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December 23, 2004

The eyes have it...

I had LASIK two weeks ago. I'm filing this under "Geek" because I think the technology behind LASIK is phenomenal. It is amazing how ubiquitous using a laser on eye tissue to improve vision has become.

My eyesight was not terrible - though I've worn glasses since high school. My correction in each eye was no worse than -1 diopter of correction with some astigmatism. In other words, not coke bottle lenses - even vision that someone who does wear coke bottle lenses might envy.

While not terrible, or even bad - by any standards, my vision made driving difficult, especially at night. Enjoyment of movies, outdoor activities, and many other things always were dependant on my having my spectacles along. In general, it negatively affected my quality of life, so I decided to do something about it. LASIK is readily available and well tested - so I felt comfortable taking the risks.

I found no shortage of facilities locally. A few important criteria to me:

• Experienced surgeon in terms of number of patients operated on and procedures performed with a quality laser machine they know intimately
• "Wave Front" technology - that is instead of programming your LASIK correction to your ophthalmologist derived prescription - computer analysis of your eye, cornea, etc... determines your correction. The accuracy and results seem to be much higher
• Close in proximity. I wasn't willing to drive far, even to Denver from here, for the various consultations, procedures, etc...

I selected Insight Lasik - voted Boulder County Best Lasik in 2002, 2003, and 2004. So how did it go? Here's the whole thing:

1. Initial consultation - this consisted of several evaluative tests on my eyes. Determining my dioptic correction, corneal mass, pupil diameter, and other visual aberrations among other things. Bottom line - I was a good candidate.
2. Decide to spend $$. LASIK is not cheap. It is cheapER than it used to be, and the "Wave Front" technology is extra.
3. Schedule surgery.
4. Pre-Surgery Appointment - More evaluation and intensive measurements taken in preparation for the surgery.
5. Surgery
6. One Day Post Surgery Appointment - vision test, how do ya feel, etc...
7. Ten Day Post Surgery Appointment

The surgery is the cool part. You get numerous rounds of eye drops. Numbing agent - antibiotic - moisture. Pop a valium - no anesthetic of any kind - just a general relaxant. They need your cooperation when your under the laser, so you must be aware and in control. Once you are under the laser, they tape open your eyelids - so you can't blink. Then, they place a suction device on your eye - this sucks the cornea up in to a tube to present it for an incision to be made flat across the surface of the cornea. Pretty ingenious method and fairly strange to experience. Once the flap is cut the surgeon opens it and moves it to the side. It is like having your eyes open underwater, you can't see anything.

Now the laser starts. What is interesting is there is no heat - there is no burning. The laser breaks the carbon molecules - just destroys the tissue - so no smoke, although since tissue is breaking up there is an odor. Sort of like hair burning.

That's it. Flip the flap back down. Rinse, lather, repeat other eye. Done. I had about 36 seconds of laser time on one eye and 44 on the other.

Just after, you can't see a thing and your eyes are fairly sensitive to light. Star bursts around all sources of bright light. You wear protective goggles from that point and the whole next day. Walk around your house like Kareem Abdul-Jabar. You sleep in the goggles for 3-4 nights. Don't rub your eyes - even accidentally.

My day after appointment my vision tested a solid 20/20 in one eye and 20/15 in the other. Over the 10 days after, my vision fluctuates. The eye tissue operated on can swell for several weeks. Keeping the eyes moist with drops makes a big difference - but there is really no pain or irritation. Aches the next 24 hours or so, but minor. I didn't even take a Tylenol after surgery.

Overall - I'm amazed. Despite the moments of fluctuations in vision I still have as my eyes continue to heal, for the most part, things are flawless. I keep waiting to wake up and find that "it didn't work" - but that simply isn't going to happen. My eyes are reshaped, and the light refracts with miraculous exactitude into my eyeball. Friggin' awesome!

There are of course risks - including significantly worse vision than what you started with or even blindness. Many won't be candidates for one reason or another, but, I recommend the procedure. The benefits for the cost for me has been more than worth it.

I spoke to folks I knew before my surgery who had it, and now that I'm in the club, I understand what they meant when they said it changed their life. For me, a minor change, but a positive change none the less. I love it!

Posted by gcrgcr at December 23, 2004 8:57 PM

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