Lasik Surgery 2

WARNING: Its going to be a long wordy post....

This is an update on my Lasik Surgery which was performed yesterday.

Before I start, for those who are curious what LASIK stands for, its actually Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis, got to know about this from SingLasik.

Yesterday was the actual operation and everything happened so fast, I didn't even have time to get myself mentally ready. I reported to SingLasik at 1.15pm sharp and was led to the "Laser Suite". There, I verified my details and rested at the comfortable lounge while waiting for my turn.

At this point, Professor Ang walked in, and went into the Surgical room. About 15 mins later, my name was called. I went into another waiting area before I entered the surgical room. There, I was told to put on the protective cap, shoes and jacket, exactly those you would see in movies when patients go for operation. I was extremely nervous because I felt I was going for a major operation.

I was then led to the surgical room, after some anaesthetic eyedrops were instilled into both my eyes. My eyes felt numb. When I entered the room, it suddenly occured to me that I was in for an operation because there were about 6 people in the operating theatre. There was Profesor Ang, and a lot of nurses. I was told to lie on the bed, and then they started shifting my head to the position they wanted it to be.

As I looked up, I could see this sophisticated looking machine glaring at me. The assistant turned on the machine and there were 2 coloured lights. Professor Ang told me to look ONLY at the red light and focus on the centre of the light, and to ignore the green light. Throughout the entire 30mins procedure, Prof Ang kept on repeating "Keep focused on the centre of the red light and you are doing just fine."

Somehow, I was very nervous, and I think I resisted a bit while they were preparing me for the op. First, 2 tapes were used to tape my upper and lower eye lids so I couldn't blink, then a plastic thing was placed between my eye lids to further prevent me from blinking. Finally, Prof Ang placed something on my eye which was uncomfortable and he told me I should be "seeing black" in a while. Indeed my vision was blocked.

Then the actual op took place. For 15mins, I heard the sound of the laser machine, Prof Ang giving instructions, and this male nurse/doctor reading out some numbers. I could literally see and feel them opening the flap of the cornea and putting it back, though there was no significant pain, but slight pressure on my eye.

Then my right eyes was done, and they immediately moved onto my left eye. It was fast!

Prof Ang told me to relax as he said I was very tensed up, and it would affect their performance of the op. I took a deep breath, and told myself to relax. Unfortunately, the op on my left eye was a painful one, as if the anaesthetics did not work on it! I bore through the pain for the entire 15 mins on my left eye. Before I knew it, everything was over.

(EVERYTHING WAS OVER WITHOUT EVEN A BLINK OF MY EYES. Corny...)

Prof And told me my left eyes was more senstive then my right, for no particular reason, that was why there was more pain on the left. He also said "You are lucky you stopped wearing contact lenses long time ago because it seems they have done your eyes enough damage for the years you were wearing them."

I then dis-robed the green jacket and all other coverings and was led to the resting area. The nurse then came with a bag and explained the post-op care.

I had to lubricate my eyes every 15 mins for the whole day after surgery and I was given another 2 eyedrops which were to be instilled every 2 hours. When I thought everything was over, I didn't know that was just the start of my "next 6 hours".

Apparently though the surgery was pretty painless, it was the post-op which was painful for me.

I took a cab home and started watching TV (I consulted the doctor, it was OK to watch TV). Exactly 2 hours after the surgery time, I started feeling extremely uncomfortable with my eyes, it was excruciating, and I started tearing NON STOP for almost 2 hours! I called up the helpline and spoke to the nurse, and she told me it was because the anaesthetic had wore off, and I would start to feel pain on the operated eyes, and in my case, it was both!

OMG, at that point, I asked myself what I had gotten myself into. I am not exaggerating, but the pain was really intolerable. I believe in the midst of the tearing due to the sensitivity of the eyes, there were tears of pain too. I told myself to relax and finally on the 3rd hour, I called the helpline again to ask if I could sleep. The reason why I called to ask was because I was specifically told not to sleep for the first 3 hours after surgery.

The nurse told me to go ahead and I forced myself to sleep, after taking a Panadol, in an attempt to kill the pain. I could not sleep at all as the pain was disturbing. But lying on the bed kind of lessen the pain, and finally after another 1 hour, the pain went off. Thank God for that.

Yesterday throughout the entire evening and night, I wore the "sunglasses cum eye protector" which they had given to me, even while I slept and will be wearing it for the next 1 week as well. This is to prevent me from rubbing my eyes unintentionally as it will affect the healing of the cornea.

This morning when I woke up, it was the first time after more than 20 years that I could see clearly, without the need for glasses. Of course the vision was not perfect as it was still in the healing stage, but it is definitely clearer than wearing spectacles or lenses. Occasionally there were haziness but according to Prof Ang, it is all part and parcel of the healing process.

I went for my follow-up check up today, and Prof Ang checked my eyes again, he said "You are doing perfectly fine", and I felt reassured!

On my way home, I looked around, with my newly corrected eyesight, and I really thank God everything was finally over. I am done with my Lasik and there are just 3 more follow-up check ups after 1 week, 1 month and 3 months.

Whoever founded Lasik Surgery, thanks to you for my NEW VISION!!!