I did not need glasses until I was 19 years old. The first time I realized it, I was in my chemistry lecture class and was not able to see the board to take notes. For the next seven years my vision worsened each time I visited the eye doctor. I tried the contact route, but didn’t have much luck. My mom and brother decided to try LASIK in 2000 and both had positive experiences. In 2001 I decided to check it out for myself. My husband and I knew it would be an expense since our insurance would not cover it because it is considered an elective procedure. However, when we weighed the overall expense of wearing glasses for the rest of my life, it seemed worth it.

I visited the doctor my mom and brother used because they both had success with their surgeries and the doctor had performed several LASIK procedures since its recent FDA approval. The doctor had also trained several other doctors to perform the surgery. This was important to me since at the time the procedure was so new. About four years after my surgery, the doctor who performed it lost his license because of too many mistakes. Therefore, I would suggest that anyone seeking out an ophthalmologist carefully review the doctor online before making an appointment. It would also be a good idea to watch a video of one of the surgeries before deciding.

I visited my ophthalmologist to have my initial exam to find out if I was a good candidate. Because I was 26 and recently married, the doctor was somewhat hesitant to perform the procedure because my eyes could still change over the next few years. He told me that becoming pregnant could affect my vision and I may need glasses again, but I was willing to take the chance.

The actual procedure did not take long. They put drops in my eyes to numb them and placed clamps on my eyes to keep my lids from closing. I was awake for the whole thing. It was really hard being awake during the surgery. I kept thinking, 'What if I sneeze and the clamps come off while the laser is cutting?' The doctor calmly explained the process as he began. I do remember the smell of the laser as it cut into my cornea. A person with high anxiety might consider a mild sedative or some other way to make it easier to stay calm. Talk to the doctor ahead of time to see what he or she would recommend.

After the procedure, I waited in a small room to have another check-up and receive discharge instructions. I would not be able to drive for the next two days. While I waited for the doctor to enter, I could already look across the room and see the time on the clock. My vision was already improving. I had to place drops in my eyes for the next several days and I had to see the doctor again the next day for a check-up. My dad picked me up since I wasn’t able to drive home. The whole drive home I kept looking at the billboards, amazed I could read the print.

When I got to my parents’ house I fell asleep for a few hours because my eyes were so dry. My eyes felt pressure on them and as if I had dirt in them. When I woke up, I looked at the TV and told my dad I could see the baseball game score from across the room. He never realized my vision had gotten that bad. The whole day I felt like I was seeing things for the first time. It is important during the recovery period to keep up with the drops even though they taste funny. Yes, I said the eye drops taste funny. When I put the drops in my eyes, I could taste it down the back of my throat.

It has been 13 years since I had the surgery. I have not regretted it once, but not all my experiences have been positive. My nighttime vision is still not great. When I drive at night, there is a glow —known as a halo — around all the lights, making it hard to judge distances. I also developed chronic dry eye around four years ago. Dry eye is sometimes a risk with this surgery. Anyone thinking about LASIK needs to be aware of all the possible risks and side effects.