LASIK - or My new life as a vampire

I can see! Without glasses or contacts! Last time that happened I was about 8, sometime during the Jurassic period… Yesterday I had LASIK, laser treatment to cure my just over -8.75 shortsightedness. Lately I’ve not been able to read a regular paperback without correction – if one end of the line was clear the other was too far away. I’d prepared for the worst and bought shedloads of ibuprofen and warned hubby that I’d need full service all Easter. The clinic’s website describes the procedure as follows: With LASIK laser eye surgery, the protective surface layer of the cornea is lifted and the laser is used to reshape the layer underneath. The surface is then gently replaced, the whole procedure taking no more than 20 minutes. Traditionally, the protective layer is lifted with the use of a surgical blade and, understandably, this can cause concern. At Ultralase, we don't use blades: we use Intralase® as standard. IntraLase® means that a very, very fine laser is used to lift the protective layer. This makes Ultralase the ONLY national provider in the UK to move completely away from the use of blades in vision correction treatment. After being prepped I was led – without glasses - into the treatment room. I saw something that could’ve been 3 people, maybe 5-6 or even one and a camel. The procedure itself wasn’t bad at all, except when the IntraLase thing was put on the eyes, it felt like a cookie cutter was pressed down on the eyeballs. The laser was completely painless, I just had to stare at some flickering red light and then it smelled of burnt flesh (nice…) and it was done. Didn’t even take 20 minutes, maybe just over 10. Then I could sit up and leave the room. Halleluja! I could see! I’d been right, there were 3 people, and not an animal in sight. Quick checkup by the doctor, sunnies on, into a dark room for 15 minutes and then off home by cab. By now the anesthetic was wearing off, and the eyes were stinging and burning, like I’d got soap in the eyes and was being made to look into a bright light. Not great. At home it was time for the first lot of the 3 sets of drops I’d been given – antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and lubricants - and I ended up sitting in the pitch black bathroom, sunnies on, rocking back and forth like Stevie Wonder. Ouch… Not quite painful, but serious discomfort. Eventually I went to bed and tried to sleep. That was much better. More drops – every 2 hours unless I’m asleep. This morning I woke up at 6.30 (no wonder since I dozed off at 8 last night) and tried to get hubby to give me more drops. No reaction. I can do it myself, but it’s easier with help. Hardly any stinging at all now! I slept some more, and by now it felt almost like normal, apart from a desperate urge to rub my eyes, which is absolutely forbidden, as is getting water in them. How do I wash my hair I wonder?! Back to the doctor today for another checkup, and it all looks fine. If you’ll get an infection or any problems with the “flap” it’s by day one apparently, but it looked perfect. I looked at the tiny letters on the wall and while 3rd line up is 20-20 vision, I could even see several letters on the bottom line! I prefer the blinds down and sunnies on, especially if I’m looking at the computer or TV, but it’s ok. I think I’m wearing the sunnies more than I have to but I’m so used to my glasses! I really won’t miss having to put on makeup without being able to see the final result without having to constantly put the glasses on, picking the wrong bottles in the shower, getting rain on the glasses, and most of all being in the sea - and then especially surfing – and risk losing a contact and then not find my way back to the beach! Not to mention seeing where I am when I wake up at night. Hubby is a bit worried I’ll leave him now that I can see what he really looks like, haha. I can’t run at all for the next week, and then only very easy. Not too bad just after the marathon, but of course it makes me desperate to head out… Oh well, guess it’s a marathon date with Detective Flack and a tub of ice cream…