Laser Eye Surgery has been hailed a miracle of modern technology; and when you�re dealing with a combo of eyeballs and lasers, it pays to do your research. By Miriam Lee
Ah yes, the inconvenience of being slightly imperfect and doomed to wearing glasses forever is something I understand. You see, since the age of 13 - and that was many, many moons ago - I’ve been held hostage by my poor eyesight - in more ways than one!
Firstly, glasses tend to connote a certain degree of nerdiness and for a self conscious, awkward teenager that can definitely spell disaster when trying to attract members of the opposite sex! Mother dearest used to say “Boys never make passes at girls who wear glasses.”
“Ah bite me mother!”
Secondly, they were expensive and cumbersome and there weren’t many up to the minute styles and designs available when I was a young one.
Thankfully, it’s 2008 and the scales have tipped the other way with intelligence being accepted, nay valued, in an attractive woman. Also, the selection of fashionable frames and of course, the different textures of contact lenses available have made my life so much easier.
However, for those of us who are fed up crawling on all fours every morning searching for lost contact lenses, a new revolution of laser eye surgery is possibly the way forward.
WHAT IS IT?
Laser eye surgery is a procedure carried out to reduce or eliminate a person’s dependency on glasses (spectacles) or contact lenses.
The procedure should take about 30 minutes; however, the patient may experience discomfort or sensitivity that can often last for a few days.
So if you are one of those people who yearn for a carefree, spectacle free life; read on and find out how you can be assessed for this procedure.
HERE’S HOW TO GO ABOUT IT
The first step is to select your consultant. You can do this by being referred by your GP, optician or by recommendation from a friend who has already had surgery.
Make your appointment to have an assessment. During your assessment, the degree of vision and general health of your eyes will be checked.
A detailed orbscan (eye scan) is carried out; including a pupil measurement and tear secretion check.
Your medical history is checked; and, if for example any medical reason is detected, such as a predisposition to glaucoma, your surgeon will probably not perform surgery. A person is usually told on the day whether or not they are a suitable candidate.
If you are going ahead with the procedure, then the surgery itself should only take between 10 to 15 minutes; but you will probably be at the hospital for about two hours between pre and post op checks.
HOW SOON WILL I SEE THE RESULTS?
Wonderful WOL Siobhan Duffy shared her laser eye surgery success story with B Magazine readers. “I had my eyes done about three years ago and I’m delighted with the results. I wore glasses for nearly twenty years and I suppose I decided with the wedding in mind, that I’d enquire about laser surgery. As it happened, my husband, my brother and myself all went for a consultation together and then we all went and had surgery together. When we arrived at the surgeon’s waiting room they placed drops into our eyes to freeze them and by the time we went in for the procedure we couldn’t feel a thing. However, it was a bit strange as during surgery they put a grip onto each eye, and then with something that looks like a brillo pad; scrape away any objects that might be on the eye. Now you can see this brillo pad type scourer coming towards you but you cannot feel a thing. It was all so simple and so quick. From the moment we arrived at the surgery to all three of us being done individually, I’d say we were in and out in about half an hour for the lot; and I immediately felt a difference. I wouldn’t hesitate to have it done again in ten years time if I needed to.” Says Siobhan.
But what about ‘dry eye?’ “Ah yes, we did have a bit of that. My brother was fine but myself and my husband had very sensitive eyes for about two days. I actually took a week off work. When we went home we pulled the curtains to keep the light out of the room, that’s how sensitive our eyes were, but everyone is different. I also had to use drops for about eight weeks afterwards but as I said, it was a great success and well worth it.”
As you can see ladies, Siobhan is very happy with her laser eye surgery and had both eyes treated on the same day. Approximately 70 per cent of patients in Ireland will have both eyes treated simultaneously; with most expecting to see an improvement in their vision within 24 hours. (Patients are advised that around 85 per cent of their vision improvement will be evident within a day).
Article from the Summer issue of B Magazine.
Like this?
Comments
Have something to say about this article? Leave a comment!