From 11 years old, I carried a pair of spectacles. I was the one who people will call ‘that girl with specs’, and I never minded it! I had astigmatism and myopic eye power when I decided to operate eyes for vision correctness surgery.
I am writing this to help other similar people who want to/ who are considering to undergo eye surgery to get rid of glasses/contact lenses.
First of all, It’s a blessing to wake up and see everything crystal clear. People with normal vision will underestimate this sentence, but I see it as a blessing that your hand don’t reach out to find glasses (and sometimes you ask mom to find glasses as you misplaced it and can’t see a thing).
Anyways, When I was researching before a surgery I wanted to know experience in Details, so I have written mine with details. if you are not the one undergoing procedure or don’t want to read these many details, straight away reach to last paragraph.
LASIK Vs ICL? — Taking a right decision.
So back to my decision of having my eyes operated. First option was LASIK. obviously.
It took me a while to find a right doctor and latest available technology. Why latest technology? — Because machines do all the initial tests and new machines can find out more intricate details about eyes than older ones. I went to doctor and did all the pre-LASIK tests.
From what I understood, LASIK is a procedure where eyes’ corneal tissue is reshaped. For LASIK to be done on you, there are few conditions which doctor checks such as how long your eye power is been consistent, thickness of your retina, and some other details. If these conditions are fine then you are an eligible candidate for LASIK. But in my case, I had Keratoconus condition in which Retina is thinned and budged out in some parts so it was quiet risky for me to undergo LASIK.
My doctor advised me the ICL surgery. In which, Intraocular contact lenses, which are made from a material that easily adjusts into eyes, are inserted between iris and natural lens of eye. Initially I was reluctant for this procedure but anyways decided to go for it. My family and friends encouraged me to undergo this procedure. And I somewhere I deeply believed in my doctor, she is a very experienced eye surgeon and I knew that way she is suggesting must be the best for me.
1st ICL Procedure : Operating right eye
In ICL, Both eyes are not operated on same day as in case of LASIK but it involves a gap of a week. After a number of eye exams and scans, taking some measurements, we decided to operate a right eye first. On 2ndof December 2018, my right eye was operated. It was around of 15 minutes procedure. A clamp like material was attached so my eye remained open. I’d think I’d blink in procedure but that clamp won’t let you. After that, local anesthetic drops were added and I was observing a yellow light. You don’t at all feel pain, just some pressure that is totally bearable. After some time, I observed I can see yellow light brightly or clearly. Lens was placed. I don’t only have spherical and cylindrical number but also there is a different axis for both eyes. So lens has to be placed carefully with the same angle. It’s a tough job to place the lens but once it is placed, difficult job is over. I heard doctors’ voices — calm and normal. Such complex job that involves such complex eyes would only be done with Calmness. After 15 minutes, I came out of OT and saw my mom waiting.
I calmly rested on a bed. I did not feel a need to sleep but I was sitting. My left eye was open and everything I saw through it looked blurred. Right eye was carefully dressed though I could open it. After an hour, I was riding my way back home. I had some pills and slept for straight 2 hours. After doctor removed my dressing on next day, I could see everything with such a clarity I never had before. Crystal clear. Even with contact lenses, you do not get this clarity. As these lenses sit inside of your eye, you get to see the best of details. I was happy.
After that, there were some more scans to be done.
2nd ICL Procedure : Right eye AGAIN
After 2 days, I went to hospital for some more scans of operated eye. After done with scans, nurse asked me to wait outside. Still unaware of next, I was playing with the beautiful dog, outside hospital. In a really chirpy mood, I went to see doctor, she was little worried, when she told me that we need to remove the lens and insert new one with smaller size. I certainly did not want it but then she told me that its best that we do it. After scans of eye, doctor observed that my lens is slightly bigger than what it should be. By 3mm precisely. Even after 2 days of observation, doctor did not find the expected result. According to my doctor, Lens size would not be a problem in a near future, but in a long run, it could become a problem.
Measurements were all right from hospital side and also all right from vendor side who made the lenses. It was just that sort of error in the way body responds to a procedure. There I learned that 3 mm of difference is not affordable to an eye. This was a very rare case that happened with me. In fact the first one in case of my doctor’s history. But let me tell you, it’s the only worst that could happen with ICL and its very rare and unfortunate that have happened with me. But I believe that, If that lens had remained in my right eye and later would become a problem then it would be the worst. I respect my doctor’s decision to let me know about lens and take the right action immediately. Seeing things clearly in a long run was a goal.
Until the new right lens arrived, there were some weird days when I could see crystal clear with right eye and blurred with left. Audiobooks, Music apps, Friends on phone, and my pet dog helped me pass those days. The day came when new right lens arrived, it was 3mm smaller than older. In a surgery, I could see clear bright light being replaced by blurred one then clear light again. New lens was right for me. After two procedures, my right eye could see everything crystal clear!
3rd ICL Procedure : Time for a Left eye
Left eye lens, exactly of same measurement as of new right lens, was ordered. It came after 4 days. Till then bright and blurry game continued (you can very well use contact lens for other eye and can do everything, in my case, I did not have contact lenses. It was expensive to order new ones for couple of days. Anyways, Its good idea to give your eyes a rest).
Till left eye operation, I admit that I was a little tired that I missed work. But when its done, another 15 mins of procedure. Left eye recovered quickly. When doctor removed its dressing, TaDa, I could see everything in tiniest details!
Final NOTE : The Outcome
We checked the vision. It was 6/6. Never ever that I remember seeing this much clarity with this much ease. Three surgeries were worth it. Though there was a slight discomfort for a week after all procedures, There was zero pain. I could go places without wearing glasses, but in sunlight, I always used sunglasses, just to be careful. After 10–15 days, I forgot that I wore glasses for my life’s 15 years and my vision felt very natural to me. My friends, even family around me, have forgotten how I looked all these years with spectacles.
After 15 days, I washed eyes, no pain that time also. It’s been 4 months after the completion of procedure. I gained some better confidence, I can read things from such a distance that my friends need a spectacle. I agree, that one month was somewhat uncomfortable, but it’s so much worth it, That one month would be easily forgotten, but this vision is here to stay. I treasure it absolutely. A quote that i instantly liked -
My eyes are favourite part of me; not for, how they look, but for how they see
Lasik and ICL both are life changing procedures in a way only person like me who wore glasses all the time would understand. Let me tell you, These procedure are simple, and outcome is much beautiful than you can imagine. A pre-requisite tip from my side is that when you decide to undergo ICL — An experienced and expert eye surgeon. This is a delicate surgery for which doctors must be separately trained. Look for a doctor who has successfully done ICL in past years. Talk to some of earlier patients, know their experience. You can fearlessly go for this procedure as the worst that I described above could be handled. Have a faith on your doctor. And yes, Life is indeed beautiful without any barrier in front of your eyes. In an era of technology and field experts, I believe, everyone has a right to experience this freedom!
