Lasik Surgery: Not Just for Bikers
All that false information floating around on the web, in chat rooms and elsewhere, would make someone less knowledgeable jump at the very mention of the corrective Lasik eye procedure. They make Lasik centers sound like some kind of Dr. Frankenstein lab or, at the very least, a somewhat impersonal situation. As for the Lasik surgery itself, they make it seem like an impressionable nightmare. As though Lasik surgery is reserved only for those who go to sleep with their glasses on, in order to wake up without having to go through the impossible ordeal of finding their glasses.
Here is my experience with the subject and why I decided to go with Lasik. My vision, in case you are wondering, was ok, not so good but at the same time, not hopeless. I could enjoy a movie at the cinema without the need for glasses, but to put things in perspective, I needed glasses to read street signs while driving at a useful enough distant to act on them. For me, Lasik could have simplified my life, but it wasn’t necessary. I love the outdoor scene, I do a lot of backpacking, hill-climbing and mountain biking. Glasses are fragile and so do not serve me long enough. Also, frequent grinding into the dirt crosses out contact lenses as a possible alternative. All this made Lasik very appealing to me.
You might get the impression from what I’ve said so far, that I am a macho type (well I hope and think I am), so naturally, I’m not going to be afraid of a scalpel. Even though Lasik technology does not involve the use of a scalpel but a tiny “Microkeratome” blade, it is still sharp and inevitably does come in contact with the eye, this is understandably alarming. Even this is avoidable nowadays with laser technology that is used instead of the blade to cut the flap. I’m experienced enough in life to know better than to rush to the decision of having something that sharp, anywhere near my eyes, even if it was held by a professional Lasik surgeon.
After sitting down with only three Lasik professionals from separate businesses, they convinced me that a 28-year-old in peak physical health (forgive me if I exaggerate) with tolerable nearsightedness, was one of the best candidates for a successful Lasik operation. I put my mind to making time for a surgery by the practitioner with the best track record and the one that took most time to sit down with me and inform me about Lasik’s details.
There was no pain during surgery, though it should be mentioned that I took all comforting measures they offered, which included a sedative and a teddy bear (I later went back and took a photo of me with the Lasik, cuddling with the teddy. The only odd occurrence I can recall is a smell that resembles burning hair; I figured that must be my eye. Maybe it’s for the best that they didn’t mention that, I might have hesitated going in (oh yeah, sorry I mentioned it, don’t worry, it’s painless).
Now that a few years have past, I can confidently say I was a near perfect Lasik candidate. My eyes are now 20/20 and have remained constant long after the surgery. My advice to you is, if you feel like you might be fit for a Lasik eyesight corrective surgery, march right in there, and don’t forget your teddy.
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