What Sensory Experiences Are Associated With LASIK Vision Surgery?Learn About The Surgical Procedure From This LASIK Description.
I just had LASIK vision surgery two days ago to correct my severe nearsightedness with significant astigmatism. In other words, I was as blind as a bat without my glasses. I also have sensory integration dysfunction especially with hypersensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, oral, and vestibular. What I did not know was that there are lots of strange sights, sounds, smells, oral, and vestibular sensations associated with LASIK!! I would like to tell you about my experiences so that you can be better prepared for your LASIK vision surgery. I hope that this LASIK description will help you! It took me many years to get up the nerve to have this elective vision surgery. But after I scratched my current glasses rather drastically, I decided that the time was right!
My LASIK description starts about a month ago when I went for my evaluation. I learned that they should be able to correct my vision to at least 20/20. However, I would continue to always need reading glasses. Isn't aging wonderful? On the day of my surgery, I had to first wait around about an hour in the waiting room. I am not a patient person to begin with so I was already somewhat agitated before the procedure even began. Then, I was taken back to a holding room where they checked my eyes again. They gave me a valium to swallow with a glass of water. Well, due to my drastic gag reflex, it would not go down for awhile. But, finally, I managed to swallow the tablet. Then, they gave me an annoying blue bonnet to wear. Finally, I was taken into the laser room. Of course, there were all sorts of bright fluorescent lights and bright white walls which I found especialy irritating. I was instructed to recline in a rather comfy chair and to hold a soft stuffed animal to "keep my hands occupied". This was the good part LASIK description! They pumped up a pillow to support my head. They had to do it three times to get it supported just right at the right angle. So, my head was moved around for several minutes. Then, they had to make sure I was lined up correctly under the laser. So, they kept swinging me horizontally to the right to get under the laser and then swinging me back to the left where they made even more adjustments to my head. When they swung me to the right, the chair hit a bump stop. They did this procedure about 5 times. Even though I know it was only small movements, to me it felt like I was being catapulted from side to side! I was given anesthetic drops to numb my eyes which is a very important part of the procedure! Finally, the doctor arrived and my LASIK description continued to to become replete with sensory information. He swung me back to the right under the laser with the bump and turned on several lights. He told me to focus on the blinking orange light among all the various lights. He made more adjustments in my head position. Then, he swung me horizontally way to the left for the other laser which would cut the flaps. He put some contraption in my right eye to hold my eye open. Boy, was it uncomfortable! Then, he applied pressure and suction to the eyeball as the laser cut the flap. Ouch!! I felt like me eyeball was being ripped out of my head. I also experienced quite a bit of stinging. Then, he repeated everything on the left eye. Now, it was time to get swung around again to the other laser with a bump! More drops were added to my eye periodically. And my eye was propped open with another uncomfortable gizmo. I had to focus on that darn blinking orange light among all the other lights and glare and blur. Finally, the laser started and so did the burning smell! Yuck! Thankfully, it only took about 10 seconds. The procedure was repeated on my left eye. Then, the procedure itself was over! But my LASIK description is not over yet! The stuffed lamb was pulled away from my gripping hands. Two people grabbed each of my arms and pulled me up onto my feet. The room appeared exceptionally bright. Then, I was led into an exam chair in a dark room and told to keep my eyes shut while they gave me post-op instructions. The doctor came in and examined my eyes with the scope and said, "Beautiful!" What a relief! They put form-fitted goggles over my eyes that I had to wear continuously for the next 24 hours. Then, they sent me home to continue my LASIK description. I had to keep my eyes closed for the next 4-6 hours starting with the 45 minute car ride. I was nauseated by the time I got home from the car motion. Luckily, the valium made me very tired so I was able to sleep through most of this time at home. I was finally allowed to open my eyes after 5 hours and look around the house. The first thing that I noticed was that the goggles fogged up so it appeared as if I were looking through a cloud continuously which was extremely irritating. I could not do much of anything for the rest of the day. I did notice that my vision gradually improved throughtout the first day. Yeah! I went for my first post-op appointment the next day. I discovered that I had 20/20 vision in my left eye and 20/15 vision in my right eye! More yeah! However, LASIK does not fix the need for reading glasses, and I found out that I really need reading glasses. On the way home, I had to stop and get some reading glasses so that I could do some paperwork at home! Last night, I went for a walk in the evening. I noticed halos around all of the lights. It was rather pretty! But I definitely can not look at oncoming car lights. I have also been rather sensitive to glare. I find that wearing sunglasses in the house helps with the glare tremendously. I have been assured that the glare and the halos should resolve with time. In addition, my vision should become even crisper as the cornea heals over the next week. I am also trying to figure out when to use the reading glasses. Taking them off and on is really annoying. Thus, these first two days have been a sensory challenge for me. Looking back at this LASIK description after a few years now, I realized that it was not really all that bad. Overall, I am now glad that I had this LASIK procedure performed. I just wish that I was better prepared for the various sensory experiences. I hope that this LASIK description of my experiences will help you with your LASIK vision surgery. Return HOME
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