by clive @ 05/26/2004 02:30 PM GMT

YAY!

Posted by adrian @ 05/25/2004 10:16 AM GMT

YAY!

Posted by adrian @ 05/25/2004 10:16 AM GMT