Planning for LASIK Eye Surgery

After years of careful consideration, I had LASIK eye surgery in the spring of 2008. I did have a somewhat scary complication, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I keep trying to talk my husband into doing it, and I tell people it's the best money I've ever spent. I don't have 20/20 vision, but it's not too far off, and I love not being dependent on glasses and contacts. It's taken me a while, though, to not reach for my glasses when I first wake up!

If I were to do it all over again, there's a few things I'd do differently. I wanted the surgery so badly that, when it came time to schedule it, my first priority was getting in as soon as possible. I'm generally don't consider myself to be a patient person. Here's what I wish I had considered:

1. You have to wear your glasses for at least two weeks (sometimes more) before the laser sugery---no contacts. For the previous 15 years, I had worn contacts every single day and only used glasses before bed and when I woke up. In retrospect, I probably wore contacts at least 16 hours on most days (which, by the way, is not recommended by most eye doctors). Having to wear glasses was a huge inconvenience for me! When it's nice out, I spend a lot of time running outside. I was so annoyed by having to wear glasses while being active outside. In addition, my glasses were so old that I could hardly see anything! I would have rather had to wear my glasses in the winter than in the spring.

2. You may look like you got in a bar fight. I had a complication called a "free cap." This means that the flap was cut all the way around and was free-standing. The doctor was able to continue with the procedure, but by that afternoon, my left eye was red as could be with a huge bruise around it. The next day was worse. I had to be at a couple of important work functions, including presenting at a regional conference, in the next week. I looked terrible!

3. You will have to wear goggles when you sleep for several weeks. I had a lot of trouble sleeping with the goggles on. You may want to consider what you will be doing the next few weeks. Will it be inconvenient to have to wear those goggles? How problematic would it be if you didn't sleep well?

4. You will be not able to swim or use hot tubs for some time. I'm certainly not an elite athlete, but I usually do a few triathlons a summer. I wasn't able to train in the pool after the lasery surgery. Because of the increased risk of infection, it was even longer before I could swim in a lake---which is where most triathlons take place. If I would have had laser eye surgery in the winter, I wouldn't have missed the triathlon season.

5. You may be able to get a better deal. I had my laser eye surgery done by a reputable doctor in the town in which I live. My surgery was May 8th. Little did I know that in June they would be offering the surgery at a reduced cost (two eyes for the cost of one). It is wise to ask if there will be a deal in the near future. You could save a significant amount of money.