Do you or someone you know wear glasses? Have you ever thought about lasik? Maybe your scared of the side effects or price tag. I mean is it really worth it? We decided to try out lasik and let you know our honest truth. We are not leaving anything out. Here’s our story…
My husband and I have been together for over 14 years and I remember the day he got glasses. During the consultation he found his prescription and said “wow this is what things really look like”. I couldn’t believe he had been living essentially his entire life without seeing 20/20. He had both an astigmatism and was near sighted.
At first glasses didn’t bother him but over time we started noticing the downside. Forget being able to completely see whats going on when playing sports such as basketball, football, swimming etc. He was constantly getting his glasses knocked off by the kids when they played with him. Forgetting his glasses was the end of the world, especially if we wanted to go to a movie. Date nights felt like I was dining with an elderly man as I read off the menu items to him. We went zip-lining in Jamaica last year and he had to do it without his glasses, along with snorkeling in Cancun. It’s sad to know he didn’t get to fully experience it all in the same way the rest of us did.
We had talked about getting lasik for him for years but were so scared to pull the plug. There were so many questions, fears, money, etc. preventing us from going through with it.
When we got the chance to get the lasik done we jumped on it. Did we make the right choice? We think so. All our questions were answered and worries taken away. We just didn’t see a reason not to.
First off, he was going to Barnett Dulaney Perkins which is one of the best lasik surgery centers in the nation. Their experience is impeccable.
Second, after sitting with the doctor and talking about lasik our nerves were calmed.
Did you know that lasik is the best way to be able to see when you have an astigmatism. Glasses and contacts still don’t fully give you clarity. How amazing is that!
We really didn’t see anything that raised red flags or a downside to trying it. The outcome outweighed the possible downsides by far!
Surgery day went by fast. We were in talking to the Dr. just 5 minutes after arriving where he answered any of our concerns and went over the procedure and recovery process. We waited for about 20-30 minutes until our turn but once Zach went back he was done and out within 10-15 minutes. We immediately went in a did a check up to make sure we understood the recovery process and what we needed to go forward. Overall we were in and out in about 1.5 hours.
I asked you all what your fears and questions were about lasik and here were the ones we got:
- “Did it hurt?”- This is the most common question he gets. The answer simply is no! You put drops in your eyes prior to numb them along with Valium so once the time comes to get the procedure done you don’t feel a thing.
- “Were you nervous about having surgery on your eye, while awake?”- no, he wasn’t nervous at all however we can see how one would be. Once you get the Valium though most nerves are calmed. They simply touch your eyes to keep your eyes open, however the rest is done with a laser. Keep in mind your eyes are dilated and you already can’t see well so you won’t be able to make out a bunch of whats going on.
- “How long did the procedure take”- The actual lasik surgery took 10-15 minutes to complete both eyes, from the time they prep you, complete both eyes, and get you out of the surgery room. The consultation took about an hour and we had the surgery scheduled two weeks after. It was all done quickly and efficiently.
- “What did the recovery look like”- The first day was the hardest. There was some stinging and discomfort, but as long as he kept eye drops and slept all was good. 24 hrs after the surgery the pain was completely gone. You’re constantly putting in drops to keep them moist but you are able to open your eyes and your eye sight is already about 20/20.
- “Are there follow ups?”- Yes. You will follow up 24 hrs after to make sure there’s not still discomfort or any issues and to check your progress. Zach’s eyesight was already 20/20 at his 24 hr check up. You will then follow up again 3 weeks after and then again in about 2 months after that.
- “Could your eyesight go back to the way it was before?” -This was our big concern so we were sure to ask it. The answer is not likely, all of our bodies are different and unique to determine that. Typically it does not go back to the way it was however as we get older our eyes will naturally need reading glasses because of age. Lasik cannot change that, but the way we see it is even if he gets a good 10-15 years out of perfect eyesight it’s worth it!
- “Would you do it again?”- Absolutely! There’s no pain, recovery time is quick, and the benefits are life changing.
- “Did you have any side effects?”- His eyes do water and feel dry, however if you already had dry eyes prior which he did, you will still have it after. He simply uses eye drops a couple times a day and he’s fine.
- “What were your end results?”- He ended with 20/20 vision in each individual eye but 20/15 overall vision. Coming from a person that couldn’t ever read the menu board at a fast food restaurant, that’s simply amazing!
All in all this was a great experience! The staff was super nice and very knowledgeable. The Doctor has extensive experience in doing lasik surgery that he could probably do this with his eyes closed, no pun intended. The whole experience was quick and painless. Ultimately what they’ve done for us is provide us with a life that is full of “yes” instead of “no”. The kids can wrestle daddy. He can watch a college football game and see everything going on. He can read the street signs on the road in plenty of time to get over without having to worry about missing his turn. We can go do activities and take trips he can fully experience.
Have you thought about doing lasik? Do it! You won’t regret it! To help you out I have a $600 off code to put towards your procedure. To get the discount please click here or call 602-786-7603
