Katie, one of our ophthalmic technicians, underwent LASIK surgery recently! Here is the first-hand account of her experience:
“I had been considering LASIK for years, but kept putting it off. Now that it’s over, I wish I had done it sooner. The biggest deciding factor for me was that my soft contacts had become more and more difficult to wear comfortably over the years. My contacts were always very dry, and my vision would become very blurry half-way through the day. I also wanted to make sure that my vision was no longer changing and had been stable for a couple of years before going ahead with surgery. I loved my glasses but am very active, and the glasses were a bit of a hassle for outdoor activities.
Before having surgery, I met with Dr. Weis, an optometrist on staff, for a pre-LASIK Evaluation. Dr. Weis, along with the technician, did a number of tests to make sure that my eyes were healthy and working normally. Dr. Weis took a lot of time to answer all my questions and to make sure I understood and had realistic expectations. I knew that not everyone ends up with a “perfect 20/20” outcome, but the majority of patients have very good vision and can enjoy their day to day activities.
The day of surgery I was a little nervous. The staff at the Eye Surgery and Laser Center were all very nice and made sure I was comfortable. A nurse met with me before surgery to go over pre- and post-op instructions. She took my temperature and blood pressure to make sure I was in good health before proceeding.
In the surgery room, Cheryl, Dr. Foote’s surgery coordinator, was right by my side literally holding my hand. She talked me though the procedure telling me what was going to happen each step of the way. Most of the surgery was pretty painless. I only experienced some moderate discomfort/pressure while the laser was in use. It was uncomfortable, but it truly only lasted for less than one minute. Dr. Foote also talked me through the procedure and then met with me after the surgery to assure me that the LASIK went well and to ensure that I was feeling ok.
On the ride home I was very light sensitive and my eyes burned and watered a bit. I wasn’t concerned because I had been told ahead of time that was a normal response. The instructions were to go home and take a nap for a few hours to let my eyes relax and start to heal. It was a little difficult to rest. I was still experiencing some moderate discomfort and heavy watering. After a couple of hours the discomfort subsided and I was able to sleep. Upon waking my vision was a little hazy still, but I could see very well though it. While watching TV, I could read all the words; I could read my clock across the room! I decided immediately that my already-clearer vision was well worth any discomfort I had experienced.
Dr. Pedersen examined me the next day to make sure my eyes were on the right track and healing. The following days my vision was very clear, but fluctuated at times due to dryness and mild inflammation. I continued to use an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drop four times per day to ensure that my eyes would continue to heal.
It’s one week since my surgery and I have had an amazing outcome and am thrilled with my vision. I would highly recommend LASIK to anyone. Now more than ever, I appreciate and have faith in all the Doctors and staff that I’m lucky to work with every day here at Milwaukee Eye Care!”
