On December 6th, 2010, I voluntarily let someone stick a laser in my eye with hope of being able to get 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts for the first time since 1982.
Ten years in, the story continues…
Random thoughts, notes, and actions, ten years after my surgery – thought a “last” blog post would be worth posting.
Time
Regardless of what the song says, time ain’t on your side when you talk about eyeballs. I know I just called this the last update, but honestly: anything that happens to my eyes at this point I will be caused by age, rather than the surgery. Accordingly…
Nearsighted Update
Definitely gotten worse over the last few years. I find that I’m reaching for reading glasses or using the iPhone magnifier app more and more for “fine print” things or writing with poor contrast. That said, is it the surgery or aging? My parents and older sister have had bifocals or trifocals at some point so it could be genetics + age. I also still refuse to increase my font size on my Kindle, so I find that I have to hold my tablet a bit further away than I did even a few years ago, but that one is on me. Over all, since I can pick up reading glasses anywhere, for like $10, I don’t care all that much. And the Apple Magnifier app can be assigned to the triple tap on the side button so it is very handy.
Farsighted Update
I believe that I’m still retaining the 20/10 to 20/15 range. If my eyes try out from a long gaming session, and I don’t add drops, I have to consciously adjust my focus for something closer. I’ve adjusted to this behavior – taking a moment to focus at different distances – so no complaints there.
Drops!
Do I still need drops? I do find that I am using them a little bit more than I would have expected to, but it’s mostly because I think it gets dryer than not in the winter. Summer I don’t seem to need them but in the winter, I find that it can really help focus my eyes to get a little bit more clarity or sharpness than I would have otherwise. I think eyes just work better when they are moist.
Glasses
I think I’m finally past the point of reaching for glasses on the rare day when I wake up. Finally. And I still get giddy when I can get the crappy cheap sunglasses at a kiosk.
Bright Lights
This is one that I’ve gotten used to in the sense that I know that sunlight is going to be really, really bright and that it will hurt. But it’s still a surprise when a sunbreak pops up on you in the PNW or at least a bit of a surprise. Totally used to being blinded for the moment and grabbing sunglasses to help.
Morning Pain
Crusties are still a pain point. Literally. I wake up some mornings and I have to wait a few minutes before I can open my eyes because I know if I do it too soon, my eyes will feel that they are burning. When I asked for a medical solution, I got back a “if you eyes hurt when you open them too quickly, don’t open your eyes that quickly” solution which is fine but oi, it still stings when it happens.
So, a decade latter. Thrilled? Yes, still. Do I remember everything from the surgery and the recovery? Yes, every bit of it, I think, and I would sign myself up for it again… no question.
It’s all good.
not to be rude, but what age were you then and now…
Not at all rude: 38 when I had it done, so 48 now.
what would you say to someone, who needs LASIK but is terrified of something going wrong?
(their vision is very bad, -6.00 in contact lens correction)
I cannot speak to the contact lens correction number but I was in the same range in my eyeglass ‘script. I’ve also known other people that were in the -10 in their eyeglass prescription.
I can speak to the fear as I had the same worry: if something goes wrong, I voluntarily did this to myself. But I kept reading about it, kept asking questions, and worked myself into a place where I felt that the odds were heavily in the “things will be OK” results. I didn’t feel comfortable about it at first but had to work myself there which means that it’s entirely up to you, deciding how much risk you’re comfortable with. Even now, when I’ve had to start increasing font size on readers or using the Magnifier app to read small text, I’m OK with my results, because that aspect of it was expected. That I can still see 15/20 or 20/20 at long distances and wear cheap ass sunglasses and see in the shower or underwater with regular goggles, makes me wonder why I didn’t do it sooner.
I would loosely say that it’s a very subjective and personal decision that people can only make for themselves and should be [mostly] very comfortable with before going forward with it.