I had been contemplating doing LASIK surgery on my
eyes and even discussed it with my mate, C. We contemplated going to Professor
Dr Muhaya (alas, I don’t think she’s at Prince Court Medical Centre any longer.
She does have her own clinic but in Kajang and too far for me) and discussed it
on and off for the past couple of years. It was just that though: discussion
and I must admit I never did more research than that. I only started
considering it seriously after the blasted corneal ulcer in my left eye in May
and did some basic research.
I was at Lot 10 in June for my facial when I found
out about Optimax road show at Lot 10 that very day to celebrate its 20th
year. I paid a visit and bought a voucher for the eye test (you need to do an
eye test first to see if LASIK procedure can be done on your eyes). I then
called up Optimax and set up an appointment for the eye test for 11 July 2015.
It’d be exactly seven weeks since my corneal ulcer treatment at Gleneagles. I
didn’t know if it was too soon but reckoned the experts would be able to advise
me. The friendly person who took my call also asked if she could slot the
surgery for me for the same day. I wasn’t sure then so I said no. However,
after thinking about it, I thought, heck, I was going to do this anyway so I
might as well do it on the same day. So I called back Optimax on Monday and
asked for a slot to be scheduled so I could proceed with it if the eye test
turned out to be successful.
Finally the day arrived. I had CT to help drive me
and lend support for the test. I had Ashley, a friendly vision consultant
assigned to me and he took me through a series of tests. Oh by the way, I had
been advised and reminded not to wear any alcohol on the day so no perfume and no
body spray and I was careful about the moisturiser that I used that morning
too. My NIVEA deodorant is alcohol-free phew so that was OK. (You also need to lay off wearing contact lens for a few days before the test but I had already stopped wearing contact lens since the corneal ulcer episode.) There was a test
to check my retina, a test to check my vision, power, ‘reading test’ to check
if I was colour blind etc, etc. I also had some eye drops put in to dilate the
pupils. I also met up Dr Stephen Chung in between the tests and he was
forthright with me. He said that the corneal ulcer left a moderate scar on my
left eye retina and I might have to undergo a different procedure for that eye.
Now, there are three different treatments at
Optimax: the Customised All Laser Lasik aka FemtoLasik; the ReLEx smile; and
the Customised Advanced Surface Ablation Lasik (ASA). The FemtoLasik method
lifts a flap of the cornea using a vibrating blade called microkeratome. An
Excimer laser is then used to vaporise some amount of inner corneal tissue.
This is the basic method and costs the least. The ReLEx smile method is a
minimally invasive technique which allows more corneal tissue to remain intact
while the ASA removes the top layer of cornea (epithelium) before applying
Excimer laser. The ReLEx and ASA methods cost about RM2K more and the ASA
method is more complicated and would take up more recovery time. I started
praying hard that I would be able to do FemtoLasik for both eyes. Oh, before I
forget: Ash also said I had two options, to go for either 20/20 vision or
monovision. He said my right eye (dominant eye) could see far while my left eye
could see near objects and they compensate each other. If I choose 20/20 or
perfect vision, chances are I would need reading glasses sooner than if I chose
monovision. No, sadly, LASIK does not correct presbyopia so I would still need
them later on but it would only be for reading instead of relying on the darned
glasses all the time forever. And really, if you have been wearing
glasses for as long as I have (since like forever! I wore it when I entered
Standard 1 okay), the freedom from wearing glasses is really something to look
forward to. After the corneal ulcer episode, I can no longer wear contact lens
for fear of recurrence. Ash also alerted us of what could go wrong but assured
that the chances of that were minimal.
I told Ash my preferred method of surgery which
was FemtoLasik and that I would go for monovision. He then gave me a contract
to read over so that I would be aware of my rights and responsibilities. After
about ten minutes, I was called to sign the contract and witnessed by another
vision consultant. You pay for the treatment at this stage and you have an
option of paying in full or on interest-free instalment. Then I waited to be
called in for surgery. I thought I had a slot at 2 p.m. but Ash said he thought
he saw an earlier slot for me. I told him an earlier slot would be much better
as it meant I could go back and rest for longer before it was time to break
fast.
I was then called into the treatment area. We had
to take off our footwear before entering the area. After a while, I was brought
to the changing room where I had to change into a blue-coloured suit with a cap
to cover my head and covers for my feet. The nurse then handed me a kit which contained
the Do’s and Don’ts, a box of Refresh Plus lubricant eye drops, a TobraDex eye
antibiotic, a pair eye patches complete with tape to hold them in place (I’m to
wear them to sleep in case I accidentally knocked my eyes while sleeping), and
some Ponstan as painkillers. Then I sat down to wait. I also read my novel to
take my mind off the procedure. I was a bundle of nerves then! We did hear some
countdown ’20, 19, 18, ...’ followed by another similar countdown shortly
after.
Finally it was my turn. Dr Stephen called me and
again explained to me what was waiting for me. He told me what was expected of
me: to focus on the green dot and not blink. ‘Don’t fall asleep ok’, he added,
‘we need you to stay awake.’ Maybe some patients found the anaesthetics too strong
that they fall asleep during the procedure? He also told me that he still
wasn’t sure of my left eye but would try his best. He mentioned the countdown,
that I just needed to bear the procedure for 20 seconds per eye and then they
would repeat the procedure again using another machine. I told him that I
wasn’t and never would be the bravest person in the world and asked that he
bear with me. Oh, he also made some marks on my eyes with a pen (!). And then suddenly it was my turn. No turning back now!
I somehow made it to the operating theatre and
laid down on the ‘bed’. There was a head rest for your head and then the bed
moved slightly so that the machine was directly above my right eye. Dr Stephen
taped my eye lashes and placed something over my eye to keep it wide open and
to stop me from blinking. He continued talking to me, walking the procedure
through to me, giving me encouragement and telling me to keep focusing on the
green light dot. I felt as if I was staring out into space with all the planets
and celestial bodies but in 2D. The green light was like a star and I focused on it. I
did feel as if the green light was moving I did wonder if I was supposed to
follow its movement but suddenly the light had shimmered into a bluish hue.
There was a countdown at this time and I remember thinking ‘Oh so that’s what the
countdown is for.’ I was a bit afraid if I could not keep my eye open for the
20 seconds (yes, 20 seconds only!). ‘What if I blink?’, I wondered although it
was not possible for me to blink of course. Then Dr Stephen declared it was
over and that he would proceed to the next eye. He also said that a nurse would
hold my hand and I could sense someone coming over. I already had my hand out
by then and I held (maybe gripped) her hand all throughout the procedure, which was just like the first eye.
After that, I had to get up and was guided to an
adjacent operating theatre where again I had to lie down. The same procedure
was repeated with a lot more eye drops and fluids and another countdown. I did
smell something burning (I wonder what?) during this procedure.
Before long, it was over. Over! I was led out
where I had a brief session with Dr Stephen. Then I changed back into my
clothes and left. You must don your sunglasses by then so I did.
I had read up a few accounts of LASIK experience
and generally they all said they experienced tearing eyes throughout the
afternoon and some even lasting up to late the same evening or even early next
morning. So when I got back at micasa, I changed clothes, performed prayers
then went to bed. I had a ready box of facial tissues by my bed and went to
bed. I got up just after 4 p.m. for some eyedrops and tried to get back to
sleep but by then I was already restless and fidgeting. Alhamdulillah I didn’t
have much tearing and I didn’t feel any smarting of the eyes either. I kept off
books and Quran the whole of Saturday and Sunday. OK, I did finish up the few
pages of my previous novel but that was all.
On Sunday, I went to Optimax again for a check-up.
Check-ups are regular: the following day after surgery, a week after, a month
after and three months after. I had to go through some simple eye tests and Dr
Stephen also saw me and declared he was happy with my progress. My next
follow-up is on Thursday, yes, the day before Eid.
So that was my LASIK experience. Thank you CT who
helped read and do research on the various centres offering the service, helped
drive me to the centre on Saturday and Sunday and helped provide support to
scaredy me.
Goodbye glasses, goodbye contact lens and solution
(already said goodbye to them seven weeks ago), and goodbye hopefully nerdy
librarian look. ‘I look good in glasses,’ says no one ever. And this is why I
can never understand those who actually wear non-prescriptive glasses for fun.
We who need(ed) to wear prescriptive glasses can’t wait to be rid of them so
why do some invest in non-prescriptive glasses?
If you ask me, the only glasses that make anyone look good are
sunglasses.
And even then you will never be this cool.
