The 20/25 Experience (Part 2)

Here’s where I last left off in my LASIK Eye Surgery Quest:

If you want to read Part 1 before you go into this segment, click HERE.

“The doctor proceeds to talk to me throughout the surgery the entire procedure step-by-step so that my fears are assuaged. “Now, listen to the sound of my voice and everything will be alright,” says the doctor. As my first set of numbing drops go into my right eye, shortly thereafter, there are sounds of metal clicking together which I am assuming is the laser mechanism. “Look straight at the dot, please……””

As I looked straight at the red dot with my right eye secured open by this circular clamp, I hear what resembles a mini saw or a power drill hear my ear. The doctor begins to outline the entire procedure for me of what he is doing step-by-step so that he can ease my fears as well as to let me know what is going on. Yes, folks, I was completely lucid throughout the entire procedure minus the valium I took before the surgery.

“I’m making a small incision of your cornea, you may go blind for about a few seconds, but I don’t want you to panic.” As he tells me this, my heart races and my hands tense up. I hear the mini saw go slightly across my cornea, but due to the numbing drops that were applied to my eyes, I don’t feel it. As he finishes, he lifts the flap of my cornea and sure enough, there is an absolute blur and there is not even a slight amount of vision to make out which made my heart ease up to my throat at this point. Then comes a slight feeling of some activity going on with my eye (meaning the laser he is shooting in my eye to correct my vision). The sound of popping and a slight smell of something burning overcomes me while I’m lying helpless on the chair. As he finishes, he closes the flap and then I have a small amount of vision come back and he immediately covers my right eye and proceeds to do the same thing to my left eye. At this point, there seriously was no turning back. After he finishes, he moves the mechanism away and I sit up and I put on a pair of UV ray sunglasses and he sends me on my way. Total procedure time: 13.2 minutes.

As my good friend holds onto my arm and I walk out into the light, the sun is extremely bright. Think, Gizmo from the Gremlins, as I’m yelling bright light and need to get to safety.

As I’m on my way back home, there’s the resistance of keeping my eyes open so I just kept them shut for the time being. The discomfort kicks in as I’m trying to get comfortable on the car ride home. I finally get home and as a person who doesn’t take prescription drugs that much, that valium “sho” didn’t seem like it was working so I was laying down on the bed wanting to touch my eyes, but I knew I couldn’t. I proceeded to put socks on my hands like a cat with mittens on so that even if I think about touching my eyes, I knew I couldn’t. I took my dark shades off and put on my protective goggles that makes me look like I’m about to go snorkeling. I still fidget, get frustrated and curse up a storm.   After sitting still for a moment, said valium finally decided to work and I end up drifting off the sleep.

The next morning (six hours later), I wake up from my valium-induced slumber – still a little raw from the surgery. It’s dark thanks to the blackout curtains. I reach to find my lamp switch to turn on the light and when I do, my eyes struggle to focus and then my eyes slowly open to clarity. I sat up and studied my surroundings. I started noticing things right away: the “Luncheon of the Boating Party” Renoir print that I bought a while back to the wall clock (6:04AM) and the small hole I made on the wall from a nail that I pulled out from hammering. All these things were clear to me. I could see! The best feeling in the world. I wanted to really cry, but I really couldn’t as my eyes were so sensitive. A sigh of relief and disbelief washed over my face as I couldn’t believe something as simple as LASIK changing me.

I made my way to the bathroom, turned on the light and looked in the mirror.

I realized I have never really looked at myself without my glasses and found myself having a moment. I began to study my face and see every indelible imprint around my eyes and ears. Here, I was looking at what 40+ years looks like in front of me. The view was interesting. I felt indifferent and not able to connect to what I saw, again, having another moment. So many emotions washed over me in that instant as I was trying to embrace this new person. It took about 15 minutes to process that this was really me. I realized that I have a new set of eyes and whole new outlook on life. This procedure was a blessing in disguise for me. I didn’t get the procedure done because of vanity. I did it because I wanted to know what it was like to be free.

So far it’s been 4 and a half months, four post op visits and 20/25 vision. I am healing nicely says the eye doc. At times when driving, there are halos that appear, but it hasn’t deterred from my driving. The doctor warned me it wouldn’t go away for a while. The first few weeks were frustrating to deal with in regards to my night vision, but now am handling it like a pro. I’ve been giving my face the much needed time to heal from the abuse that my glasses caused. The slight depression from not having my glasses has dissipated more and more to the point where I no longer have to touch my face to see if my glasses are there. This whole new world is so sharp and I’m savoring every clear moment.