“I should have done LASIK sooner.”
That is my very first response when someone asks me about my laser eye surgery.
It’s been over two years since I’ve had my LASIK surgery with Vance Thompson, and my only regret was not getting it done a earlier.
At its simplest, I was tired of fumbling for my glasses just to walk from my bed to the bathroom in the morning. And at its scariest, I was worried about a fire or other horrible event and not being able to see my way to my kids in the middle of the night.
Two years later, I have none of those worries and am still so glad I took the step in my journey to better sight with LASIK.
If you are thinking about getting this surgery done for yourself, I’ll walk you through my journey and give you the ins and outs of what to expect.
My first step was to set up my initial consultation with Vance Thompson Vision.
3 Reasons I Chose Vance Thompson Vision
- I had received great feedback from friends about their experience with the clinic.
- I was impressed with their long history and experience in highly advanced technology. Not only for LASIK, but for other eye advancements as well.
- My high school friend is an optometrist there. I know how smart and trustworthy she is, and I highly respected her judgment.
What to Expect: The Initial Consultation
The initial consult is free of charge and was very helpful in calming any fears I had.
Vance Thompson Vision was incredibly thorough in their pre-exam. The doctor made sure I was a good candidate, and I appreciate that they truly wanted a successful outcome for me.
They then performed a thorough eye exam, which included a variety of diagnostics to measure, test, and evaluate every aspect of each eye.
Once I was deemed a good candidate for LASIK, an optometrist and staff member went through all the details of the surgery with me. I learned what to expect before, during, and after the procedure, plus the exact cost covered by my HSA and Flex Spending for the surgery. I was also able to ask and get answers to all my questions.
Overall, I was impressed with the amount of time the staff took with me. I felt very cared for, even before I was on official patient.
What To Expect: During LASIK Surgery
Just a few weeks after my consultation I was able to have surgery. (Note: You will need to spend 3 days without contacts to allow your eyes to form their most natural shape.)
I arrived that morning and waited just a few minutes before being taken back for surgery prep.
The words ‘surgery prep’ sound a little scary, but all it entailed was me sitting comfortably in a chair with a nurse. I received some eye drops for numbing, listened to what would happen during surgery, and how to care for my eyes afterward.
Then the big moment arrived.
My super personable surgery technician guided me to the LASIK room and gave me the rundown on how the next 20 minutes would go.
Yep, 20 minutes. That’s all it took.
The LASIK procedure involved 4 simple steps:
- First, Dr. Greenwood put eyelid supports in place to prevent blinking during the procedure.
- Second, a tiny suction cup-like tool was placed over my eye to hold it in place. It wasn’t painful. I simply felt a little pressure.
- Next, the programmed laser vision correction machine (under Dr. Greenwood’s supervision) created a thin flap from the cornea part of my eye. I didn’t feel a thing and simply saw some shifting of light and a bit of blur as Dr. Greenwood lifted my cornea flap. The laser was then placed over my eye. I saw about 10 seconds of moving red lights and felt nothing. Those lights were the actual treatment, precisely reshaping my cornea to change my vision.
- Lastly, Dr. Greenwood gently placed my cornea flap back over my eye and made sure it was correctly aligned and adhered back to my cornea.
The same was repeated on my other eye.
The actual procedure took less than 10 minutes, and all the while Dr. Greenwood and I chatted about our shared alma mater.
I’ll never forget the moment after they removed the LASIK machine from overhead, I could already see better. The results were that instant!
I wasn’t yet at 20/20 vision, because some blurring after surgery is natural. But even with the blurring, I was able to easily walk myself to the waiting room to meet my husband.
What To Expect: After LASIK Surgery
Make sure to line up a ride home. Your eyes will be blurry and very sensitive to light.
I recommend taking the rest of the day off after surgery. Along with light sensitivity, your eyes will feel quite irritated for three to four hours.
I spent the first couple hours after surgery in my dim bedroom watching a movie and feeling like I had an eyelash stuck in my eye. My eyes watered a lot and my vision was still a bit blurry, but was improving by the hour.
Something so helpful that Vance Thompson Vision did was send update texts every couple of hours after the surgery. Each text contained a quick 30-second video explaining approximately where I should be at in the recovery process and what I was likely feeling. It helped me feel at ease, assured that my recovery was going smoothly.
After a night’s sleep, my nearsightedness barely existed!
The next morning I had very little irritation and was able to go about my typical daily activities with zero interruption.
For about a week I had a bit of soft blurring, which was completely normal. Each day it faded and by one full week post-op, my vision was nearly 100% clear.
One thing I do recommend — take your doctor’s recommendation to use eye drops liberally! Vance Thompson Vision supplies you with some on your way home (along with eye drop antibiotics).
Keeping eyes hydrated makes them feel more comfortable and really helps the healing process.
What to Expect: LASIK Healing Journey
You will have a follow-up eye appointment a few days after LASIK surgery. At that appointment, I was seeing perfect 20/20 vision! I hadn’t had vision that clear since fifth grade.
After about a week, most blurriness had subsided.
And after three weeks, I was only using eye drops a couple of times each day (dry eyes can be a short-term side effect, so using drops as needed was helpful).
It took a few months for my eyes to adjust to bright lights at night but that slowly faded over time.
So now, over two years later, my eyes are still doing great with no problems and continued 20/20 vision.
Why I’m Glad I Did LASIK
As you can probably guess, I haven’t missed my contacts one bit over the last few years.
I love that I can wake up in the middle of the night, peek across the room at my alarm clock, and know exactly what time it is. Also, I never have to wipe smudged glasses.
I love that I no longer get irritated contact lenses or have to bring a spare pair everywhere just in case I lose one.
And most of all, I love the freedom of never having to worry about my sight.
If you have been contemplating getting LASIK, I would highly recommend it.
My only regret — I wish I would have done it sooner.
Do you think LASIK might be a good option for you? Give Vance Thompson Vision a call at 701-566-5390 or click here to schedule a FREE consultation.
