A new vision - Off Topic: How Muck

[Garret Traylor]

Rob,

Great description of your surgery. How much did it cost?

Kindest Regards,

Garret 

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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Rob & Helen Goodale
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 2:46 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: A new vision - Off Topic

 

--Off Topic--.

 

Well I finally did it.  After 20 +/- years of wearing glasses I had enough.
Yesterday I went in and got LASIK surgery to rid myself of them forever.  I
have to admit from the beginning I was a nerve wreck, after all we're
talking about someone coming toward my eyes with medical instruments
intending to change the way my eyes work!  What if something goes wrong?  Do
I really want to do this?  It's my eyes after all!  I'm thinking to myself
what it would look be like walking with a cane for the rest of my life.
Okay, I could be a blind tuner, there are a few of those around.  But aside
from that I'm thinking all kind of awful things.  Aaaaaaagh!!!  Okay reality
time.  I keep hearing stories about "it's no big deal" and "You won't feel a
thing".  Okay time to be brave, maybe it's not so bad.  So I go in for all
my preliminary exams.  The typical thing looking at letters on the wall and
such.  They determine what prescription is appropriate and an appointment is
set.  Okay, here we go...

 

Yesterday I went in at 10:00 as scheduled.  A little nervous but okay.  The
first thing they give me is a Valium pill.  Ahhhhh, okay that's relaxing.
Then comes a series of eye drops, each with a different purpose.  Some are
numbing, some are lubricating, some do other things I have no idea.
Nevertheless I sit and wait for a half hour for the drops and the Valium
pill to kick in.  Sure enough I'm feeling nice and mellow.  The anxiety edge
has been smoothed over, and they lead me into the operating room.  Did you
hear me, the "OPERATING" room.  This is it!  More drops in my eyes and then
the doctor looks and me and takes a marker pin, (I assume a special type,
not a sharpie), and literally makes marks on my eyes while I'm sitting
there.  He is literally coming at my eyes with a marker and I don't even
care, imagine that!!

 

So now they have me lay down on a padded table somewhat resembling a massage
table with contours to make it comfy.  Above me is an apparatus with various
lights and gismos attached.  A green light is dead center and I'm told to
stare at it.  By this time the drops have made my vision a bit blurry but I
can see the light.  More drops, and then some kind of big wegit goes against
my eye and applies some light vacuum pressure.  No big deal, but the light
above gets fuzzier with each step.  "Keep looking at the light, don't look
away, just keep centered on it" he says.  Another thingy comes down over my
eye and there's a noise and a little vibration.  What's he doing?  By golly
he is CUTTING my eye!   He's removing the outer cornea layer.  Well not
quite all the way, there is just enough remaining to act as a hinge and it's
folded open.  Forget the light, I see nothing.  The lens part of my eye is
missing, it's like looking through an ice cube under water.  All I can see
is ambient light, no details of any kind

 

 "Here we go" he says.  The laser is turned on and scans across my entire
eye, removing just enough material to properly reshape the exposed surface
to the proper optical dimension.  Not only is there absolutely no pain, I
can't even see it.  The laser works in a spectrum not normally visible.  The
only evidence that it's working is the pleasant smell of your eye-flesh
being burned away.  Within less then 15 seconds it's all done.  He cleans
things up with some sort of drops, closes the flap to wear it goes, applies
a little pressure to make sure it's all the way down, wipes it the surface
with some sort of squeegee-like thingy, and he says "ALL DONE".  Excuse me,
did he say "done"?  That's it?  The other eye seems to go even quicker.
Within about three minutes I'm sitting up getting ready to leave!  He looks
at my eyes through some sort of scope thingy, the nurse gives me some drops
to take home, and they tell me to take it easy for the rest of the day.  "It
will be itchy and irritated for the next few days, just don't rub it".

 

This morning I wake up and.... and...  I can see!  I can see WITHOUT my
glasses!  As the hours pass it gets better and better as the cloudiness
disappears.  I returned to the office this morning where he re-examines me
through the scope again.  "Perfect" he says.  "In a week you'll see better
then you ever have in your life".  So here I am about 26 hours later after
the operation and I'm already seeing better then I did with the glasses.
There is a little irritation but no real pain to speak of.  I'm a little
sensitive to bright light but that's normal and they gave me a pair of
sunglasses.

 

So the bottom line:  If you have ever considered LASIK, my advise is DO IT!
It's no big deal, it doesn't hurt, most of the irritation is only the
apprehension, it's easier then going to the dentist, it's over in 10
minutes, and you will never have to deal with prescription glasses again.
EVER.  I highly recommend it.

 

Rob "seeing clearly" Goodale

Las Vegas, NV

 

 

 

 

 

 

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