VisionPosts Tagged ‘LASIK’
Final Countdown to LASIK
I ordered these great new shades this week. I realized I absolutely have to have sunglasses the day of my surgery, so I went ahead and ordered them with two day shipping. I mean, my eyes will be freshly operated on—how can I expose them to unfiltered UV’s? Don’t they look cool?
I’m sure that if I actually need sunglasses for the ride home, Emory will probably supply some for me, or let me know if I need to bring my own. Regardless, it was a good excuse to order some new (non-prescription) sunglasses.
I also went through my stuff looking for old glasses. Even after the frames have broken, or the prescription has gone a little out of kilter, I keep the old ones around so that if I misplace my current ones, I can use the ugly old ones. They won’t do me any good after this week.
Over the past few days, I’ve started doing this weird countdown. This is the last time I’ll go to Your DeKalb Farmer’s Market with glasses. This is the last meeting I’ll lead with glasses. I really, really hope this is the last time I drive the Perimeter in rush hour, with glasses… you get the idea. It’s kind of like the last week of middle school, when you’re getting ready for a big change. I vividly remember really wanting to be in high school, and later wondering how I possibly lived through those miserable years in that dump of a middle school. All the cool kids were in high school– that’s where I was heading. It’s funny how I have the same sort of feeling now, as I get closer to having LASIK surgery.
Notes on a LASIK Consultation
So I just got back from my Emory Vision consultation. I had a lot of questions about the process, side effects, bad results, and the like. But first off, I did a bunch of tests. You put your chin on a chin rest, and then you stare ahead at lights, or dots, and you can’t blink for a few seconds. I think they should install some periscope handles under the testing equipment, just because it’d be cool.
They map your corneas and retinas, and the visuals reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I did not encounter HAL9000 though.
All joking aside, it was fascinating to go through the process, and the Emory Vision staff was a great source of information. I had read a piece in a magazine about problems with LASIK, and I was kind of anxious about whether to go through with the whole thing after reading some of the stories. But after the testing process, they determined that I was a good candidate for the procedure. I spoke with Rhonda Brown for a while and asked a bunch of questions, and she really put me at ease. Dr. Randleman came in, and we talked and decided that blended vision was a great option for me. Then they assembled a set of Thomas Dolby looking test glasses for me to put on so they could gauge the effect that blended vision would have on me.
Don’t I look cool?
We talked at length about what I could expect on surgery day and afterward, the improvements to the technology over the years, and the limitations of the procedure. I am so ready to be rid of these glasses.
LASIK Feedback From Facebook
Yesterday, I posted this video on Facebook, and made a comment about my plans to get LASIK. I really got a kick out of all the positive feedback people gave me about the process. It’s quite reassuring to see what a difference it’s made to folks. Here are some of the comments people posted on my Facebook wall:
Five Things You May Not Know About LASIK
If you’re considering LASIK, you’ve likely heard that the vast majority of patients are extremely satisfied with their new, improved vision. For many, the results are life changing. Knowing as much as possible about the procedure will help you to have realistic expectations, which is why I’m devoting this post to ‘Five Things You May Not Know About LASIK’:
- The definition of an “ideal candidate” for LASIK can vary from practice to practice. Emory Vision devotes 2 ½ hours to determining whether you’re a candidate. Some centers take as little as a half-hour. Why the difference? We look at 10 factors when we meet with patients. A decade ago, looking at curvature of the eye and prescription was sufficient. Now physicians are able to tell which candidates will receive the best results.
- As you evaluate where you’d like to have your LASIK procedure performed, it’s important to know how the surgeon defines a “successful outcome.” At Emory Vision, our benchmark is 20/20 vision, which is the final result for the vast majority of our patients.
- LASIK doesn’t cause cataracts. Some patients mistakenly believe that over time their surgery is wearing off, when in reality they’re developing cataracts. LASIK doesn’t increase the chance of cataracts; birthdays do. Just as we get gray hair, we develop cataracts, typically in our mid 60s. You’ll know cataracts are the source of your poor vision if your condition doesn’t improve with glasses. For patients who have had LASIK, it’s important to know the curvature of your eye prior to having cataract surgery.
- The type of laser used by a LASIK practice is extremely important. At Emory Vision, we use the most advanced technology available—the Allegretto Wave® Eye-Q with Perfect Pulse Technology™. Clinical studies involving patients who have had surgery with the Allegretto show that 87% of patients have 20/20 vision or better one year after the procedure, and 99% have 20/40 or better, which is the standard for driving without glasses in most states. While it is possible to experience good results from an older laser, advanced lasers allow physicians to customize your treatment. Newer lasers, coupled with a thorough patient evaluation minimize complications such as halos and starbursts.
- The chances of you losing your vision due to LASIK surgery are truly minuscule. To put it in perspective for you, there is less than a 1 in 5 million chance of vision loss with the procedure. In fact, you have a greater chance of losing your eyesight from wearing contact lenses than from having LASIK. Patients rarely experience complications after LASIK surgery; however, approximately 3-5% may encounter minor difficulties, such as dry eyes and nighttime glare. For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of emoryvision.org.
And now I’d like to turn the conversation over to you—I know that many of you are curious about LASIK, and you may have questions beyond what I’ve covered here. Fire away!
