Yesterday, I went in to be evaluated for CustomLASIK eye surgery. The advantages are obvious: No more contact lenses, solutions or the hassles with either. Possibly no glasses for ordinary vision, either.
So over two hours my eyes were checked in more ways than I would’ve thought possible: The usual visual test (“which is better, number one or number 2? How about now?”), along with extensive measurements of my cornea. Finally, an examination of my retina and pressure tests were done.
It turns out that the cornea must be a certain thickness for the surgery to be possible. Mine are apparently somewhat thicker than normal (this is good). Also, as one gets older, the cornea becomes more rigid and easier to adjust, so by around age 50, the procedure is more successful than it is with someone who’s, say, 20. This is, I was told, an advantage of getting older. I knew there had to be one.
The doctor was somewhat concerned about the condition of my eyes, after some 27 years of contact lens wearing, but the tests showed them to be in good condition. Apparently, my obsessively correct handling of my lenses over all those years paid off. For example, unlike so many other contact lens wearers I’ve known, I’ve never had an eye infection or anything else wrong with my eyes.
So in a few weeks I’ll go to have the procedure done. I’ll spare the details, though you can go here if you want to know more. It’s a fairly quick procedure, but not entirely without risk, of course. However, the real-world risks are minimal.
After the surgery is done and my vision stablilises (the latter apparently takes about a month), I should have normal or nearly normal vision. However, because of normal age-related vision deterioration (presbyopia, if you really want to know), I’ll probably need reading glasses. Around age 60, I may need glasses for middle distance (like computer screens).
I always vowed that I would never wear bifocals, owing to bad memories of my father’s bifocal wearing. This procedure will mean I won’t have to, so if I have to wear reading glasses I can certainly deal with that.
Be that as it may, I’m a big chicken and this whole thing scares the hell out of me. Apparently they offer a mild sedative tablet the day of surgery. I wonder if they serve doubles….
8 comments:
Arthur
My brother and sister and I had the LASIK surgery and we each did well! The only bad thing is that my sister had done well for a few years but then she now needs reading glasses to read. That is the sad result of getting older as you mentioned presbypoia!
I'm jealous - I've tried to wear contacts a few times now and have not been successful. I also wear bifocals (but with progressive lens!). Given my line of work, glasses are usually impractical and I end up with a headache at the end of the day. I've researched lasik, but it's not something I can afford at the moment. Be sure to tell us how much you love it! :-)
Tom: Everyone I know of who's had the procedure has had excellent results. I'm expecting to need reading glasses, so I'm prepared for that. It's just the whole laser thing I'm uneasy about.
Michael: I've known several people who couldn't wear contacts, so I sympathise. My vision is so bad I have to have glasses or contacts--either that or get out the white cane.
It's not cheap here, I can tell you. I suppose it's the equivalent of one of us going to the US on holiday, but since I was just there, we have time to save up again. My savings on contact lenses, solutions and optometrist appointments should mean I break even in around five years, maybe less. But in the meantime, I'll be spared all the hassles, so there are other positive factors, too.
And the waiting area where I went had photos from two kinds of clients: Sports people and actors. I'm just sayin'...
Hmmm -- I chickedned out of the procedure -- twice. I am entirely happy with my progressive lenses which are not at all like the bifocals of past.
I still have about a month to go before the procedure, but I think I'll be able to go through with it...
Dunno if you've looked into it but I use the daily disposable contacts and just love it.
It solves most of the problems you mentioned about dealing with contacts.
Either way, best of luck.
So much fuss over contacts. When they get dry I just put them on my tongue for a minute and then put them back in my eye. Simple.
Spikey: It's not the inconvenience of contacts, or even cost, that's the issue for me; after 27 years I'm used to it. For me it's all about not being able to see a thing without contacts or glasses, and that's what the surgery will fix. I would've been forced to get bifocals if I didn't have the surgery, but this way I'll only need reading glasses (just one of the "focals", and needed only for close vision). This will be the first time I'll only need glasses sometimes since I first got them some forty years ago.
Frank: I had a teacher in high school who used to do that, and for a time I used to ask her each day what the flavour was. Back then, it seemed funny to me, but it must've become really annoying for her.
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