Friday, June 06, 2008

That Smell is My Eyeball Burning....


Just got my eyes lasered yesterday.I think the official term is LASIK, excimer laser, mixed vision,(One for long distance, one for short distance, reading, computer,etc.,)
They did a couple work ups and then gave me a pouch of medications, goggles sunglasses and scrips for prescriptions on the Friday before and had me come back on Wednesday the 4th (of June to do the actual surgery.
They put a number of numbing local anesthetics in my eyes then painted them with Betadine (felt like they were tanned like leather after that)and had me take a 5 mg Valium.
After they laid me down on the table they put a patch on my left eye then taped my right eyelid down and put a eye speculum (remember "A Clockwork Orange"?) and suction on my eye to pull the cornea up.
They then turned off the lights so they could "flap" my cornea - read cut the top with a scalpel and fold it back - without me having to watch (sounds like something from a bad horror movies so I was glad I didn't see it).
Then they said focus on the blinking red light - it didn't hurt but the smell of the cornea being vaporized was like the smell of burning flesh - they forgot to mention that bit beforehand - held my breath and tried not to think about it as much as possible. While a nurse held and occasionally tappped my upper arm to distract me.
They then turned the laser off and put the cornea flap back,smoothing it out like putting tinting on a window (very carefully to avoid bubbles)with a lot of stroking it with a small instrument to lay it down.
They then did the same procedures on my left eye (while a nurse helpfully held my hand).
Everything seems to have gone well. There is a constant rain of eye drops ( 4 different ones - a steroid, 2 antibiotics and a preservative free artificial tears, that I have to use (some every hour, others about 2 hours apart)and a pair of goggles/eye shields I have to wear to bed for the next week or so to prevent my rubbing my eyes during the night.
Above is me with my new "Motor Vehicle Card" which says I don't have to wear corrective lenses to drive anymore.Very cool I thought. Glad to have it! -It was a very nice surprise that the Doctor gave me the day after surgery.