The day had finally arrived! I was feeling nervous... making any kind of big permanent change made me nervous!
Here's the check list that the surgery centre gave me:
[ ] No contact lenses or makeup (I stopped 1 week before my surgery)
[ ] No smoking or alcohol within the last 24 hours
[ ] No hair products, perfume/cologne, or heavily fragranced products
[ ] Wear warm clothing as the temperature in the surgical suite is often cool
[ ] Avoid wearing wool, fleece, or other materials that create lint (trust me, you don't want lint trapped under your flap!)
[ ] Plan to sleep after the procedure
[ ] You will need a driver to take you to/from your procedure, as well as to/from your 1 Day Post-Op Visit
My LASIK appointment was scheduled on a Friday so that I could have the weekend to rest up before resuming work.
First, I met with the surgical coordinator who went through the necessary paperwork with me. We signed all the consent forms together, which stated that I understood the RISKS involved. An emphasis was made on a certain part in the contract — that LASIK would reduce my dependence on glasses/contact lenses, but that there is a possibility I may still need glasses/contact lenses in the future. This is a very important point for patients to understand. You have to know that LASIK may not completely eliminate the need for glasses in the future.
After I signed the consent forms, I waited in the surgical waiting room where they offered snacks, since you shouldn't take Ativan on an empty stomach. Ativan is an anti-anxiety medication that they give you before your surgery (which didn't seem to work on me haha).
The entire surgery took about 15 min. and I was in the building for about 2 hours total.
The surgery is NOT painful since they numb your eyes with numbing drops, and you're also lying on your back the whole time.
Step 1: Making the Flap
The surgery is not painful, however, there is some discomfort during the first step when they attach the plastic suction device to your eye in order to make the flap. You just feel a lot of pressure on your eye, but it only lasts for a few seconds per eye and there is no pain.
I opted for the femtosecond laser (bladeless) for the flap creation, instead of the microkeratome blade. The pressure needed for the femtosecond laser is less than that needed for the blade. (I have heard that your vision goes black for a second if you use the blade.)
Step 2: Reshaping the Cornea
The strangest part for me was when they lifted the flap and everything looked very hazy, almost like looking through frosted glass. This next step involved applying a second laser to my eye with the Excimer laser (the one that actually reshapes the cornea).
It's important to not move your eye around and focus on the light, so that the laser can accurately shape the cornea. I tried my very best to focus on the light during the procedure but the light was scattered so I just did my best to look somewhere in the middle of the green light. Most newer laser instruments also have a pupil sensor/tracker, so it would sense if my eyes have wandered.
You can SMELL the burning scent when the laser goes, and it smells like burning hair --- don't be alarmed by this and just keep focusing on the light!
The surgeon and team were great and very reassuring throughout the process, so I felt that I was in good hands. The surgeon closed and smoothed down the flap gently with a tiny sponge brush to ensure the flap is properly positioned and stable. It's a funny sensation, but again, no pain!
Once the surgery was done, I got up and I could SEE around the room! Although things were hazy, it was already clearer than what I would have normally been seeing without my glasses.
I was given sunglasses to wear home and eye shields to wear at bedtime so that I don't accidentally rub my eyes in my sleep. I rejoined my brother in the waiting room and he drove me home.
About 30 min after I left the LASIK centre, I was still in the car (gotta love Toronto traffic) and my eyes were burning and started watering a lot. This is because the numbing drops have worn off, and your eyes are very inflamed from having just experienced surgical trauma. The burning and discomfort went away shortly after I started putting in the steroid drops, which I did as soon as I got home and let my eyes rest. I took a nap, and I didn't need to use any Tylenol or Advil.
TIP: carry your drops with you to the surgery centre, especially if your drive home is longer than 10-15 min.
As I mentioned, each surgeon is slightly different in their technique, as well as the specific drops & dosing schedule they use, but they will all prescribe a steroid drop, an antibiotic drop, and preservative-free artificial tears (see: Preparing for LASIK). Follow your surgeon's instructions, and don't skip any drops! Your eyes are very vulnerable post-surgery and the after-care is VERY important to prevent any complications.
You should avoid getting your eyes wet, so do not shower! I actually just used a face wipe that night before bed rather than washing my face with water.
I avoided computer/smartphone screens for the rest of the day and slept as much as possible, getting the drops in while I was awake.
I made sure my brother (who was my driver) would wake me up the next morning in case I slept in, so that I wouldn't miss my 1-day Post-Op visit.
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