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Wed May 24, 2006 5:32 am  |
A couple months ago I was asking here about Lasik (www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=11402&highlight=lasik ) ... and... I DID IT.
Yesterday at 5.40 pm I rocked up to the Shinagawa Clinic (which is not actually located in Shinagawa, but Ginza) and I had my surgery. Things are not 100% yet (eyes still sore from that bloody suction thing that no-one warned me about  ) and I am a bit fuzzy at times still but bless the lord I can see!
Seriously, when they took me to the relaxation room after the laser part and I sat down and it dawned on me that I could SEE when they led me to the room (albeit rather fuzzy from the drops) I burst into tears. Anyone who has not been blind as a bat for the last 31 years would never understand the impact that moment had.
Well, I better get off the pC not supposed to be looking at it for long at the moment!
I am such a happy camper!  |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Wed May 24, 2006 5:53 am |
It's an unbeleiveable thing isn't it? I was overwhelmed & mad at myself for not doing it years before I did!
Congrats! And don't worry, 'the reaching for the specks' when you 1st go to get out of bed will pass eventually, lol! |
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Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. ~ Voltaire www.Candessence.com |
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Wed May 24, 2006 9:27 am |
Well done, you!!! 
Yes, that suction part was the only part I really didn't like. It didn't hurt, but it just felt very wrong.
I know what you mean about feeling overwhelmed afterwards. My eyesight had been awful for all of my life, and then suddenly being able to focus without glasses or contact lenses was like a miracle.
Occasionally, I still start walking up the stairs to take my contact lenses out on a night, then realise that there's now no need! |
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Wed May 24, 2006 9:34 am |
| Can I ask a question to all the ladies who have had this surgery? What was your level of correction before? My left eye is -10, and my right eye is -9, so I worry that I'm TOO far gone even for surgery... |
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27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Wed May 24, 2006 9:35 am |
my suction thingy HURT LIKE HELL.. the right eye was OK, uncomfortable, but OK, then by the time they went to do the left it was already a bit dry and he stuck it on and my eye was NOT happy.. I kept wanting to blink and my body went stiff and it was hurting so much and then he had to take it off and put it on again.. oh god, that was the longest minute of my life.
Oh and the worst bit wa that the doc spoke a LITTLE English and he told me to look at what I thought was RIGHT and then he points ahead and goes, no, LIGHT. ROFL And then I was trying to ask him if I could blink but he had no idea what i was saying... so my hubby had to jump in and ask him. I was so distressed by the whole suction thing I could barely speak english let alone japanese. |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Wed May 24, 2006 9:36 am |
My left was -7 and right -5.25. At my morning after testing my left was 1.2 and right 1.5.
The main thing is how thick your cornea is. The worse your eye the more they have to take off and the bare min. they can scrape down to is 390 micro millimeters or whatever it is. Mine started around 530 and ended up at 450 I think. |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Wed May 24, 2006 11:22 am |
| manslayerliz wrote: |
| Can I ask a question to all the ladies who have had this surgery? What was your level of correction before? My left eye is -10, and my right eye is -9, so I worry that I'm TOO far gone even for surgery... |
I forgot what it was b4 the surgery. But that called it CF - counting fingers. Which is all I could do if you stood 3 feet in front of me without my glasses or contacts on. Blind as a bat - but I had no radar!! They corrected me to 20/15. |
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Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. ~ Voltaire www.Candessence.com |
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Wed May 24, 2006 11:47 am |
Tiger_Tim I am so glad to hear of your great results! I SO want to get this done...I used to wear contacts, then for whatever reason they started bugging my eyes. Now it's off and on with the glasses all the time and I'm sick of it. I'm fine for up close stuff, but driving, movies, etc...out come the specs. Blah! You have inspired me to get my butt moving on this whole Lasik thing...
Congrats on your new, perfect vision!
Mary  |
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Wed May 24, 2006 12:44 pm |
I'd really love to get this done as well. I've heard so many great stories (and a few, very few people who had problems). To not have to put in contacts every day and feel your eyes totally drying out ... that would be wonderful. The only thing I worry about ... how do you stay perfectly still so you don't accidently move during the surgery? My other thing I worry about (ok, so I have two worries ) is that my eyes will become even more dry afterwards.
It must be liberating really ... to finally be able to throw aside your contacts and/or glasses! |
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Wed May 24, 2006 3:00 pm |
Good for you Tiger_Tim  The procedure sounds gruesome, not one I'd want to go through. It sounds worse than my eye lift  But like all these surgeries, you'll soon forget the discomfort and enjoy the results!
Anya |
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Wed May 24, 2006 4:49 pm |
| Moonstarr wrote: |
| The only thing I worry about ... how do you stay perfectly still so you don't accidently move during the surgery? My other thing I worry about (ok, so I have two worries ) is that my eyes will become even more dry afterwards. |
You know, that was what I was also worried about!! I kept saying "but what if I look to the right at the crucial moment?!" but it was OK. The actual laser bits were nothing at all, but I have decided that all people should know how uncomfortable the ring thingy should be In reality I know not many people react the way I did with my left eye and of course once you have a bit of a problem the stress creeps in so the problem is exasperated. By the time we got home I was exhausted and my legs felt like they were wobbly, like I had been exercising heavily. Then I realised that I had been so stiff (literally like a board) and tnese during the first half of the procedure it must have been like a workout for my legs.
Now the hardest thing ladies.. no eye makeup for a week and I have to wear some tres sexy  protective glasses when I go out and about. (OK, they are not THAT bad, but still...)
They say that dry eyes can be a problem the week after but I have had no trouble except for first thing in the morning (mind you I have a million types of eye drops to use a billion times a day the first week). Some people who suffer from very dry eyes are not suited to this procedure (same for those with vascular problems) |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Wed May 24, 2006 8:08 pm |
I'm glad that it went well for you tiger_tim! I have been giving thoughts about that for a while but my parents still say NO everytime I ask them but yet my doctor kept saying it's ok and i'll love it .. but anyway I need a permission from my parents still and the most important thing is that I'm so afraid of the surgery coz I saw them on TV before.
Too bad that you can't put any eye makeup on this week! but after next week ... yeahh BTW at what age is the best to get this done? My doctor suggested that 17 is the age when you can begin to have to done coz your vision won't change that much after.. but mine still keep getting worst  I guess I just have to stay away from the PC.... lol |
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Wed May 24, 2006 10:20 pm |
| my eyesight kept getting worse till about 25 I think. I reckon mid twenties would be perfect. |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Wed May 24, 2006 11:56 pm |
| manslayerliz wrote: |
| Can I ask a question to all the ladies who have had this surgery? What was your level of correction before? My left eye is -10, and my right eye is -9, so I worry that I'm TOO far gone even for surgery... |
I feel for you Liz - I've had terrible eyesight all my life. My left eye is -11.5 in and the right is -9.5 (at least they were when I got my last set of lenses - I have a nasty feeling they're worse now!). I've always thought that they would be too bad for surgery, but there are so many advances taking place maybe one day I'll be able to go for it. Good luck with yours, and congrats Tim!! |
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Mabsy
Moderator
 
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Posts: 9644
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Thu May 25, 2006 6:06 am |
Tiger_tim - that's fantastic! I'm so glad to hear that everything went well. The one week of no eye makeup and funky glasses will be a breeze and it sounds like the results have been well worth it for you.
That ring thingy sounds bad though. Ick! |
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Thu May 25, 2006 6:23 am |
Poor you! Unless things are a wee bit different over there, I don't think the suction thingy's supposed to hurt at all.
Mind you, I was so totally laid-back about the whole thing that nothing bothered me. The consultant and nurse couldn't believe how calm I was.
Don't know why, as I thought I'd be in a heck of a state. (May have been something to do with the totally gorgeous South African consultant.  ) |
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Thu May 25, 2006 7:29 am |
You know that was me too... I was so laid back... well, maybe not laid back, but so excited..every time they called my name I virtually ran to the consultation room and I could not stop smiling.. not a care in the world till they finished the right eye ring and then ouch. I probably made it worse because I tensed up at the thought of the discomfort after they had to redo the ring.
Tonight my right eye is almost better but the left is still very irritated and red. I have plenty of drops to use till I go back next Wed. for the next check-up though.
I  being able to see. And you know, aside from being red, somehow my eyes look clearer and prettier. I guess that is because I had always been seeing the blue through glasses or contacts! |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Thu May 25, 2006 7:43 am |
You know, after almost 2 and a half years, I still grin like an idiot when I think about how I can see now.
It's a truly wonderful thing, tiger-tim. Enjoy it! And here's to a quick recovery from the op for you! |
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Thu May 25, 2006 9:42 am |
Oh, this makes me want to try surgery too! I've always been so scared after hearing some of the horror stories. My vision was -6 the last time I bought lenses three years ago and I'm sure it's worse now. I'm trying to work up the courage to do it.
I was just trying to tell my husband how vulnerable you feel when you are so blind without glasses or lenses. This discussion came from being in the car while he was driving and losing a contact lense and being totally thrown off, dizzy, and blind in one eye. I don't know what I would have done had I been driving!
Have fun putting on your makeup next week. I'm sure it will be great not having to stay an inch away from the mirror to do it! |
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normal to dry skin, slightly sensitive, early 40s |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:05 pm |
Sorry to resurrect this old thread. I finally worked up the courage and scheduled a consultation for next Monday. I am already freaking out
Hope everyone is still enjoying their new eyesight?! |
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~~ super-sensitive, dry, dermatitis prone, rosacea/northern calif ~~ |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:15 pm |
You WONT regret it! My husband is now scheduled for his consultation on Sep. 30 and booked for the op on oct. 16th. He is so jealous of my aid-less eyesight.
It has been 4 months now and the only difference I have (other than great vision) is my eyes are usually pretty dry when I wake up. But a drop of saline fixes that in a flash.
Good luck! |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:19 pm |
Tiger:
I have a question for you. At age 40, do you need reading glasses? I am near-sighted and need reading glasses but refuse to get one. I can read small print if I take off my near-sighted glasses. I was told if I did lazik then I'd need reading glasses to read. |
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53, DermaQuest, NCN Products, PMD, Dermarolling |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:27 pm |
tiger_tim,
Thanks for the reassurance My cousin is in medical school and she told me she only saw 1 case of lasik-gone-bad. This college kid got lasik and ended up losing his vision
MACrisis,
Google lasik monovision. I will be asking about the reading glass during my consultation. I don't need reading glasses yet but I will be in a few years. |
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~~ super-sensitive, dry, dermatitis prone, rosacea/northern calif ~~ |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:28 pm |
During my consultation they told me that short-sightedness can sometimes hide the need for reading glasses and that I might find I need them after Lasik.
I have been OK since having it done, though sometimes the itsybitsy fonts on small bottles gets me (but then again they were hard before ) but I fear it wont be long before I am needing them.  But menus, newspapers, letters, food labels etc. etc. I have no trouble. |
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SKIN: combination, reactive to climate changes and extremely fair. "Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself." --Roseanne |
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Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:45 pm |
MACrisis
Have you considered getting progression lenses (ie multi-focal lenses)? It's not like the ugly old bifocal lenses where there is a line across the lenses - telling everyone that you're old.
I have them. It takes a bit to get used to. I use the one pair for reading, normal everyday wear, driving etc.
I didn't think you will need reading glasses when you have had Lasik. One of old office colleagues had hers done and she didn't require reading glasses. I need to check with my daughter and see if she knows anything (she's only in her first year of optometry). |
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53, normal/oily skin, concerns: wrinkles/lines/bags under eyes |
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