PRK Part 1 - The Surgery

The day finally arrived for my PRK laser eye surgery. I decided to go in for a half day of work to try and give my day a normal feel to it and to try and distract myself from feeling nervous.

The morning passed quickly and before too long Kate was playing chauffer to drive me from Boulder down to the clinic in Denver.

It didn’t take long for them to get me going when I got there. I was given a stylish blue hair net and sweet blue nets to go over my shoes. They also asked me to take off my glasses which I realized would hopefully be for the last time. They also gave me gauze to put over my ears to catch the large amount of drops and washes I would soon be receiving

A short wait later I was escorted back into the surgery room while Kate and my Dad were taken to a small observation room where they could witness my laser show. In the room three doctors were waiting for me. I was told to lay back on a chair similar to the one dentists use that recline you back all the way.

I was then presented with a small basket of various stress balls, and the astronomy buff in me drew me to a delightfully squishy replica of the Earth and another of the Moon. I’m not sure how much squeezing I actually did, but it was strangely comforting to have those two squishy celestial bodies in my hands through the surgery.

After taping something over my left eye my right eye received several drops as well as what I think was a cutip with a numbing agent that was applied to my eyelids.

I then had some kind of device attached to my eyelids which gently held them apart. It was actually much more comfortable than I would’ve thought because I could just relax my eyes and they would stay open on their own, but it was just a light enough touch that I didn’t feel the urge to blink.

I was then rotated under A very bright circular white light with a flashing orange one in the middle. I think my eye was then cleaned as something was applied and wiped off with what seemed like a miniaturized squeegie

My eye was then washed out several times with some kind of saline solution. And I have to say that was the most difficult part of the whole thing as the solution was FREEZING COLD!!! It felt an instant brain freeze. But it passed quickly and before I knew it I was told that I would be needing 45 seconds of correction to the right eye.

I was told to focus on the orange blinking blob in the center. As I focused I could hear several popping noises similar to when a small amount of electricity arcs and I could hear one of the doctors counting down the time remaining while my surgeon helped keep my mind and eye focused on the flashing light.

I really couldn’t feel anything in my eye but I did notice a slight burning smell that reminded me of when I accidentally touched a red stove element with my pinky finger. I also noticed the orange light begin to become slightly more focused and then it started to kind of wash out in whiteness. Enough that I could still see it though. And then suddenly it was done! I had a few more solutions and drops applied to my eye and then a bandage contact was placed over it.

Even just seconds after they rotated me out and switched the covering to my other eye I could already see quite a bit clearer than I normally can without my glasses. It was by no means 20/20 but it was enough to get me excited that my own natural eye could now distinguish minor details unaided

The process was then repeated with the left eye. Drops, cleaning, squeegee, clamps, FREEZING COLD solution. Only this eye needed only 42 seconds of correction and there was also a discussion about elephants with the doctors that made the left eye process go by quickly.

I left the surgery room probably 10 minutes after having entered and could see clear enough to distinguish people’s faces and read large signs.

On the drive home my eyes finally started to become a bit uncomfortable. It feels basically like having two dirty contacts in your eyes combined with an incredible sensitivity to light that made my eyes water like crazy even through my sunglasses. Fortunately I had a Valium and a Percocet ready so as those started to take effect I began to feel quite a bit better.

I’m now feeling quite tired and was surprised to discover I can actually see to use a computer if I use the handy Magnifier program that comes with windows and look at everything at 4X size. I also had to turn the brightness on my laptop down as low as it will go and don a pair of sunglasses to look directly at the screen.

I’m definitely starting to feel my pills now though and the computer screen is starting to give me a headache so it’s off to bed…

A Fond Farewell To Glasses and Contacts

As I sit here on this slightly too warm Wednesday evening I realize that this evening holds a special significance for me as an exceptionally nearsighted individual. Tonight will (hopefully) be the last night I ever need glasses or contacts to be able to distinguish that the glowing blob of blended colors my natural eyes perceive is actually a computer!

Tomorrow afternoon I will be driven to Denver for PRK Laser Surgery. Now if you were expecting to hear the phrase LASIK appear somewhere in that sentence you come from a similar mindset as I did when I got my consult for the surgery.

The story behind PRK is that it is a "no touch" surgery. Meaning that there is nothing used on the eye besides the laser. There is no flap cut in the cornea as there is in LASIK, instead the laser is applied directly to the eye.

Unfortuantely there is a bit more pain and discomfort and a longer recovery time associated with PRK but I keep telling myself it won't be that bad compared to other things I've experienced (TONSILS!!!!) and that it will be worth a lifetime of natural vision!

Plus the laser that does the surgery has a wicked awesome but also slightly intimidating name. It is the Excimer laser...

So at 2:15 tomorrow I'll be lying back on a table wondering is something burning? Nope it's just my eyeball...

Stay Tuned!