My eyes. That is what my week has been about. It is because last weekend I had Lasik, and in the matter of about 20 minutes I went from not being able to read something just a few inches from my face to having vision that is better than 20/20. I still keep forgetting that I can actually see and didn’t just forget to take out my contacts.
I have worn glasses since I was about 9 and contacts since I was about 13. Contacts have always worked well for me, so for the past 15 years or so I have worn them almost exclusively. I pretty much never wore my glasses, so my eyes had a really difficult time adjusting when I did have to wear them. This coupled with the fact that I couldn’t make out much of anything that was not in the middle of the lens meant that I had a really difficult time seeing with glasses. This was reinforced during the 2 weeks before surgery when I couldn't wear my contacts.
I have thought about Lasik for a while, but the idea of someone shooting my eye with a laser was a little intimidating. There was also the cost factor since it is an elective procedure that I had to think about. However, the idea of being able to see without assistance was very appealing, especially as we think about having kids. So I began researching doctors and the surgery itself in October, had a couple of consultations in November and December, and then finally had the surgery last Saturday.
Overall, it was relatively painless. The surgery itself didn’t hurt, but my eyes did sting for a few hours after. My eyes were a little scratchy for the next couple of days, but by about Wednesday they felt pretty much normal. This week I had to use 3 different kinds of eye drops at various intervals throughout the day, but after tomorrow I just have to use one kind to keep my eyes moist. Honestly, the hardest part has been that I couldn’t do anything that where I might perspire for the past week. I am really looking forward to getting back to running on Sunday.
So far, I have had a great experience with my new eyes, but I know it is not for everyone. Also, it is really important to find a good doctor. I did a ton of research before making the decision to have this done. It really is like seeing the world with new eyes.
