Pondered for about 2 years on whether I should get my lasik done but unable to do as I was scared and there wasn't extra money. Finally the last straw came when my contact lens solution ran out and my supply of monthly contact lens is coming to an end too. Lasik ... I decided and proceeded to do some researching and booked an appointment for eye check and the surgery itself.
I was told that I had to lay off contact lenses for at least 3 days. But due to the sensitivity of my eyes (and the fact that my lens solution is coming to an end) I decided to lay off my lenses for 2 weeks. Freaking 2 weeks ~~ of uncomfortableness! Imagine getting giddy everytime you raise your head or pushing up the glasses like every 2 seconds. Decided to go for The Lasik Surgery Clinic since my 未来大嫂(Now I know why大嫂 spells as "dasao".. cause 打扫came up as the first choice) went there and she said they are professional.
Finally the day came and Dar took leave to go with me to The Lasik Surgery Clinic @ Paragon From 10 am, my eye balls underwent tests and treatments of moving lights, blurring red houses and sudden jets of air. Just when I thought the tests are over at (~!) 2pm, the nurse told me that they have to do additional tests as the pressure in my eye ball is higher than normal. So additional $100 and additional tests La di da di da~~~~ and it's time to see the doctor. But before that, I was given eye drops to dilate my pupils. Though looking doll-like was cute, it's actually not that comfortable.
Finally stepped inside the doctor's room and the first sentence he gave me was "Jeslyn~~~ there's a good news and a bad news.." and not even pausing to ask me the cheesy question of which would I like to hear first... he went on "the bad news is that, we've detected a black patch in your right brain while doing your eye tests..... the good news is, as the black patch is beyond your right eye ball, you can still carry on with the lasik.. (in super fast speed right after) but you'll have to do a brain scan..."
My husband and I looked at each other without any reaction. Dar was the first to react (as usual), he seemed a bit worried until the doctor showed us the test results and mentioned (not quoting~! It's my own interpretation~~! I don't want to be sued~~!) that given the size and the spread (machiam peanut butter), the patch would have been there for a long long time. It may have been a tumour, or simply over zealous blood flow whatever, Dar's theory was that it's been there since the start of my puberty, small chance that it's something serious.
Now what's left is the decision to have the brain scan first or the lasik first. Don't have to think for very long, I chose the lasik. Well, the eye test results can only hold for 4 to 5 weeks. I'm very much sure that I don't want to let my eye balls go through the sudden jets of air again even though the charge for eye tests is free or $1 (I forgot). The doctor respected my decision though he made me promise to go for the MRI brain scan to find out more about my black patch....
(What comes next, differs from clinic to clinic and person to person... not all will have the same experience / result as me and I'm not quoting~ I'm just stating my experiences and interpretation)
Since my eyes were not in a great condition, I had to go for the bladeless custom wave front (whatever it means) which is the third expensive kind totalling to a whooping 4k(~! ~! ~! ~!) (after a $100 discount for Mar 11 Lasik babies) which I can choose to pay via instalment. Later on I got to know during the pre-ops counselling session that laying off contact lenses is to get your cornea back to their original shape. So those people who over use their contact lenses may have their corneas' shape changed and may need to choose the even more expensive epi-lasik.
People at Lasik Sugery Clinic going for the surgery will need to watch a video about the process and thereafter, go through a counselling session where they will inform you of any instructions that you will need to follow after the surgery (including not bathing or washing face for 3 days~!) as well as any danger of side effects. Was quite impressed with the staff at the Lasik Sugery Clinic whom managed to give good service despite dealing with a house full of patients.
Don't want to describe the process here but just keep in mind that there is nothing to be afraid of + it's 95% painless. The surgery itself only takes about 10 to 15 mins in total. Yes, you zip in, you zip out. (;P) Do keep in mind that if you want to go for the lasik, please get someone to go with you cause
1) You won't be able to wear your contact lens thereafter... this is common sense yeah, but you know some people . . . so I had to mention it.
2) You will only regain about 40 - 60% of your eye sight i.e, if you are like me with 700 degrees shortsightedness, you will still be half blind after the surgery on that day ....
3) You will look like "The Fly".
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| ~The Fly~ |
4) Approximately 1 hour or less after the surgery, you will feel that some idiot went and dumped a truckload of sand on your eyes.
Your eyes will start to water.
You can't open them.
Hence you need someone to shield you from the prying paparazzi
while calling a cab and holding you so that you won't knock into a wall. Except for the "Fly" part (That's my own interpretation), all of the above would be explained to you by the staff at the clinic. Including the fact that you can see 90% well the next day and the sand paper effect only last for 4 to 5 hours. So just go home pop a drowsy pill (they gave) and sleep. The staff at The Lasik Surgery Clinic will also hand you a checklist of things you cannot do for a certain amount of time after the surgery. You can also purchase eye drops at the clinic, they charge their patients lesser compared to retail price.For the past 1 month, mornings were blurry since my eyes were super dry after 1 whole night lacking oxygen. Night vision wasn't that great with halos spotted at street lamps. These symptoms are improving though. The other significant side effect I experienced is the urge to sweep boxes of Refresh (Plus!) eye drops into my shopping basket and jumping for joy
that I can see things beyond 2 feet. I also can't seem to get over the feeling that I need to take off my contact lens every night. [to be continued since I'm tired of writing and no one in the right mind will want to read a blog post that is so long]
Interesting post, Thank you for sharing!
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