10 minutes makes a difference?

This post is specially for those who are wondering how did my Lasik go?

Can 10 minutes really change my life?

Actually i started the first 2 lines above few months ago and cant even remember typing it..
Lets make it simple...

To continue from my story, after I layed off contacts for 2 weeks (a long long 2 weeks for me, longest since i started wearing contacts 10 years ago..)

Finally the day came... I flew back to KL, I was bravely alone at that time.. took a taxi to TTDI, quite an easy place to find..

So I did the 2 hour eye check (everything went smoothly as I have read from blogs, etc..)

I din do much research then, just wanted to get it done.. I went in at 9, and my LASIK is scheduled at 1130, just in time for lunch afterthat.

I was was brought to the surgery waiting room, where they explained the whole procedure, what to expect what not.. there should be discomfort but not pain..sounds alright to me at that time..

Waited patiently as I see the 2 people in front of me went in and after few minutes, u can hear the machine sound from outside, just a few seconds, and they both came out with a smile on their faces.. I was very nervous, but calmed after i witnessed that..

Finally when my turn came...

The opthalmologist had the last check of my eyes, he warned me that my eyes were slightly smaller that he might need to stuggle abit to fit in the suction machine.. I wasnt alarmed at all.. I just remembered that i need to keep looking at the green light..

SO I was on the table, they cleaned and drapped my eyes, put few drops of anaesthetic eye drops..

Afterthat, he was trying to fit the suction ring into my right eye to sort of hold my eyeball so that he can make the flap.. but it was alot of pushing and squeezing.. arg..

and throughout the process, i cant really see much. it was dark and at one point i was worried that i'll get blind.. it was actually quite torturing.. finally he said: no, we are not gona do this..

They started undrapping me and got me off the table!!

Whatt? seriouss?? does that mean i have to wear contacts forever?? After all thattt?

The suctions rings are asian fit but still too big for my eyes.. it never occured to me that it could be a problem.. never read about it anywhere.. grr...

He suggested another method LASEK where they use alcohol solution to remove the top epithelial layer of cornea.. etc etc.. I dont think i can do it on the same day.. after all the traumatic event..

and i had to get a cab back with my pupils dilated and cant really see properly..

afterthat, i went back to KK, with this:

(better not put the picture here, might scare some of you, but it was basically a red ring around the conjunctiva..)

Thankfully it resolved after about 3-4 days.. cuz when i when i was reading more about this, there are actually people that face this problem as well.. and hers is still there after few weeks..

After it resolved, I researched more about this LASIK vs LASEK thingy.. finally bravely made another appointment with them..hahaa.. this time I had a longer break afterthat and brought my bf with me..hahaa..well prepared.. I kept thinking mayb I wasnt meant to do it the first time cos i wasnt prepared..

Well, the second time worked.. As with Lasek, it takes longer to heal, so i was teary and my eyes were super sensitive, I cant even go to shopping complexes with air cond, the slightest wind hurt so badly.. but that was just for mayb 3-4 days.. and things get better afterthat.

had to wear this when i sleep for mayb 1 week..

1-3weeks...

I cant really see well for at night for mayb 7-10 days.. especially cuz i was working in paeds and all the blue phototherapy light is driving me nuts.. I cant write clearly during oncalls etc.. or when i'm tired.

3 weeks to 1 month

My vision recovered to about 50/25 vision after 1 month.. not much problem with night vision after 1 month. as for complications people always complained eg: dry eyes etc, mayb for the firrst 2 weeks quite significant, but after 1 month not anymore..

2 months

Yeaiii.. got my 20/20 vision..

my next appointment is 3 months time..hahaa.. but for the past few visits things have been good.. I cant remeber going back to this:

say bye-bye..

Packing is much easier if I need to travel.. serious..

Abit about LASIK vs LASEK for those who are interested..

LASIK

Basically they make a flap, cuts tru the first 2 layers of the cornea, we have about 5 layers.. they then close the flap back...so a thicker cut is made compared to LASEK.. thats y they alwiz need to make sure your cornea is thick enough before saying you are suitable (to be safer mayb more than 400 their unit).. they have a scoring system to see if the risk is big or small for you before aggreeing to perform.. so relatively safe..

Pros:

Super fast healig time.. by 24 hours, u can almost see clearly already.. not much discomfort after first day...

Worst senario (the THING u need to worry about):

a condition called corneal ectasia..

This is when your cornea loose its shape.. higher risk in thin cornea people.. cuz if ur cornea already thin, u cut sumore, it might not stay round..become protruding. try google for the pictures, quite scary.. n vision wise, needless to say.. definitely affected..

but with thick cornea, if u cut 1/5 of it, shudnt be a problem..

LASEK

With LASEK, the lasering part is the same, but difference is how they prepare the cornea.. cos my eyes too small to put in the suction, therefore cant make the flap, so they have to put alcohol to remove the thin layer of epithelial.. advantage is its a thinner layer removed compared to LASIK.. but it is removed completely.. cos too thin to put back properly..

Pros:

Less risk of corneal ectasia.. cos thinner layer cut.. and less risk of injuring the nerve, so less complications like dry eyes etc..

Vision wise, both the same outcome after 3 months...

Cons:

Longer healing time.. like mine takes 4-5 days discomfort. and vision takes time to perfection..

Worst senario.. the alcohol damage the epithelial cells etc make it difficult to recover, or formation of scar tissues during healing..

Really have to be super hygienic if you are doing this.. if they say no swimming, strictly no swimming.. if your eyes get infected, good luck sama lu..

So actually i am quite glad that I did LASEK la.. apart from the longer healing time, others were better..

arigato...