The Lasik Waiting Room

The Lasik Waiting Room

I am no newbie to the world of Lasik vision correction surgery and so I might benefit some with my experience on the subject. The worst part of the entire Lasik procedure is the wait. Having had Lasik surgery twice, the second being a follow up procedure to get additional work on my eyes after having healed properly, I was a lot less nervous the second time around. I was in the waiting room the second time and started conversing with the other patients that were waiting there with me.

There was a rather chatty young woman there; she was in her twenties and would open up any conversation to keep her from thinking about the Lasik surgery that awaits and any Lasik-related information around. She was well-informed about the entire Lasik process, from surgery to postoperative care, nevertheless, she had brought along with her some stuffed animals to see her through the operation. When getting Lasik, most practitioners recommend that the patient be physically mature enough for the operation so that the eyes don’t change anymore. Perhaps they should also recommend a minimum emotional maturity as well. At the same time, I figure I might have been the same way my first time round.

After having spoken with some of the other Lasik patients, I found out that I wasn’t the only one going in for a second time. Two others shared my same troubles; they had both had surgery that did not sufficiently improve their sight or their doctor’s aspiration. In any case, none of us had any anxiety the second time around since our first Lasik procedures went well.

It was 6:30 in the morning and one thing that caught my attention was the way the patients were dressed. Most of us, in preparation for the one hour wait in the cold Lasik waiting and operating rooms, wore comfortable clothes and clothes that were warming like sweat suits, etc. There was one Lasik patient however, that came in full business attire and with full makeup on.

So I was baffled for two main reasons. The first is that anything that could get in the eye such as makeup or lotions are forbidden for at least a full day before going in to surgery. The second problem is with the clothing, you are strongly urged to go home and get as much sleep as possible straight away. The only logical reason I could think of why anyone would come here in such a getup is that she was not in for surgery. Then again, who else would be here 6:30 in the a.m.? Her strong and authoritative look made he reluctant to think any conversation with her about Lasik would be prolific.

I was maybe the forth patient to be taken to a waiting room and told about the postoperative Lasik care methods; I couldn’t tell however, how long I waited. There were no clocks anywhere I think for this very reason. There was a lady two seats away from me that wasn’t feeling significantly nervous; she went back to sleep while waiting for her turn. This was probably a very reasonable decision.

A mild sedative is administered to all of the patients prior to the operation. This is done for psychological reasons alone since my first operation was pain-free. I took it the first time around but now that I had had all these discussions in the waiting room, I thought I would do without it. But I took it just in case.

Hopefully I have put your minds at ease by showing you what it is like in the Lasik waiting room. From my experience and that of those around me, I can tell you that it wasn’t a horrible one. Actually, it was rather uneventful.