Saturday, December 17, 2005
I survivied LASIK!
Yes, I've had it and it works. Well, about 85%. More about that later. For this post, let me explain the procedure...
Wave-Front
First up was a series of pictures taken of my eyes for use by the WaveFront technology. This provides custom-LASIK for each patient, based upon each patient's particular eye. Apparently this technology can only be used where there is sufficient corneal thickness, for which I qualified quite OK.
This was accompanied by the first of a countless number of eye-drops, which dilated my pupils to give me the standard owl-like appearance.
intraLASE
Next was the remarkable intraLASE, which is the reason that LASIK is so much safer these days. The biggest surprise here was the amount of physical contact involved in the procedure. All of the pictures and pretty animations I've seen of intraLASE make it look like a laser miracle. The truth is that I became Borg-like in my coupling with the machine.
I've managed to track down a number of realistic pictures and animations on the Internet to demonstrate what is involved. If you have a look at some of the pictures/animations, it's quite amazing what they seem to have some to me. I’m glad I didn’t know the truth beforehand!
Here's some links with some good pictures/animations:
If you have a look at some of the pictures/animations, it's quite amazing what they seem to have some to me. I’m glad I didn’t know the truth beforehand!
The room with the intraLASE machine was quite cold, and I lay on the table with a blanket to stay warm. It made me feel like I was on a mortuary slab! The whole experience was like Arnold Swarzenegger in 'Sixth Day', where he inserts his eyes into a machine and it downloads his whole memory.
I was then ushered out to sit (with my eyes closed) for a few minutes prior to the LASIK procedure.
LASIK
This time I was taken to another machine which even spoke my name - no doubt one of those procedures to avoid using the wrong patient profile. Once again the paperclip held open my eyes, but then a large, opaque object was pushed towards my eyes. I asked what it was since I couldn't figure it out - it turns out it was merely some cellotape to keep my eyelids in place!
The surgeon then used some tweezers to lift the flap created by the intraLASE and everything went blurry. Next, I had to look into the machine which showed a ring of blue lights, with a red light flashing in the centre. I was asked to keep looking at the red light at all times.
Next came a sound similar to electric-arc welding, tiny splatters of water and a smell that they describe as ozone. Trying to keep my eye staring at the flashing red light was no easy feat, since it felt like it was at the extreme of my vision. I was worried that every time I moved, the machine might miss its target. However, I know that it scans my eyes an incredible number of times each second, so it wouldn't be too bad if I stay generally steady.
Interestingly, the surgeon was using his arms to keep my head in a vice grip – one hand under my chin, the other over my crown. I later asked the reason for this and was told that it was so that he could keep my head steady, within the best focal range for the laser. Everything was so automated that he only had to hold me head!
When the eye was finished, the surgeon pushed the flap back down on my eye. This was the only time I experienced any pain, feeling like a few sharp pin-pricks.
All this was then repeated with the other eye. I had earlier asked in which direction this surgeon creates his flaps. Apparently when using a microkeratome he used to create them with the pivot near the nose, but with intraLASE he creates them with the pivot at the top - using gravity to assist with a good seal.
I then sat in a comfortable chair in a darkened room and was issued with a cosmetics bag filled with goodies – my eye shades to wear at night (flexible plastic sunglasses with a head strap), eye drops to be used every three hours, lubricant since my eyes won't water as much as normal for a while and the emergency telephone number for the surgeon!
Recovery
I then went home to rest. On the way, I occasionally peaked out and I could see things reasonably clearly without glasses. However, spent most of the day in a darkened room, wearing my eye shades, with a dark scarf on top of that. Yes, I was extremely sensitive to the smallest amount of light.
I had my iPod setup with an audiobook, but after a while I had trouble concentrating. I then turned on some music, as they recommend, and this helped me keep my mind off the irritation that was welling up in my eyes. By the 3-hour mark, I had trouble opening my eyes and I was in quite a bit of pain. However, I sure wasn't going to rub my eyes -- that's the one thing I must not do for at least a week, lest I move the flap. (While writing this posting, I absent-mindedly rubbed my eye for the first time, but things seem OK.)
I’m glad to say that after the set of drops that I took at the 3-hour mark, together with some tablet they gave me, my eyes stopped their irritation. In my follow-up visit the next day, the surgeon told me that many people experience such discomfort at the 2-4 hour mark but they are not sure of the cause.
I was able to get up and walk around the house later that afternoon/evening, but I kept my wearing eyeshades. Wearing them at night is a bit uncomfortable since I enjoy sleeping on my stomach, but I’ve managed to cope.
Check-up
The next day I returned to the clinic for a check-up. A vision test showed that I had almost 20-20 vision, pretty comparable to my previous vision with glasses. However, I was noticing a halo around most lights. This should reduce after 6-8 weeks, but many people report such problems especially when driving at night.
I'm still having a little difficulty with my close-up focussing for reading, much like getting a new set of glasses or contact lenses. I'll see how that improves over time.
-- Fabbo
Tags: LASIK
Laser Eye Surgery
Wave-Front
First up was a series of pictures taken of my eyes for use by the WaveFront technology. This provides custom-LASIK for each patient, based upon each patient's particular eye. Apparently this technology can only be used where there is sufficient corneal thickness, for which I qualified quite OK.
This was accompanied by the first of a countless number of eye-drops, which dilated my pupils to give me the standard owl-like appearance.
intraLASE
Next was the remarkable intraLASE, which is the reason that LASIK is so much safer these days. The biggest surprise here was the amount of physical contact involved in the procedure. All of the pictures and pretty animations I've seen of intraLASE make it look like a laser miracle. The truth is that I became Borg-like in my coupling with the machine.
I've managed to track down a number of realistic pictures and animations on the Internet to demonstrate what is involved. If you have a look at some of the pictures/animations, it's quite amazing what they seem to have some to me. I’m glad I didn’t know the truth beforehand!
Here's some links with some good pictures/animations:
- This page has an excellent video of intraLASE in WMV format.
- Here is a Quicktime Movie of intraLase in action.
- Here is a site with some amazing pictures, such as (click the pictures for a bigger view):
 | It started with a paperclip-like bit of metal that keeps the eyelids open. Next came what I later realised was a "docking station", somehow attached to my eyes. It has a suction tube connected, which I suspect was used to hold my eye still during the procedure. |
 | Then they inserted something into the docking station that made my vision in that eye blackout. They had previously warned about a feeling of pressure and the vision blackout, but I didn't think I'd be so 'plugged-in' to the machine! After a few words about suction, I started seeing red spots (although this may have been a visual illusion). After about a minute they released everything and did the other eye. |
 | The result is the flap, as shown here. They didn't actually open the flap at this stage -- that was done during the LASIK procedure. |
If you have a look at some of the pictures/animations, it's quite amazing what they seem to have some to me. I’m glad I didn’t know the truth beforehand!
The room with the intraLASE machine was quite cold, and I lay on the table with a blanket to stay warm. It made me feel like I was on a mortuary slab! The whole experience was like Arnold Swarzenegger in 'Sixth Day', where he inserts his eyes into a machine and it downloads his whole memory.I was then ushered out to sit (with my eyes closed) for a few minutes prior to the LASIK procedure.
LASIK
This time I was taken to another machine which even spoke my name - no doubt one of those procedures to avoid using the wrong patient profile. Once again the paperclip held open my eyes, but then a large, opaque object was pushed towards my eyes. I asked what it was since I couldn't figure it out - it turns out it was merely some cellotape to keep my eyelids in place!
The surgeon then used some tweezers to lift the flap created by the intraLASE and everything went blurry. Next, I had to look into the machine which showed a ring of blue lights, with a red light flashing in the centre. I was asked to keep looking at the red light at all times.Next came a sound similar to electric-arc welding, tiny splatters of water and a smell that they describe as ozone. Trying to keep my eye staring at the flashing red light was no easy feat, since it felt like it was at the extreme of my vision. I was worried that every time I moved, the machine might miss its target. However, I know that it scans my eyes an incredible number of times each second, so it wouldn't be too bad if I stay generally steady.
Interestingly, the surgeon was using his arms to keep my head in a vice grip – one hand under my chin, the other over my crown. I later asked the reason for this and was told that it was so that he could keep my head steady, within the best focal range for the laser. Everything was so automated that he only had to hold me head!
When the eye was finished, the surgeon pushed the flap back down on my eye. This was the only time I experienced any pain, feeling like a few sharp pin-pricks.
All this was then repeated with the other eye. I had earlier asked in which direction this surgeon creates his flaps. Apparently when using a microkeratome he used to create them with the pivot near the nose, but with intraLASE he creates them with the pivot at the top - using gravity to assist with a good seal.
I then sat in a comfortable chair in a darkened room and was issued with a cosmetics bag filled with goodies – my eye shades to wear at night (flexible plastic sunglasses with a head strap), eye drops to be used every three hours, lubricant since my eyes won't water as much as normal for a while and the emergency telephone number for the surgeon!
Recovery
I then went home to rest. On the way, I occasionally peaked out and I could see things reasonably clearly without glasses. However, spent most of the day in a darkened room, wearing my eye shades, with a dark scarf on top of that. Yes, I was extremely sensitive to the smallest amount of light.
I had my iPod setup with an audiobook, but after a while I had trouble concentrating. I then turned on some music, as they recommend, and this helped me keep my mind off the irritation that was welling up in my eyes. By the 3-hour mark, I had trouble opening my eyes and I was in quite a bit of pain. However, I sure wasn't going to rub my eyes -- that's the one thing I must not do for at least a week, lest I move the flap. (While writing this posting, I absent-mindedly rubbed my eye for the first time, but things seem OK.)
I’m glad to say that after the set of drops that I took at the 3-hour mark, together with some tablet they gave me, my eyes stopped their irritation. In my follow-up visit the next day, the surgeon told me that many people experience such discomfort at the 2-4 hour mark but they are not sure of the cause.
I was able to get up and walk around the house later that afternoon/evening, but I kept my wearing eyeshades. Wearing them at night is a bit uncomfortable since I enjoy sleeping on my stomach, but I’ve managed to cope.
Check-up
The next day I returned to the clinic for a check-up. A vision test showed that I had almost 20-20 vision, pretty comparable to my previous vision with glasses. However, I was noticing a halo around most lights. This should reduce after 6-8 weeks, but many people report such problems especially when driving at night.
I'm still having a little difficulty with my close-up focussing for reading, much like getting a new set of glasses or contact lenses. I'll see how that improves over time.
-- Fabbo
Tags: LASIK
Laser Eye Surgery# posted by Fabbo @ 9:47 pm 
