 |
| Hey look, no glasses! |
Once Upon a Time…
Once upon a time — in 2012 — I had saved up a chunk of money to get LASIK eye surgery. I went to the consultations with my dad and was nearly ready to take the plunge… but then I got engaged. My LASIK fund quickly became wedding money, and I forgot about it. I was basically blind that day because I could never wear contacts, no matter how hard I tried, but I also didn’t want glasses in the pictures.
Over the years, I had attempted contacts several times but never made it past the first appointment because I just could not get them in. Shortly before the wedding, I gave it one more try. This time I managed to take them home and even wore them a few times. But on the actual day, I could not get the second one in, so I took the first one out and skipped my glasses entirely. So yes — I got married and couldn’t see a thing.
Glasses as a Way of Life
After that, LASIK was far from my mind. I continued wearing glasses for all these years and found ways to have fun with them. I’d sometimes order cute, inexpensive glasses online just to change things up. Glasses had been slightly annoying at times — fogging up, smudging, slipping during workouts, getting broken by my kids — but they were just part of me. I’d been wearing them since fourth grade, and I could usually forget I even had them on because I was so used to them.
A Big Year for Change
By July of this year, I decided to pursue LASIK again and booked a consultation for after my RNY surgery in August. This was a big year for me, and since I was already making major changes, I figured I might as well make it my “year of self-improvement.” I’d spent a lifetime feeling bad about my body and my appearance in general, and I wanted to change that. You spend a lifetime hating yourself and it just gets… old. So, I had my RNY in August, got my nose pierced in October (something I’d always wanted to do), and had LASIK in November. Newsflash: I’m still self-conscious despite all of these changes, but I’m hoping that will decrease as I continue to lose weight.
The First Appointment
My first LASIK consultation was originally booked for August — just 8 days after my RNY — but I had to cancel because I was still recovering and felt awful. I’m not sure what I was thinking. I rescheduled for late September. The appointment took about an hour because they run a ton of tests to ensure you’re a good candidate. At the end, they go over everything and ask if you want to schedule the surgery. I immediately said yes and took the first available appointment: November 4 at 7:30 a.m. (the first surgery of the day).
Before I left, they sent me home with some eye drops to practice using (because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it), prescriptions sent to my pharmacy, and some goofy-looking goggles I’d need after surgery.
The Prep
About a month later, in late October, I went back in for some re-testing. This appointment was much shorter. Exactly one week before surgery, I had to start using artificial tear drops four times a day, and then 2 days before surgery, I had to add antibiotic drops.
Honestly, eye drops were one of the biggest reasons I waited so many years to do this. My eye reflexes are so bad I could never successfully put contacts in. I didn’t know how I’d manage drops for weeks or months. At my initial appointment, I shared this concern, and they showed me a technique: lie on your back or tilt your head all the way back, close your eyes, drop the liquid in the corner, and then open your eyes so it slides in. This method worked for me — not perfectly, because sometimes the drop misses and slides down my face — but well enough that I’ve been able to do it consistently.
Surgery Day
Three days before surgery, I went in for a COVID test. Then suddenly, it was November 4! I really didn’t feel nervous at all (maybe thanks to the Valium they prescribed). My dad brought me in bright and early to the surgical department upstairs from their regular office. I filled out paperwork, got numbing eye drops, and waited while they prepped everything. My dad knows the surgeon from his own work in the ophthalmic field — they’ve even published an article together — so I felt confident in his hands.
The staff told me I wouldn’t feel much, except for about 30 seconds of pressure. They gave me a ball to squeeze and had the nurse count down in my ear during that part. After that, it was go time.
The whole process was so fast it’s hard to describe. I was probably in the room 10 minutes or less. The first thing I remember was the lid speculum going in to hold my eyes open — something I’d dreaded for years — but I felt nothing and instantly relaxed. Next, the laser was positioned over my eye, one eye at a time. I saw bright lights but didn’t know which steps were happening when. The first laser created a flap in the cornea (bladeless), then the laser reshaped the corneal tissue, and finally, the flap was put back in place. At one point, I smelled a faint burning odor (normal from the laser), and then… it was done.
The First Day
When I opened my eyes afterward, things were blurry and lights were uncomfortable to look at. The sun was intense when we stepped outside, and my eyes watered almost the entire way home, so I kept them closed. I don’t remember being told to bring sunglasses, though they probably did. Once home, I put on my goggles (which I had to wear while sleeping for a week) and took a nap (as advised) to rest my eyes and sleep through the discomfort.
That first day, my eyes stung and felt gritty, just like they said they would. I also had to use three kinds of eye drops several times a day: artificial tears, one antibiotic, and one for swelling and inflammation. I quickly got used to putting drops in all day long.
Follow-Ups
The next morning, November 5, I had my first follow-up at 10 a.m. My vision tested at 20/20, everything looked great, and they told me to expect continued improvement. They also warned I might see halos while driving at night — which I do — but they aren’t bad and should fade with time.
The recovery was so quick I could have gone back to work the next day, but I had both this appointment and one with my bariatric surgeon, so I returned on Saturday instead.
I had another follow-up on November 8. My eyes were healing perfectly, though slightly dry. They told me I could stop the two medicated drops later that week but to continue the artificial tears until my next appointment on November 29, about three and a half weeks post-op.
Life After Glasses
Now a little over two weeks post-op, I feel great. I still carry artificial tears and use them several times a day (making me look like I’m crying at work), but my eyes are less dry each day. My vision is crystal clear, though I still instinctively reach for my glasses. Throwing away most of my pairs felt strange — like closing a chapter of my life — but it’s exciting to see my face without them.
The only downsides were minor and temporary:
- Slight eye pain the first day, gone by the next.
- Bloodshot eyes for about two weeks.
- Uncomfortable goggles for the first week at night.
- Mild halos during night driving, already improving.
- Eye drops constantly at first, but now only artificial tears a few times a day.
All in all, the procedure was quick, painless, and far easier than I ever expected. I felt absolutely nothing during surgery — not even during the “pressure” part they warned me about — and it was over in minutes. The follow-up care has been excellent, with three appointments in the first four weeks, and I have no regrets at all.
Getting LASIK was something positive I could do for myself, and it’s been a completely positive experience. If I’d known how painless and easy it would be, I’d have done it years ago. Yay for 20/20!
No comments